Stealth Cam G42NG No-Glow Trail Game Camera Review
Built by leading security and outdoor camera manufacturer GSM Outdoors, the G42NG has a lot to live up to in terms of their parent company’s reputation for superior quality surveillance imaging devices. As one of the newer additions to the Stealth Cam family, the G42ng features Stealth Cam’s new No Glow technology to augment its high-quality image capture and low-light/no-light photography in a well-designed and compact trail camera. With a wide detection zone, high-speed camera trigger, 10 MP resolution camera, geotagging, and multiple operation modes, this trail cam provides features, quality, and convenience normally reserved for only high end and high price models. Let’s take a look at all the G42NG from Stealth Cam has to offer.
Table of Contents
Wide Range Detection Zone
In terms of overall coverage area, the G42NG gives you a bass range of up to 60 feet with infrared emitters that can track motion up to 100 feet from the unit itself. In other words, bigger animals with bigger heat signatures trigger the camera from further away, and smaller critters won’t trigger the camera unless they are inside the 60-foot zone. Additionally, this trail cam features multi-zone detection with a wide, medium, and narrow detection zone, each with a variable range from the other. This not only allows for a greater coverage area where you place it but also means that you can place fewer trail cams due to the wider angle of its overall detection zone.
High-Speed Camera Trigger
One advantage that the G42NG has over many other trail cams in its class is its incredibly fast high-speed trigger. Thanks to its implementation of reflex technology, this unit snaps images at the lightning-fast trigger speed of 0.5, virtually guaranteeing that you get clear and complete images of whatever game you happen to be scouting in the area. The only caveat you may want to be aware of is that the G42NG does need approximately 6.5 seconds to recover between shots, which is somewhat below the bar compared to similar trail cam models in its class.
10 Megapixel Image Quality
The maximum resolution for this trail cam is excellent at 10 megapixels. However, if you are less concerned about resolution and more concerned about the number of images you can capture before the memory card fills up, you can adjust the overall quality of an image to 8, 4, or 2 megapixels. High-resolution photos take up a lot more space, so if you are a stickler for image quality on your trail cam scouting photos, you definitely want to buy and install a much larger SD card to accommodate fewer trips to the trail cam to pull your pictures and clear the memory card.
Furthermore, the camera also allows for short video clip capability with a wide-range microphone for sound. You can program your G42NG to take videos of up to 180 seconds in day mode and up to 30 seconds in night mode. Video resolution can be set to 720×480 (for reducing storage usage) or 1280×720 (for the high picture quality).
No Glow Technology and Silent Operation
Stealth Cam’s No Glow Technology is essentially a Black LED emitter the eliminates red light emission. The advantage this provides is that there is no chance that the camera’s image capture will spook the game you are scouting even in the dead of night. Furthermore, the camera’s shutter mechanism is completely noiseless, ensuring that not only are game animals unaware of the camera’s presence due to infrared emitter light, but they also will not hear the camera as it is busily snapping away to capture photos of your scouting area. Additionally, due to its silent operation, the G42NG can also take photos in bursts of up to 9 pictures per trigger, create time-lapse images, record HD video with sound, and even take individual manual shots according to a preprogrammed timer.
Security/Geotagging/Interface
One thing that holds true of just about every Stealth Cam trail camera is the fact that they are built to last and withstand both the weather and possible tampering. None of the housing for this model feels cheap in any way, and swapping out the batteries is easy thanks to a quick-release drop down battery tray for quick battery change-outs.
This durability and ease of use also mean that it is easy to secure in the location of your choice, and you never have to worry about your camera being stolen thanks to its built-in bracket to accommodate a python-style locking cable. Even better, the G42NG also allows you to set a device password that makes it little more than a paperweight should someone try to steal it and use it for themselves.
Probably the best feature though is the option to geotag all of your photos along with the time and date. This allows you to archive where and when a photo was taken, which is especially useful to wildlife researchers as well as hunting enthusiasts. Moreover, all functions of this trail cam are exceptionally easy to program, allowing you to spend less time setting up and more time scouting.
Things We Liked
- Extremely fast trigger time means you won’t miss any important photos.
- Daytime photos provide crisp, vivid images without blurring or focus issues
- Built like a tank and easy to secure against potential thieves and vandals.
Things We Didn’t Like
- Close range whiteout on some objects in night mode
- Recovery time is somewhat slow
- Needs lithium battery cells to operate effectively
FAQ
- Q: Would this unit make a good security camera for a property in the woods such as a hunting cabin?
- A: Absolutely! The camera’s operation is noiseless and emits no red light, so a prowler or potential vandal or thief would find it very difficult to evade or avoid since it’s very difficult to see once it is in place.
- Q: Does this camera delete the oldest images first and start taking new pictures if you don’t empty the memory card?
- A: According to GSM customer care, the camera will stop taking photos once it runs out of memory, ensuring that you don’t lose any important images.
- Q: What extras do I need to purchase separately?
- A: Lithium batteries, an SD memory card, and a security cable are not included, but you may want to buy them in order to get the most out of your purchase.
Final Verdict/Conclusion
The Stealth Cam G42NG is a solid investment for any hunter or wildlife enthusiast, and it offers numerous features and capabilities that make it an exceptional value given its price point. If you are looking for a good trail cam that won’t break your budget, definitely give the G42NG the first look when you are shopping around.
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