Best wildlife cameras [UK]: Top wireless and wifi nature and trail cameras reviewed

The GardePro A3S is one of the bestselling wildlife cameras online at the present time, and I can see why it is so popular. This product offers some impressive specifications, good build quality, and all at an affordable price. What’s not to like?

The main selling point for the A3S is its nighttime sensor. Fitted with a SONY starvis image sensor, this camera has a very impressive 100ft range in the dark, and when backed up by the black, no glow LEDs, it can help you to capture some excellent footage after dark, although the length of the video is limited.

On top of that, the trigger speed of the A3S is as fast as they come at O.1 seconds, and the camera is capable of snapping 5 continuous images at a time. With a 24MP camera taking the photos, those images are very crisp and clear, both in the day and at night, and the 1080P video running at 30fps is equally impressive.

The sound quality on this camera was ok, but suffers from the same problem that a lot of these products do, and that is that the solid casing used to make the product weatherproof dampens the audio. This is a common issue, but thankfully not too bad with this particular product.

As mentioned, the sensors on this wildlife camera are the star of the show, and, for a change, they are as good as claimed. While some of its competitors’ sensors only managed to pick up movement directly in front of the camera, this one had no problems detecting things from the side of its detection arc.

This sensitivity has its drawbacks though, and if left in an area that has a lot of activity, such as a spot where birds are regular visitors, you find that the batteries will be done within a day. What’s more, just like the Mediase S3 Pro, the time and date settings will be deleted if you don’t change the batteries very quickly.

Sometimes, actually setting up and changing settings on these cameras can be a pain in the you-know-what, but I found the interface on this particular camera really intuitive and easy to use. This is only helped by the large, colour screen, and I never found myself frustrated. Other than when I changed batteries and had to set the time again, that is.

This is a cracking wildlife camera for the money, with an excellent sensor. Sure, there are a few flaws but that’s true with nearly all of these products, however I can honestly say this is a good performer and very decent value.

Pros

• Excellent SONY Starvis sensor for long range nighttime detection
• 24MP camera is right up there with the best in this price range
• Intuitive interface and colour screen make operating the camera easy
• Impressive 0.1 second trigger time
• Supports 128GB Standard-Size SDHC/SDXC cards

Cons

• Batteries can drain quickly in high activity areas

The following video features a review of this product from a young American lad, and has some examples of footage and images at the end of the clip at 8.30 minutes, just in case you want to skip right to those –

This product is the latest upgrade of an already popular camera, and offers its customers some excellent features for a very reasonable price.

With a new 120-degree wide CMOS sensor, a 65ft detection range, and a super-fast 0.2 second trigger speed, you can be sure you won’t miss any of the action. The PIR sensors are extremely good on this camera.

The 20-megapixel camera takes incredibly clear colour photos during the day, and equally impressive black and white nighttime photos. We got some incredible images of a badger that lives locally using this camera, thanks to the 47 IR LEDs and auto IR filter.

You can also set the camera to take time-lapse photos without using the sensor, great for capturing flowers opening up to catch the morning sunlight.

This camera is capable of taking videos of 4K quality, but there are other lesser resolutions available if that’s what you desire. Unfortunately, the sound quality isn’t as good as the image, but that’s fairly common with these cameras.

The casing is extremely sturdy and weatherproof, featuring IP66 waterproofing and being able to withstand both extreme heat and cold, which is a good thing here in the UK. Well, the cold part anyway. It also means that it is sealed off from dust and similar small debris, which is always a good thing.

The Crenova trail camera is powered by 8x AA mAh batteries and lasts a surprisingly long time on them. It can also be used with an external 6V power supply, although this is not included in the price.

Images and videos are stored as JPEG and AVI and you can use SD or SDHC memory cards up to 32GB, and in fact, there’s a 32GB card thrown in with the price. It was previously available for sale without the card, but it seems you have to get both together now.

Pros

• super-fast 0.2 second trigger speed
• 120 degree wide CMOS sensor with 60ft range
• 20 megapixel camera
• Crystal clear photos both day and night
• Record videos up to 4k quality

Cons

• Sound quality doesn’t match that of the images

With this new BlazeVideo model, it’s a case of ‘anything you can do, I can do better’ as it seems they have tried to outdo all of their closest competitors in every category.
It doesn’t seem that long ago I was so excited to get my hands on a wildlife camera that could take photos at 16MP, but now this unit is capable of far more than that at 24 megapixels!

