Mobile path cameras revolutionized whitetail scouting as a result of placing a digital camera out for a soak is now not an act of religion. You get speedy suggestions that your digital camera is taking photographs and is in the proper spot. The problem is that decreased battery life, hard-to-use apps, and poor picture high quality can negate these advantages. Nonetheless, the Stealth Cam DS4K has none of those points. Actually, it excels the place many different mobile cameras stumble.
I used the Stealth Cam DS4K Transmit throughout the 2021-22 deer season, which helped me slim my seek for a Pope & Younger whitetail to a secluded, overgrown patch of CRP amidst 1000’s of acres of public land. The DS4K’s battery life and nice picture high quality helped me establish the distinctive buck, and keep out of the woods till situations had been proper to hunt. Listed here are my ideas on the DS4K after a season’s use.
- Photograph Decision: 4, 8, 16, or 32 megapixels
- Set off Pace: .2 seconds
- Detection and IR vary: 100 toes
- Video Decision: 4K video with audio at 30 frames per second
- Plans and Mobile Networks: Verizon, AT&T
- Digicam Modes: PIR photograph, video, and combo
- SD Card Help: As much as 128GB
- Built-in python lock latch
- A number of month-to-month and annual plan choices
The Stealth Cam DS4K Transmit is able to frame-worthy photographs and Nat-Geo video, however at round $250, it isn’t precisely budget-friendly. Nonetheless, it comes with premium options that the majority diehard path cam junkies crave, and the picture high quality outshoots its pricepoint.
For starters, customers can select from 4 seize choices relying on their software to get essentially the most efficiency out of their digital camera. Obtainable modes embrace:
PIR Photograph
The digital camera will function as a conventional path digital camera, capturing solely photograph information and no video. That is preferrred for anybody who anticipates a ton of digital camera triggers and doesn’t wish to occupy area on their SD card with bigger video information. Photograph resolutions vary from 4MP to 32MP. The digital camera comes with default settings of 8MP for daytime pictures and 6MP at evening with burst intervals starting from one to 9 pictures.
PIR Video
On this setting, the digital camera will shoot video clips on the decision and time size you specify throughout setup. It’s important to grasp the default video setting consists of audio, which makes for useful intel, particularly if you happen to plan to run cameras over a scrape. Along with thrilling grunts and different deer vocalizations, this digital camera permits customers to get a glimpse on the personalities of assorted bucks frequenting the digital camera location. You’ll be able to seize movies that vary from 4K (2560 x 1440), HD (1920 x 1080), or SD (1280 x 720) at durations starting from 5 to 180 seconds. The upper the decision and longer length, the extra space every video will occupy on the SD card.
PIR Combo
On this mode, the digital camera will take video and photographs concurrently. The video clip operates at a chosen decision and length. Whereas it captures the video, the digital camera will save particular person video frames as pictures for each 5 seconds of video recorded.
Command Professional App
All Stealth Cam mobile path cameras work in tandem with the Command Professional app. Connecting the DS4K Transmit to the app is easy. Obtain it from iTunes or the Google Play Retailer, faucet the “+” icon so as to add a digital camera, and scan the QR code printed on the digital camera behind the battery pack. As soon as the battery, mobile, and account indicators denote a profitable connection by flashing inexperienced lights on the show, customers can management the whole suite of digital camera settings throughout the Command Professional app.
You’ll be able to handle and shortly filter pictures totally throughout the Command Professional app. The built-in filtering presets are extremely helpful for anybody who will get inundated with lots of of photographs resulting from high-activity places or managing a number of cameras. Filter presets embrace buck, doe, turkey, hog, or human and are extremely correct for pre-loaded information constructed into the app. For instance, a person can choose the “buck” preset and immediately remove any pictures the app doesn’t sense as a buck. In case you’re monitoring any undesirable trespassers, choose “human” to sift via any image that accommodates an individual. As well as, the Command Professional app additionally consists of these key options:
Digicam Map
This permits the person to show digital camera places on satellite tv for pc imagery throughout the app.
Photograph Tracker
Show and observe digital camera exercise by day, month, and 12 months as a bar graph throughout the app.
Full-Shade IR Pictures
You’ll be able to toggle between IR and auto-generated full-color nighttime pictures for added element
Testing the Stealth Cam DS4K Transmit within the Discipline
These specs would possibly look like overkill at a look. Let’s face it, you most likely simply need a tough dimension and age of the deer exhibiting up in your photographs. That’s all the knowledge you’ll want to plan your hunt, proper? Perhaps.
