April 13,
2013
Well, the Wildview
X8ir was returned. The day photos
are quite acceptable for a $70 camera
but the night flash is weak. I did not
get one critter in any night photo. The
ir flash probably did not extend more
that 15-20 feet at the most.
The Moultrie
M880 is an excellent camera so far.
It's a keeper. You can't go wrong with a
$160
of this quality.
March 17,
2013
The following cameras
are in the field:
-
Moultrie
M-990i,
-
Moultrie
M-880,
-
Moultrie
D-444,
-
Wildview
X8IR No Glo,
-
Moultrie
Panoramic 150.
Each
camera has a unique quality that sets it
apart from the other cameras. The
Panoramic 150 is by the far the most
unique. We just field deployed the
camera. Stay tuned for sample photos.
March 3, 2013
How many trail cameras
should a person have............Just one
more!
February 24,
2013
I'm currently test
driving a few new cameras. They include
the Moultrie
M-990i, Moultrie
M-880, Moultrie
D-444 and Wildview
X8IR no glow. The Moultries appear
to be very well built. The 990i and 880
are currently on field deployment.
November 28, 2012
Now that I've had some time with the Scoutguard
SG560C and Covert
Black 60, it's time for an update. For those of you that like nighttime
color photos, the SG560C
camera meets the needs. If you want color video at night, this camera puts out
the lumens. It is bright! Follow this link to my
Youtube Channel for some video samples.
I really like the ease of setup in both cameras. The menu
system is simple. The size of both cameras is acceptable. I am currently running
both cameras on rechargeable batteries. A plus for me. The quality of the day
photos with the SG560C is very good. The accompanying literature indicates that
firmware upgrades are possible. Fantastic!
For a black flash camera the Covert
Black 60 is the best I've tried so far. I do not see any flash when checking
the camera after my evening hunts. The switch in each of the cameras is nice and
solid.
These cameras are both keepers in my opinion. The one thing I
do want to check is battery life. So far so good.
What I do wish these cameras had was a loop for a python
cable. Neither has it.
I should note that I don't run my cameras in video mode very
much at all. The main reason is the challenge in managing all the videos. It
just takes more time than I really have available.
November 6, 2012
The ScoutGuard
560C and the Covert
Black 60 take excellent day photos. I haven't logged enough night photos yet
to make a determination on night photo quality but the Covert is bar far the
best black flash camera I have ever tried. Setup is really easy, in fact I like everything
about these cameras. I just want more time to determine night time picture
quality. The ScoutGuard is trending towards more blurry photos than I like and I
have only pulled one card from the Covert as of this writing.
October 31, 2012
I am trying a couple of new cameras, the Scoutguard
SG560C and the Covert
Black 60. These cameras are nice! I like everything about these cameras. I
am partial to night color so I am taking a liking to the SG860C. The housings
are solid on both cameras, the switches are excellent and the menu is simple. If
you prefer a no flash camera then take a look at the Covert
Black 60.
October 20, 2012
The guys at Trailcampro
just finished up their 2012
Fall Shootout. 47 cameras! If you can't find a camera to order off the Shootout
list, you aren't trying very hard.
October 7, 2012
I've been running cameras hard for a month. I have them all
out. If you are thinking about buying a camera from Trailcampro,
I thought I would give you my thoughts, based on my experience.
I like quality pictures. For day photos, my choice would be
the the Moultrie
D55ir XT or Bushnell
BTC HD (not the black flash). I consider a quality night photo, one without
motion blur. My favorite is the Bushnell
X-8 but the Leupold
delivers good day and night photos with a pretty decent night flash. I really
like how the Leupold
RCX-2 meters light.
If you want a camera that takes great night color photos and
outstanding day photos, there is only one choice in my book, the Scoutguard
SG565.
If you want a camera that is dependable and takes pictures all
the time and has decent day and night photos then the Reconyx
HC500 is the right choice.
If you want a camera that runs on AA batteries (alkaline or
rechargeable NiMH) then the Bushnell
(not the X-8) or Reconyx
would be the choice.
If you want a big night flash but aren't too concerned about
the motion blur then the Moultrie
and the Bushnell
deliver a big night flash. the Bushnell goes one step further though and lets
the owner adjust the number of LEDs used for the night flash.
If price is the main issue for you then you should really look
at the Moultrie
D55ir XT. Super value!
We never have enough cameras, it's always good to add one or
two a year to your inventory....at least! But most of you probably know I am
addicted to trail cameras!!
