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Since 1989, Cuddeback trail cameras have stood for competitive pricing, reliability, and versatility. But, much like any other brand, Cuddeback offers a range of cameras, including fully-loaded high-end models. And while these may seem dazzling, you may find out too late that you’ve emptied your wallet for a bunch of features you don’t want…or need.
In this article, we review some of the top-rated Cuddeback trail cameras available.
Our Top Pick
We especially recommend the Cuddeback CuddeLink Dual Flash. Offering 0.25-second trigger speed, 100-foot detection distance, Dual Infrared Sensors, 20MP picture quality, and CuddeLink compatibility, this model is the best you can get from Cuddeback.
7 Top-rated Cuddeback Trail Cameras Reviews
1. Cuddeback CuddeLink Dual Flash – Best Overall
The Cuddeback Dual Flash trail camera is equipped with both a 28-piece low-glow and a 28-piece no-glow LED infrared flash. The 20-megapixel image sensor produces stunning pictures, with sharp contrast and deep field of view.
Key Features
- 20-megapixel camera
- 25-second trigger speed
- IR & black dual flash system
- 100-foot flash range
- 4 high-capacity D batteries
- Compatible with other CuddeLink cameras
Our favorite feature of this model is that it can be connected to a network of up to 15 other CuddeLink cameras with just a single SIM card or data plan. Now THAT’S full coverage! Notable is that the camera can’t record video when the CuddeLink system is running.
This model is powered by 4 D-cell batteries, which can give you up to 12 months of battery life. Unfortunately, D-cell batteries are heavier than their AA counterparts.
Pros
- Ability to link with similarly equipped trail cameras
- Good battery life
- Two sets of LED flash for optimized night vision
- Dual flash system
- Fast trigger speed
Cons
- D-batteries add to the weight of the camera
Conclusion
The Cuddeback Dual Flash has many of the coveted features that other higher-end, more expensive trail cameras offer as options: Lightning fast trigger speed, top-of-the-line imagery, and variable picture and video modes are all standard features in this camera.
Overall Rating: 4.7/5.0
2. Cuddeback X-Change Color Trail Cam – Best for Low-light Conditions
Here’s another budget-friendly Cuddeback trail camera that packs a punch. What sets the Cuddeback X-Change Color trail camera apart from its competitors is the X-Change Flash System. With this feature, you can remove and replace the flash module.
Key Features
- 20-megapixel camera
- 25-second trigger speed
- 1-second recovery time
- 100-foot detection range
- X-Change™ Flash System
- 100-foot flash range
- 8 AA batteries
You can configure this camera’s flash as an infrared, color strobe, or black flash, depending on your desired results, and it can deliver amazing 20MP color photos day and night. The camera can also record high-quality, 30-second daytime and nighttime videos. The versatile Cuddeback X-Change is also easy to mount. It comes with Cuddeback’s Genius™ Mount, which you simply screw to the tree.
The only notable disadvantage of this model is the 1-second recovery speed, which is quite slow.
Pros
- High-quality pictures
- Easy to set up and use
- Durable construction
- Quite affordable
Cons
- Slow recovery speed
Conclusion
The user-friendly Cuddeback X-Change Color is one of the best options for nighttime operations. If you want spectacular photos taken in low light conditions at distances below 50 feet, you can’t go wrong with this model.
Overall Rating: 4.5/5.0
3. Cuddeback 20MP Long Range IR Camera – Best Budget Camera
If you are looking for a trail camera that can capture the finest details of your target, the Cuddeback Long Range IR Game Camera would be an ideal choice for you. This trail camera has a stunning 20-megapixel photo resolution and can capture up to 30 seconds of high-definition video.
Key Features
- 20-megapixel premium grade image sensor
- 25-second trigger speed
- 100-foot flash range
- 30-second HD video
- Low-light CMOS motion sensor
- 8 AA batteries
This camera has one of the fastest trigger speeds you can find on a game camera. It can capture the image or video in less than 0.25 seconds after detecting movement. Nighttime images and video are also of excellent quality, thanks to infrared flash that can capture subjects as far as 100 feet away. This flash doesn’t emit any light when taking images at night and hence won’t scare the animals away.
This camera is powered by 8 AA batteries, which can give you up to 7 months of battery life. The big downside to this Cuddeback is that you must transfer the photos and video to a computer or other device to view them.