These photos are among the clearest I’ve ever seen, in both daytime and IR nighttime modes. The level of detail in the images is just incredible, even when compared to already excellent 20MP photos from other wildlife cameras.

On top of that it can capture videos at 1296P quality, which look amazing once you’ve transferred them to your computer from the SD card for proper viewing. Able to support up to 512GB storage cards, you should be able to shoot a ton of footage before dealing with storage problems.

Think your wildlife camera is durable? Well, this one comes with thick waterproof housing and can be used in both extreme cold (-20C) and beyond the temperatures of even the hottest days (+60C), so you never have to worry about any type of weather affecting your ability to shoot photos and videos.

Again though, this casing has a slight dampening effect on the sound, but it isn’t anything to worry about unless things like hearing the bird’s morning call in as much detail as you can is your main reason for buying.

With a super-fast shutter speed of 0.3 seconds, and excellent sensors, you can be sure that you won’t miss out on any of the action when you’re not around in person. You won’t miss out on nighttime opportunities either. This wildlife camera has 36 low glow infrared LEDs to help get you footage and photos in the dark that are as clear as possible, without spooking the animals.

Even the night video footage captured from a few metres away is surprisingly smooth and clear, and when compared to models from only a few years ago it is, pardon the pun, like night and day.

There are multiple modes to play around with and get that perfect shot. For example, you could set the camera to time lapse where multiple photos are then shown like a video, or continuous shooting mode where three photos are taken at a time.

Priced at just under seventy pounds (October 2021), I can’t sing this wonderful camera’s praises enough, it isn’t quite as good on batteries as the makers claim, but it certainly isn’t bad at all.

Pros

• 24 megapixels for super clear photos
• Can handle SD storage cards up to 512GB
• Extremely weatherproof and dustproof
• 36 IR LEDs
• Low glow LEDs won’t spook animals at night

Cons

• Batteries don’t last as long as claimed by the makers of the product.

If there’s one thing your wildlife camera needs to be, is weather proof. You could have more megapixels than you know what to do with, but it won’t make a difference if the camera shuts down in a light shower.

The Usogood WiFi wildlife camera’s hard casing is not only extremely rainproof, but will also allow you to keep the camera set up in cold, snowy weather, and windy weather due to being dustproof, so just imagine the kind of photos you could capture.

And capture them has never been easier, with an excellent PIR sensor picking up on the motions of even small animals, the 0.2 second trigger time, and the 24-megapixel camera taking highly detailed, and super sharp photos.

This is a new version of this wildlife camera, and can now be used in conjunction with hunting camera pro app, via wifi. This app will allow you to change settings quickly and easily directly from your smartphone. Within a certain range, that is.

If video is more your thing, the stunningly crisp images that are recorded at 1296P will be right up your alley, and what’s more, the sound quality is actually decent on this product. That’s a bit of a rarity in wildlife cameras, although you do have to pay a bit more for it.

Getting natural images of nocturnal animals can be tricky due to the flash or light of some cameras disturbing the little creatures. With this wildlife camera, that isn’t the case thanks to the 34 940nm infrared LEDs, so your chances of snapping crystal clear pictures of those nighttime adventurers are greatly improved.

There are a ton of features to play with on this wildlife camera, such as capture mode, PIR interval, timer setting, time lapse, PIR sensitivity, and much more. Thankfully the interface is very straightforward and it doesn’t take long to get to grips with operating this excellent product.

You can power the TC50 wildlife with eight 1.5V alkaline AA batteries, and the remote can be charged with a standard USB cable, although that isn’t provided. Battery life is actually quite good with this product, but things like using the WiFi feature will affect it.

The only thing I would have liked to have seen with the TC50, is for it to be able to handle a larger SD card. At the moment that is limited to 128GB, which is fine, but other cameras can handle much more.

Pros

• New WiFi feature allows you to use an app to adjust settings
• High quality images thanks to 24MP camera
• 65 feet range on the sensor
• Good sound quality on the videos
• Very durable and solid

Cons

• Would have liked to have been able to use a larger SD card

Interested in seeing how you set up this camera? Check out the Youtube video below-

At first glance, the specs of the Wosoda trail camera don’t seem that impressive, especially when compared to some of the other cameras featured on this page, but there are a few things to take into consideration before dismissing this product.

