Spypoint Force-20 Review
The Spypoint Force 20 is an inexpensive trail camera that hits all the basics. Good pictures, decent videos (without audio), average detection circuit, and 9 months of battery life. There are no blatant weaknesses and no obvious strengths. For the price, we think it does the trick. - TCP Staff
Model #FORCE-20 | Force-20 Owner's Manual
- Good picture quality
- 9+ months of battery life
- Limited setup options
- No audio on video
Photo resolution: 20 Mpxl (interpolated)
Video resolution: 1280x720 without audio
Flash Type: Red Glow IR
The Force 20 takes a very solid daytime photo. All aspects of the photo are good and the color appears to be very realistic. We have seen a touch of blur on movement, but nothing alarming.
The night pictures have good flash and clarity. Blur is noticeable on any object with motion. Once again, these are solid pictures and well within what you should expect from a camera in this price point.
Video quality is surprisingly adequate for a 1280 x 720 resolution trail camera. The color, clarity, and fluidity are all decent to above average. Our complaint on video quality is the lack of audio.
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): 1.17 mW
Picture Daytime/Nighttime Power Consumption: 2.7 Ws | 6.2 Ws
Video Daytime/Nighttime Power Consumption: 14.9 Ws | 85.7 Ws
Picture Mode
If this camera were to take 35-day pictures and 35-night pictures every 24 hour period, this camera would last 9.1 months in the field on a set of lithium batteries.
Video Mode
If this camera were to take 15-day and 15-night videos (10-second videos) every 24 hours, it would last 2.2 months in the field on a set of lithium batteries.
Picture Trigger & Recovery Speed: 0.62 s. | 2.0 s.
Video Trigger & Recovery Speed: 2.83 s. | 4.0 s.
Detection Range & Angle: 80 ft. @ 31.6° Detection Angle (field of view 33.2°)
This detection circuit is underwhelming. The Force 20 has a middle of the road picture trigger, solid recover time, but poor video trigger. The detection zone is well below the higher-priced Spypoint cameras (which makes sense). Overall, this is an average detection circuit.
Dimensions: 3.8" x 5" x 2.7"
Battery Type: 8 AA batteries
External Battery Jack: 12-volt
Case Design
The Force 20 has a very typical case design. Nothing flashy and nothing that stands out overwhelmingly in a positive or negative light. Batteries are easy to load, SD card inserts and removes quickly, and the toggle switches and buttons work as intended.
The camera has a python bracket on the back of the camera and a threaded insert for a Slate River Mount on the bottom of the camera.
Camera Setup
Setup has an old school vibe which made toggling through options quick and easy. The Force 20 only has basic setup options, it does not have the following popular settings: programmable start/stop time, password protection, or hybrid mode (picture + video). It does allow for the user to format the SD card in the camera.
SD Card Storage Examples
With a 16 Gig SD card and the camera taking 3 mpxl photos (this is our recommended setting as it is closest to the native resolution), this camera could store 17,727 pictures on the SD card.
With a 16 Gig SD card and the camera taking 1280 x 720 video resolution, this trailcam could store 922 10-second videos.
From this data, you can extrapolate out storage capacities of different sized SD cards and different resolution settings. We give you a 16 Gig SD card with the purchase of this camera through us. If you need additional or larger SD cards, you can shop all SD card options here.
Durability
We are evaluating the durability and will update the review if anything arises.
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.
The Spypoint Force 20 is an inexpensive trail camera that hits the basics. Good pictures, decent videos (without audio), average detection circuit, and 9 months of battery life. There are no blatant weaknesses and no obvious strengths. For the price, we think it does the trick.
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: Spypoint Force 20 Trail Camera
Q: How do I view the pictures?
A: There are a number of ways to do this. Pictures/videos are stored on the SD card you place in the camera. Here are some other methods for viewing images:
- View pictures on your computer. Plug the SD card in a desktop computer or laptop via the built-in SD card reader or use a USB reader if your computer doesn't have one. This method works for most tablets as well. With this method, we recommend having two SD cards per camera so you can swap them in the field.
- Trail Camera Viewers. While more expensive, handheld viewers are useful if you don't have a smartphone or run multiple trail cameras.
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: Yes. This is a red glow trail camera, meaning it has a faint red glow when taking pictures or videos at night. Humans and animals can see this if looking at the camera. This does not "light up" the woods, though.
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. If that isn't enough, we give you a 16 Gig SD card with this camera and you can call and talk our ear off anytime.
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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