Wondering how to use a trail camera for your property security purpose or for your land security? A trail camera is one of the most discreet and inexpensive security systems you’re likely to find. It can be easily installed to capture anything from game animals passing through your property to trespassers on your land.
The article will guide you through how exactly to use a trail camera for security and what features do you need on this camera. If you’re looking for a way to deter intruders around your property, read my guide below.
How to use a trail camera for security purpose
Choose a right trail camera
A camera that’s not appropriate for your situation can provide false alarms and give you a hard time. The best thing then is to search for a highly sensitive type of camera that can capture sharp images in low light conditions. Ensure that the camera has the capability of capturing full HD images, otherwise, it may not be able to provide clear footage in its view.
Check the trigger speed of the camera to ensure that it can capture clear images less than a half second (best is 0.1s) after an intruder triggers its motion detection. It’s also advisable to have the trigger speed set to allow for more movement in your videos. If you see that there are still no movements, you should change the trigger speed by adjusting it between 0.1 and 0.5 second recovery speed.
Also check if your camera has a “No Glow” feature installed. No glow trail cameras can avoid being detected by intruders because they don’t have any LED (invisible flash) or infrared lights that can show their location. If you think that your camera is visible to people in your yard, consider buying a no glow model to prevent this.
The next thing you’ll need to check is how many megapixels the camera has. If it’s lower than 15 MP, it will fail to deliver good images. It will also have the ability to detect motion, but it will take a long time to capture those videos. We recommend you to choose cellular trail cameras that send pictures to your phone, so that you can easily control it from a longer distance via the camera App.
Also you can choose hunting trail cameras, because of this kinds of camera includes much more valuable features like “no glow”, wide angle high detection range, produce full HD picture & video, fast trigger speed and many more.
Place your camera in right location
The quality of the camera’s footage will highly depend on the position of the camera. For example, if you’re installing a camera in your backyard, you may want to place it near your fence or in a high position. If the camera is placed high and covers wide area, it can be able to capture anything that may pass through it.
If the camera covers large area but is placed low, you can expect blurry images and videos. This is because the camera will have to capture images from a lower angle. The quality of footage also highly depends on weather. During the night, images captured by the camera will be shaky and dark if it’s not well-positioned.
It’s important that you position the camera in well-hidden area to keep intruders away. If you do not have an idea on how to position your camera, read my guide about how to hide trail camera from humans.
A wireless camera is the best option for surveillance. It allows you to monitor your property from any location. You can also use an app on your smartphone to view your camera’s footage over the Internet.
Connect it to your wireless network
Many trail cameras require that you establish a simple two-way radio link to link them together, which will allow the detection of intruders. While this may save money for people who don’t have much experience in setting up trail cameras, it can pose a problem for those who have an outdoor situation with lots of obstacles and thick vegetation.
If you want to install a wireless trail camera, you’ll need to find a better way of setting up the cellular trail camera. Learn how to setup on my video (the tutorial about CreativeXP app)
Once the setup process is done, you can start playing with the settings of your camera to get it working well for security purposes.
Check the cellular connection strength of the camera if it has one. Make sure that it’s likely to capture high quality cellular data especially if you’re using cellular tracking data in case of an intruder alert.
Factors to choose a trail camera
Trail cameras have been used to provide remote surveillance for security purposes since the early 1880s. But, if you’re looking for a great indoor or outdoor security camera, you’ll need to consider several different factors.
Trigger speed
The trigger speed of a trail camera determines how fast it can detect intruders which are entering or leaving your yard. You’ll need to ensure that the trigger speed of the camera is quite fast. If it’s slow, its detection range will be limited because it will take a long time for it to capture clear images.
No Glow feature
Consider getting a no glow trail camera if you want the ability to avoid intruder alert when they enter or leave your property. Some cameras can detect intruders even in low light conditions. This can be a problem because it can leave you blind to their presence when they intrude your property.
Look for a camera that has an infrared lens, which will have the ability to detect movement from a long distance. It will also have the ability to record clear footage even when there is no lighting in your surroundings.
Detection range
The detection range of a trail camera will determine how well it can detect intruders and trespassers in your yard. The larger the detection range, the better.
Motion sensor
The motion sensor of a trail camera will determine its ability to capture clear images of intruders and trespassers. If you want to achieve clear footage, you’ll need to ensure that the camera has a high trigger speed. It will also reduce your chances of missing out on clear videos because it will capture footage rapidly after an intruder activates the sensor.
Quality of Pictures and Audio & videos
These are the features of your trail camera that will determine its overall quality. Choose a trail camera that’s equipped with high-quality lenses and sensors to deliver high-quality images and videos of intruders. If you want to observe an intruder in your yard, you’ll need high resolution pictures to capture clear footage. Consider choosing the best brand of cameras for your home security needs. You’ll also need clear audio and videos if you want to understand how the intruder is moving in your yard.
Cellular connection
Look for a trail camera that supports cellular connection if you want to be able to monitor your property with ease. This can provide you with live footage of intruders who are entering or leaving your property. It will also allow you to watch over your place at any given time. Make sure that the cellular connection feature is working well before getting a camera with it.
Timestamp and Timelapse
Also look for a trail camera that has timestamps and timelapse features if you’re going to use it for security purpose. These features can provide you with more information and data in the videos and images captured by the camera. It will also allow you to view them in more detail.
Storage capacity
The storage capacity of a trail cam will determine how much footage is stored in it at any given time. It can be a problem if your camera cannot capture clear footage because its memory is full.
Battery life
If you’re looking for a wireless trail camera, it’s important that you consider its battery life. The battery life of a trail camera will determine how many days it can survive before having to be replaced. For security purposes you can choose rechargeable batteries for trail cameras to use longer, so that you don’t have to buy more batteries every months.
Consider this reviews on trail cameras less than $100.
Final thoughts
Trail cameras have been a vital instrument in protecting property from trespassing. They can also alert you if anyone has an intent to intrude your property because of their connection with a cellular network. I tried my best to help you to use and setup a trail camera properly for security reason and may help you with this guide. Good luck!