Call the guys at Trailcampro,
what are you waiting for?
October 1, 2012
Moved my 2012
BTC to a new spot. It was capturing too many dark photos at its prior
location. It seems to go to day mode (color) to soon in the morning and stay in
day mode too late in the evening. It seems to work a little bit better at its
new location. The guys at Trailcampro
continue to be my best source of info. They always help me figure out my camera
issues.
September 11, 2012
An accessory I felt worth mentioning, Slate
River trail camera mount. These things work really well. There is one for a T-post
and one for a tree
or wood post. They are well worth the investment in my opinion.
The cameras produced a little bit better this week. The X-8
is a picture taking machine. I had the camera set to 2 mp and medium shutter
speed. Still no blur in the night photos and the quality of the night photos is
more than acceptable. If the day photos were much, much better, I would fill my
inventory with this little camera. The D55ir
XT is taking great day photos but no night photos. I filled the tank with
new batteries. The camera's battery indicator showed 30% this week but the
camera quit taking night photos at 40% last week. Hopefully that will help.
Another accessory I can't seem to be without anymore are the Reconyx
Desiccants. The humidity really eats them up but that is their intended use.
August 18, 2012
SD cards were kind of thin on pictures this week. I did manage
to capture a few nice bucks on camera but the big ones are dispersing. I ended
up with with a corrupted SD card from my Reconyx
HC500. I downloaded some freeware and was finally able to to recover most of
my pictures.....after 3 hours of work. I've had this happen a few times but not
to this extent.
August 12, 2012
The batteries have lasted a long time in my Moultrie
D55ir XT. It is a great value. The two weakness with this camera are the
night photo picture quality and the use of C-cell batteries...but the day photos
are good and it captures everything. It is a picture taking machine!
My new Bushnell
Trophy Cam HD is doing well also. I really like the LED control. I have the
LED setting set to LOW and the flash emitted is plenty.
The day photos on the Bushnell
X-8 are average at best but the night photos are great with the shutter
speed control. No night picture motion blur, yippee! I really hate motion blur.
The other thing on the X-8 is the wide screen picture format. I prefer a 4:3
picture ratio over the wide screen. For the price, though, this camera is a
great value also. I had shutter speed set to medium this week and took the
following pictures.
July 30, 2012
The Moultrie
D55ir XT just continues to take pictures. Batteries are still in good shape
at 55%. The only thing that could use some improvement is the night photos but
at a cost of $129 the value of this camera is very, very hard to beat. I am not
kidding when I say this camera captures everything.
I pulled my first pictures from my Reconyx
HC500 after the firmware update. There is a noticeable improvement in
picture quality in my opinion. If you feel comfortable installing the upgrade
then do it. You won't be disappointed. Follow the directions on the website for
your model.
July 22, 2012
Checked cameras again Saturday morning. It was fairly slow
last week. One camera, a Scoutguard
565, did produce quite a few buck pictures. I moved the Moultrie
D55ir XT to a different location to see how it performed. The answer? Not
very good. This location was along a fence line with a cornfield background. My
assumption is that the flash is so powerful that reflection of the flash off the
cornstalks basically washed-out the entire photo. I moved the camera to a
different setup. Don't get me wrong, the camera still continues to sense
critters and take pictures but the strong flash needs to be put in setups where
it excels. The Bushnell
HD on the other hand has an adjustable LED (High/Medium/Low). That makes a
big difference and is very convenient. Right now I have it in a setup with the
LED set to Low and it puts out plenty of flash.
Reconyx has come out with a firmware
update for their Hyperfire series of cameras.
Don't forget to enter your photos in the Trailcampro
photo
contest.
July 16, 2012
Another card pull and another card full for the Moultrie
D55ir XT. Holy smokes guys and gals, this camera is a picture taking
machine! My 4 gb card had 3,200 photos and 99% of them had a deer in it. It was
set to 3-shot fast mode and 5 second delay. There are only two things I
can find that I would change if possible, a somewhat improved nighttime picture
quality and adjustable flash, otherwise after one month of testing I would say
this camera is way underpriced for it's value ($130). I can't remember the last
time I filled a card in my Reconyx
HC500.
The Bushnell
HD did well again but I did have a slight snag. It's current location is not
producing a lot of pictures so I decided to swap the 4 gb card for a 2 gb card.
For some reason it did not like the 2 gb, it would not display the setup screen.
I inserted a 4 gb card and it worked fine.
