Hunters and shooters alike have long wished for the ability to better share the moments leading up to the perfect shot. Not only would these moments provide bragging opportunities but they could also be a great training aide for evaluating what caused any missed shots. Aiming to capture what the user sees through their optic, TriggerCam designed their 2.1 action camera to mount on the rear of traditional scope in a way that does not obstruct the users’ field of view. Utilizing a see-through mirror, the TriggerCam 2.1 accomplishes this well.
First and foremost, the TriggerCam 2.1 can record in 4K at 30 frames per second, 1080P at 120fps/60fps/30fps, and 720P at 240fps/120fps. It can also take pictures and comes with a 128Gb SD card. Battery life is listed as 2.5 hours for recording and 10 hours on standby and I found these numbers to be pretty accurate throughout my testing. A neat feature is “advanced video stabilization technology” which “assists in optimal quality videos minimizing recoil effects.” This feature can be turned on or off and is found on other cameras such as GoPros which help to create a smoother video that is easier to watch. While I have yet to record without the image stabilization turned off, the feature seems to work well as you can see in a video I posted to my Instagram page HERE.
Coming in the box with the camera is a tool for adjustments, a cable, and 8 different shims for fitting your optic perfectly. While designed to fit optics with eyepieces ranging from 32mm – 48mm, using the proper shim perfectly aligns the center of the camera to your scope. While it can be frustrating trying to remember to bring all the shims if you plan to record through different scopes, knowing it will fit perfectly once mounted up makes this acceptable.
To mount the TriggerCam 2.1 to your scope, you need to first slide on the slotted shim over your eyepiece with the flared edge facing forward. When installed over the eyepiece, the slotted shim needs to maintain a small gap so the cut edge does not touch or make a complete circle. After the proper shim has been selected, the camera will slide over the eyepiece as far forward as possible and then be tightened down to clamp to the scope. When installed, the setup will remove about 1” from your eye relief.
The biggest downside I have seen to this design is when it is used with scopes that have a single-piece eyepiece where the whole ocular bell rotates when adjusting magnification. Zooming in or out causes the TriggerCam 2.1 to cant left or right depending on what magnification is being used. To get a perfect horizontal video, the user will be stuck with one specific magnification where the camera is pointing straight up. For testing on my Eotech VUDU 5-25 scope, I tightened the camera down to be perfectly aligned at around 16X. The workaround I found was to tighten the screw until the camera was snug instead of tight, and that would allow me to rotate the camera to be aligned with whatever magnification I wanted. This was a hindrance if I was trying to shoot quick, but if I was just doing bench rest stuff then it wasn’t a big deal. The only other downside associated with this rotation was the fact that the camera would hit the raised portion of the eyepiece designed for threading in a throw lever. This limited me to use only the bottom 60% of the magnification range for both my Eotech VUDU 5-25 and VUDU 1-10. However, a scope such as the Khales K525i would eliminate all of these issues since the back of the ocular bell is fixed, and the magnification ring is decoupled so any rotation is in front of where the camera is mounted. While one of these scopes would pair perfectly with the TriggerCam 2.1, I had to make do with what I already had.
The controls are simple and easy to use. There are two buttons on the left-hand side that power the unit up, start/stop taking videos or pictures, and can turn on onboard WiFi to link up with a compatible smart device such as a cellphone. Once these controls are figured out, the only other thing to do is focus the camera.
The focus is located under the forward cap on the top of the camera. The cap can be removed with the provided tool, a flathead screwdriver, or even just a piece of brass. To focus the scope, you will have to be connected to the TriggerCam 2.1 camera via a smart device with the “TriggerCam 2.1” app downloaded. Once connected through the app, you will see a live stream through your optic. From here it takes some adjustment to fine-tune the clarity to a specific distance. One thing I didn’t catch my first time out shooting was how narrow the focus was. I dialed it in for 200 yards which was crystal clear, but when I videoed transitioning from 200-500 yards the further targets showed up more and more blurry. There was around a +/- 150 yards that was pretty clear from where the focus was adjusted to. So focused at 200 yards the image looked good from around 100-350 yards. This can be frustrating since you need a smart device to fine-tune the focus out in the field, but if it is set to an infinite focus the image is clear and acceptable from infinity down to around 150 yards.
The second cap on the top of the camera is used for charging the device, exporting videos, or removing the memory card. The housing is solid and waterproof per IP64 standards. Utilizing aircraft-grade aluminum, the TriggerCam 2.1 comes in at just under 16 ounces which definitely adds some heft to a hunting rifle setup. All you ultralight backcountry hunters counting up ounces may be worried, but having the ability to record your shots connecting is something that makes it worth it for most situations I personally find myself in.
When mounted to a scope, the camera is almost non-intrusive which is vital for maintaining an effective platform. Light transmission through the mirror the camera uses is good, and I can hardly notice it’s there. The housing does add thickness to the sidewalls of the scope to remove a little bit of your field of view outside the glass, so use on an LPVO isn’t ideal but still works just fine for training or running drills. Recording while practicing or hunting is a great opportunity to hold yourself accountable. There is nothing like watching your reticle in slow motion after shooting to see if you jerked the trigger, or had perfect follow through with the shot breaking when the reticle was perfectly aligned to the target. Shown HERE is a video through my LPVO while I take some shots and run around just a bit.
Overall, I think this is a nifty design that allows for recording and sharing hunts or training that traditionally was not possible. While heavy, it doesn’t really hinder performance, especially when shooting while prone or from a bench/blind. In the end, utilizing the TriggerCam 2.1 is situation dependent and can add some cool capabilities. This camera comes in with an MSRP of $565 and can be found at a few dealers within the US or ordered directly from TriggerCam’s website.
Specifications:
| Dimensions L x W x H | 100mm x 50mm x 93.2mm |
| Weight: | 453 grams |
| Rifle Scope Eyepiece compatibility: | 32mm – 48mm |
| Smart Phone APP: | TRIGGERCAM 2.1 APP is available on Android, IOS & Huawei operating systems. Live streaming capability, video gallery, camera control, download and edit videos. |
| Memory: | SD Card up to 128G, Class U3 or Above. |
| Wi-Fi: | Integrated Wi-Fi with live streaming function and instant downloading of videos |
| Quick record: | Switches on power and record function for instant recording |
| Optics: | Multi-coated optical lens for optimal performance. |
| Video stabilization: | Advanced video stabilization technology assists in optimal quality videos minimizing recoil effects. Function can be switched ON/OFF |
| Waterproof: | IP64 rating |
| Battery: | Integrated lithium ion battery with 2.5 hours recording time, and 10 hours standby time |
| High definition slow motion video replay: | 4 x (1080P 100/120fps) / 8 x (720P 200/240fps) |
| True sound microphone: | Able to record high-quality sound 360 degree true sound, able to switch on and off |
| Resolution: | 4K 30fps |
| 1080P 120fps/60fps/30fps | |
| 720P 240fps/120fps |
| USB: | C-type USB, |
| HDMI: | Micro HDMI for TV output |
| Video output: | PAL/NTSC |
| Recording Timing Alarm: | Off/3min/5min/10min |
| Input Voltage: | 5V |
| Other features: | Auto low light function |
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