First of all, the actual specifications on this camera would have been some of the best around only a few years ago, so it isn’t as if they are completely outdated. For example, you will still get some very nice images from the 16-megapixel camera, and the same goes for the 1080P videos. Sound quality on the videos is also better than you would expect, and a 0.3 second trigger time is not something to be sniffed at either.

This camera has most of the same features that more expensive models have, such as auto IR sensor, a 65ft nighttime range, and those all-important low glow LEDs for capturing footage after dark. With 25 LEDs, this camera isn’t packing as many as some of its competitors, but it is still no slouch.

Now, you’re probably asking yourself why would anyone buy a camera that has slightly lower specs than some of the others? Well, the main reason is the price, and the second will probably come down to what you want your camera for. Let me explain…

You see, this camera costs roughly a third of the price of the Usogood model we just reviewed above, and that’s quite a saving. So, if your intent is just to put up a camera in the garden to try to capture photos and videos of hedgehogs, foxes, etc. to show the kids, what you should be asking yourself is- do I really need to spend 150 quid? Or will something like this camera suffice?

The Wosoda wildlife camera has an IP54 rating, meaning it is resistant to water, dust, and corrosion, and won’t get damaged if left out for long periods of time. Again, you might see that another product has IP66 and think less of this Wosoda, but unless you are planning an expedition to the arctic, or near an active volcano, you really don’t need more than IP54.
One thing I really liked about this particular product was that it didn’t drain batteries as much as some of the others, even when playing with the various shooting modes and features. The batteries are really easy to access using the small button that opens the tray too, another little feature that I liked.

I guess I’d sum up this product like this- If you are looking for the highest specifications and want your camera to be better than ‘the Joneses’, you should pay more for a different brand and camera. However, for those of you who just want to try out this kind of product for the first time, or want something for your kids without breaking the bank, you could do a lot worse.

Pros

• Takes very clear images despite having a lower megapixel count
• IP54 protected against weather, dust, and corrosion
• Costs a fraction of some other wildlife cameras
• Good battery life
• 65ft range on the sensor is as good as more expensive models

Cons

• Generally speaking, specifications aren’t as good as more expensive cameras

Want to see more of this low-cost wildlife camera before you make your decision? Not a problem. Here’s a video review from the states on this very product-

Mediase’s S3 pro wildlife camera has very impressive specifications for a product in its price range, but there were one or two things that niggled me that stopped it from being my overall favourite. But, let’s start with all the good stuff, and there is a lot to like here, especially considering the price tag.

One look at the spec sheet of this camera and you know that Mediase have come to compete with the big boys that are selling for much more. Take, for instance, the 32MP camera in this device, and its ability to record video at 1080P and 30 frames per second.

Then there’s the fact that the S3 Pro can handle a 512GB SD card, so you can take a ton of footage without worrying about storage space. In fact, not only can it be used with SD cards, but also SDHC and SDXC too, giving you plenty of options.

If this camera were a cowboy, it’d be one of the fastest guns in the west. I am, of course, referring to the ultra-fast 0.1 second shutter speed, and the fact that in burst mode, it can capture 9 photos with a single trigger.

Even the sensor range on the S3 pro has been aimed to compete with more expensive camera, and Mediase claim it can work at up to 82ft, and still have the same 120-degree detection arc. Personally, after spending a bit of time with this camera, I have a few doubts about these claims.

What I found was that daytime snaps and clips were excellent, and the 32Mp camera was really showing its worth, but only seemed to capture things that triggered the sensor directly in front, and not off to the sides at all.

Nighttime images weren’t anywhere near as good as the excellent daytime ones, and even during the day, if you have the camera angled wrong, the sun can cause reflections and problems with the images due to the smaller than needed visor on the camera.

My biggest gripe about this otherwise excellent camera, is that when you change the batteries, you have to mess around and redo the settings that you previously adjusted to your liking. It’s very annoying, even though it doesn’t take that long.

So, as I said originally there are a few flaws, but for the price you won’t find many wildlife cameras with the specs that this one has. It offers a massive 32MP camera, IP66 protection rating, large LED display, 512GB SD card support, and much, much, more. Definitely worth some consideration.

Pros

• 32MP camera is one of the best for any camera in this price range
• 512GB SD, SDHC, and SDXC card support, giving you lots of memory options
• Super-fast 0.1 second trigger time
• 1080P video quality with decent sound
• IP66 waterproof rating and solidly built

Cons

• sensor didn’t seem to work well with things at the sides of the detection arc