SPYPOINT LINK-MICRO-S-LTE Trail Camera Review

SPYPOINT LINK-MICRO-S-LTE Trail CameraHunters appreciate trail cameras because they allow you the opportunity to monitor the activity and behavior of game animals without having to worry about disturbing the deer or other game animals with your presence and human scent. The problem with most trail cameras is that at some point you will still need to go out and check on them either to swap out the memory card or to replace the batteries.

To minimize the need to go into the field and check the trail camera’s memory card some people will opt to use cellular trail cameras.

Then to help extend how long you can leave a cellular trail camera in the field without it running out of power or to eliminate that worry altogether some people will use a solar panel or another external power source. The only problem with these external power sources is that they can be bulky and give away your camera’s location to people who might pass by, which can be an issue if you are using it on public land or any other place where people might encounter it.

Luckily, the SPYPOINT LINK-MICRO-S-LTE is one trail camera that solves both of these issues.

Introducing the SPYPOINT LINK-MICRO-S-LTE Solar Cellular Trail Camera

SPYPOINT Link-Micro-S-LTE Trail Camera Cellular Solar Panel 10MP Photos Night Vision 4 LED Infrared Flash 80'Detection Flash Range 0.4second Trigger Speed Game Cell Cameras for Hunting-For USA only

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The SPYPOINT LINK-MICRO-S-LTE is a unique trail camera that combines its small size and cellular capabilities with an integrated solar panel and rechargeable battery.

With a solar-powered cellular trail camera, you can reduce or eliminate your trips to the installation point, and in the long run, control disturbances to the game animals you want to monitor. Aside from animal monitoring, you can use this trail camera for home surveillance to keep track of activities on your property.

Pros

  • Reduced human impact.
  • No more worries about battery life
  • 0.4 second trigger speed
  • 80-foot motion detection range
  • 80-foot flash range
  • Compact size
  • Easy to use

 

Cons

  • Low glow flash
  • It does not shoot videos
  • No time-lapse mode (see below)

 

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Review of Key Features and Benefits of the SPYPOINT LINK-MICRO-S-LTE

Camera

The camera on the LINK-MICRO-S takes 10MP pictures. That might sound a bit disappointing with so many trail cameras these days boasting 16MP or higher picture resolution, but don’t let the picture resolution on the LINK-MICRO-S bother you. This is because cellular trail cameras compress the size of the images they send to you in order to help you save money each month on your data plan. Plus, a 10MP image from a camera with a good image sensor can be amazingly crisp and clear.

The camera has a multi-shot mode, where it can take up to two photos when triggered.

Another thing you should know is that the LINK-MICRO-S does not record videos. This also shouldn’t be viewed as a negative since most data plans won’t allow for the transmission of videos anyway, since the file size of videos are massive when compared to pictures.

Motion (PIR) Sensor

The motion sensor is an important feature of every trail camera since it triggers the camera to roll when detecting any movement within its detection area. The SPYPOINT, LINK-MICRO-S-LTE camera has a single motion sensor with an 80-foot detection range, which is a very good range in wildlife monitoring.

The PIR sensor on the LINK-MICRO also has an adjustable sensitivity setting. With high, medium, and low lettings that will allow you to get peak performance from the camera in a wide variety of settings.

Trigger Speed

The SPYPOINT LINK-MICRO-S-LTE trail camera has one of the best trigger speeds of cameras in its class. With a 0.4 second trigger speed, it will be very hard for any activity to pass quickly enough in front of the camera’s lens without being captured.

If you take a look at our Best Cellular Trail Camera Reviews and Buying Guide article you will notice that there are a few cellular trail cameras with slightly better trigger speeds than the SPYPOINT LINK-MICRO-S-LTE, but the fact is that they all cost more and none of them have the solar panel that this SPYPOINT camera does.

Flash

The low glow flash on this SPYPOINT trail camera has an impressive flash range of 80 feet, giving you a broader lighting capability.

