Best Game Camera Reviews 2024

In our search for the best game camera, we’ll look at various options at a range of prices. From this review, you’ll be able to gauge what type of features are available in your price range and what type of features you may need -or can do without- based on how you’ll use your new product.

Some of these game cameras offer distinctive LED arrangements to help with concealment. We’ll also take an in-depth look at a game camera that has an LED filter that makes the LED flash completely undetectable -great if you’re buying a new game camera for night use or to keep tabs on that mean-spirited neighbor who won’t stay out of your yard.

After carefully comparing over a dozen different products, our pick for the best game camera is the Cuddeback  Long Range IR Camera. This is a high-end camera with great reliability, but we recommend you read through all of the reviews to see if you agree with our decision.

Our Pick: Cuddeback E2 Long Range IR Camera

The Cuddeback E2 Long Range IR Game Camera really stands out with a 20-megapixel resolution and a trigger speed that is only 1/4 of a second. And if that wasn’t fast enough, it also has the fastest recovery speed we’ve seen, being ready to take another photo in just one second. That speed means you’ll never miss a picture, providing you with a reliable trail camera that gives you an accurate view of what’s out there.

The long-range technology provides 2 watts of IR illumination with a 100-foot flash range. This means you’ll get clear pictures with sharp details and minimized motion blur. But that’s not all; the Cuddeback E2 allows you to choose different types of flash modules for your specific setup (flash, black flash, or the long-range IR we just mentioned).

This game camera also allows you to choose the breadth of view, with the option of a wide angle, which is perfect for open spaces such as fields and meadows, or a narrow view that provides a perfect vision for trails. It also comes with a 4GB Kingston full-sized SD card with a built-in write-protect program to help prevent accidental erasure and overwriting of your photos.

Although this SD card provides plenty of space to hold a ton of pictures and maintains picture quality with reuse, this game camera is compatible with larger storage capacity SD cards -up to 32GB in memory. It’s powered by eight AA batteries that should provide about six months of use. It includes a mounting bracket and straps and features an easy slide-out design that allows for convenient battery cleaning or changing. This game camera measures 12 inches by 6.6 inches by 4 inches and weighs 2.7 pounds.

For the Money: Moultrie Game Spy A-5 Gen2

While a cheaper-priced game camera may lack some of the bells and whistles that the more expensive models carry, the Moultrie Game Spy A-5 Gen2 proves that an affordable game camera can still offer high performance.

This is the best game camera for the price and provides clear, sharp daylight photos with detailed night photos and a resolution of just 5 megapixels! The great photo quality is partially achieved thanks to a redesigned lens and IR filter.

You also have a choice between two resolutions: high 2560 by 1920 and low 1600 by 1200. This camera also takes video at a resolution of 640 by 480.

This camera has many new features from the previous generation, including that it now runs on 8 AA batteries rather than C batteries -providing greater efficiency and the ability to capture 16,000 photos before changing them. It also has a power port that enables you to attach it to solar panels or an external power pack, providing you with uninterrupted photo and video capturing ability. It has a 40-foot detection range with a 50-foot flash range.

It determines movement based on ambient air temperature to ensure against taking pictures of moving branches, blowing leaves, or a snowy gust. On the flip side, this also means that if you try to “test” your camera, it may not detect you at the same distance it would detect that black bear stealing from your bird feeder. Each photo is imprinted with an info strip at the bottom that shows the moon phase, camera ID, date, and time.

For Security: Primos Supercharged Truth Cam Blackout

If you’re looking for one of the best game cameras for security, then the Primos Supercharged Truth Cam Blackout Trail Camera has the features you’re looking for. This game camera has three settings that allow you to easily toggle between capturing photos, video with audio, and HD time-lapse video. It has a 7-megapixel camera that provides vivid and detailed daylight and great nighttime pictures. Set up is really easy, and it comes with long straps that make it easy to secure the camera to any tree or post.

But what really makes this one of the best cameras for home security is the utter stealth with which it takes photos. This camera has 60 LEDs to capture every detail, but with the blackout filter technology, the camera remains unseen -with the target completely unaware their picture was just taken. It has a 55-foot night range and a trigger speed of one second. It also has a 45-degree PIR sensor for early movement detection, so you can finally snag a picture of what’s been roaming about your property at night.

The camera holds eight batteries, but this supercharged trail camera has an additional battery case that lets you utilize an extra 16 AA batteries. This lets you operate it for over a year without worrying about the batteries running dead and potentially missing a photo.

This trail camera for security comes backed with a 1-year warranty. It measures 13.5 inches by 8.6 inches by 3.4 inches and weighs 1.4 pounds.

Under 100 Dollars: Bushnell Trophy Cam Essential Trail Camera

If you’re looking for an affordable game camera with the functionality you need, look no further! Bushnell is a well-known name in the world of hunting accessories, and their understanding of the demands the field throws at you and your equipment made the Trophy Essential Trail Camera an easy choice for the best game camera under 100 dollars.

It has a six-megapixel camera with a sensor automatically switching between day and night modes. It has a trigger speed of 0.8 of a second, with the interval between pictures taken being adjustable.

This game camera also boasts a motion sensor and a hyper-passive infrared (PIR) sensor that detects heat. Together, they can detect an animal presence at 45 feet out to capture bright and detailed photos or between one and 60 seconds of video with audio.