For you Reconyx guys, check out some sample photos from the
new HC550, their night color
camera.
July 10, 2012
After the second card pull for both the Bushnell
HD and the Moultrie
D55ir XT it is easy to see that both cameras are packed with value. I am
continually impressed by the Moultrie, it continues to pack the SD card full of
pictures and every single one of the photos has a critter in it.
I really like the LED adjustability of the Bushnell HD. My
setups vary widely, from 10 feet to 10 yards, and IR flash adjustability is very
important for quality photos.
I am quickly learning that the picture focus point or target
distance for the D55ir
XT needs to be closer to 10-15 yards as the lens has more of a zoom in lieu
of a wide angle view and the flash really lights up a large portion of the
field. At only $130 you should really call Trailcampro
and talk to them about this camera, what a value! If you don't like it, send it
back, they have a 90
day, 100% satisfaction guaranteed, return policy.
July 5, 2012
I checked my two newest cameras yesterday, the Bushnell
HD and the Moultrie
D55ir XT. The Bushnell took a 3-shot burst of a nice 4x4. The camera was set
on 8 mp, medium LED and Auto sensing level. I'm a little concerned that I didn't
have very many pictures on this first card check. Hopefully the next card check
will give more insight.
The Moultrie
D55ir XT is a picture taking machine and has a huge IR flash and I mean
huge. Many of the deer in the photos had IR burn from the big flash. I captured
around 1,000 pictures in 3 days and every one of them had a deer or other
critter in it. The camera was set on High picture quality, 3-shot standard burst
and 5 second delay.
June 30, 2012
I'm working with two new cameras and they both appear to be
detecting and picture taking machines. One is the new Bushnell
Trophy Cam HD (red flash) and the other is the Moultrie
D55ir XT (red flash). They both went right to work in my basement before
deployment. The functionality of the Bushnell HD is exactly what I like: time
stamp label to personalize the pictures, three levels of LED flash, quality
pictures and video, runs on AA batteries, python cable ready and multi-shot.
Bushnell just continues to make this camera
better. It's priced right at $200.
The D55ir XT is a sweet and solid little camera. The only
thing I don't like and it is minor, is that it runs on C batteries. The camera
is priced at $130.
If the camera continues to take pictures in the field like it did on cat-cam, I
can't think of a better trail camera value than this one right here. Moultrie
FINALLY reduced the delay time down to 5 seconds. The multi-shot fits my needs
perfectly. It gives you two options: 2,3,4-shot fast or 2,3-shot standard.
Multi-shot fast spaces the pictures 1-2 seconds. Standard spaces the pictures
every 3-4 seconds. I like the multi-shots to be about 3-4 seconds apart. They
have met my desires perfectly. I even used the stopwatch app on my phone to see
what the time was between photos and it matched the specifications perfectly.
We will continue to present more information during field
deployment. In the mean time check out the 2012
Trail Camera Shootout and reviews for each camera on Trailcampro.
Don't forget to enter your photos in the 2012
Photo Contest. They are due July 25th.
June 18, 2012
Trailcampro has
completed their 2012
Trail Camera Shootout. Reconyx topped the list again but there were some
newcomers right behind the industry leader. The test is all about capturing
photos and that's
what we all want to know.
The shootout tests the combined abilities of a camera’s
trigger speed, detection width & detection range. The test area is
established by setting cones at 10’ intervals from 10 to 100 feet from the
cameras. A human test subject walks in front of the cameras twice at each
distance- once from the right and once from the left. This process
averages out any inconsistencies created when detection sensors are mounted
incorrectly.
May 12, 2012
I worked on getting my trail cameras and equipment ready for
summer deployment. I did some reading in my Leupold Owner's Manual. There is a
setting that should help me capture a few more pictures (I did not know about it
before). I have had the sensitivity angle set to 45 degrees. In the RCX-2
is a setting that allows both the wide and narrow setting. This DST setting
should help me get a few more pictures. The narrow setting is supposedly
sensitive out to 90 feet.
February 12, 2012
The Primos
X-Cam Blackout is on the shelf. The picture quality needs improvement.
However, as I said before the user-friendliness of this camera is fantastic.
The Leupold
was a little short on pictures this week but the number of deer tracks in
the snow was less than normal. My only question with this camera at this point
is the detection circuitry. The number of pictures is less than what I expect.
January 25, 2012
Well I checked both the Leupold
and the Primos
last weekend. The Leupold got a good workout and performed quite well. Battery
life is still at a full charge with Energizer Ultimate Lithium fuel. The
controller is sweet to use. You just plug it into the USB port and download the
photos. No need to shut the camera off or open any camera doors and it has a big
viewer.
