What is Trail Camera Trigger Speed?

Trigger Speed is defined as the amount of time elapsed from when a trail camera first detects motion until the camera captures a picture of what created the motion.  For example, when an animal walks into the detection zone of a trail camera, the camera is activated and prepares to take a picture.  The game camera then takes a picture and records it to a SD Memory Card.  The amount of time between the animal walking into the detection zone and a picture being recorded is the Trigger Speed of that particular camera trap.

So what does that mean for you?  Well, a trail camera that has a slow trigger speed won't work well on a game trail.  By the time a picture is taken, the animal may be completely out of the field of view!  Also, if you are using a trail camera for security purposes (i.e. trespassers - thieves), you will need a camera with a fast trigger speed to catch the thieves in action (especially if you are using video mode) or before they leave the picture.

How the Trigger Speed Showdown Works...


Charles, our tech genius, invented a device called The Triggernator.  The Triggernator is the most accurate form of testing a trail camera's trigger speed. 

Using the Triggernator, we set each camera and then take 7 sample trigger times.  Of the 7 samples, we drop the slowest time and the fastest time. 

Each trail camera's time is posted under their respective camera.  We then average the 5 remaining times, giving you the average trigger speed. 


Below are the scores and rankings.  To view complete details, click the link to the right of the camera you are interested in.

2014 Trigger Speed Results

Rank
Model
Avg. Trigger Time (in seconds)
Avg. Recovery Time (in seconds)
1
Bushnell Trophy Cam HD 2014
0.14
3.3
2
Reconyx HC600
0.21
0.9
3
Reconyx HC500
0.22
0.9
4
Stealth Cam G42NG
0.49
6.6
5
Bushnell Trophy Cam HD Wireless
0.66
42.8
6
Bushnell Natureview HD Max
0.69
2.6
7
Bushnell Trophy Cam 11-9636c
0.70
4.0
8
Browning Spec Ops XR
0.70
2.3
9
Primos Supercharged Blackout
0.70
2.9
10
Primos Truth Cam 46 Ultra HD
0.70
3.1
11
Browning Dark Ops 0.74
2.3
12
Browning Strike Force
0.75
2.3
13
Moultrie Trace Premise
0.76
5.3
14
Stealth Cam G30
0.79
9.8
15
Moultrie M-990i
0.79
5.4
16
Moultrie M-880
0.80
5.2
17
Moultrie M-880i
0.80
5.1
18
Moultrie M-880C
0.81
5.2
19
Eyecon Jag
0.84
13.3
20
Browning Recon Force XR
0.86
2.2
21
Covert Outlook
0.90
8.2
22
Browning Range Ops XR
0.91
2.4
23
Uway VH400HD
0.92
4.7
24
Eyecon Mantis
0.93
13.0
25
Moultrie Trace Perimeter
0.97
4.7
26
Moultrie Panoramic 150i
1.03
7.3
27
Reconyx XR6
1.08
3.4
28
Reconyx WR6
1.11
3.5
29
Moultrie M-550
1.12
5.4
30
Moultrie A-5
1.17
62.0
31
HCO Spartan GoCam
1.20
62.6
32
Covert MP8
1.27
5.5
33
Covert Code Black 3G
1.38
53+ (cellular)

 

2013 Trigger Speed Results

Rank
Model
Avg. Trigger Time (in seconds)
Avg. Recovery Time (in seconds)
1.
Reconyx HC500
0.19
1.0
2.
Reconyx HC600
0.20
1.0
3.
Reconyx HC550
0.20
1.0
4.
Stealth Cam Sniper Shadow
0.34
7.6
5.
Stealth Cam Unit X No Glow
0.37
8.9
6.
Stealth Cam Skout 7 0.37
9.9
7.
Stealth Cam Unit X
0.38
10.3
8.
Stealth Cam Sniper Professional HD
0.38
10.2
9.
Stealth Cam Skout No Glow
0.38
8.9
10.
Wildview TK40 No Glow
0.39
24.0
11.
Buckeye X7D
0.42
5.3
12.
Wildview TK30
0.45
24.1
13.
2013 Bushnell Trophy Cam HD
0.66
2.9
14.
Browning Range Ops
0.68
2.1
15.
Browning Recon Force
0.69
2.3
16.
Browning Special Ops
0.70
2.3
17.
2013 Bushnell Trophy Cam HD Max
0.76
3.0
18.
Moultrie D-444
0.84
14.8
19.
Moultrie M990i
0.88
2.5
20.
Moultrie M880
0.88
2.6
21.
Spypoint Tiny Wireless² 0.91 23
22.
Hunten G22-T70IR
0.93
varies
23.
Leupold RCX-1
0.93
2.8
24.
Moultrie Panoramic 150
0.95
6.2
25.
Leupold RCX-2
0.96
2.8
26.
Primos Truth Cam EL Blackout
1.02
6.5
27.
Primos Truth Cam Ultra 35
1.04
6.4
28.
Primos Truth Cam Ultra 46
1.10
7.7
29.
Covert Red 40
1.17
5.0
30.
Scoutguard SG560c
1.20
9.0
31.
Uway UM562
1.20
 
32.
Covert Black 60
1.28
5.0
33.
Covert MP-E5
1.28
36.1
34.
Spypoint IR-7
1.30
9.9
35.
Scoutguard SG565
1.31
5.1
36.
Uway Panda Wireless
1.33
 
37.
Uway MB500
1.35
 
38.
Hunten G35-20IR
1.41
varies
39.
Spypoint I-6
1.54
9.8
40.
Uway U150 IR 1.54
11.9
41.
Spypoint BF-8
1.56
9.8
42.
Spypoint Tiny W3
1.59
9.9
43.
Hunten G35-50IR
1.66
varies
44.
Uway VH200b
1.68
11.9
45.
Stealth Cam Core
1.82
5.4
46.
Spypoint BF-10 HD
1.97
9.8
47.
Spypoint HD-12
2.04
9.8
48.
Spypoint HD-12 Remote Trigger
2.47
9.8
49.
Spypoint Live
2.70
10

 

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