Designed for hunters or recreational shooters, the “Sight-In Edition” target camera by Shooting Made Easy drastically reduces the time spent endlessly walking back and forth between the shooting line, and the target when establishing zero, or recording shot placement. With its 300-yard range and smart device applications, the “Sight-In Edition” is ideal for a broad range of shooters either checking on their zero prior to hunting season, or challenging themselves out to an interim distance.
In 2017 Shooting Made Easy (SME) was purchased by GSM Outdoors, which opted to upgrade the original ammo-can style target camera. This upgrade included the current design, and a new smart device application. The “Sight-In Edition” (SIE) target camera system was released in 2019, and is the second variant of this device intending to make shooting more enjoyable and comfortable. The SIE is similar to the “Sniper Edition” in that it only consists of the main body unit (complete with dummy Wi-Fi receiver attached on the bottom).
The Main Body:
Enclosed in a rugged polymer housing; the main body of the SIE camera is waterproof, and has a 960D high definition camera with an overhead/sun shroud that protects the camera from the elements while shooting.
The camera lens itself is mounted on a ball-joint that allows for 15-degrees of rotation along the X and Y-axis for best observation to the target. Four LED lights around the bezel of the lens help illuminate the target in low-light conditions.
Enclosed within the main body is the Wi-Fi transmitter; a foldable directional antenna mounted on a 90-degree hinge, that can tilt and rotate to project the signal of the main body up to 300-yards straight Line of Sight distance. The transmitter is secured via locking latch to the main body when not in use, while on the side of the transmitter is an LED indicator for POWER and SIGNAL STRENGTH (Wi-Fi or LAN).
On the side of the main body itself is the power switch, with LED power indicator and a power jack. The switch is covered with a rubberized cap that prevents moisture penetration.
On the bottom of the main body are two foldable, telescopic legs that can help angle the camera between 15 and 25-degrees upward towards the target. At the bottom of each leg is a serrated foot for improved grip and provide a secure base.
Immediate Feedback
But where the SIE target camera sets itself apart is in its smart device application, free for download to any iOS or Android device and on Google Play. When synched (via Wi-Fi), the SIE targeting camera displays real-time individual shooter data in the form of two main functions:
- Sight In Scope: This is the main application to sighting in a rifle. This function comes with a step-by-step walk-through, or an option to do the sight-in manually yourself. If you opt for the step-by-step, the app will walk you through:
- Target Setup: Define all four corners of your target, and bullseye
- Show Shots: Take a snapshot with the camera and place shot markers
- Markers: Change appearance of shot markers
- Undo: Undo last shot marker
- Record: Record a video to smart device
- Two Player Shooting Mode: Similar to the Sight In Scope function that allows two individuals to take turns sighting in two different rifles on the same target.
The SIE target camera app also includes session specific functions:
- Gallery: An image gallery taken from the Show Shot feature
- Weather: Your local weather data taken from the locational services of your smart device
- Import Target for Analysis: Allows you to use the camera of your smart device to import a target and use for the sighting in configuration.
The Sight-In Edition of the Bullseye Target Camera is only available in a OD green/black color scheme.
Product Evaluation Scores:
- Cost – Average (3/5): At a list price of $349.99, the “Sight In” camera by Shooting Made Easy is the more inexpensive variant of the company’s target cameras, with its Wi-Fi-enabled design intended for short-to-moderate range shooters looking to zero hunting rifles or carbines. Its camera offers full day or low-light functionality, high image resolution, all-weather use, and smart phone assist that enables users to save time spent on the range. Some market competitors to SME’s “Sight In” target camera would be the Marksman – 300yd ($488) Camera by Longshot, or the “Sight In” Target Camera ($269.99) by Caldwell. Various features, such as camera resolution or signal range limitations influence the overall price point for these wireless cameras. Moreover, smart-device applications for such targeting cameras vary in terms of functionality and user interface; with the apps of the Bullseye camera having varying quality of customer reviews. With the “Sight In Edition” by SME, its target camera is appropriately (or of average) priced and among the higher resolution cameras on the market, but limitation (i.e. size) in wireless signal technology and smart device application/design hindered its score in this category.