The Primos Truth Cam X Blackout is one sweet camera to operate
but two things are showing up as a weakness to me: 1) the picture quality is
well below average and 2) the focus appears way off. However I have to say it
could be the easiest camera I have ever setup. I love everything about the
intuitive setup but the picture quality needs improvement.
January 13, 2012
I am really beginning to take a shine to the Leupold
RCX-2. I
still have a lot of field testing to do and need to get it deployed in a location for the
opportunity to take a lot of pictures. One thing that many of you might like is the
ability to view your setup from the controller. For those of us that like the
camera pointed perfectly before we depart, this is a great time saver. I still
have questions on detection circuitry but the picture quality is good and the
recovery is short...so far. I have had some pictures that indicate a lens issue or
a SD write issue but they have been few. I really like the ability to plug the
SD cord into the camera without shutting it off. That is sweet! The other thing
that is nice is that you literally plug the the controller into the camera and
then download the pictures to the SD card in the controller. There is a lot of
thought that went into this camera. This camera is not without blurry night
photos but even the blurry night photos are acceptable.
The Primos
Truthcam X Blackout is a different story. The biggest issue is the quality
of the night photos. My pictures have been extremely grainy. However, I need to
get it in a location to capture a lot of pictures. Everything about this camera
is decent but the picture quality needs much improvement.
For you Reconyx Hyperfire owners there is a firmware
update dated 10/24/2011. I updated my cameras and am test driving them now.
December 28, 2011
Deployed the Leupold first. Had an issue when downloading
pictures from the camera to the controller. Swapped the camera out with the
Primos. Pulled the Primos card for the first time tonight. I was concerned about
picture capture because of my SD card issue. The camera seemed to work just
fine. Next step is to keep track of battery life.
Leupold is ready for deployment again. I'm just trying to find
the right place. Picture quality of the Leupold is what I hoped for.
December 18, 2011
I am getting ready to deploy two new cameras, the Primos
Truthcam X Blackout and the Leupold
RCX-2. My first comment for both of these cameras is that they are very well
made compared to cameras in a lower price range. That is about all they have in
common. The Blackout is different from the Truthcam X. The Blackout is black and
is a black flash camera. The Truthcam X is a red LED camera.
The Primos camera is a true blackfash camera. I don't notice
any flash. The operating menu is a pleasure to work with and almost fun. I
always spend a lot of time at home with new cameras before I deploy them. This
camera has given me many challenges in trying to get it ready for field
deployment. At first I thought I had a defective camera but after most of a day
I discovered that this camera is very, and I mean very, choosy about its SD
card. The user manual indicates it can use cards up to 8 gb. After trying three
brand new 4 gb SD cards and going through all of my older cards, I have
discovered the only cards out of my inventory it likes and works quite well with
are 2 gb Sandisk cards. I don't know if it is the FAT card format or what but
they work. The strap is very nice and you can secure the camera with a Python
cable. I really like this camera so I want to give it a good chance to work. I
was even impressed with the box and package it came in. It was very well thought
out. Probably the only thing I don't like about this camera so far is the four D
cell batteries needed to operate it and of course its need for a very specific
SD card.
The Leupold RCX-2 is a different issue. First of all, just to
get it out of the package was a challenge. After getting it out of the package I
couldn't believe all the pieces and parts. It is operated by a remote. Now that
I've spent some time with the remote it is very simple to use. It appears to
want a lot of power. To get it to work properly I installed 8 AA Energizer
Ultimate Lithium batteries as recommended in the user manual. Once they were
installed the camera seems to work quite well. The picture quality is very nice
and I have a passion for above average picture quality. The strap is a standard
buckle strap but it does come with a bracket for a Python cable. Due to its need
for power I am curious how many pictures I will get with a set of lithium
batteries. I'm not a fan of remotes but Trailcampro's
review of this camera intrigued me.
December 12, 2011
Trailcampro has
developed some videos to help educate trail camera users. Take a look at the videos
on the Blog page and see if they
help your knowledge of trail cameras. They do an excellent job in my opinion of
helping us all become smarter in the use of trail cameras.
