Review
Published:
Updated:
Author: John R. - Senior Editor & Wildlife Photography Expert
Intro
The Moultrie Mobile Edge is a cellular trail camera that connects to multiple nationwide cellular networks and has built-in memory, allowing the user to view and manage images using the Moultrie Mobile app without the need for an SD card. The camera can run on 8 or 16 AA batteries (alkaline or lithium) and is compatible with Moultrie solar power accessories. It has a 33-megapixel sensor and records HD 720p video with sound. The Moultrie EDGE has a 40-degree field of view and a detection and flash range of up to 80 feet. The Moultrie Mobile app offers real-time alerts, camera setting adjustments, activity charting, interactive maps, and weather forecasts. It also includes species recognition, smart tag AI, and wind direction arrows for hunting. The app is free. An annual or monthly subscription is required to download photos and videos. The camera comes with a 2-year warranty and US-based customer support.
Pros
- Excellent Nightime Images
- Good Battery Life
- Easy-to-Use App & Website
- Detection Range
Cons
- Heavy & Bulky
- No Memory Card Option
- Fake "Unlimited" Subscription Option
- Will Not Operate Without a Subscription
- Slow Video Trigger
Camera Ratings
Detection Range: 16/20
As with most Moultrie cameras, the detection range is excellent and often exceeds the listed 80 feet.
Speed: 3/10
The trigger speed is good when the camera is in picture mode, but the video recording speed is disappointingly slow.
Accuracy: 6/10
Moultrie cameras are known for their trigger accuracy, and the EDGE is no different. Very solid with minimal false triggers, even on super windy days.
Battery Life: 8/10
One of the reasons the camera is so bulky is the double-capacity battery tray that can fit up to 16 AA batteries. While no cellular camera can compete with traditional cameras, the battery life of the Mobile EDGE is quite good for a mobile camera. Our unit has been deployed for over two months, and the battery status is showing 65%. If the battery metering is accurate, that would be rather impressive, as other cellular cameras can barely last two to four weeks.
Daylight Images: 6/10
Daytime pictures and videos are sharp with only minimal ISO grain, but the colors are dull and rather dark under cloudy conditions. The EDGE would definitely benefit from having slightly more brightness and saturation.
Lowlight Images: 6/10
Similarly to daylight pictures and videos, all lowlight images are sharp but on the darker side, and the colors are flat and bland.
Night Images: 8/10
Nightime images are excellent. The videos are clear and sharp, and the ISO grain is hardly noticeable. The EDGE is equipped with traditional 850nm infrared illumination that produces bright and very even lighting. The only downside is that the 850nm infrared illumination is visible to human and animal eyes and will spook some animals.
Design: 5/20
Most cellular cameras are power-hungry and require frequent battery swaps or an external source. To solve this, Moultrie doubled the battery capacity, and the EDGE camera can hold a whopping 16 AA batteries. Unfortunately, having that many batteries make the camera extremely bulky, heavy, and hard to conceal. In addition, the flat brown color and flimsy plastic with no texture scream "Cheap Quality." At least the antenna is foldable for easy transportation, and the camera has a python cable locking over the door, which makes access to the power switch easy and convenient. Since the EDGE has a built-in memory card, you will only need to open the cam to replace batteries or turn the camera on/off. The included strap is of good quality and one of the longest on the market.Verdict: 58/100
The setup through the mobile app was a little tricky as the provided QR code needed to be bigger and of better quality, as our phone could not read the code.
However, once the cellular connection was established, the connection was stable, and the transfer schedule works correctly.
The field of view is very narrow at only 40 degrees, and the camera is not suited for tighter spaces.
For under hundred bucks, the Moultrie EDGE mobile trail camera takes surprisingly sharp images and has excellent battery life.
Photos and videos can only be viewed through the phone app or the Moultrie website.
Unfortunately, the images can only be downloaded from the app or the website.
The camera has a built-in memory card and does not allow downloading files directly from the camera.
While the manufacturer is selling the built-in memory as a positive feature, not having the ability to download the images directly from the camera is a huge issue. At least for us.
We like to archive most of our images, and downloading individual photos is not an option because we get dozens, if not hundreds, of photos per day at some of our busy locations.
Another issue is that downloading a lot of files comes at a price. Steep price!
Monthly downloads are limited based on your selected subscription.
For example, the "Standard" package at $10/month has only 10 video downloads per month. Yes, 10, you heard that correctly! That's $1 per video download!
Not only that you pay a buck per video, the videos are not even 1080p but only 720p.
Sadly, even if you spend $204.00 per year for the fake "Unlimited" package, you can only download 50 videos per month without being charged "overdraft" fees for every additional download.
Fifty videos download monthly limit is not sufficient for most users and should not be called unlimited. Sometimes we get 50 videos in one day!
To rub more salt into the wound, the EDGE camera only works if you have an active subscription, and the camera cannot be used as a non-cellular camera.
Clearly, Moultrie figured out that removing the option to swap memory cards or download files directly from the camera would be more profitable because we, the users, in order to get our images, would have no choice but to spend more money on monthly fees.
As it has been more than 30 days since we purchased our cam, Moultrie refused to accept a return.
As we are stuck with this camera, at least for now, we decided to use this camera as a weather station that provides daily temperature readings and visual snow level conditions for one of our remote locations.
Buying Options:
Alternatives:
A suitable substitute would be the recently released Camojojo Trace. Although there are several similarities between the two cameras, such as the 32GB integrated memory, the Trace offers a Live View feature and 1080p videos. Most notably, the Camojojo Trace is equipped with a USB-C port that allows users to download all files directly from the camera. Moreover, the camera can function without a subscription or mobile connection.
User Reviews
Anonymous 4/10
Only use photos. It was the easiest cam to setup. Using 16 alkaline batteries still have 80% after 8 months. Able to get good signal where other brands falter. Can be found on sale under $75.
Jan. 26, 2024, 11:30 p.m.
Anonymous 7/10
I have run them for approximately 2 months with roughly pictures 200/months and 125/months. Batteries are at 90 & 95%. Using Amazon industrial. The weather was sub zero for approximately 1.5 weeks.
Specs
Official specs from the manufacturer.- Name:
- Moultrie Mobile EDGE
- Manufacturer:
- Moultrie
- Model:
- MCG-14076
- Model Year:
- 2022
- Series:
- Mobile
- Flash Type:
- Low-Glow IR
- Max Pixels:
- 33
- Max Video:
- 720p
- No. of Sensors:
- 1
- Detection Range:
- 80 ft
- Flash Range:
- 80 ft
- Field of View:
- 40 degrees
- Trigger Speed:
- 0.85 second
- Min Delay:
- 30 seconds
- Max Delay:
- 30 minutes
- Max Card Size:
- 0 GB
- Cellular/Mobile:
- Yes
- WiFi:
- No
- Bluetooth:
- No
- Live View:
- No
- MSRP:
- $99.99
- Warranty:
- 24 months
- Country of Origin:
- N/A
- Buying Options: