Reconyx Hyperfire 2 Cellular Trail Camera Review
The Hyperfire 2 is easy to set up, takes great photos and is the most reliable cellular trail camera we have ever tested. This unit transmits photos in just 8 seconds and gets 4+ months of battery life. It's the most expensive camera we sell, but is American made with a 5-year warranty - TCP Staff
Model #HF2XC / Reconyx Hyperfire 2 Cellular Owner's Manual
Trailcampro Comprehensive Score:
87/100
Reconyx Hyperfire 2 Cellular Trail Camera Review
Pros
- Great picture quality
- 4+ Months of battery life
- Extremely fast trigger speed
- Can send photos on demand
- Easy to set up from your phone
- Made in the U.S.A. and has a 5-year warranty (from Reconyx)
- Great data plan rates
Cons
- Cannot program operating hours
- Does not send video
Be Wary Of Megapixel Ratings
Megapixel ratings for trail cameras seem to increase more & more every year. In reality, the native resolution of 99% of all trail cameras is 5 megapixels or less. Manufacturers artificially inflate megapixel ratings for advertising purposes through a process called interpolation. Interpolated photos are enhanced by software to mimic the file size of a higher megapixel photo, but seldom offer additional clarity or resolution. The result is an exponentially larger file size photo which takes longer to load and slows down the speed of your camera. We always program our cameras to capture photos at the image sensor's native resolution. This allows our cameras to operate as efficiently as possible and store more photos to memory. With shorter load times, this also allows us to review photos at a much quicker pace. The Hyperfire 2 is not interpolated. This is a true 3 mpxl camera. We wish every company would advertise their native resolution.
Photo resolution: 3 mpxl
Video resolution: 720p w/ audio
Flash Type: Low Glow IR (Reconyx labels this no glow but we can see a very faint visible glow)
Day pictures appear identical to previous Hyperfire models. These Reconyx Hyperfire 2 cellular trail cameras have realistic color and good clarity in a variety of field conditions. We have found the pictures to be very consistent and have even produced impressive "twilight" photos at times of the morning and evening when other cameras would have switched to IR (black/white) mode.
Night images are crisp & clear with excellent contrast. The Hyperfire 2 stops motion as well as any camera we've seen. Overall, this camera captures some of the best low glow IR pictures on the market.
Picture & Video Resting Power (on): 10.92mW
Picture Daytime/Nighttime Power Consumption: 10.5Ws | 15.2Ws
If this camera were to take 15-day and 15-night pictures every 24 hours, the Reconyx Hyperfire 2 cellular trail camera would last 4.2 months in the field on a set of 12 AA Lithium Batteries.
Picture Trigger & Recovery Speed: 0.17s | 1.2s
Detection Range & Angle: 60ft. @ 45.2° detection angle (37.9° field of view)
The Reconyx Hyperfire 2 cellular trail camera has an extremely fast trigger speed and a long detection range. This is the fastest recovering Reconyx HF2XC cell camera. This HF2XC trail camera continues taking pictures as long as there is motion in front of the camera and then sends them all at once when the motion stops. This means you won't miss the action as it is happening. We measured the detection range at 60 ft. Additionally, the detection angle is wider than the field of view, which can result in false triggers.
Dimensions: 5.25" x 4.5" 3"
Battery Type: 12 AA
External Battery Jack: 12-volt
SD Card Size: Up to 512GB
The Hyperfire 2 has a fairly standard case design. It is solid and well-built. The latch is oversized and easy to manipulate. The batteries slide in much easier than on the Reconyx Ultrafire cameras and the SD card is easy to insert as well. The python lock bracket is on the front of the camera thereby not only locking the camera to the tree but also preventing access to the internal controls and memory card.
The Hyperfire 2 only has one threaded insert (on the bottom) instead of having two like previous models. This limits the versatility of a tripod or Slate River Mount. Also, the camera has a simple LCD screen for settings but lacks the internal viewer many cameras include.
This unit has a working temperature rated down to -20 degrees which is substantially lower than imported units.
Camera Setup
We found the setup to be simple and user-friendly. You can just use your phone and the camera for setup (you don't need a computer). The app is easy to navigate and great to change settings or view pictures. Cellular Camera Setup for the Reconyx Hyperfire 2 cellular trail camera.
- Download Reconyx Connect App and install lithium batteries, sd card, and antennas to the camera.
- Login to app or create an account. Enter personal information.
- Scan the QR code on the camera with the app (this pairs the camera).
- Turn on camera and go to the "Pair Cell to App" option and hit yes. The camera will connect and give you a device code. Enter that code into the app on your phone. This should pair the camera.
- Set data Image Cap. Save changes and the camera should be ready to go. We recommend 3 bars of reception or more for all cellular cameras (with stock antennas).
You can now login to their web portal to view photos at Connect.Reconyx.Com
Data Plan Costs
You will pay $5 per camera and this includes 200 base images. You can purchase bulk data that all your cameras can share. Here is the bulk data costs:
- 2,000 images - $5
- 4,000 images - $10
- 8,000 images - $20
- 16,000 images - $40
- 24,000 images - $60
Turning "real-time access" on will enable two way communication to happen instantly, as opposed to the next time the camera connects to the network (which is an indefinite amount of time depending on your settings). With it on, you can:
- Take a photo on command
- Check camera status at any time
- Change camera settings without delay
- Fetch full resolution images immediately
In your app, you will find a setting option that is currently only found with this Reconyx camera - transfer mode:
- Normal - Modem shuts down between events. Low traffic, a few events per week.
- Fast - Keeps modem connected to network at all times. Higher traffic, a few events per day.
- Batch - Modem powers on and sends photos at specified intervals. Non-urgent data transfer.
- Status Only - Modem powers on once per day and sends camera status.
Durability
The vast majority of consumer-grade trail cameras are inexpensive, imported devices exposed to harsh conditions 24/7/365. Most manufacturers only offer a one-year warranty. Through our 2-year warranty program we've tracked the warranty rate for all manufacturers. We do not publish this data but durability on Reconyx trail cameras is unmatched. These cameras are engineered and produced in Holmen Wisconsin by some of the brightest minds in the business. You won't need it, but Reconyx has recently started issuing a 5-year warranty on the Hyperfire 2.
All test results are achieved through the use of proprietary equipment used exclusively by Trailcampro. Any re-publication of this data without prior written consent is strictly prohibited by law. COPYRIGHT TRAILCAMPRO, L.L.C. 2023, ALL RIGHTS RESERVED.
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