SPYPOINT has equipped the LINK-MICRO-S-LTE with an adjustable flash, which can be a very helpful feature. If the object being photographed is relatively close to the camera you will want to keep it in Night Mode (lower setting) to prevent the subject from being too illuminated and looking washed out. If the camera is photographing objects that are further away and they don’t seem to be illuminated as much as you would like you can switch the flash to Enhanced Mode to increase the strength of the LEDs.

While this flash might perform well it is a little frustrating that the LINK-MICRO-S doesn’t have a no glow flash. One of the reasons why compact trail cameras like this are attractive is that their small size makes them easier to conceal and harder to spot. So the fact that the low glow flash will glow red and give away the location of the camera at night when the flash is in use is disappointing. Having a no glow flash instead would have certainly been helpful to some people.

Smartphone App

The first thing you should do when you buy the SPYPOINT LINK-MICRO-S is to download the free smartphone app. It includes live customer support, cloud storage, GPS Geotagging, and the Buck Tracker image recognition software.

The app is an integral part of getting the most out of the LINK-MICRO-S. Not only do you use it to receive and sort through the images you receive from the trail camera, but you also use the app to set up the trail camera as well as use it to update the camera’s settings once it is in the field.

Data Plan

When using this camera, you will need to subscribe to a data plan to use for remote access to the camera via your smartphone. There are 4 flexible photo transmission plans to choose from, including a free image plan (yes, we said free) that allows you to transmit up to 100 free images each month. There are no activation fees for any of these plans.

You also have the choice to go month-to-month with these plans, which is great if you only want to use the camera for part of the year. If you will use the camera year round you can get a discount if you pay for the year upfront. For example, at the time of writing this review, the most expensive plan, the Premium plan, which offers unlimited photos, is $15 a month if you pay month-to-month, but drops to $10 per month if you pay for the entire year upfront.

The SPYPOINT data plans are very reasonable, which is a huge selling point because the cost of expensive data plans can really add up over time.

Dimensions

One of the key selling points of the SPYPOINT LINK-MICRO-S-LTE trail camera is its small dimensions. It measures 3.1 x 7 x 2.2 inches, which is relatively small, making it less noticeable and easier to conceal in the wild. This camera’s measurements also make it an option to consider for home surveillance as intruders cannot easily make it out and interfere with it.

Time-Lapse Feature

The time-lapse feature is an increasingly common feature on modern trail cameras. It allows you the option to monitor the area that is beyond the range of the motion sensor. It also can be helpful if you have a camera that is set up in an area that gives it a lot of false triggers. That said, the SPYPOINT LINK-MICRO-S-LTE does not have the time-lapse feature.

Most people who use cellular trail cameras don’t want to utilize the time-lapse feature anyway. The time-lapse feature inevitably results in the camera taking a ton of pictures, most of which are empty. Sending all those pictures gets expensive and will cause most people to spend a lot more than they need to on the data plan for their cellular trail camera.

LCD Screen

The LINK-MICRO-S-LTE doesn’t have an LCD screen, which is probably a good thing. Not only does not having a color LCD screen help to keep the cost of the camera down, but it helps to keep the dimensions of the camera down as well.

Thanks to the SPYPOINT mobile app, which makes setting up the camera as well as changing its settings seamless and easy, you really won’t miss having an LCD screen.

Memory Card

SanDisk 32GB Ultra MicroSDHC UHS-I Memory Card with Adapter - 98MB/s, C10, U1, Full HD, A1, Micro SD Card - SDSQUAR-032G-GN6MA

Even though it is a cellular trail camera you still need to have a memory card for it just as you would with any other trail camera. This SPYPOINT camera uses Micro SDHC memory cards with a capacity of up to 32GB. We recommend using the SanDisk Ultra 32GB MicroSDHC card.

If you have read some of our other reviews you know that we aren’t big fans of using Micro SD cards in trail cameras since it is so easy to drop and lose them in the grass and leaves when you are replacing them in the field. That said, thanks to cellular and solar capabilities on the SPYPOINT LINK-MICRO-S you really shouldn’t need to worry about having to go into the field to check the memory card anyway.

As always, remember to format any memory card before first using it in the camera for the first time.

