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Spartan Verizon 4G Review
The Spartan 4G Verizon is a 2019 cellular trail camera. This camera scores well in picture quality, battery life, and case design, but struggles with usability. - TCP Staff
Model # GC-Z4Gb2 | Spartan 4G Owner's Manual
Trailcampro Comprehensive Score:
79/100
Pros - Good picture quality
- Solid case design
- Improved picture battery life
Cons - Can only send pictures to a single phone number or email address
- Setup process can be difficult
- Can no longer receive texts from the camera
Trailcampro Analysis The Spartan Ghost Verizon uses a 4G/LTE Quectel EC25-V module that allows this camera to operate on Verizon 4G/LTE towers. It is backwards compatible and should work on 3G towers while they are still active.
Photo resolution: 8 mpxl
Video resolution: 1024x576
Flash Type: No Glow IR
Any picture that is emailed from the camera is a compressed file, so the resolution and size are smaller. The full-size image will be saved on the sd card. The sample photos you will see here are a mix of full resolution and emailed photos.
Cellular pictures are always hard to evaluate because of the pixelation from the compression of the file. However, day pictures are solid and possess decent color. Night pictures have good flash range and clarity.
If you are wanting the camera for security surveillance, face recognition will be the toughest part for any infrared trail camera. Make sure you check out all our photos below. You will notice night pictures will greatly depend on how fast the subject is moving as to whether there will be blur or not. Overall, night pictures are good for a no glow infrared cellular camera, however, don't expect a perfectly clear picture to prosecute someone with. Cellular cameras are best for alerting you immediately when someone is in a place they aren't supposed to be, not for prosecution.Videos are solid but we do not rate them for the purpose of this review. The only way to get the videos sent to your phone is to sign up for an additional service from Spartan (premium service). Since they charge you for this on top of what a data plan cost, we do not include this in our ratings.
Picture & Video Resting Power (on): 0.5 mW (power save on)
Picture Daytime/Nighttime Power Consumption: 50.0 Ws | 48.9 Ws
Video Daytime/Nighttime Power Consumption: 352.3 Ws | 393.0 Ws
A recent update to the battery consumption has led to big improvements in picture battery life. In video mode, power consumption is outrageous and nearly makes the video portion of this camera unusable.
If this camera took 15-day pictures and 15-night pictures every 24 hours, it would last 3.5 months on a set of lithium batteries.
If this camera took 15-day videos and 15-night videos every 24 hours, it would last 0.5 months on a set of lithium batteries.
Picture Trigger & Recovery Speed: 0.54 s. / 43.5 s.
Video Trigger: 2.91 s.
Detection Range & Angle: 70 ft. | 44.6° (42.3° F.O.V)
The picture trigger is quite slow but the recovery has seen a recent update and improvement.
The detection range is 70 feet, which is good. The detection zone is large enough to cover a big area, allowing you to monitor open areas whether you are using the camera for security or wildlife.
Dimensions: 6" x 5" x 3.25" w/o antenna
Battery Type: 12 AA Batteries
External Battery Jack: 6-Volt
We are not a fan of the setup process. It is long, layered, and can be complicated and expensive.
2019 Spartan 4G Verizon Setup Process:
There are several methods for activating the cellular data for the 2020 Spartan 4G.
Method #1: You can activate the camera by logging into your account at www.vzw.com and then go to "adding a new device." This is $5 a month (add a line).
Method #2: You can activate the camera either by calling the Verizon support number (1-800-775-8098, or by calling 611 from your Verizon cell phone). Listen to the menu options and follow the prompts to activate the service.
Method #3: You may take the camera to a Verizon store and have an in-store customer service rep activate the service for you. Be sure to record your camera's telephone number.
Method #4: Go to www.spartancamera.com. Create an account and log in. Go to Shop > Buy Verizon Service. Follow the steps to activate your data service.
Data plans are the following:
- 50mb data for 1 month - $9.99
- 250 mb data for 1 month - $11.99
- 1 GB data for 3 months - $35.99
- 3 GB data for 6 months - $64.99
- 6 GB data for 6 months - $109.99
- 12 GB data for 1 year - $199.99
If you go with Method #4 you will get Spartan's premium service included in the cost of the data plan.
GoWireless Premium
Spartan's premium service is now included for free if you buy the data from them, it includes:- You can download and use the mobile phone Spartan app. .
- Premium service is the only way you can have the camera send videos to your phone. Without premium, the Spartan can only send pictures.
- Enables two-way communication from user to camera (remotely)
- The option of increasing thumbnail image to 1280 x 960 (which is up from 640x480). This makes objects/people easier to identify
- Add up to 5 email of text recipients of pictures
Please keep in mind, the $4 a month for premium service is separate from your data plan costs if you do not buy your data from Spartan.
After activating the cellular data, there are just a couple of steps you will need to complete on the camera itself.
- Place the SD card and sim card in the camera along with 12 AA Lithium Batteries. Make sure the antenna is on the camera.
- Flip the switch from "Off" to "Setup." Allow the camera to connect to the network. You will see (upper right-hand corner) the network towers connect and show how many bars of service they have. After it connects, hit the menu button.
- Go through the settings and customize them to your needs (i.e. set the date/time, sensitivity preference, flash power, etc.).
- Once you get to the wireless tab, set them to the following
- Send Mode: Instant
- Send Via: Auto (Set this to premium if you have activated and paid for the premium service. If you have paid for premium, ignore the rest of the setup, your job is done. All other settings will be on the app of your phone)
- Recipient: Hit enter and add either one email address. The camera is only able to accept email addresses. In the past, you were able to add phone numbers via a "jailbreak," but this is no longer active and working.