I spent loads of time chasing a novel mainframe 6×5 final season. When photographed from the facet, the buck’s lopsided rack didn’t stand out from different bucks utilizing the identical space, however superior element sourced from the DS4K helped me establish when he confirmed up out of nowhere the day after Wisconsin’s firearm season ended. Certainly, any path digital camera would have confirmed {that a} massive deer survived 9 days of the orange military. However the DS4K’s picture high quality allowed me to zoom in—with out extreme pixelation— and establish the buck’s distinct kickers on his G2s. My familiarity with that particular deer’s tendencies, paired with time-sensitive intel, helped me devise a plan that nearly resulted in a shot at a real public land large.
I positioned my DS4K on the sting of a bedding space from early October till the season’s closing bell rang on January 9. I used to be happy that the unique batteries lasted via the guts of Wisconsin’s deer season and bone-chilling sub-zero temperatures. I’ve ran different path cameras for that length throughout comparable situations solely to seek out that the digital camera died. As somebody who hunts numerous items of public land scattered throughout a number of completely different states, dependable battery life is essential for my intel. And distant surveillance that cell cameras present is a null level when you think about that common cameras require you to go away your scent when it’s time to test your photos. The DS4K handed these checks with flying colours, and after the frigid temps and an extended season, it nonetheless had loads of juice left within the tank.
I used to be pleasantly stunned by the added worth the Command Professional app supplies. Modifying your path digital camera settings on the fly is a breeze and could be carried out totally out of your cellular phone. Merely faucet the “digital camera setup” icon to control modifications to the digital camera’s timestamp, picture decision, photograph bursts and intervals, working modes, and way more. It’s easy and intuitive sufficient that even people who aren’t tech savvy can perceive it.
Stealth Cam hit a house run once they designed the physique of the DS4K. Most cameras require a padlock along with a cable lock to lock the door shut and safe the digital camera to a tree. However the DS4K permits the person to concurrently run a single cable lock via the digital camera physique and door. This design eliminates the necessity for a redundant padlock or keys that you simply’ll wind up dropping. It additionally offers the person peace of thoughts, particularly when operating an costly digital camera in locations different hunters frequent.
With that stated, I nonetheless suggest operating your digital camera a minimum of one stick excessive. This will get it out of the road of sight from animals or different hunters. The upper angle additionally yields superior picture element. I’ve additionally discovered that I not often get photographs of deer wanting straight into the digital camera, which might’t be stated once I’ve mounted them at decrease positions on a tree.
What the Stealth Cam DS4K Transmit Does Worst
Regardless of the marketed 0.2-second detection set off pace, I seen extra photos of the rearward portion of a deer than I favored. Admittedly, this efficiency was particularly displayed in early January after months of deployment on the unique battery set. Nonetheless, my late-season bowhunting technique revolved round monitoring my searching areas via mobile path cameras with a purpose to decrease my impression on these spots. Inconsistent set off pace could be the distinction in seeing only a deer’s bottom or having the ability to clearly establish his headgear.
The DS4K Transmit sits atop the heap of mobile path cameras with class-leading photograph and video high quality. The DS4K isn’t the most costly path digital camera, however at round $250, it might probably get costly to deploy loads of them over your favourite searching space. So, you’ll must weigh the price versus efficiency on your wants.
What the Stealth Cam DS4k Transmit Does Finest
The DS4k’s nighttime picture high quality is excellent. I’ve used loads of path cameras that snap photographs after sundown with minimal element apart from a blurry, unidentifiable rack. That’s not the case with the Stealth Cam DS4K, although. The IR yielded a robust distinction of black and white pictures, which after all, could be toggled to full coloration with the Command Professional app. Usable information at evening is particularly helpful for people chasing whitetails on pressured public land since shy, mature bucks not often present themselves in high-traffic areas throughout the day. When massive bucks lastly do make an look, it’s important that your path digital camera captures sufficient element to distinguish them from others within the space.
Last Ideas
Stealth Cam is owned by GSM Outside, a powerhouse within the outside area that additionally owns Muddy, TruGlo, Ameristep, Hawk, and lots of different respected manufacturers. As somebody comparatively new to cell cams, I used to be hesitant to purchase from one of many largest outside conglomerates, and I assumed buyer assist could be non-existent at greatest. After a quick telephone name with their buyer assist crew, I shortly discovered that wasn’t the case. After a quick wait on maintain, they shortly related me to a useful one that talked me via the setup course of. The assist technician was clearly a product person, which provides bonus factors in my ebook.
Suppose you’re searching for a mobile path digital camera to present you a scouting edge when your time is restricted. In that case, the Stealth Cam DS4K Transmit can provide the photograph and video intel you’ll want to maximize your time within the woods and hopefully notch your tag on a giant buck.