Pros
- Robust construction
- High-quality images
- Ideal for users on a budget
Cons
- Can’t view images and video on the camera
- Initial set up can be difficult
Conclusion
The Cuddeback 20MP Long Range IR Camera would be a great pick if you’re looking to get extra- high-resolution pictures. While it is not very sophisticated, it delivers impressive results in both daytime and nighttime operations. Despite a not-so-easy setup and the fact that you can’t view the images on site, this camera is a solid choice.
Overall Rating: 4.4/5.0
4. Cuddeback CuddeLink J Series Long Range IR Trail Camera – Best for Tech-savvy Users
This is one of the most innovative—albeit more expensive—trail cameras from Cuddeback. The J-series features the integrated camera-to-camera wireless network to send you all the photos captured from your device.
Key Features
- 20-megapixel camera
- Premium grade image sensor
- 25-second trigger speed
- 24-piece 850nm infrared LED flash
- 1-5 photos burst mode
- 10 sec. to 24hr time-lapse mode
- 100-foot flash range
- 12 AA batteries
- Waterproof construction
- CuddeLink camera compatibility
This camera is equipped with a premium grade image sensor, which delivers 20MP quality daytime pictures in full color and nighttime pictures in black and white. The video quality is quite impressive as well. The J-series runs on 12 AA batteries, which can give you up to 6 months of battery life or at least 10,000 photos.
The camera’s waterproof construction gives it the ability to function well even in rainy weather. It comes with the Cuddeback’s Genius Mount system, making it easy to attach to any tree.
What we found frustrating about this model is that the initial setup can be quite complicated and time-consuming. Another setback is that the camera can’t transmit video when in CuddeLink mode.
Pros
- Convenient wireless connectivity
- High-quality images and video
- Can function in harsh conditions
Cons
- Initial set up can be complex
Conclusion
If you want to monitor wildlife over an expansive area in any weather, the Cuddeback CuddeLink J Series Long Range IR Trail Camera presents you a cost-effective way to achieve that. However, it’s a little more complex to operate and quite expensive.
Overall Rating: 4.3/5.0
5. Cuddeback Invisible Flash E3 Trail Camera – Best for Customization
The most outstanding feature of the Cuddeback E3 is that it offers several different operational modes. You can customize the camera settings to your specific needs. The camera takes terrific 20MP daytime images, and you can zoom in and still get a high level of detail without graininess.
Key Features
- 20-megapixel camera
- 720P HD video with audio
- 25-second trigger speed
- Black flash
- 50-foot flash range
- Premium grade image sensor
- 1-5 photo burst mode
- 1MP, 5MP, 20MP image selection
- 10 sec – 48 hours time-lapse capability
- 8 AA batteries
The images are crystal clear and rich in color. The E3 is also equipped with 20 no-glow infrared LEDs, which can illuminate objects at a distance of up to 50 feet at night. However, nighttime images are of lower quality compared to daytime pictures.
This model takes videos in 720P HD, with 15 fps and 8 fps frame rates for daytime and nighttime videos, respectively. The quality of daytime videos is great; nighttime videos, on the other hand, are somewhat blurry. You can set the length of videos to 10, 20, or 30 seconds. Additionally, you can set the camera to record video only or to take still images together with video, and you can also record audio. It is powered by 8 AA batteries, which can last up to 12 months or about 10,000 photos.
We didn’t enjoy the fact that images taken at night tend to be grainy or blurry.
Pros
- Bright and clear daytime images
- Can take still images together with video
- Easy customization
- Long battery life
- Affordable
Cons
- Nighttime images are sometimes blurry
- SD cards can be difficult to remove
Conclusion
The Cuddeback E3 is a great pick for anyone looking for a compact game camera that is not too pricey and boasts a great deal of features. In addition to great battery life, this camera can deliver strong daytime performance and average nighttime quality.
Overall Rating: 4.2/5.0
6. Cuddeback Moonlight IR Camera – Best for Nighttime Photo Capture
If you are looking for a trail camera that can function perfectly even in low light conditions, we suggest the Cuddeback Moonlight IR Camera. Rather than adding megapixels that don’t necessarily result in better picture quality, the Moonlight utilizes a light sensor with larger pixels, thus attracting more light and resulting in better quality nighttime pictures.
