Any solar + cellular trail cams worth a damn?

SPYPOINT is pure garbage.

I paid for two cameras for unlimited pics for a year. It was $240 and they just auto renewed one of my cameras that hasn’t worked in 6 months. I called them and they didn’t answer so I gave them a call back number and they never called back. I emailed them and they said they were reviewing.

I threw both cameras in the trash and will have my credit card company reverse the charge.

I also have 4 stealth cams and their shitty antennas keep getting broke by birds. I called them and they said if you have an active subscription they will send new antennas at no charge. They never sent one.

I’ve now moved to Tactacam and they seem to be able to figure out when I want to suspend service, so far so good with them.

4 stealth cams $70 month. Still using
2 Tactacam cams $25 month still using
2 SPYPOINTs $240 year thrown in the trash lasted 3 months paid first year in full. Auto renewed one for $120. I went into the app and canceled the second auto Renew but I’m positive I selected the non auto renwew Function when I signed up.

Spartans are the most expensive and probably overall work and perform the best. They’ve been around the longest.

Reconyx are also pricey, but they have the best track record as a trail camera company. Their cell model is only 2 years old though.

Coverts are similar to Spartans but a little cheaper and less user friendly.

Synper is a cheap option with the cheapest cell plans. The app lacks features and everything else is just average but more reliable than Spypoint. The exact same camera is sold under different names such as Bigfoot, Barn Owl, and WiseEye.

Tactacams work well but we don’t know how long they last since they are only 2 years old. The app works well but they nickel and dime you on HD photos. The pictures saved on the SIM cards are average at best.

Cuddeback Daisy chain system is an ideal system in theory. No app to work with and picture delays up to 24 hours are huge cons.

The cheaper the camera (Spypoint, Muddy, Moultire, etc) the more expensive the data plan. Probably 50/50 chance it lasts 2 years. The company’s make their money by tangling a cheap camera price tag and collect on $10/month data plans per camera.

Lithium batteries are a must but are getting damn expensive. Most cameras have external ports to add solar or a 12v rechargeable batteries.

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Synper is a cheap option with the cheapest cell plans. The app lacks features and everything else is just average but more reliable than Spypoint. The exact same camera is sold under different names such as Bigfoot, Barn Owl, and WiseEye.

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We are not owned by anyone but the family. Your inclusion of us is wrong. I can’t speak for the rest.

quote:

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We are not owned by anyone but the family. Your inclusion of us is wrong. I can’t speak for the rest.

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I meant the same camera is sold by different companies. Maybe they are bought from a distributor and each company has their proprietary app?

WiseEye



BarnOwl



Keystone Peak




Synper

You are still missing the facts.
Every car buys radiators. Wheels. Switches. It’s the same thing with case models.
We have selected two models. We could change the models at anytime. Using the models w picked does not make us owned by some conglomerate.

When you get cams manufactured you select from available molds.

We also have different internal components. You are assuming the same case mold is the same camera/components/company but that’s not the case at all.

My cams are 6 hours away as well. South central Arkansas.

I use both minis and original data cams. I have had solar panels on a few and I quickly learned that solar panels have degradation of performance in wooded areas. If you have an open field with 6-10hrs of direct sunlight it will perform well. I switched to all 12v batteries on all 15 cams in the woods. Best decision I’ve made. You can go years w a solar panel that gets hood light. I get 6-16 months on a 12v Currently have one in west Feliciana that I put out on Nov 1. Still at 100%

I’d let the terrain dictate solar or 12v. Then go all in.
Most of my west Texas ranch customers are solar panel lovers. Heavy woods and hills go 12v.

Solar panels have an internal battery that powers the cam. The panel trickle charges the battery. Without enough sunlight the discharge will outpace the charge.

Hope that helps.

I use SPYPOINTs under club plan and pay about 9 bucks per month per camera for unlimited. Yes they are pos but great when they work. if I am not getting a lot activity on a camera I will go free 100 pics a month or something like 4 bucks for 500 pics etc. I typically am only paying unlimited on 2-3 cameras and usually run 10-12 or so. As long as you have good signal they are great, but if signal sucks they suck. last about 2-4 years typically then they leak etc and u have to theta away, but I pay 60-80 bucks for them max. I am not putting out 400 cameras where I hunt. nobody steals SPYPOINT but those high end cameras typically walk right off the trees

Look at a website called Herd 360. He is a distributor for a bunch of cameras and has IMO the best solar panel package out there. His solar panel has multiple voltage outputs to run most/all cameras and has a battery attached to the panel so as the panel charges it charges the battery and runs the camera at the same time. I have had his second generation panels going for over a year now since he first released them haven't had to do anything other than check my app.

As far as cameras I started with spy point (total shite/garbage as others have said) and I now use Spartan cameras I have a lot out at two properties they have worked well and when I had an issue the stood behind it very well.

I've had the same experience with Spypoint, no complaints here. I think some of the early models had bad results, but the micro LTE with solar have been great for me.

Thanks. Lease is in central Texas, so I could get a good amount of sun, particularly if the solar panel is separate from the camera.