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Review: ZEISS Secacam 3 Trail Camera for Nature Observation
10th February 2025
By Sarah Hagen
By Sarah Hagen
Trail cameras have grown significantly in popularity over the past decade for wildlife watchers. Their usage and appeal continues to expand due to advancements in technology, affordability, and versatility.
Many nature enthusiasts and birdwatchers here in the UK now use trail cameras to observe wildlife behaviour without disturbing the wildlife around them and I wanted to see if the new Secacam 3 from ZEISS delivers a compelling choice for nature enthusiasts seeking high-quality observation, ease of use and value for money in 2025. Here are my thoughts...
What's in the box?
Design and Build
Weighing approximately 320 grams, the Secacam 3 is lightweight and IP66 tested, which essentially means it's designed to handle extreme weather conditions and built to last. The trail camera is certainly compact, robust and comes with a rugged housing, ensuring durability, making it suitable for deployment in diverse outdoor settings all year round.
Image and Video Quality
Equipped with a 3-megapixel CMOS sensor, the camera delivers sharp images with a resolution of 1920 x 1440 pixels. The 16:9 image format is optimised for mobile viewing, enhancing the user experience. Notably, the camera excels in low-light conditions, capturing detailed nighttime images, which is a crucial feature for nocturnal wildlife observation.
Motion Detection and Speed
The Secacam 3 features an enhanced PIR Fresnel lens, increasing sensitivity to detect even subtle movements of small or distant animals. With a rapid response time between 0.35 to 0.45 seconds, it effectively minimises motion blur, ensuring clear capture of swift animal movements.
User-Friendly Features
Setting up the camera is very straightforward. You can be up and running within 5 minutes of opening the box in fact. This is thanks to its plug-and-play functionality. The swiveling 1.9-inch display allows for real-time alignment, ensuring optimal positioning. Additionally, the "TEST" button enables users to capture and transmit a test photo directly to a smartphone via the ZEISS Secacam app, facilitating quick verification of the camera's setup and mobile connection.
Connectivity and App Integration
The built-in LTE module, coupled with a multi-roaming SIM card, ensures reliable 4G data transfer across various networks, automatically selecting the strongest available signal. This feature supports seamless image and video transmission in over 35 countries, including the UK, without additional roaming charges. The ZEISS Secacam app, available from the App Store or Google Play enhances user experience by providing functionalities such as AI-based animal recognition and the "Colour the Night" feature, which recolours night shots for improved detail and is very cool indeed.
Battery Life and Power Options
The camera operates on eight AA batteries housed in a convenient magazine, allowing for quick replacements. Low-power data processing extends battery life, and for prolonged use, ZEISS offers a compatible solar panel accessory to maintain continuous power supply.
Potential Drawbacks:
There are some relatively minor drawbacks to consider compared to the Secacam 3's strengths, but you may want to consider the following...
Verdict:
Overall, the ZEISS Secacam 3 stands out as a versatile, great value for money and user-friendly trail camera. The device offers impressive image quality, rapid motion detection and its thoughtful design and advanced features make it a valuable tool for both amateur and professional nature observers seeking to capture the wonders of wildlife with clarity and ease on a relatively small budget.
★★★★★★★★★ 9/10
Testing scores
📦 Buy now: www.zeiss.com/nature/secacam-3
🏷 Price: £119.99
Many nature enthusiasts and birdwatchers here in the UK now use trail cameras to observe wildlife behaviour without disturbing the wildlife around them and I wanted to see if the new Secacam 3 from ZEISS delivers a compelling choice for nature enthusiasts seeking high-quality observation, ease of use and value for money in 2025. Here are my thoughts...
What's in the box?
- Secacam 3
- 1 x Tree Band
- 4G Antenna
- Instruction Manual
- Starter Guide & Activation Code
- Sim Card
- 8 x AA Batteries
Design and Build
Weighing approximately 320 grams, the Secacam 3 is lightweight and IP66 tested, which essentially means it's designed to handle extreme weather conditions and built to last. The trail camera is certainly compact, robust and comes with a rugged housing, ensuring durability, making it suitable for deployment in diverse outdoor settings all year round.
Image and Video Quality
Equipped with a 3-megapixel CMOS sensor, the camera delivers sharp images with a resolution of 1920 x 1440 pixels. The 16:9 image format is optimised for mobile viewing, enhancing the user experience. Notably, the camera excels in low-light conditions, capturing detailed nighttime images, which is a crucial feature for nocturnal wildlife observation.
Motion Detection and Speed
The Secacam 3 features an enhanced PIR Fresnel lens, increasing sensitivity to detect even subtle movements of small or distant animals. With a rapid response time between 0.35 to 0.45 seconds, it effectively minimises motion blur, ensuring clear capture of swift animal movements.
User-Friendly Features
Setting up the camera is very straightforward. You can be up and running within 5 minutes of opening the box in fact. This is thanks to its plug-and-play functionality. The swiveling 1.9-inch display allows for real-time alignment, ensuring optimal positioning. Additionally, the "TEST" button enables users to capture and transmit a test photo directly to a smartphone via the ZEISS Secacam app, facilitating quick verification of the camera's setup and mobile connection.
Connectivity and App Integration
The built-in LTE module, coupled with a multi-roaming SIM card, ensures reliable 4G data transfer across various networks, automatically selecting the strongest available signal. This feature supports seamless image and video transmission in over 35 countries, including the UK, without additional roaming charges. The ZEISS Secacam app, available from the App Store or Google Play enhances user experience by providing functionalities such as AI-based animal recognition and the "Colour the Night" feature, which recolours night shots for improved detail and is very cool indeed.
Battery Life and Power Options
The camera operates on eight AA batteries housed in a convenient magazine, allowing for quick replacements. Low-power data processing extends battery life, and for prolonged use, ZEISS offers a compatible solar panel accessory to maintain continuous power supply.
Potential Drawbacks:
There are some relatively minor drawbacks to consider compared to the Secacam 3's strengths, but you may want to consider the following...
- Battery dependency: Although the camera's battery life is optimised, relying on eight AA batteries might not be ideal for extended deployments in remote areas. Frequent battery changes can become cumbersome unless you invest in the optional solar panel accessory, which is an additional expense.
- Learning Curve for Advanced Features: For users who are not tech-savvy, some of the advanced functionalities, such as the AI-based animal recognition and "Colour the Night" feature, might require a bit of a learning curve to fully utilise, so be prepared to stick with it.
- App and LTE Connectivity: While the built-in LTE and app integration are excellent features, connectivity might be spotty in areas with limited cellular coverage. Additionally, the reliance on a subscription for the multi-roaming SIM card might add recurring costs, depending on how frequently you use the camera's remote access features.
Verdict:
Overall, the ZEISS Secacam 3 stands out as a versatile, great value for money and user-friendly trail camera. The device offers impressive image quality, rapid motion detection and its thoughtful design and advanced features make it a valuable tool for both amateur and professional nature observers seeking to capture the wonders of wildlife with clarity and ease on a relatively small budget.
★★★★★★★★★ 9/10
Testing scores
- Design: ★★★★★★★★★ 9/10
- Performance: ★★★★★★★★★ 9/10
- Durability: ★★★★★★★★ 8/10
- Weight: ★★★★★★★★★ 9/10
- Value: ★★★★★★★★★ 9/10
📦 Buy now: www.zeiss.com/nature/secacam-3
🏷 Price: £119.99
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