Rechargeable Battery Pack & Solar Panel

Solar Panel

As opposed to solar panels that are sold separately as a trail camera accessory, the included solar panel on the LINK-MICRO-S-LTE is incorporated right into the design of the camera and is fixed to the top portion of the camera. This not only helps to keep everything more compact and easier to conceal. Plus, it keeps the input for external power sources available for use, which we will talk about later.

Rechargeable Battery Pack

The solar panel on the LINK-MICRO-S-LTE charges a rechargeable lithium battery pack that is included with the camera. It is very reliable and ensures that you won’t have to worry about the camera running out of power.

Input for External Power Supply

If you are worried that you might put the SPYPOINT LINK-MICRO-S in an area that doesn’t get enough sunlight, has an immense amount of traffic (which will use a lot of power), or both, you will be happy to hear that it also has an input jack for a 12V external power supply.

Image Stamp

The image stamp on this trail camera includes the date, time, moon phase, and temperature. Using the information on the image stamp will allow you to uncover patterns of activity at certain times of the day or during certain weather conditions.

When combined with the images that are being sent to you each day the information on the image stamp can help you make some great in-season decisions about where and when to hunt each day.

Areas of Use

With its compact size, the easy to conceal LINK-MICRO-S-LTE is a great choice for both wildlife monitoring and property surveillance. Thanks to its solar panel and rechargeable battery pack it is a great option for people who live a long way from where the camera is posted and don’t want to worry about the camera running out of batteries if it is left unattended for long periods.

The only limitation for the use of this camera relates to its having low glow flash. Since the low glow flash will cause the front of the camera to glow red when the flash is in use you might want to reconsider using it in situations where it is important to keep the camera’s location hidden at night.

Price

At first glance, it may seem to be a bit more pricey than some other cellular trail cameras out there, but when you consider its compact size, solar panel, and its other features, you understand that you have an excellent bargain with the LINK-MICRO-S-LTE.

Other Options

SPYPOINT Link-Micro-LTE Cellular Trail Camera

SPYPOINT Link-Micro-LTE Cellular Trail Camera with 16 GB Spypoint Micro SD Card (Link-Micro-LTE) 2020 Edition (AT&T)

If you like the SPYPOINT LINK-MICRO-S-LTE, but don’t want a cellular trail camera with a solar panel either because you want to keep the size of the camera more compact or because you would like to keep the price down the SPYPOINT LINK-MICRO-LTE is a great option. Other than not having a solar panel the only difference between the SPYPOINT LINK-MICRO-LTE and the SPYPOINT LINK-MICRO-S-LTE is the trigger speed. The LINK-MICRO-LTE has a 0.5 second trigger speed while the LINK-MICRO-S-LTE has a slightly faster 0.4 second trigger speed.

You can check the current price for the SPYPOINT LINK-MICRO-LTE No products found.

Additional Cellular Trail Camera Choices

If you want to look at some other cellular trail camera options you might want to check out our Best Cellular Trail Camera Reviews and Buying Guide. Here are the cellular trail cameras we featured in that article.

Final Thoughts

SPYPOINT LINK-MICRO-S-LTE

With its long-lasting rechargeable lithium battery pack and integrated solar panel, the SPYPOINT LINK-MICRO-S-LTE is the epitome of a cellular trail camera that you can set and forget. Its affordable price and low-cost data plan options make it a budget-friendly option that you can feel good about.

You can check the current price here.

Last update on 2024-03-28 at 08:53 / Affiliate links / Images from Amazon Product Advertising API

About Dan G.
Dan G.

Dan is an avid hunter and outdoor enthusiast who has a passion for trail cameras and other hunting equipment. With years of experience in the field, Dan has gained extensive knowledge about the latest technologies and trends.

He has written numerous articles and reviews on trail cameras, tree stands, game calls, and other hunting accessories, helping fellow hunters, property owners, and wildlife enthusiasts make informed decisions when choosing their equipment.

When he's not in the woods, Dan enjoys sharing his love for the outdoors with his family and friends. If you're looking for expert advice on trail cameras and hunting gear, Dan is a go-to source for reliable and unbiased information.