Quick Answer: The Moultrie Micro-42i (MSRP $89.99, often $52–$80 on sale) is a pocket-sized, subscription-free trail camera with 42MP invisible-flash photos, a 0.4-second trigger, and 70-foot detection range — the smallest camera Moultrie makes, at just 3.5 inches tall. It’s a different, higher-resolution single-camera model from the Micro-32i Kit our own best Moultrie trail camera roundup already covers, and it’s easy to confuse with the visible-flash Micro-42 that shares almost the same name but skips the invisible flash entirely.
Moultrie’s Micro series launched in 2022 with three models built to minimize your footprint on the tree: the Micro-42, Micro-42i, and the Micro-32i two-pack kit, per Moultrie’s own product blog. Our Moultrie roundup has only ever ranked the Micro-32i Kit as the brand’s subscription-free pick — the Micro-42i, a genuinely different single-camera model with a sharper 42MP sensor, never got its own mention. Here’s the full picture on the camera the site’s own brand guide skips, sourced from Moultrie’s product listings and current retailer pricing.
Published October 2026, based on Moultrie’s product specifications and current retailer pricing.
Moultrie Micro-42i by the numbers
- 42MP photo resolution with a 0.4-second trigger — a full 10MP sharper and 0.1 seconds faster to trigger than the Micro-32i Kit’s 32MP/0.5-second spec, per Moultrie’s published specifications for both models.
- MSRP is $89.99, but Amazon markdowns have cut it to $52–$59 — a 33%–42% discount — according to Field & Stream’s deal coverage, with Tractor Supply listing it at $79.99 and Simmons Sporting Goods discounting to $69.99.
- Just 3.5 inches tall, which Moultrie and retailers both market as the smallest camera in the current Moultrie lineup — small enough to tuck into a knot or a fence post where a full-size Edge camera would stand out.
- 13,000-image battery life on 4 AA batteries, per Moultrie’s published specs, with a microSD card slot supporting up to 32GB of storage (sold separately).
Micro-42 vs. Micro-42i vs. Micro-32i
| Spec | Micro-42 | Micro-42i | Micro-32i Kit |
|---|---|---|---|
| Resolution | 42MP | 42MP | 32MP |
| Flash type | Visible LED | Invisible IR | Invisible IR |
| Flash range | 100 ft | 80 ft | 80 ft |
| Detection range | 70 ft | 70 ft | 70 ft |
| Trigger speed | 0.4 sec | 0.4 sec | 0.5 sec |
| Camo pattern | White Bark | Mossy Oak Bottomland | Green |
| Units per package | 1 camera | 1 camera | 2 cameras |
| Typical price | ~$70–$80 | $79.99–$89.99 | $89.99/pair |
1. The naming trap: three Micro models, two letters apart
Moultrie Micro-42i Trail Camera
- 42MP photos and 1280x720 HD video with a 0.4-second trigger speed.
- Invisible infrared flash, 70 ft detection and 80 ft flash range.
- Ships as one camera with a heavy-duty strap, 4 AA batteries, and Mossy Oak Bottomland cover.
- No app, no modem, no monthly fee — just pull the microSD card to view photos.
All three Micro-series cameras launched together in 2022, share the same compact 3.5-inch body, and have names that differ by a single letter or digit — which is exactly how a buyer ends up with the wrong one. The Micro-42 is the odd one out: despite sharing the 42MP sensor and 0.4-second trigger with the Micro-42i, it uses a visible LED flash instead of invisible IR, trades the Mossy Oak Bottomland cover for White Bark camo, and actually beats the 42i on flash range at 100 feet versus 80. If a glowing red flash at night is a dealbreaker — scouting pressured public land, or any security use where you don’t want the camera’s location flagged after dark — the Micro-42 is the wrong buy despite the nearly identical name. The Micro-32i, by contrast, is a different product category: a two-camera kit at a lower 32MP resolution and a 0.1-second-slower trigger, built for buyers who want to cover two spots rather than maximize resolution on one.
2. Why our own roundup only had the Micro-32i
Our best Moultrie trail camera guide ranks the Micro-32i Kit as Moultrie’s best non-cellular pick — a fair call for buyers who want two cameras and don’t mind the softer 32MP/0.5-second spec. But the Micro-42i is a genuinely sharper single-camera alternative at nearly the same price point, and it had never gotten a mention. If you only need one camera on one spot — a feeder, a gate, a single trail intersection — the 42i’s extra resolution and faster trigger make it the better buy per camera; if you’re covering two spots on a tight budget, the 32i Kit’s two-for-one packaging still wins on total value. Neither one requires the Moultrie Mobile subscription that anchors the brand’s cellular Edge lineup — see our trail camera data plans compared guide for what that subscription actually costs if you do want cellular alerts instead.
3. Pricing: $89.99 MSRP, but deal pricing runs $52–$80
List price sits at $79.99–$89.99 depending on retailer — Tractor Supply lists it at $79.99, while Moultrie’s own site and most hunting retailers list $89.99. Deal pricing swings well below that: Field & Stream’s Amazon deal coverage has tracked it as low as $52–$59, a 33%–42% markdown, and Simmons Sporting Goods has discounted it to $69.99. At the low end of that range, the Micro-42i undercuts the per-camera price of the Micro-32i Kit while delivering a sharper sensor and a faster trigger — worth checking current Amazon pricing before assuming the Kit’s two-for-one packaging is automatically the better deal.
Who should buy the Moultrie Micro-42i
The Micro-42i makes sense if you want one subscription-free camera for one spot and care more about invisible flash and image sharpness than squeezing the lowest possible per-camera price — a single feeder, a gate, or a well-traveled trail intersection on public land where a small, easy-to-hide body matters. Skip it for the visible-flash Micro-42 if invisible flash is non-negotiable, and skip it for the Micro-32i Kit if you specifically need two cameras to split across two spots on a budget. Want cellular alerts without hiking in to check the SD card? Our best cellular trail camera guide covers Moultrie’s Edge lineup and the rest of the market, and our best no-glow trail camera guide lines up the Micro-42i’s invisible flash against dedicated no-glow models from other brands.
The bottom line
The Moultrie Micro-42i ($89.99 MSRP, often $52–$80 on sale) is a sharper, subscription-free alternative to the Micro-32i Kit our own Moultrie roundup already recommends — 42MP photos, invisible flash, and a 0.4-second trigger in Moultrie’s smallest camera body. Just don’t confuse it with the visible-flash Micro-42 that shares almost the same name. For the full current Moultrie lineup including the cellular Edge series, see our best Moultrie trail camera guide.