Key Features
- 8-megapixel
- 5-second trigger speed
- 1-2 seconds of recovery time
- 24-piece LED 850nm infrared flash
- 75-foot flash range
- 12 sec. to 24hr. time-lapse mode
- Multi-shot capability
- 10, 20, or 30-second videos
- 8 AA batteries
This trail camera is equipped with a 24-LED illumination system, which helps to enhance the clarity of nighttime pictures. The flash can illuminate animals at a distance of up to 75 feet. The camera runs on 8 AA batteries, which can give you up to 6 months of battery life or at least 10,000 photos.
The most discouraging aspect of the Moonlight is the recovery time; 1-2 seconds is comparably sluggish, and you may miss details of faster animals.
Pros
- Affordable
- Easy to set up and use
- Great quality nighttime photos
Cons
- Mounting gears aren’t standard and difficult to replace
- Slow recovery
Conclusion
The Cuddeback Moonlight IR is one of the simplest yet effective trail cameras on the market. It makes an excellent choice if you’re looking for a unit that delivers great results but is also simple to use. The model balances some of the high-tech features Cuddeback has to offer along with user-friendliness—landing you with strong results.
Overall Rating: 4.2/5.0
7. Cuddeback 1309 IR Plus – Best Entry-level Model
If you are looking for a feature-packed trail camera on a tight budget, consider the Cuddeback 1309 IR Plus. This may be an entry-level trail camera, but it still packs a punch, providing many valuable features for the price.
Key Features
- 8-megapixel camera
- 5-second trigger speed
- Low light image sensor
- Infrared flash
- 75-foot flash range
- Time-lapse mode
- 8 AA batteries
This camera delivers decent 8MP photos. It takes less than half a second to capture images once it detects movement up to 75 feet away, and records 10 to 30-second high-definition video bursts.
The 1309 also takes good quality nighttime photos, thanks to its infrared LED flash that can illuminate objects up to 75 feet away. Another outstanding attribute of this camera is that it allows you to set motion-sensing capability to cover a narrower or a wider area. It is also easy to set up and use. You can easily attach it to virtually any tree, thanks to the included Genius Mounting system.
Our only real complaint is the lower photo resolution, due to the decreased megapixel count.
Pros
- Easy to set up and use
- Competitively priced
- Big pixels for enhanced night images
- Many valuable features for the price
Cons
- Lower picture quality
Conclusion
The Cuddeback IR Plus makes a solid choice for nighttime operations. The large pixels make it ideal for low light conditions. If you’re shopping for a budget-friendly camera mostly for use in low light situations, this device is for you.
Overall Rating: 4.0/5.0
About Cuddeback Trail Camera Brand
Cuddeback trail camera brand dates back to 1989 and is one of the oldest brands in the industry. The company’s goal has been to produce trail cameras that capture animals both standing still and on the run.
To achieve this goal, Cuddeback employs cutting-edge technology in building their trail cameras. One of the most outstanding features of Cuddeback trail cameras is their exceptionally fast trigger speed range of 0.25 to 0.5 seconds.
Here’s a look at some other features that set Cuddeback cameras apart from their competitors:
Durability
All of Cuddeback trail camera models are waterproof. However, if you plan to use your device in extremely harsh conditions, like in snowy environments, it’s advisable to invest in a Cuddeback camera case for extra protection.
Battery Power
Cuddeback is known to offer trail cameras with impressive battery life, ranging from 6 to 12 months. You can also back the internal batteries up with a Cuddeback CuddePower Battery Booster. Another backup option is the Cuddeback J camera D Battery Adapter. With any of these add-ons, you can get up to four times the power you would get from the usual 8 AA batteries.
Mesh Networking
The major advantage of Cuddeback trail cameras is that they are linked up with a wireless mesh network. Namely, you can view up to 15 Cuddeback trail cameras from a central spot, which can be a camera installed at home.
Connectivity
Cuddelink is designed to serve individuals who live near their target area as well as those monitoring an area from a different geographic location. The company can achieve this in one of the two ways depending on your situation – Cuddelink On-site and CuddeLink Cell. A Cuddeback model actually makes it to the top of our list of great wireless game cameras.
Final Thoughts
Cuddeback trail cameras can be a solid choice for anyone looking for a simple but reliable and versatile trail camera. These are some of the fastest trails cameras on the market, with trigger speeds of 0.25 to 0.5 seconds. They are also designed to deliver high-quality images, thanks to technologies like Dual Flash, X-Change Flash System, and CMOS motion sensors. They are also the only brand to offer the innovative CuddeLink system, setting them apart from the pack by a wide margin with this incredibly useful feature.
Want to see more trail cameras check out our post here, and our top picks from another trusted brand.