Unlike other game cameras, even in higher price ranges, this camera can run live-triggered photos and time-lapse at the same time. This means you can set it to automatically take photos at dawn and dusk -when deer are most likely to be on the move- and still get pictures of whatever passes by during the day and night. This versatility makes this trail camera truly functional and a great game camera for the money.

It can withstand temperatures between -5 degrees Fahrenheit and 140 degrees Fahrenheit. It requires a full-sized SD card, which is not included and is powered by eight AA batteries which should last about one year. It measures 10 inches by 7.8 inches by 2.2 inches and weighs just eight ounces.

Under $150: Browning Strikeforce Game Camera

When Browning stepped into the world of game cameras, they really changed how things were done. What was once a $300 camera can now be gotten for less than $150 -but without any decrease in quality or performance. The 10-megapixel Browning STRIKE FORCE Camera provides daylight photos with sharp details that let you clearly see what’s in the area.

Nighttime photos are clear but occasionally have a highlighted area on the animal which conveniently lets you get better detail of antlers. This game camera can also take HD video with sound, lasting between five seconds and two minutes (see video below). It also has a trigger speed of 0.67 of a second, so it won’t miss even the stealthiest of targets.

Different settings allow you to customize the way this camera captures photos for the area where you have it placed.

Between burst mode, which will quickly take a number of pictures, adjusting the timing interval between pictures taken, and that lightning-fast trigger speed, you can be sure to get great pictures of what’s in the area. And with that 100-foot flash range and IR, you’ll capture great nighttime photos with plenty of details to gauge the size of that buck.

This game camera utilizes a full-size SD card, which is not included. It also has a USB port so you can connect it to your smartphone or TV and use the camera as a reader. It’s powered by six AA batteries and weighs about two pounds.

Under 200 Dollars: Crenova 12mp HD IR Trail Camera

The Crenova 12MP HD IR Camera is a versatile game camera with high performance at a pretty reasonable price. It starts up quickly and is ready to go in just one second. It has a unique test mode that allows you to see exactly what the camera sees via the 2.4-inch LCD screen under the cover. This great feature ensures the camera is positioned at just the right angle, so you won’t take pictures too high or too low.

This LCD screen also allows you to review photos without using a camera viewer or changing the SD card and wait until you get home to put it on your computer or TV. However, this game camera also comes with a USB cable, so you can plug it directly into your smartphone or tablet, as well as an AV which allows you to plug it directly into your TV.

It has a 120-degree sensing angle with a 5-megapixel PIR sensor. The camera has a resolution of 12 megapixels and can be set at a multi-shot or interval mode with a one-second trigger speed. It can also take time-lapse HD video with a variable resolution (maximum of 1080P). It has 42 LED pcs and a no-glow IR that provides a 20-meter viewing field at night while not giving away its presence. It also has a timer that allows you to set when it turns on and password protection. It has IP54 waterproof protection and comes with a mounting strap.

It’s powered by 8 AA batteries which should provide about six months of operation. It measures 5.5 inches by 4 inches by 2.5 inches and weighs 1.1 pounds. It supports a full-size SD card with up to 32 GB memory. However, it does not come with an SD card. Each image is imprinted with an info-strip at the bottom, showing the date, time, temperature (Fahrenheit and Celsius), and moon phase.

Best Game Camera Viewer: BoneView Game and Trail Camera Viewer for Smartphones

A camera viewer lets you easily see the photos your game camera has taken with the convenience of using your smartphone rather than your desktop or laptop computer. This can help you to step up your deer stalking game by letting you check your trail camera to see if that trophy buck who just slipped out of sight passed by this way.

As the best game camera viewer, the BoneView Game Camera Viewer is available in versions compatible with both Android Phones and Apple iPhones, iPads and iPods. It can read both standard-size SD cards and micro SD cards, making it compatible with any game camera. It’s also available with a water-resistant case for easier and safer transport as you hike through the forest.

Easy-to-follow instructions are included that will walk you through installing any necessary apps and provide tips for the smoothest operation in viewing photos and videos.

Prices vary whether you get the version for Android or iPhone. Of course, the models with the included water-resistant case also cost a bit extra. But, on the high end, this is a very affordable viewer, costing considerably less than even the most affordable game camera on this list. It’s also very lightweight and compact, weighing no more than 3 ounces.

What is the Best Game Camera 2024?

If you’re wondering what the best game camera is, there are many great options to choose from. We covered a wide range of them, looking at their features so you can get a good idea of what to expect from, say, a camera with only 5 megapixels versus a camera with 10 megapixels.

After looking at the above game cameras and many more, our pick for the best game camera is the Cuddeback Long Range IR Camera. It has a wide viewing angle, great photo quality, 20 megapixels, and the ability to change flash modules depending on your desired setup. The Cuddeback E2 also makes setup and positioning a breeze and ensures you’ll have just the right angle to capture high-quality images of what’s traveling through the area.

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References & Resources

• Bushnell, Official Brand Website.
• Primos, Official Brand Website.
• Cuddeback, Official Brand Website.
• Browning, Official Brand Website.
• Boneview, Official Brand Website.
• Alaska’s Wildlife, Alaska Department of Fish and Game.
• Wildlife Trail Cameras, National Park Service.