Using a trail camera for home security

Where do all trails lead?

That’s right, every trail you take eventually leads you back to home sweet home. For that reason, today we're looking at why a trail camera could be a great option in helping you protect your home and property.



But what about the already well-established home security camera systems designed precisely for this purpose? We’ll weigh up the benefits of both kinds of camera system, by comparing cellular trail cameras with wireless security cameras, and discover the top 4 reasons why trail cameras could be the better option for your situation.

If you have any more questions after reading please feel free to contact us via email or visit our WingHome Facebook Page. If you’d like to take a look at a cellular trail camera before reading, you can find our WingHome 350CG trail camera here.


To begin with then, let’s take a look at 4 pros of security cameras…

Security camera vs trail camera


1. Video

The greatest difference between security cameras and trail cameras is that security cameras capture video 24 hours a day, for live viewing and playback, whereas trail cameras only capture photos or short videos upon their motion sensors being triggered.

If a 24-hour feed is what you’re looking for then security cameras are without doubt the way to go. But remember that the power requirements for such a feed are very high, so if you plan to go down this route you’re better off with a wired system, plugged into a power outlet, instead of a battery-powered wireless system. Unless, that is, you like the idea of replacing batteries every few hours.

2. Two-way audio

For many models of security camera, together with the 24-hour video feed also comes an audio feed, meaning that you can listen in to the area under surveillance. Not only that, you can also transmit your voice through the camera, allowing communication with friend or foe on the other end.

As for trail cams, although many models capture audio alongside video, they don’t have the two-way function you can find on a security camera. So if that sounds like a feature you can’t go without, clearly a security camera is your best bet.

3. Siren

Not satisfied with merely spotting intruders but also want to send them a loud and clear message that they’re being watched? Then you’ll be interested to know that many security cameras have an in-built siren that goes off when the camera’s motion sensors is triggered.

Unfortunately, since the motion sensor works through detecting infrared energy, the camera is unable tell the difference between a potential human threat and an animal just scurrying past. A deafening siren going off every few minutes won’t be good for your beauty sleep or for neighborhood relations.

Although trail cameras’ motion detection works in the same way, rather than emitting a siren every time they are triggered, they automatically and instantly send the captured photo or video to your phone or email, allowing you to determine whether you’ve got a real intruder or just another furry bandit.

4. Virtual assistant



Virtual assistants such as Amazon Alexa and Google Home have really taken off since being launched only a few years ago, bringing with them greater convenience and control at home.

Such virtual assistants can now be linked to many brands of security camera, allowing remote viewing and control of the camera’s settings. If you’re already a convert to such devices, and are not too worried about the privacy concerns they might raise, then these kinds of security cameras offer a good deal.

As of now, there aren’t any trail camera brands signed up with Amazon or Google. However, when you purchase a cellular trail camera, you get a free, purpose-designed application to download directly onto your iOS or Android cell phone. One simple, easy-to-use app allows the same kind of content viewing and control of the camera’s settings, without the need for any complicated third party software and with complete privacy and encryption of all your content.

Having seen the benefits of security cameras, we’ll now move on to why trail cameras might well be the better choice for you in securing your home…

Trail camera vs security camera



1. Battery Life
As we saw before, shooting constant video eats up power at a tremendous rate. Therefore, until batteries have much greater power capabilities, it’s very difficult to recommend battery-powered wireless security cameras.



This is where trail cameras come into their own. Since they only take photos or video when necessary, i.e. when there is movement of a person or large animal, they are superb energy-saving devices, whilst still capturing all the vital action. Using standard alkaline batteries taking 15 photos and 15 10-sec videos per day, day and night (via night vision), you can expect to swap out the batteries about every two months.

2. Concealment



You don’t get to be a burglar without a certain degree of cunning. No wonder then that most of them do a recce of the property hours, even days, before they plan to burgle it. This is when they check for any security cameras they need to avoid and, if necessary, disable. Since security cameras are mostly colored white, they do the burglars are a great favor in being easily detectable.

Trail cameras, on the other hand, have a camouflaged design to evade detection by animals with far keener eyesight than humans. Mount them on a tree or bush and they will blend in to the background, with the burglar none the wiser, right up until the cops arrive.

3. Operating Temperature



Ever left your phone out on a bitterly cold day? If so, you know that they can easily die if exposed to very low temperatures. The same is true for many types of security camera, which are mass-made and therefore designed for use in average-temperature climates.

The trail camera, however, is a much more rugged device, primarily intended for use in deep forests and mountainous areas. Therefore, you can feel secure in knowing that your trail camera will continue to operate at temperatures down to as low as -30ºF and as high as 149ºF.

4. Range

This is where the difference between the terms ‘wireless’ and ‘cellular’ matters. Both cellular trail cameras and wireless security cameras are ‘wireless' in the sense of having no wires.

However, in the case of security cameras, ‘wireless’ also means relying on your home's wireless internet to transmit and store captured video. This is perfectly fine if you’re planning to hook up your security camera within 100m of your WiFi box, any further than that though and you’ll be lucky to get a signal.

Cellular trail cameras, on the other hand, use the same cellular technology as your cell phone. So, just as you can use your cell phone anywhere there is a phone signal, so you can use your trail camera the same way, allowing for a huge range of possible locations to mount the device.

Sum up

So, those were the differences between using cellular trail cameras and wireless security cameras in defending your home and property.

Obviously, it depends upon your specific circumstances as to which you should go for. But I hope we’ve convinced you that trail cameras, with their unbeatable battery life, camouflaged design, all-around ruggedness and cellular range could be the better option for you.

As always, if you have any questions, or would like more information about trail cameras and cellular trail cameras, please contact us via email or visit our WingHome Facebook Page.

Thanks and happy trails from the WingHome team!