- Name Tag: On
- Power Saving: On
Once your settings are correct, you can test the camera's ability to send a photo. Hit the "Menu" button until you are back to the live preview screen. Hit the "Ok" button to take a photo. The camera will ask if you want to "Send this photo?" Hit Ok to send. If the camera is setup properly and you have at least 3 bars of reception, it should say "Send Successful" after 30-60 seconds. If so, your camera is ready to go. Simply turn it on when you are ready to place it in the field.
Case Design
The camera's case design is solid and works well. The latch is big and beefy, and manipulates easily even in cold weather. The functionality of the screen, viewer, and settings operate quickly and intuitively. This is one of the stronger aspects of this camera.
Durability
Up to this point, durability has been average so far on the Spartan units. If a problem arises, we will update this review immediately.
Keep in mind, our 2-year warranty program is your free insurance program in case something goes wrong with a camera you purchase from us. This warranty protects you from any manufacturing defect the camera might experience for two years.
2019 Spartan 4G Review Conclusion: 79/100 The Spartan 4G Verizon is a 2019 cellular trail camera. This camera scores well in picture quality, battery life, and case design, but struggles with usability.
Enjoy our reviews? Please consider purchasing your next trail camera from us.
FAQ's: Spartan 4G Verizon
Q: How do I view the pictures?
A: There are a number of ways to do this. First, pictures/videos are stored on the SD card you place in the camera. After that, the pictures can be set to be emailed/texted to only one phone number or email. If you pay for Spartan's Premium Service, the pictures are sent to an app on your phone.
Q: Will this trail camera trigger on small animals (birds, rodents, etc.)?
A: Trail cameras detect a combination of heat and movement, so, yes, small mammals will trigger the camera. However, if you are going after smaller warm-blooded mammals, we recommend getting the camera closer to your target. For best performance, place the camera in an area that would enable picture detection from 3 - 20 ft.
Q: Can animals see the infrared flash on this camera?
A: This is somewhat controversial. Humans can't see the flash as the nanometer spectrum is above what the human eye can detect (that is where the 940 comes from in the Dark Ops name). It's also much harder for an animal to see, but that could depend on the species of animal as different species see in different light spectrums.
Q: Where can I purchase this camera?
A: From us! We hope to woo you with our incredible charm, two-year warranty, 90-day returns, free continental U.S. shipping, and technical expertise. If that isn't enough, we give you an 16 Gig SD card with this camera and you can call and talk our ear off anytime.
Seriously, though, we know you have plenty of options of where to spend your hard-earned money. The internet can be the wild, wild, west of too-good-to-be-true deals. If you choose to do business with us, we will go out of our way to make sure you are happy with the camera you select and the service we provide you.
We are passionate about testing and reviewing trail cameras, but most importantly, we are passionate about treating our customers the right way. We do things differently from what you have come to expect from other internet retailers and we hope you give us the opportunity to prove that to you.
Read Reviews From All the Game and Trail Cameras
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Manufacturer Specifications
- No glow IR flash
- 6-Volt External Battery Jack
- Requires 12 AA Lithium Batteries
- Accepts up to a 32 gig SD card
- Only works on Verizon 4G Towers
- Internal 2" picture viewer
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Buy your next trail camera or accessory from us and we will protect your purchase with our 90-day return policy and our exclusive 2-year warranty.
Most manufacturer warranties are only one year. In our opinion, that isn't good enough. Our customers get a two-year warranty, directly from us.
Trailcampro's 2-Year Warranty
If the trail camera you purchase from us goes defective within two years of your purchase, we will quickly replace it.
We strive to make the warranty process as quick and easy as possible. Simply fill out our warranty form.
Trailcampro's 90-Day Return Policy
We believe you have the right to return any game camera that does not meet your expectations within 90 days.
Our return policy lets you field test products, at no risk to you!
- Buyer's remorse? Return the camera to us for a full refund (minus shipping).
- Purchased the wrong camera? We will ship you the right camera.
- Something wrong with the camera you received? We will replace it at no cost to you.
Want to talk to a trail camera expert? Contact our friendly staff.
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Domestic Shipping Options
- Free 2-Day Shipping on all orders over $99 to U.S. addresses
- Free shipping will be shipped via the most economical method.
- Orders placed before 3 p.m Central Standard Time are usually shipped the same day
- We are happy to offer expedited shipping options. Prices are shown during checkout.
Dear International Customer:
International rates vary by country and postal code. Please click here for detailed international rates.
Trailcampro L.L.C.
3048 S. Clifton Ave
Suite 108
Springfield, MO 65807
1-800-791-0660 -
Trail Camera Accessories
Here are a few of the accessories we like to use in the trail camera.
Energizer Ultimate Lithiums | 8 Pack
$15.95
- There is no downside to using lithium batteries. Long battery life, extreme durability, and better night pictures. You will be happy you did.
$19.95
- Use this with the security case, or just the camera itself. The Spartan 4G has brackets on the back specifically for this lock.
$31.95
- Use this with the Spartan 4G Cellular trail camera.
Start at $9.95
- SD cards store your pictures and videos for easy removal. We give you a free SD card with the M8000, but most people use two cards. If you have two cards, you can swap them out when you retrieve the pictures.
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Verified Customer Reviews
We ensure that every customer review comes from one of our real customers and not someone who works for the competing trail camera manufacturer. These are verified customer trail camera reviews that you can trust.
We would love your feedback if you purchased this trail camera from us. We want your honest feedback, these reviews are a vital part in helping consumers choose the right game camera.