- Comfort – Good (4/5): Setup and use of the “Sight In” camera was very easy, with no complex hardware or sync settings to smart devices. The ability to save on continual walking back and forth, or squinting through monocular spotting scopes to identify shot placement made the overall range experience very enjoyable and time/ammo efficient. Comfort in using the “Sight In” camera was partially based on the size of the smart-device paired to it, and the ability to manipulate the app with larger iPads or laptops being optimal, and smaller iPhones was more difficult. While the “Sight In” camera does include four LED lights for low-light shooting application, its illumination range was mostly limited to approximately 10’ to target before dissipation started to become a detrimental factor.
- Durability – Good (4/5): The overall housing of the “Sight In” target camera was made from a formed polymer/ABS shell, much like other electronics today. Thus, any errant shots into the camera from shooters will damage the device. There is no target camera on the market that offers deflecting housing to protect the device, but SME (much like other vendors) does offer a separate 2-year “Bullet Proof Warrantee” for $29.99 to help mitigate any potential damage. Otherwise all external points, buttons, or switches were either sealed in a rubberized ring or otherwise had a rubberized cap to prevent moisture penetration. This made the overall target camera water resistant although not water proof (it did not have a submersion rating). Perhaps the most frangible aspect of the “Sight In” target camera is the actual ball-joint the camera lens is mounted on, with excessive range-of-motion movements risking damage to the overall joint itself. It would be recommended to SME to make a cap or protective cover for the camera that locks the lens into place during transport, but users can substitute that by retaining the foam protective block the camera comes with.
- Functionality – Good (4/5): The functionality review of the “Sight In” target camera was divided into two elements; performance of the main body camera unit, and the performance of the app itself. Overall, these elements gave the “Sight In” target camera a good level of function but each held room for improvement.
- The main body camera had a very easy and straightforward with setup and function, with the telescopic legs giving the main body a good angle to the target. Adjusting the height was a little difficult with the spring-loaded detent ball of the telescopic legs difficult to reach. A recommendation for improvement would be for SME to look at moving this adjustment point further down the legs so as to be easily accessible. The ball-joint of the camera lens moved easily and securely, thus ensured the lens remained in position when adjusted regardless of the height to target. Otherwise, adjusting the directional LOS antenna moved easily, but did not close fully against the main body housing and left a little offset. Adjusting the tension of the securing latch did not resolve this and the most likely cause was some storage space being taken up by the internal wire from the antenna into the main body housing. However, these were all minor issues that did not inhibit overall function of the camera to be used as intended. One final observation was merely an element of marketing; on the website the “Sight In” camera has stated a lens resolution of 960P, but on the box it states 1080P. In field application would support the lower resolution was in fact the correct ratio with some pixilation noted (but could be an issue of data packets traveling along bandwidth).
- Elsewhere, the Bullseye Target Camera app showed it was undergoing some revision with the Google Play app for Android recently updated in 2020 by GSM Outdoors. However, the app on the Apply Store for iPhones was updated during this review to Stealth Cam, LLC. When contacted, GSM Outdoors stated the Apple app was undergoing revision and would be released within the following month. Currently, the app layout was very rudimentary and aside from zeroing or weather data, had no other functionality (the previous version to the original Bullseye Target Camera also had ballistic calculation and other shooting functions built into the app). The app layout was somewhat intuitive with its buttonology, but did have a good deal of wasted space with the visible camera image small in relation to the screen of the smart device used (note iPad and laptop screens had a larger visible area than smaller iPhone screens). Hopefully future updates will account for improved layout and design as well as some added function beyond the basic use.
- Weight – Good (4/5): The “Sight In” target camera by SME weighed in at 3.12 pounds, which, given its size and materials, was very good for its intended usage and design. The included carrying case to transport the target camera in also was robust enough to carrying the camera and some additional paper targets and accessories if/when needed. In contrast, other noted cameras included the Marksman – 300yd (roughly 10 pounds for both sensors and tripods) camera by Longshot, ad the “Sight In” Target Camera (roughly just over seven pounds for both sensors and hardware) by Caldwell. Thus, what set the target camera by SME apart was its all-inclusive design alleviated the need for additional tripods and other mounting hardware as other cameras necessitated, thus saving overall weight and bulk that had to be carried and set up by the user.
Overall Rating – Above Average (19/25)
Product Link: https://www.shootingmadeeasy.com/target-camera-sight-in-edition/
I am reviewing this product as a courtesy to the manufacturer and via STL Shooting Enthusiasts, so that I can evaluate it and provide my honest feedback. I am not bound by any written, verbal, or implied contract to give positive reviews. All views are my own, and based off my personal experience with the product.
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