Review
Published:
Updated:
Intro
The Stealth Cam Reactor is a cellular trail camera running on Verizon and AT&T mobile networks. We purchased our unit at Costco, and the $89.99 discounted combo included batteries, a 16GB memory card, and a camera mount.
The game camera has 42 invisible 940nm LEDs for nighttime illumination and 0.4 seconds trigger. The camera can produce 1080p HD videos at 30 FPS, but online downloads are limited to only 640x360 low-resolution files.
In picture mode, the Reactor will burst up to nine pictures per trigger and a max resolution of 26 megapixels. However, photo and video previews and downloads are low-resolution, and there is an additional charge for every high-resolution picture and video download.
Pros
- Free 1 Month Trial
- Invisible Illumination
- Dual Network Operation
- Lockable Latch
Cons
- Data Plan Required
- Additional Charge for HD Downloads
- Poor Battery Life
- Flawed App & Website
Camera Ratings
Detection Range: 12/20
The listed detection range is 100 feet. Our current results estimate that the detection range is around 60 feet, but we need more testing to confirm this.
Speed: 6/10
The 0.4 seconds camera trigger is not the fastest. The three-second delay between triggers is more on the slower end. But, at least the camera can take up to nine pictures per trigger.
Accuracy: 8/10
We have seen only a few false triggers so far. We will unlikely keep the Reactor until summer, but warmer temperatures will increase the false-trigger ratio for many cams.
Battery Life: 3/10
As with other cellular cams, the battery life is considerably shorter. On the positive side, our unit placed next to an elk carcass took over 7,000 pictures in only three days. At the same time, regardless of how many photos or videos the camera took, the batteries usually only lasted for about a week.
Daylight Images: 7/10
The daytime pictures are nice but far from the sharpness and clarity of the DS4K Ultimate Stealth Cam model. Videos are limited to only 10 seconds. You can download original files from the Photo & Video Samples section on this page.
Lowlight Images: 5/10
Lowlight still images are rather dark but still usable.
Night Images: 6/10
The Reactor has invisible illumination that will not spook most animals. However, as the invisible IR is always considerably less powerful than traditional IR, this model is far from the listed 100 feet.
Design: 6/20
The initial setup was tricky as we had major difficulties inserting the included SIM card. We tried at least 100 times before the SIM card finally held in place.
However, the setup was straightforward after we downloaded the required phone app.
Unlike other Stealth Cam non-cellular game cameras, the settings are limited; for example, the only video length choice is 10 seconds.
We have opted for the $20 per month "Unlimited" plan, which turned out to be quite limited.
While you can preview all your images and videos on your phone or the Stealth Cam website, the photo files are tiny, and video previews are available as photos.
There is an extra charge for HD photo and video downloads.
We have requested three HD video downloads through the website to test it out.
While our cellular settings were set to receive files twice a day, only one video download was received two days later.
Sadly, the video was not even an HD as the file was a very compressed low-quality 640x360 file.
The dedicated Stealth Cam Command website is a major headache.
When previewing images, the "endless" scrolling does not work on larger monitors, and every time you click to enlarge a photo and return to the gallery, you have to start all over again.
This is a significant issue if you have a large number of images.
Changing some camera and cellular settings through the website did not work for whatever reason, and we had to use the phone app.
Verdict: 53/100
Our verdict, or a "reaction" to the Stealth Cam Reactor cellular camera, is a mixed bag.
The images and videos taken directly from the memory card are pretty good, but unfortunately, the website issues and the poor quality of the online previews defeat the purpose of having a cellular game camera.
Plus, you have to pay extra for every video download, even if you have the "Unlimited" monthly subscription.
In addition, the battery life is very disappointing, and we went through three sets of batteries within the first three weeks.
While Stealth Cam sells external battery packs and solar panels, that is an expensive proposition for an already costly service.
We thank Stealth Cam for the free one-month trial, but our cam is going back to Costco. Luckily, Costco has a no-question return policy; otherwise, we would be stuck with a camera that only works if you have a valid subscription.
Buying Options:
User Reviews
Anonymous 1/10
Terrible customer service, terrible product, took 400 pics first day of nothing
Sept. 30, 2023, 10:17 a.m.
Anonymous 0/10
I have this cam, great cam. BUT... the customer service does not exist. You can't reach anyone at the location about your tech issues and if you have billing issue, they will not reply. I have created tickets, called and no replies.
Oct. 31, 2023, 4:07 p.m.
Anonymous 0/10
Customer service is terrible. 5 days waiting for a call back. Do not recommend to anyone.
Dec. 11, 2023, 1:54 p.m.
Anonymous 3/10
I use to be able to select the sensitive set now they have removed this feature. Customer service needs help they say we will call you back still waiting
Specs
Official specs from the manufacturer.- Name:
- Stealth Cam Reactor
- Manufacturer:
- Stealth Cam
- Model:
- STC-RATW-CMB
- Model Year:
- 2021
- Series:
- Cellular
- Flash Type:
- No-Glow IR
- Max Pixels:
- 26
- Max Video:
- 1080p
- No. of Sensors:
- 1
- Detection Range:
- 100 ft
- Flash Range:
- 100 ft
- Field of View:
- 40 degrees
- Trigger Speed:
- 0.40 second
- Min Delay:
- 3 seconds
- Max Delay:
- 60 minutes
- Max Card Size:
- 128 GB
- Cellular/Mobile:
- Yes
- WiFi:
- No
- Bluetooth:
- No
- Live View:
- No
- MSRP:
- $149.99
- Warranty:
- 12 months
- Country of Origin:
- N/A
Questions & Answers
Photo & Video Samples
Download Original Files:
All original trail camera videos are edited and compressed with professional video software before being posted on our website. This process often dramatically improves the quality of the videos. As this could be misleading, below, you can find original files that were not altered, compressed, or manipulated in any way by our video software.
- Originals - Stealthcam Reactor #1
- Originals - Stealthcam Reactor #2
- Originals - Stealthcam Reactor #3
- Originals - Stealthcam Reactor #4
More Photo & Video Samples