Browning Defender Ridgeline Pro Trail Camera Review
If you have more than 2 or 3 bars of reception, this is an incredible cellular camera. Speed, battery life, and great picture quality have place the Ridgeline Pro at the top of our list for 2023. The only hang-up is the internal antenna. - TCP Staff
Model #BTC-RLDCP | Browning Defender Ridgeline Pro Owner's Manual
Trailcampro Comprehensive Score:
92/100
Browning Defender Ridgeline Pro Review
Pros
- Great picture quality
- Long battery life
- Fast detection circuit
Cons
- Internal antenna, will not accept a booster antenna
The Browning Ridgeline Pro is a cellular camera that has a modem that can be used on ATT or Verizon. You select the carrier when you set it up. This can also be changed down the road if needed.
Photo resolution: 22 mpxl (interpolated)
Flash Type: Red Glow
It is hard to find fault with the Browning Ridgeline Pro photos. Check out the sample below and you will find sharp clarity, good color and bright photos. Night pictures have plenty of flash and contrast, leaving us impressed.
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Night IR Blur Test The equipment for the test consists of a target moving along a track from left to right at a constant speed controlled by a stepper motor and a sensor to trigger the capture of a picture near the center of the field of view of a trail camera. The target is moving at 1.25 feet per second and is 10 feet from the camera at the center of field of view. The test is conducted in a dark room. Two pictures are taken, one with the target not moving and one with the target in motion. A visual comparison can now be made of the two pictures. All settings that affect the quality of night photos will be tested. |
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What if you purchase from us and aren't happy with the image quality?
This is a common question and we have a very simple solution. Call, email, or chat with us and we can take a look at the images and offer suggestions or immediately tell if something is wrong with the camera. If so, we will warranty the camera for you (with the free 2-Year warranty you receive from us) or return the camera for a full refund (within 90 days of purchase). You have control of the process, remember, we work for you.
Megapixel Ratings:
In the past, many people get confused with the megapixel rating trail camera manufacturers advertise. Companies inflate the mpxl rating to attract eyes to their products. They do this through interpolation, which digitally adds megapixels to a photo without actually improving the picture.
The best way to judge picture quality is to look at actual pictures. You will notice this the most when you zoom in on a full-size image that a camera has taken. The details of the photo will appear hazy or even digitized. This is normal, and to be expected.
Picture & Video Resting Power (on): 0.64 mW
Picture Daytime/Nighttime Power Consumption: 13.5 Ws | 13.7 Ws
If this camera were to take 15-day and 15-night pictures every 24 hours, the Ridgeline Pro would last 9.4 months in the field on a set of lithium batteries.
*Does not work with Nimh batteries.
Picture Trigger & Recovery Speed: 0.12 s. | *See notes
Detection Range & Angle: 90 ft. @ 45.6° detection angle (56.5° field of view)
The Ridgeline has an extremely fast trigger speed. See the note below on recovery.
*Picture recovery time: It starts transmitting as it is taking pictures. On a 1 second recovery it gets behind on sending pictures on constant motion for a minute and will transmit for over 10 minutes after motion stops. The recovery times will be about all other settings.
Dimensions: 6" x 4" x 3"
Battery Type: 8 AA
External Battery Jack: 12-volt
Case Design
The Browning Ridgeline Pro is a slick little camera that feels and looks professional. The latch is easy to close/open, the camera has a tripod mount on the bottom and a bracket on the back for a cable lock.
There is a small LCD screen on the inside of the camera. This helps with basic programming.
Our biggest worry for the Ridgeline is the internal antenna. You won't be able to add a booster antenna to this camera so it won't be useful in low reception areas. Make sure the camera has 3+ bars of reception.
Camera Setup
Browning cell cameras take a little work to get up and running. If you purchase them from us, we are happy to walk you through it.
Set up an account at www.strikeforcewireless.com.
Step 1: Simply set up a user name and password, contact information and select the desired plan package to begin.
Step 2: On the Services and Equipment page you will need to enter the ICCID and IMEI numbers from your camera in the ACTIVATE NEW SUBSCRIPTION fields. The IMEI numbers are on a label inside of the control panel door of your camera (just to the left of the lcd screen. You can find the ICCID number when you turn the camera on, select a network, see the QR code (if setting this up on the app you scan the code here), then select enter to see imei, enter again to see iccid.
The sim card in your camera will be activated within 2-3 minutes. Download the Strike Force Wireless App on your smartphone. Login. Let's send a test photo now.
Step 1: Power on your camera and take a test picture. Your SD card meter on the home screen will show the number of pictures taken.
Step 2: On your camera, navigate to Mode>LTE Setup>LTE Status.
Your camera will make connection with a cell tower and transmit the images to your Strike Force Wireless Account. You can view the pictures on your laptop or mobile app. Your camera screen will display the cellular signal strength. If your camera registers the cell tower strength low (as indicated by a red icon), you may need to relocate the camera to an area with a stronger signal.
Upon a successful images transmission, your images will appear in your image inbox within a couple of minutes. Remember to refresh your app (by swiping down on the screen) or refresh your computer screen to see the images.
When you set up your camera in the field, the camera will automatically connect to the Browning servers and connect to your account. The camera will update its settings and communication times with the ones set in the camera settings menu of your online account or mobile app.
In order for the camera to operate in Rapid Fire with the app, the Thumbnail Upload setting must be set to the “By Schedule” option. Thusly, the camera will transmit via the predetermined schedule the user sets.
Durability
Keep in mind, our 2-year warranty program is your free insurance program in case something goes wrong with a camera you purchase from us. This warranty protects you from any manufacturing defect the camera might experience for two years.
Since 2005, our mission has to been to provide consumers with unbeatable value, advice you can trust, and customer service that exceeds expectations. There are plenty of places you can choose to do business with, if we are lucky enough to earn your support, we promise to give you our undivided attention. Trailcampro has grown each year not only by relying on your happiness but on the assumption that if we blow you away with customer service, you will brag about us to your friends (have you seen our referral/reward program?).
As always, if you have additional questions, feel free to call, email or chat with us. We look forward to helping you find your next trail camera!
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FAQ's: Trail Camera
Q: Will this trail camera trigger on small animals (birds, rodents, etc.)?
A: Trail cameras detect on a combination of heat and movement, so, yes, small mammals will trigger the camera. However, if you are going after smaller warm-blooded mammals, we recommend getting the camera closer to your target. For best performance, place the camera in an area that would enable picture detection from 3 - 20 ft.
Q: Can animals see the infrared flash on this camera?
A: This is somewhat controversial. Humans can't see the flash as the nanometer spectrum is above what the human eye can detect. It's also much harder for an animal to see, but that could depend on the species of animal as different species see in different light spectrums.
Q: Where can I purchase this camera?
A: From us! We hope to woo you with our incredible charm, two-year warranty, 90-day returns, free continental U.S. shipping, and technical expertise.
Seriously, though, we know you have plenty of options of where to spend your hard-earned money. The internet can be the wild, wild, west of too-good-to-be-true deals. If you choose to do business with us, we will go out of our way to make sure you are happy with the camera you select and the service we provide you.
We are passionate about testing and reviewing trail cameras, but most importantly, we are passionate about treating our customers the right way. We do things differently from what you have come to expect from other internet retailers and we hope you give us the opportunity to prove that to you.
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