Reconyx Hyperfire 2 Camera Review

Model #HF2X | HF2X Owner's Manual

Hyperfire 2 FAQ's

The Hyperfire 2 is an excellent picture-taking low glow IR trail camera. It combines fast detection speed, with incredible battery life, and best-in-class night pictures. The video quality will disappoint you, but everything else is rock solid. -TCP Staff

Trailcampro Comprehensive Score:

88/100

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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

 

Picture Quality:  82/100

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 Hyperfire game trail camera models. They have realistic color and good clarity in a variety of field conditions. We have found the pictures to be very consistent and have even produced impressive "twilight" photos at times of the morning and evening when other cameras would have switched to IR (black/white) mode.

Night pictures are very clear, offer top-of-class flash range, have excellent contrast, and stop motion as well as any camera we've seen. Overall, these are the best low glow IR pictures on the market.

Daytime video quality is disappointing when compared to Ultrafire models.  When Reconyx first introduced the XR6 many TV shows immediately began incorporating footage with no perceivable loss of quality. This won't be possible with daytime video from the HF2.  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.

 

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 Reconyx HF2X Hyperfire 2 trail 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.

However, the Reconyx HF2X Hyperfire 2 trail camera is not interpolated. This is a true 3 mpxl camera. We wish every company would advertise their native resolution and not fall into making up marketing tricks.

Battery Life: 90/100

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. 

* We incorrectly had the battery life at a much higher rate until we found a mistake in our data. It is now corrected and accurate. Sorry for any inconvenience.

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.

Detection Circuit:     90/100

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 detected out to 80 ft., making it an above average detection range. Overall, the detection circuit is outstanding.

Quality of Design:     90/100

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 feels 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 the old cameras. 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 that many cameras come equipped with now. 

Without a doubt, the case design on the Hyperfire 2 is really solid but not groundbreaking. We do expect this camera to be able to work down to -20° Fahrenheit, so if that is a concern, the case design is still superior to Chinese-made cameras. However, when spending this amount of money, it would be really nice to have the bells and whistles that we see on other cameras (internal viewer and multiple 1/4" x 20 inserts).

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

Through our 2-year warranty program on the trail cameras we sell, we are able to track warranty rates on all trailcam 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. On top of that, Reconyx has recently started issuing a 5-year warranty on the Hyperfire 2. This is quite the statement.

If an issue were to arise, we will update this review accordingly.

 

The Hyperfire 2 is an excellent picture-taking low glow IR trail camera. It combines fast detection speed, with long battery life, and best-in-class night pictures. The video quality will disappoint you, but everything else is rock solid.

Enjoy our reviews?  Please consider purchasing your next trail camera from us.

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FAQ's: Reconyx Hyperfire 2 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.

• 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 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 low glow game trail camera, meaning it has a very 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. 

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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