Some final comments on the Spypoint
Tiny: this camera has huge potential in my opinion and most users will be
happy with this camera as it stands today. My favorite part has to be the holder
that attaches to the tree. The camera inserts into the holder and is removed
when swapping SD cards or changing batteries. This eliminates the need to
disturb the aiming of the camera when changing SD cards. The holder also allows
for use of a Python cable. The camera size is very small and works well for my
deep woods treks. You can throw more than a few in a backpack and head to the
woods for deployment. If you like view screens, this camera has one. You can
perform a quick field check for that buck of a lifetime. Just remember that
using a view screen reduces the life of your batteries. Spypoint does not
recommend use of rechargeable batteries in this camera.
November 25, 2011
I've had some time to test drive the Spypoint
Tiny. The good: fit-n-finish, size, view screen, black box, ease of setup,
average picture quality. Needs Improvement: camera depth of field/focus, reduced
time between burst mode pictures, picture quality of black box photos,
instruction manual. I can't express enough how I like this camera. The way I use
cameras, however, it needs some changes or improvements.
Now that we have hit Black Friday it's time to make your
Christmas lists and make sure you get your next camera(s) from Trailcampro.
They are extremely helpful and can recommend the camera that works best for you.
This guys are extremely responsive and provide very good customer service. Time
to go shopping call Trailcampro at 1-800-791-0660.
November 11, 2011
I've been checking my cameras as much as possible. I ordered
another Scoutguard
565 from my good friends at Trailcampro.
I really like that camera. I'm not a fan of remote controls but this camera does
everything I ask. I like night color photos.
I am trying a new Spypoint
Tiny. I really like the fit-n-finish on this camera and the small size. It
is unique in that it has a separate Black Box that will receive pictures. This
is good if you would happen to have your camera stolen. The one issue when using
the Black Box is that you can only take one picture at a time with a one minute
delay. It does work. I tried it. The Spypoint
is deployed to what appears to be an active scrape right now.
October 23, 2011
I am liking the Cuddeback
Attack IR more and more. The one thing I am really coming to appreciate is
the limited number of blurry night photos. I just wish the delay time was much
less than 15 seconds. I don't get near as many photos with the Cudde as I do my Reconyx
and Bushnell
cameras.
Has everybody seen the Trailcampro
2011 Fall Shootout? Great info, you need to check it out!
October 16, 2011
I've been test driving a Cuddeback
Attack IR. I am pleasantly surprised. The best things about this
camera are picture quality and detection circuitry. The rotary dial is fairly
simple to use but requires a little dexterity. The things I would like to see
improved are reduced delay period between pictures and the mounting bracket. The
darn camera sticks about 1-2 inches from the tree when used. Coons, squirrels
and deer can rotate this camera if not mounted properly. With the delay period
and no burst mode, you don't capture near as many pictures. I like to take a lot
of pictures, especially in burst mode, for that perfect pose. The Reconyx and
Bushnell allow me to do that. At $230 the camera seems to do pretty well. The
one thing I don't understand is the narrow detection cone. Yes it gives them
that "centered subject" they advertise about but I would prefer a
shorter delay period and wider sensing cone. All-in-all it seems to be a good
camera. Call the guys at Trailcampro to
try one.
October 10, 2011
Holy cow! I've been away from this page way too long. I've
been a one-man-band hunting, checking cameras, hanging stands and scouting for
whitetails. You've never seen a limping fat guy walk so far. It's time to go!
For you cost conscious trail camera buyers and Moultrie
supporters, you need to take a serious look at the Moultrie
M80. The price is hard to beat at $140. It isn't perfect but the upside
makes this camera hard to resist. My favorite things about this camera include:
size, price, fit-n-finish, color, flash range and setup. Things I would like to
see improved are reduction in the number of blurry photos and shorter recovery
time. I'm no code writer but I bet a firmware upgrade would help. Give the guys
at Trailcampro a call and order one. If
you aren't satisfied, take them up on their return policy, 90
Days Satisfaction Guaranteed.
P.S. The Moultrie M80 is the #1
selling camera in the world right now! You need to try one.
September 11, 2011
Trailcampro.com
wrapped up their photo
contest. The Grand
Prize winning picture was hard to beat. I hope a lot of you take time to
check the Trailcampro website on occasion. You can also e-mail me any time with
questions. I'm no expert but have had my own challenges with various cameras.
For example, it seems that many issues are related to low battery power. I have
one camera with mixing pixels on the LCD because of moisture and humidity. The
only thing I know to do is to bring it home and let it dry out. I have one that
is set along a creek in a low lying area. The last two times the camera has
taken many pictures but the lens has been fogged over. The location is awesome,
however, if the same thing occurs the next time I check it, I'm moving the
camera. It's a waste of my time to look at indeterminable pictures of Iowa
whitetails.
