Trail Cameras
How to choose a trail camera
Card or 4G
A card based camera is cheaper and has no running cost, but you have to walk in to see what it caught. A 4G model sends photos the moment they are taken, which pays for itself on a block that takes an hour to reach, or when you are watching a gate rather than a game trail. Solar models add a panel so you are not replacing batteries through winter either.
Trigger speed and detection range
Trigger speed is the gap between the sensor noticing movement and the camera taking the frame. Under half a second catches an animal crossing the sensor; over a second returns a photograph of an empty track and a tail. Detection range is how far out the sensor notices body heat, usually quoted around fifteen to twenty metres in ideal conditions, and it drops on a hot afternoon. For property monitoring the priority reverses: enough resolution to identify a person or a vehicle at the gate.
Compare the types
 Card only |  4G |  Solar |  Steel lockbox | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Photos reach you | When you collect the card | On your phone as they happen | When you collect the card | On your phone as they happen |
| Power | AA cells, months of standby | Rechargeable cells, solar socket | Panel and battery, no swaps | Panel and battery |
| Needs coverage | No | Yes | No | Yes |
| Suits | A trap line or trail you visit anyway | A gate or a block an hour away | A fence line left for a season | A position where the camera is a target |
| See | Card based trail cameras | 4G trail cameras | Solar trail cameras | Lockbox cameras |
Buying guides
Trail Camera Buying Guide AustraliaSolar, 4G, GPS and what lasts a winter
Night Vision Buying Guide AustraliaMonoculars, binoculars and thermal
4G Security Camera Buying Guide AustraliaSolar, PTZ and zoom compared
Related
4G Trail Cameras Solar Trail Cameras 4G Security Cameras Night Vision Memory Cards
Common questions
How long do batteries last?
Months on a card based camera in normal use. A 4G camera uses more, because sending images costs far more power than saving them, which is why solar models suit remote sites.
Will the flash spook animals?
Infrared models record at night without a white flash. Standard infrared shows a faint red glow that some animals notice up close; no glow infrared shows no visible glow, at the cost of a shorter range.
What happens with no signal?
A 4G camera that cannot connect stores to its card like any other and sends when it reconnects. Check coverage at the exact spot before you buy.
Where can I put a trail camera in Australia? Australian law
Anywhere on your own land, and on someone else's land with the owner's permission. In a national park or state forest, check the rules with the park or forestry authority before installing anything. Watching animals and protecting your own property is lawful; if the camera could capture people, surveillance devices laws differ by state and territory, so keep it away from anywhere a person would expect privacy.