Reconyx HL2X (License Plate Capture)

Reconyx HL2X Review

The Reconyx HL2X camera is the only license plate camera currently on the market. It detects extremely fast, takes bright day photos, license plate photos at night, and the batteries could last 2+ years. - TCP Staff

Model # HL2X  |  HL2X Owner's Manual

HL2X FAQ's

Trailcampro Comprehensive Score:

88/100

Pros

• Good day pictures and takes legible license plate photos at night
• An astounding 2 years of battery life!
• Extremely fast detection circuit

Cons

• Slightly wider detection angle from field of view

Trailcampro Analysis

Picture Quality:  86/100

Photo resolution: 1.4 mpxl

Video resolution:  720p

Flash Type:  Low Glow IR

Daytime pictures are excellent. As you can see from the sample photos, they have great color and clarity. Please note, the photos will all be stretched but we believe this was done to give you the highest chance of catching the vehicle license plate.

Night pictures are pretty good. License plates can be hard to make out at ranges beyond 50 ft. We believe camera setup will be crucial in getting the photo you are looking for. The closer you can get the camera to the vehicle the better. Be sure to note, this is a License Plate camera, the night pictures will be almost completely black outside of headlight/tail lights, and license plates. You should not expect to get make/model of a vehicle at night.

What if you purchase from us and aren't happy with the image quality?

This is a common question and we have a very simple solution. Call, email, or chat with us and we can take a look at the images and offer suggestions or immediately tell if something is wrong with the camera. If so, we will warranty the camera for you (with the free 2-Year warranty you receive from us) or return the camera for a full refund (within 90 days of purchase). You have control of the process, remember, we work for you.

Megapixel Ratings:

In the past, many people get confused with the megapixel rating trail camera manufacturers advertise.  Companies inflate the mpxl rating to attract eyes to their products.  They do this through interpolation, which digitally adds megapixels to a photo without actually improving the picture.

The best way to judge picture quality is to look at actual pictures.  You will notice this the most when you zoom in on a full-size image that a camera has taken.  The details of the photo will appear hazy or even digitized.  This is normal, and to be expected.

Battery Life:    90/100

Picture & Video Resting Power (on):   0.66 mW

Picture Daytime/Nighttime Power Consumption:   0.79 Ws  |  4.26 Ws

Video Daytime/Nighttime Power Consumption: 25.25  |  101.05 Ws

Picture Mode

If this camera were to take 35-day and 35-night pictures every 24 hours, the Hyperfire HL2X would last 24 months in the field on a set of 12 AA Lithium Batteries. 

Video Mode

If this camera were to take 15-day and 15-night videos (10-second videos) every 24 hours, it would last 2.8 months in the field on a set of lithium batteries.

Detection Circuit:     88/100

Picture Trigger & Recovery Speed: 0.07 s.  |  0.9 s. 

Video Trigger & Recovery Speed:  0.29 s.  |  5.6 s.

Detection Range & Angle: 80 ft. @ 44.5° Detection Angle (38.1° Field of View)

Detecting vehicles shouldn't be an issue for the Hyperfire HL2X. Trigger speed in both modes is excellent and recovery times are very good as well.

The Hyperfire 2 detected out to 80 ft., making it an above average detection range. The detection angle is slightly wider than the field of view, which could produce a minimal amount of false triggers, however, this could also help with detection fast moving vehicles.Overall, the detection circuit is outstanding.

Quality of Design:     90/100

Dimensions: 5.25" x 4.5" 3"

Battery Type:  12 AA Batteries

External Battery Jack:  12-volt

Case Design

The Hyperfire HL2X has a fairly standard case design. It feels solid and well-built. The latch is oversized and easy to manipulate. The batteries slide in much easier than on the Reconyx Ultrafire cameras and the SD card is easy to insert as well. The python lock bracket is on the front of the camera thereby not only locking the camera to the tree but also preventing access to the internal controls and memory card.

We were disappointed that the Hyperfire HL2X only has one threaded insert (on the bottom). This limits the versatility of a tripod or Slate River Mount. Also, the camera has a simple LCD screen for settings but lacks the internal viewer that many cameras come equipped with now. 

Without a doubt, the case design on the Hyperfire HL2X is really solid but not groundbreaking. We do expect this camera to be able to work down to -20° Fahrenheit, so if that is a concern, the case design is still superior to Chinese-made cameras. However, when spending this amount of money, it would be really nice to have the bells and whistles that we see on other cameras (internal viewer and multiple 1/4" x 20 inserts).

Camera Setup

It's easy, simple, and arms in seconds. It does offer programmable start/stop times during specific hours of the day, and the ability to use SD cards up to 512 Gigs. 

SD Card Storage Examples

With a 16 Gig SD card and the camera taking 1.4 mpxl photos, the Hyperfire HL2X could store 45,000+ pictures on the SD card.

With a 16 Gig SD card and the camera taking 1280x720 videos, the Hyperfire HL2X could store 747 10-second videos. These numbers can vary slightly but this gives you a good idea of storage ideas.

From this data, you can extrapolate out storage capacities of different sized SD cards and different resolution settings. We give you a 16 Gig SD card with the purchase of this camera through us. If you need additional or larger SD cards, you can shop all SD card options here.

Durability

Through our 2-year warranty program on the trail cameras we sell, we are able to track warranty rates on all trailcam manufacturers. We do not publish this data but durability on Reconyx trail cameras is unmatched.  These cameras are engineered and produced in Holmen, Wisconsin by some of the brightest minds in the business. On top of that, Reconyx has recently started issuing a 5-year warranty on the Hyperfire 2. This is quite the statement.

If an issue were to arise, we will update this review accordingly.

Reconyx HL2X Review Conclusion:     88/100

The Reconyx HL2X camera is the only license plate camera currently on the market. It detects extremely fast, takes bright day photos, license plate photos at night, and the batteries could last 2+ years.

Since 2005, our mission has to been to provide consumers with unbeatable value, advice you can trust, and customer service that exceeds expectations. There are plenty of places you can choose to do business with, if we are lucky enough to earn your support, we promise to give you our undivided attention. Trailcampro has grown each year not only by relying on your happiness but on the assumption that if we blow you away with customer service, you will brag about us to your friends (have you seen our referral/reward program?).

As always, if you have additional questions, feel free to call, email or chat with us. We look forward to helping you find your next trail camera!

Enjoy our reviews?  Please consider purchasing your next trail camera from us.

FAQ's: Reconyx HL2X Trail Camera

Q: How do I view the pictures?

A: There are a number of ways to do this. Pictures/videos are stored on the SD card you place in the camera. Here are some other methods for viewing images:

• View pictures on your computer. Plug the SD card in a desktop computer or laptop via the built-in SD card reader or use a USB reader if your computer doesn't have one. This method works for most tablets as well. With this method, we recommend having two SD cards per camera so you can swap them in the field.
• Trail Camera Viewers. While more expensive, handheld viewers are useful if you don't have a smartphone or run multiple trail cameras. 

Q: Will this trail camera trigger on small animals (birds, rodents, etc.)?

A: Trail cameras detect on 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 a low glow trail camera, meaning it has an extremely faint red glow when taking pictures or videos at night. We rate cameras as low glow if we can see the glow within 15 ft., but have a much harder time seeing it at a greater distance.

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 a 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.

Back to Top of Page

Read Reviews From All the Game and Trail Cameras