Paul Austin takes a look at the next level of remote camera technology in this test and review of the Go PT Plus and the Argus 3 Por trail cams from Reolink.
Reolink cameras first came to my attention courtesy of my long-suffering shooting buddy Simon. He’s had the pan-and-tilt version on duty at one of his permissions for over six months. With it placed on a convenient tree he can monitor a couple of squirrel feeders plus a bait point for Charlie.
The ability to control the camera angle remotely (Go PT Plus) is very handy in certain circumstances, but I suspect for most of us the static camera (Argus 3 Pro) will do the job for covering a key area or bait point, and it’s a much cheaper option at only £98.99 including the solar panel.
Both cameras use 4G sim cards to transmit both live feeds and recorded content direct to any smart device or to the cloud via an optional service. And obviously triggered clips are also stored on-board via the 64GB SD card that ships with the units. Unlike most, if not all, traditional trailcams, both record video rather than stills, although you can extract still images from the video clips if you wish.
Sending video via a sim sounds expensive but in fact it’s not that bad. Simon bought a Vodafone sim for £70 about six months ago, which gives him 4GB of data per month, and so far he’s never run out. This compares very favourably to the Spypoint Link Micro. It only shoots stills and you do get 100 images free per month, but after that you need to sign up for a similar monthly data plan. Trust me, 100 images does not go very far at all. The Reolink range also has the added bonus of being able to connect via wi-fi if there’s a signal available, so it’s handy around the yard or for a bit of added security at home.
With these cameras you can set the post duration to 8, 15 or 30 seconds and you also have the option to use low bandwidth for previews and live streams to save data, or opt for hi-res 4 megapixel footage if you need to zoom in. It is very cool to be able to pinch in and out of a live stream or video clip on your phone to zoom in on a visitor. There’s plenty of resolution in the 4MP/2K live stream images. And let’s not forget that the hi-res footage is still recorded to the micro-SD, even if you can’t connect to the cameras remotely.
Video footage or live feeds have the bonus of giving you a direction of travel. Not only can you see the fox or deer and gauge its condition, but also the direction it came from and where it’s likely to be heading. That’s not something you can often ascertain easily from a still image.
Reolink Connectivity
I live pretty much in the middle of nowhere, half-way up a mountain overlooking a steep valley. The mobile reception is shockingly bad and I only remain connected thanks to a Starlink dish and wi-fi calling. If I step outside the house calls are invariably dropped, yet the Reolink cameras still performed well. Admittedly they’re located across the valley, which as luck would have it does get a decent cellular signal, but bear in mind that you will need a reasonable connection to make these things work reliably.
Trail cam camo!
As you’ve no doubt spotted, the Reolink cameras are the typical brilliant white of most security systems. My shooting buddy Simon stuck his on a tree ‘as is’ and to be honest it doesn’t seem to have affected performance, with the critters treating them with the same disregard as they do all the other inanimate man-made objects they come across.
My decision to ‘go camo’ was purely for the benefit of any two-legged predators that might take a shine to some free tech while exploiting their right to roam. The cameras can be password protected, so they’re useless to any potential tea leaf, but that won’t stop them being pinched in the first place.
My DIY endeavours weren’t all about the camo, as I also needed a way to easily deploy and move the cameras. If you’re planning to keep them in one place, simply screwing them directly to a tree or fence post would be fine, but with the addition of a mounting board, some strapping and a couple of plastic fencing stakes (that can be jabbed in the ground anywhere) you have lots of options. Remove the cable ties and you can even mount the entire board to a tree or structure.
Reolink trail cam software
As well as the excellent video and live streaming, one of the real high points of the Reolink system is the accompanying software. It’s extremely well implemented, not only allowing you to control and configure the cameras remotely but also to manage and analyse the footage.
A prime example is the scheduling feature, which is a joy to use. You just drag out a selection for on/off periods on a simple graph and then copy that selection to each day of the week with one click. The same is true for the alerts. Each triggering puts a line on a daily time graph, so it’s really easy to spot trends day-by-day, such as the prime times for deer or fox visits.
You can also share the feed with other people via a QR code, create timelapse videos, record audio along with the video, trigger alarm sounds or even speak/communicate live via the camera remotely, in the case of the Go PT Plus.
There’s also the impressive immersive mode, which allows you to connect multiple cameras simultaneously with live feeds from each, either individually via on-screen swipes from one to the next or in a multi-feed tiled format. It really is an excellent piece of software with notifications straight to your devices if the cameras are triggered, so it’s quite possible to catch Charlie or indeed Bambi in the act and even track them from one camera to the next.
During the summer months the solar panel easily keep the units powered, so there’s no need for regular visits to change batteries or indeed swap SD cards, although you might need the odd mains charge over the winter months. I’m impressed! The Go PT Plus has some very cool added functionality, with its 360° real-time pan, tilt and audio options, but the Argus 3 Pro is a bargain at just £89.99 including the solar panel. Highly recommended.
Prices
Reolink Go PT Plus with solar panel: £223.99 (remote pan and tilt control plus two-way audio)
Reolink Argus 3 Pro with solar panel: £98.99 (static)
Contact
www.reolink.com