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The Absolute Best Trail Cameras To Buy Now

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Trail view of a camera trail.
Image used with permission by copyright holder

Whether you’re an avid hunter, looking to capture the wildlife around your property, or just want a security camera for your home, a trail camera is a great way to record high-quality photos and videos both day and night. While photo and video resolution will be at the top of many people’s lists, shutter speed, cellular capabilities, and battery life are also important factors. And if outdoor photography is your thing, you might want to check out our tips for taking better outdoor photos. But these ten trail cameras are sure to offer something for everyone, so read on to see which one is right for you.

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Browning Strike Force Pro XD

Browning Strike Force Pro XD with a memory card and flash drives.
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Browning has been making hunting and fishing gear since 1878 and is a well-known name in the industry. They offer a great lineup of trail cameras but the Strike Force series is by far a favorite. The Browning Strike Force Pro XD performs well across the board and comes in at an affordable price. What’s so great about it? For starters, really nice image quality. This bad boy shoots video at 1080p HD and photos at 24 megapixels (MP). With two lenses, this camera performs well both day and night. And with a trigger speed of .15 seconds, you’ll capture even the speediest animals.

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Bushnell Trophy Cam Trail Camera

Bushnell Trophy Cam Trail Camera on a white background.
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The Bushnell Trophy Cam Trail Camera has low LEDs to avoid spooking game at night, a 100-foot illumination range, and a day/night sensor for optimal images. Pair this with a .3s trigger speed and you’re going to capture some really great photos. The trophy cam captures stills in 16MP and records video in 720p.

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Spypoint Solar Dark

Spypoint Solar Dark on a white background.
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The Skypoint Solar Dark Trail Camera has a super-fast .07s trigger speed, meaning fewer empty frames and more photos of the game. With a solar panel and rechargeable lithium batteries, you’ll never have to worry about missing shots or hiking out to your cam to replace the batteries, saving you time and money. The Solar Dark also comes with invisible LED technology to avoid spooking game at night.

Spypoint Link-S

Skypoint Link-S on a white background.
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The Skypoint Link-S doesn’t offer the best video (720p) or image (12mp) quality but makes up for it by being stealthy and convenient. The Link-S is solar-powered and comes with rechargeable lithium batteries. This camera is perfect for those out-of-the-way locations or spots where you don’t want to disturb the animals. It also boasts a .07s trigger speed, one of the fastest on our list. This means fewer empty frames and more of the animals you’re after. Another huge benefit of this camera is LTE photo transmission. Just download the Skypoint app to check your photos and videos whenever. All that convenience comes at a price, though, and the Link-S is the most expensive camera on our list.

Rexing H2 – 4K Wi-Fi Trail Camera

Rexing H2 - 4K Wi-Fi Trail Camera on a white background.
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You’ll love the Rexing H2 – 4K Wi-Fi Trail Camera for its great image and video quality. This camera shoots in 4K and 1080p HD, 20mp photo quality, and even records audio. The Rexing H2 pairs with an app, allowing you to view recordings in real time. It also has a 2.4-inch screen if you’re posting your camera nearby your home. Though a solar panel is not included, the Rexing can be connected to a 6V solar panel for extended battery life.

Reconyx HF2X Hyperfire 2 Covert IR Camera

Reconyx HF2X Hyperfire 2 Covert IR Camera on a white background.
Image used with permission by copyright holder

If you’re looking to capture photos at a distance, the Hyperfire 2 with an impressive 150-foot range is the camera for you. This made-in-USA camera has a .2 trigger speed, 720p HD video quality, 1080P HD photo quality, and a battery life of 2 years.  It can take video up to 10 seconds and has the No Glow functionality you’d expect from a stealthy train cam. All this is backed up by Reconyx’s 5-year warranty.

$400 FROM AMAZON

Wildgame Innovations Insite Cell

Wildgame Innovations Insite Cell on a white background.
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The Insite Cell pairs with your phone no matter what network you’re on so that you can watch your trail cam footage in real-time. And this camera offers what you’d expect from a great trail camera: Dual lenses for day and night, 32mp photo quality, and Lights-out infrared flash to avoid spooking game. Maybe the coolest feature of the Insite Cell is its Adaptive Illumination that adjusts based on how far the target is away from the camera. Coming in at $130 the Insite Cell brings great functionality and cellular capability for a very reasonable price.

CuddeLink LTE Camera Starter Kit

CuddeLink LTE Camera Starter Kit on a white background.
Image used with permission by copyright holder

To be fair, the CuddeLink LTE isn’t a trail camera, it’s a trail camera system. CuddeLink is for the avid hunter or outdoorsman who has multiple spots they want to observe and need a series of connected cameras they can check in on from the convenience of home. The kit includes the Powerhouse IR Cell Cellular Trail Camera and two CuddeLink Long Range IR cameras. If three cameras aren’t enough, you can connect more to this system, up to 16 cameras total. By bundling the cameras together in one of CuddLink’s plans you’re able to save money and see more. And the cameras themselves have everything you’re looking for including low glow for stealth, 100-foot range, .25 second trigger speed, and 20mp photo resolution. At the end of the day if you’re thinking you’ll need more than one trail cam then this is the setup for you.

$550 FROM AMAZON

Editors’ Recommendations

Benjamin Buckingham
Benjamin Buckingham
Former Digital Trends Contributor
Ben lives in Portland, Oregon where he works as a freelance writer and outdoor guide.
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