Description
Browning Defender Ridgeline Pro Trail Camera Review
If you have more than 2 or 3 bars of reception, this is an incredible cellular camera. Speed, battery life, and great picture quality have place the Ridgeline Pro at the top of our list for 2023. The only hang-up is the internal antenna. - TCP Staff
Model #BTC-RLDCP | Browning Defender Ridgeline Pro Owner's Manual
Trailcampro Comprehensive Score:
92/100
Browning Defender Ridgeline Pro Trail Camera Review
Pros
- Great picture quality
- Long battery life
- Fast detection circuit
Cons
- Internal antenna, will not accept a booster antenna
The Browning Ridgeline Pro is a cellular camera that has a modem that can be used on ATT or Verizon. You select the carrier when you set it up. This can also be changed down the road if needed.
Photo resolution: 22 mpxl (interpolated)
Flash Type: Red Glow
It is hard to find fault with the Browning Ridgeline Pro photos. Check out the sample below and you will find sharp clarity, good color and bright photos. Night pictures have plenty of flash and contrast, leaving us impressed.
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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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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): 0.64 mW
Picture Daytime/Nighttime Power Consumption: 13.5 Ws | 13.7 Ws
If this camera were to take 15-day and 15-night pictures every 24 hours, the Ridgeline Pro would last 9.4 months in the field on a set of lithium batteries.
*Does not work with Nimh batteries.
Picture Trigger & Recovery Speed: 0.12 s. | *See notes
Detection Range & Angle: 90 ft. @ 45.6° detection angle (56.5° field of view)
The Ridgeline has an extremely fast trigger speed. See the note below on recovery.
*Picture recovery time: It starts transmitting as it is taking pictures. On a 1 second recovery it gets behind on sending pictures on constant motion for a minute and will transmit for over 10 minutes after motion stops. The recovery times will be about all other settings.
Dimensions: 6" x 4" x 3"
Battery Type: 8 AA
External Battery Jack: 12-volt
Case Design
The Browning Ridgeline Pro is a slick little camera that feels and looks professional. The latch is easy to close/open, the camera has a tripod mount on the bottom and a bracket on the back for a cable lock.
There is a small LCD screen on the inside of the camera. This helps with basic programming.
Our biggest worry for the Ridgeline is the internal antenna. You won't be able to add a booster antenna to this camera so it won't be useful in low reception areas. Make sure the camera has 3+ bars of reception.
Camera Setup
Browning cell cameras take a little work to get up and running. If you purchase them from us, we are happy to walk you through it.
Set up an account at www.strikeforcewireless.com.
Step 1: Simply set up a user name and password, contact information and select the desired plan package to begin.
Step 2: On the Services and Equipment page you will need to enter the ICCID and IMEI numbers from your camera in the ACTIVATE NEW SUBSCRIPTION fields. The IMEI numbers are on a label inside of the control panel door of your camera (just to the left of the lcd screen. You can find the ICCID number when you turn the camera on, select a network, see the QR code (if setting this up on the app you scan the code here), then select enter to see imei, enter again to see iccid.
The sim card in your camera will be activated within 2-3 minutes. Download the Strike Force Wireless App on your smartphone. Login. Let's send a test photo now.
Step 1: Power on your camera and take a test picture. Your SD card meter on the home screen will show the number of pictures taken.
Step 2: On your camera, navigate to Mode>LTE Setup>LTE Status.
Your camera will make connection with a cell tower and transmit the images to your Strike Force Wireless Account. You can view the pictures on your laptop or mobile app. Your camera screen will display the cellular signal strength. If your camera registers the cell tower strength low (as indicated by a red icon), you may need to relocate the camera to an area with a stronger signal.
Upon a successful images transmission, your images will appear in your image inbox within a couple of minutes. Remember to refresh your app (by swiping down on the screen) or refresh your computer screen to see the images.
When you set up your camera in the field, the camera will automatically connect to the Browning servers and connect to your account. The camera will update its settings and communication times with the ones set in the camera settings menu of your online account or mobile app.
In order for the camera to operate in Rapid Fire with the app, the Thumbnail Upload setting must be set to the “By Schedule” option. Thusly, the camera will transmit via the predetermined schedule the user sets.
Durability
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.
Read Reviews From All the Game and Trail Cameras
Trailcampro's 2 Year Warranty | 90 day Return Policy
Trailcampro 90 Day Return | 2 Year Exclusive Warranty Details
If you purchased your trail camera from us (Trailcampro.com), here are the following warranty stipulations. If you purchased from another retailer, we recommend contacting that retailer or the manufacturer of that product for their warranty details.
If You Purchase From Trailcampro.com
We attempted to make our return policy and 2-year exclusive warranty as simple as possible. However, there are a few stipulations.
90 Day Returns
You may return or exchange anything purchased from Trailcampro for a full 90 days from the date of purchase. Please use the items as you normally would and much as you like subject to the rules below.
Our return policy lets you field test products, at no risk to you!
- Buyer's remorse? Return the camera to us for a full refund (minus shipping).
- Purchased the wrong camera? We will ship you the right camera.
- Something wrong with the camera you received? We will replace it at no cost to you.
90 Day Return Policy Rules:
- 90 days from date of purchase.
- In order to receive a full refund, items must be returned with their original packaging (including UPC code) and all contents
- Cameras or products must be returned in their original condition. You cannot write on the cameras, paint them or deface them in any way. This completely voids the warranty with both us and the specific manufacturer.
- If you purchased one of our "Package Deals" and only return part of the package, we will refund the items full price minus the package discount.
- Orders with quantities of 5 or more are not eligible for a refund or exchange. They are still eligible for warranty replacement.
- There are no returns on used cameras or cameras that clearly state "No Returns"
- If you are returning for a refund, you are responsible for return shipping. Your refund amount will be minus the cost of the initial shipping to you.
2 Year Warranty
We strive to make our customer experience superior to anything available. Traditional warranties only last a year and must be processed directly through the manufacturer. This process usually involves frustrating minutes on hold with call centers and oftentimes weeks, if not months of down time waiting for your replacement product. We process our warranties in-house and expedite the replacement process. When you call Trailcampro you'll speak directly with an expert who will immediately identify the problem and offer a solution.
2 Year Exclusive Warranty Details:
- Warranty starts from the time of purchase and continues for a full 2 years.
- Replacement cameras receive the remainder of the 2-year warranty leftover from the original purchase.
- Warranty is only valid for full retail priced orders (quantity discounts void our 2-year warranty). Discounted items still receive the manufacturer warranty. Price matches void the 2-year warranty as well.
- If your defective camera has been discontinued, we will exchange it for a similarly priced item to your liking.
- If you have a 3G cellular trail camera, it is not considered manufacturer defect if you lose 3G reception in your area.
- Used cameras do not apply for our 2-year warranty
- Cameras cannot be marked on, damaged, or defaced in any way. Warranty is for manufacturer defect only. Defect does not include damage, whether intentional or not.
If you have any questions that were not answered here please feel free to contact us.
To warranty a camera please use the form below. Upon receipt of an RMA number, you will need to ship the camera back to us. You will be responsible for the shipping charges of the defective camera back to us. We will ship the replacement back to you for free.
Payment & Security
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