Qualities & Features
- Current, up-to-date model
- Innovative built-in solar panel
- Fantastic battery life
- 1920 x 1080 HD video
- Stunning 12MP images
- 0.07 second trigger speed (photos)
- 42 infrared LEDs with option of no-glow
- Built-in colour screen
- 2 year warranty
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Overview
The improved SpyPoint Solar Dark has a lot to like. The built-in solar panel is the stand out feature, supplying potentially unlimited battery life, particularly in photo mode.
The Solar Dark also adds improved 1080p video with sound, an improvement on the previous version. It has a 2 inch colour screen for setup and reviewing images and videos.
One new innovative feature is the option to choose between no-glow and low-glow LED types – a first in trail cameras. If using for general wildlife viewing you can select low-glow for best results. If using for security applications, change the LED setting to no-glow so the camera can’t be spotted.
And we know what you’re thinking; “I live in the UK – it’s not really that sunny” or “I’ll be putting the camera in a forest, or under a tree” – but that doesn’t matter. The solar panel doesn’t need direct sunlight – it can charge off any light that is present. SpyPoint test their camera traps in the cold Canadian wilderness, and assure us that the camera’s solar panel charges fully even under these conditions. We’ve tested them in forests, gardens and fields – and the solar panel keeps on going. Perfect for the occassions when you need to leave the camera for extended periods of time without disturbing the site.
It also has one of the fastest trigger speeds of any camera trap currently available – 0.07 seconds (for photos) and around 0.5 seconds for video. Impressive.
The SpyPoint Solar Dark also has a host of other very impressive features. 12MP stills are excellent quality, and the HD video is great quality. Whilst using the SpyPoint Solar you can feel that there is a lot going on under-the-hood – its intuitive and pleasant to use. Features like a 60 second countdown on the screen once you tell the camera to start, which if you then press ‘OK’ reduces to 10 seconds, demonstrate this.
The Spypoint Solar Dark trail camera also has a curved motion sensor which improves the detection angle and detecting distance of its five detection zones.
- Audio Recording: Yes
- Battery Life - Photos: Up to 18 Months
- Battery Life - Video: Up to 3 months
- Can use rechargable batteries: No
- Cellular: No
- CMOS Sensor: 2MP
- Detection range max: Up to 100ft
- Encryption option: No
- External power jack: Yes - accessory only
- FPS: 10fps
- GPS Geotag: No
- Hybrid capture: No
- Image data strip: Yes
- IR flash range: 80ft max
- LCD Display: Colour
- Max Images per trigger: 5
- Max SD Card capacity: 32GB
- Max video resolution: 1080p
- Memory overwrite: No
- Night vision flash: No-Glow
- No of batteries: AA x8
- Number of LEDs: 42
- PIR sensor: Up to 110ft
- Power supply: AA batteries
- Recovery speed: 0.3s
- Resolution: 12MP
- Solar compatible: Yes - built in
- Start Stop Timer: Yes
- Strap included: Yes
- Timelapse: Yes
- Trigger speed - Photos: 0.07sec
- Trigger speed - Videos: 0.5sec
- Tripod mount: Yes
- Video length: Up to 60 seconds
- Warranty: 2 year
- Weatherproof: Yes
- Wireless connectivity: No
SpyPoint
SpyPoint camera traps have been around for a while now, and have developed year on year. They are a Canadian-based company, and all of their trail cameras are tested in the harsh Canadian winter before release.
There are currently several models of SpyPoint cameras, with a release of 4 cameras in summer 2019, all of which fit in at different places in the market. SpyPoint has also turned in the last few years to specialise in cellular camera traps that send photos in near-real time. This culminated with the release of the innovative Link-Micro in May 2019.
The non-wireless trail cameras are:
- Force 20 – an entry level, affordable little camera with strong features and excellent night-time video
- Force Dark – a mid-market camera trap with industry-leading trigger times (particularly for photos) and selectable low-glow or no-glow LED options
- Solar Dark – the only camera trap with a solar panel built in. Potentially unlimited battery life, especially when paired with an initial set of lithium batteries. The same trigger speeds as the Force Dark too and control over low-glow or no-glow LEDs
The wireless trail cameras, all using the Telefonica (o2, GiffGaff, Tesco Mobile etc) network and locked to the SIM Card they are provided with, are:
- Link Micro – an innovative, small and affordable wireless trail camera. No frills but a great way to access an app-based, 4G wireless trail camera
- Link-Micro-S – as above but with built-in solar panel and Lithium battery pack
- Link-Dark – best suited for security applications thanks to its no-glow LEDs. 4G and fast photo transmission, with the fastest trigger speeds available.
- Link-S – Essentially a Link-Dark with a solar panel on the top – perfect if the camera needs to be left in-situ for long periods of time
The wireless cameras also come with free 28 days of initial unlimited use. If you don’t choose one of the paid plans after that point, it reverts to a free 100 photos a month plan. They are all controlled via an app available on iOS and Android, and also online via myspypoint.com.
The trigger speeds of these cameras are all really good, and battery life is great. If they’re some of the main things that you are looking for, then SpyPoint might be for you.
It also feels like there is a bit more going on in a SpyPoint camera – they feel cleverer than the average. The detection zones are broken up into 5 areas to ensure a better result, screens display countdown timers when you turn the camera on, and fast release clips help you take the camera off it’s backing quickly and conveniently.
All come with a 2 year UK warranty when bought through NatureSpy, as an official UK dealer. If you need to ask any questions at all about SpyPoint or any other camera trap we do, just get in touch.
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