Stealth Cam Reactor Review
Poor night flash, average detection circuit and below average battery life really hurt the rating on the Stealth Cam Reactor. It does take good day pictures and has some nice design traits. Overall, we believe there are better values on the market. - TCP Staff
Model # stc-ratw (AT&T) / stc-rvrzw (verizon) | Stealth Cam Reactor Owners ManualĀ
Trailcampro Comprehensive Score:
74/100
Stealth Cam Reactor Cellular Trail Camera Review
Pros
- Good daytime picture quality
- Fast trigger speed
- A few clever case design features
Cons
- Underwhelming night flash
- Only 1.5 months of battery life
- Slow recovery time
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Photo resolution: 26 mpxl (interpolated)
Flash Type: No Glow IR
Day pictures show great color, good clarity and seem to stop motion really well. Compared to the Stealth Cam Fusion (the other cell model this year), the Stealth Cam Reactor takes a much better day photo.
Conversely, this Reactor camera's night photos show limited flash range and a severe "halo" effect - making the edges of the photo much darker than the center. Night photos are dark even for a no glow camera.
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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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Advanced No Motion |
Advanced W/ Motion |
Standard No Motion |
Standard W/ Motion |
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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 Stealth Cam Reactor 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): 1.07 mW
Picture Daytime/Nighttime Power Consumption: 93.5 Ws | 94.9 Ws
If this camera took 15-day pictures and 15-night pictures every 24 hours, it would last 1.5 months on a set of lithium batteries. This is well below average.
Picture Trigger & Recovery Speed: 0.21 s. | 68.6 s.
Detection Range & Angle: 46.6Ā° @ 80 ft. (38.4Ā° field of view)
The Reactor has a fast trigger speed but slow recovery time. The detection angle is a bit wider than the field of view, which could result in a few false triggers. The 80 ft. detection range is solid. Overall, the detection circuit has a few ups and downs and could best be described as adequate.
Dimensions: 5.5" x 3.5" x 2.75"
Battery Type: 8 AA
External Battery Jack: 12-volt
Case Design
The Stealth Reactor has the same finish that we have come to expect from Stealth Cam models. One new (ish) improvement is a matte finish on the PIR lens cover and should help the camera blend in a little better to the environment. Another small thing we like is the antenna port is on the side of the camera. Any opening in a camera that is on top of the camera has a tendency of letting water and moisture pool up and potentially get in over time. Having the antenna port on the side should help reduce that risk.
The Reactor has a large latch but a small lip to flip it open. Not a big issue but you might have to take your gloves off to open it in the winter. The python bracket on the back is matched to the latch and allows one cable python lock to lock the camera to the tree and locks the camera shut. This is well thought-out.
There is no internal screen, so you will need the Stealth Cam Command app on your phone to do any programming. This isn't our favorite way of doing programming but it probably helped reduce the cost to make the camera (and reduce the cost you pay for the camera).
Camera Setup
Cellular Setup
- Download Stealth Cam Command app and create an account (or sign in)
- Add device (hit + button). Access your QR code underneath the battery tray. Follow instructions to finish
- Tap on your camera within the app and select "Camera Setup" to access settings.
Test your camera connect at any time by pressing the Sync button. This will take a test photo and instantly attempt to upload it. If your camera is successful you will see the photo appear in the app. Otherwise, one of the following LED codes will display:
- Flashing green battery indicates checking camera hardware status
- Solid green battery and flashing network indicates checking camera for internet connection
- Solid green battery, Network and flashing account indicates checking camera for account
- 3 Solid LEDs indicate account found and camera is successfully registered
- All 3 LEDs will blink green to indicate photo upload in progress. LEDs will turn off to indicate camera is asleep and ready for deployment
- Solid red battery indicates low battery or no sd card
- Solid green battery and solid red network indicate no sim card, low signal, or no data plan
- Solid green battery, network and solid red account indicates no account found
Data Plans
| Monthly Plans | Annual Plans | Elite Hunter Plan Features |
| $5 - 600 photos* (50 mb) | $4 - 600 photos* (50 mb) | $5 per month |
| $10 - 2000 photos* (100 mb) | $8 - 2000 photos* (100 mb) | Automatic filtering of bucks, does, hogs and turkeys |
| $20 - Unlimited photos | $15 - Unlimited photos | 2- year cloud storage |
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$50 - Bundle Pro
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$40 - Bundle Pro
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Security monitoring sends notifications in the event of attempted camera activation on an unauthorized account |
| Request HD Photos | 5 cents each | 1080p |
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The smartphone app is easy to navigate and user friendly. One of our favorite cellular settings is the ability to have the camera upload instantly, but in groups of photos. So if one animal is in front of the camera for a while, it will take pictures a second or two apart and when the animal leaves, it uploads right away.
Durability
We have no current issues with the Reactor, if anything arises, we will update this review immediately.
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!
Enjoy our reviews? Please consider purchasing your next trail camera from us.
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.
Ā All test results are achieved through the use of proprietary equipment used exclusively by Trailcampro.Ā 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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