If you’ve been looking for a solid security or trail camera to connect with your mobile, you may have heard about the Reconyx SC950C Cellular Enabled HyperFire Security Camera. While this model has a fairly steep price tag, you may find it well worth it when you look at all the features it brings and what users have to say about its performance. Read on to take a closer look at the Reconyx SC950C to see if this camera is the right one for you.
Uses for a Cellular Enabled Security Camera
Security cameras have multiple uses, and the Reconyx SC950C doesn’t limit you to just one application. For home use, you could, for example, find out who’s stealing your newspaper every day, who is on your front stoop when you’re not at home or which one of your teen children is sneaking out in the middle of the night. You can have the images from the camera sent to your cell phone (see “Features,” below), so you don’t even have to be home to get near real-time security information; there is approximately a 60-second delay between the time the image is taken and the time you receive it.
Businesses have also adopted this type of camera for covert security purposes. The Reconyx SC950C would make it easy to photograph vandals after hours on your work property, keep tabs on a construction site or monitor employees who come and go from restricted access areas. You could even see who is violating your smoking policy when you’re out of the office.
Where the Reconyx SC950C and similar cameras really shine, however, is when they are used for trail cameras. Because of its stealthy presence, the Reconyx SC950C is ideal to set out in the woods to monitor game before setting up your deer stand or duck blind. You can also use this camera to catch pesky critters on your property, like raccoons or gophers, or to see what your crafty pets are up to while you’re at work.
Specifications for the Reconyx SC950C
The Reconyx SC950C camera measures 5.5″ x 4.5″ x 3″ and fits nicely in a jacket pocket or backback compartment. It operates on 12 AA batteries, which is a hefty power draw, so users are recommended to either use lithium batteries or purchase separately a solar charger from Reconyx. The camera works within a temperature range of -20 degrees to 120 degrees Fahrenheit.
There is no video mode for the Reconyx SC950C, only still photographs. This camera can take up to 40,000 images on extended battery life, in color by day and monochrome at night. It uses loop recording to write over the oldest images when the maximum threshold has been reached. Thumbnail photos are sent to the devices you have networked to the camera, and larger images in higher resolution are stored on the camera’s SD card, which is included.
The Reconyx SC950C offers 3.1 megapixel resolution on its images and a 43.2-degree field of view. The detection range for the camera is 70 feet, and the flash range is 50 feet.
The Reconyx SC950C comes with an external power jack and all the Windows software you need to set up the camera for your personal use. It can transmit thumbnail images via text message or email to your computer or cell phone. To use this model with your cellular phone, you need to make sure that your carrier is in the coverage area, and know that there may be a small monthly fee to add this to your data plan. The Reconyx SC950C allows for up to four mobile phones and/or two email addresses to be connected to the camera.
At present, AT&T and Verizon are the two networks that can be used for image transmission in the USA. The manufacturer should be consulted for international carriers if you are interested in using this camera overseas. The SIM card comes pre-installed on the Reconyx SC950C for AT&T and international carriers.
Reconyx SC950C Features
Users love the multiple configurations that accompany the Reconyx SC950C camera. Time lapse settings range between one and 60 minutes, with five-, 15- or 30-minute increments in between. Even more so, fans of the Reconyx SC950C appreciate that you can use different programming on various days of the week, so your weekend settings don’t have to be the same as those of your weekdays. The ability to custom select your on/off periods is particularly advantageous for businesses.
The setup of the Reconyx SC950C is fairly intuitive, although Reconyx does provide quite detailed instructions. If you’ve never used a trail camera before, give yourself a little extra time to get used to the process.
Another top feature of the Reconyx SC950C is its rapid detection without any distortion and its precise coordination between the field of view and the detection zone. You won’t be getting any fake triggers or missing deer with this model.
The camera case is a dark army green color that blends easily into many surroundings. The camera also uses “No-Glow” infrared technology to minimize detection when in use.
Be aware that the photos transmitted are, as mentioned above, compressed thumbnail shots and not meant to be blown up. They do, however, provide highly accurate, near real-time images of whatever is going on in the area where you place the camera, and you can always access the SD card for better photographs. Also, know that if you are purchasing this camera for security purposes, it is not designed to capture license plates.
The two biggest issues with the Reconyx SC950C are the battery life and the price. The former can be addressed by purchasing a solar pack to eliminate the need for batteries altogether.
At at price that hovers around $1,200 the Reconyx SC950C definitely comes in at the top of the range for this type of camera. However if you are losing money to illegal activity at your business, worried about your home security or are an avid hunter who can fill a freezer with meat by bagging a nice buck every fall, it may well be worth the price. If using the Reconyx SC950C in the bush, it may be wise to pick up a cable lock for it, as you won’t want someone walking off with this baby.