Reconyx Hyperfire 2 Review
Model #HF2X | HF2X Owner's Manual
The Reconyx Hyperfire 2 is widely considered to be the "Gold Standard" of the trail camera industry. This no-glow IR trail camera combines fast detection speed with incredible battery life and best-in-class night photos. Reconyx also offers an industry leading 5-year warranty -TCP Staff
Trailcampro Comprehensive Score:
88/100
Reconyx Hyperfire 2 Trail Camera Review
Pros
- Best in class night pictures
- 16+ month battery life
- Fast detection and 80 ft. detection range
- 5-Year Reconyx Warranty
Cons
- Low daytime video resolution/quality
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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: Fullscreen: 1024 x 720 (@20 fps) | Widescreen: 1028 x 576 (@20 fps)
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 models with realistic color and good clarity in a variety of field conditions. Photos are very consistent and produce impressive "twilight" photos at times 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.
Daytime video quality is disappointing when compared to other models. The frame rate is just 20 frames per second and videos can be jerky and sometimes hard to watch. The resolution is low and the clarity just isn't what we were expecting. However, night video quality is really good with strong illumination and contrast. The camera also does a great job of not overexposing close objects.
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Picture & Video Resting Power (on): 0.65 mW
Picture Daytime/Nighttime Power Consumption: 1.2 Ws | 6.5 Ws
Video Daytime/Nighttime Power Consumption: 22.6 Ws | 108.2 Ws
Please note, our overall battery rating takes the weight of both IR picture and video life and averages them together.
Picture Mode
If this camera were to take 35-day and 35-night pictures every 24 hours, the Hyperfire 2 would last 16.6* months in the field on a set of 12 AA Lithium Batteries.
Video Mode
If the HF2X Hyperfire 2 Covert IR Camera were to take 15-day and 15-night videos (10-second videos) every 24 hours, it would last 2.7 months in the field on a set of lithium batteries. This is very good video life.
Picture Trigger & Recovery Speed: 0.20 s. / 1.0 s.
Video Trigger & Recovery Speed: 0.24 s. / 4.6 s.
Detection Range: 80 ft. (maximum)
Detecting critters shouldn't be an issue for the Hyperfire 2. Trigger speed in both modes is excellent and recovery times are very good as well.
The Hyperfire 2 has a detection range of 80 ft. Overall, the detection circuit is outstanding.
Dimensions: 5.25" x 4.5" 3"
Battery Type: 12 AA Batteries
External Battery Jack: None
SD Card Size: Up to 512GB
Case Design
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
It's easy, simple, and arms in seconds. While the standard Hyperfire 2 does not offer programmable start/stop times during specific hours of the day, it does allow the user to select day, night, or both day & night operational periods. Another upgrade is the ability to use SD cards up to 512 Gigs.
SD Card Storage Examples
With a 16 Gig SD card and the camera taking 3 mpxl photos, the Hyperfire 2 could store 25,641 pictures on the SD card.
With a 16 Gig SD card and the camera taking 1280x720 videos, the Hyperfire 2 could store 747 10-second videos. These numbers can vary slightly but this gives you a good idea of storage ideas.
From this data, you can extrapolate out storage capacities of different sized SD cards and different resolution settings. Shop all SD card options here.
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.Â
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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.ÂRead Reviews From All the Game and Trail Cameras