2010 Detection Zone Test

     While many companies brag about trigger speeds, very few ever mention their product's detection zone.  

     A trail camera's detection zone is the area in which; when movement is detected, triggers the camera to take a picture.   Detection zones vary from short and wide to long and skinny and everything in between. Although you don't hear much about this in manufacturer's advertising, it is the #1 determinant in how many pictures you capture.  After all, no matter how fast your trail camera takes a picture, it really doesn't matter if an animal never enters your camera's detection zone.
The larger the detection zone, the more area you're effectively able to scout.

    
The two factors affecting detection zones are detection range and detection width (angle).  See the graphic below for a real-life depiction of how a detection zone works with its surrounding areas.



     As you can see from the above picture, some camera's detection zones are actually wider than their field of view.  These models can give you a head start on fast moving animals, but can also produce empty photos when animals enter the detection zone, but don't quite make into the view of the camera's lens. 

     Conversely, trail cameras with narrow detection zones almost always produce perfectly centered pictures with very few empty frames.  However, these narrow detection cameras also fail to detect a substantial number of animals that wander into the view of the camera lens, but don't make it to the narrow detection zone.

To view complete details, click the link to the right of the camera you are interested in.

Model
Detection Range
Detection Area
Full Results




Reconyx HC500
100 ft.
3516 sq. ft.
Full Reconyx Results
Bushnell Trophy Cam
52 ft.
1795 sq. ft.
Full Bushnell Results
Wildgame Innovations X6C
53 ft.
1375 sq. ft.
Full Wildgame Results
Primos Truth Cam X
45 ft.
1119 sq. ft.
Full Primos Results
Uway Nighttrakker NT50
45 ft.
1094 sq. ft.
Full Uway Results
Scoutguard SG550
50 ft.
951 sq. ft.
Full Scoutguard Results
Spypoint IR-8
45 ft.
883 sq. ft.
Full Spypoint Results
Stealth Cam Unit
38 ft.
815 sq. ft.
Full Stealth Cam Results
Primos Truth Cam 60
69 ft.
631 sq. ft.
Full Primos Results
Scoutguard SG580M
38 ft.
570 sq. ft.
Full Scoutguard Results
Scoutguard SG565
30 ft.
497 sq. ft.
Full Scoutguard Results
Moultrie I-65
35 ft.
395 sq. ft.
Full Moultrie Results
Moultrie I-35
31 ft.
338 sq. ft.
Full Moultrie Results
Recon Viper
36 ft.
172 sq. ft.
Full Recon Results

To view detailed results, click the link next to the specific camera you would like to view.