August 6, 2011
The 2011 BTC software update really makes a difference. The
flash is significantly brighter. The software update is available for the 2010
and 2011 BTC cams. Go to the Trailcampro
Blog, scroll down and follow the link.
July 30, 2011
I was reading the Trailcampro
blog the other night and read that
Bushnell
had a software
update for both 2010 and 2011 Trophy Cams. I downloaded the files to an
empty SD card, plus a backup card and took the cards to the field with me. I
followed the update instructions, took a couple of daytime test photos, checked
that it still worked and headed for the next cam.
I am somewhat nervous about making field updates even if the
cam reacts as the instructions say. If I do something wrong
July 26, 2010
Wow! has it been that long since I updated this page. Sorry
about that. I'm just now starting to get back in a rhythm with my cameras. Trailcampro
is having another photo contest. Please take time and checkout the entries. Holy
crap am I jealous. There are some beautiful photos.
Talked to a hunting buddy the other day. He has a couple of
workhorse Moultrie I40 cameras. He lost his pixels on the LCD. I had the same
thing happen a couple of times. It's moisture. You really only have two choices.
Send the camera back to Moultrie and have them fix it or bring it in and let the
moisture evaporate. With the highly humid summer we have had in Iowa this year,
the cameras don't stand a chance. I had the same thing happen to one of my
Reconyx last year. I brought it in and dried it out.
We started a new page for those of you that would like your
photos displayed on the site.
April 16, 2010
Well, my friends at Trailcampro
hooked me up with a 2011 Bushnell Trophy Cam. I've been test driving the camera.
This camera has audio with the video...SWEET! The detection circuitry seems to
be quite sensitive but I do notice a definite change when I adjust between
levels (i.e. High.Normal.Low). Photo and video quality is good. Audio isn't too
bad either. It's acceptable in my opinion. I can't wait to point the camera at a
rub or a scrape while in video mode. You might want to read their Moultrie
M100 camera review.
February 19 ,2011
I captured a photo with my new ScoutGuard
SG565 that I really like. I thought I would share it. I adjusted the camera
angle up last week to gain more distance from the flash. As you can see the
camera pumps the flash downrange quite well.
January 29, 2011
Trailcampro completed
their review of the ScoutGuard
SG565. I got some more pictures this week from this little camera.
January 22, 2011
I really have to give kudos to my Scoutguard
SG565 trail camera from Trailcampro.
This little camera takes some awfully nice pictures. It does have one little
gremlin that I can certainly live with but would prefer it didn't have it. It is
a filter "snap" when the camera takes a picture. I would give this
camera a 5 on a scale of 1-5 if it didn't have that little noise. As it stands
now I would give it a 3 or 3.5. I am hoping that HCO comes out with a firmware
upgrade. This would be a great little camera then.
December 31, 2010
Pulled my first SD card from the ScoutGuard SG565 incandescent
flash camera. All I can say is nice! Picture quality is what I expect. Thanks Trailcampro!
December 29, 2010
The ScoutGuard
SG565 is deployed. The setup looks good. I hope to check it soon and report
on its function.
December 22, 2010
I received my new ScoutGuard
565 incandescent flash camera from Trailcampro
this week. Here is what I like about this camera: price, size, use of AA
batteries, trigger time around 1.5 seconds, picture quality and the ScoutGuard
reputation. These factors outweighed my concerns of the filter clunk, remote
control operation and lack of burst mode. The filter clunk is noticeable but not
a deal killer for me. I "hope and expect" that the manufacturer will
come out with a firmware upgrade to eliminate the filter clunk. I've been test
running the cam for now on cat cam. So far so good but the span between pictures
is a little long. However, I feel I can live with the clunk unless my photos
show very alerted whitetails. Stay tuned. I trust my friends at Trailcampro.
They won't steer me to a camera that won't meet my needs.
I am going to take this opportunity to present the following
criteria to all camera manufacturers regarding the perfect incandescent flash
camera: size should be small and use AA batteries, trigger speed around 1.5
seconds or less, camera should have a burst mode of 3-5 photos and no more than
10 seconds apart, batteries need to last 60-90 days at least, picture quality
needs to be above average and not have the "eye ghosting issue",
security needs to be available and the detection must be wide, dependable and at
least 45-50 feet. The flash range should be at least 50 feet. If anybody can
produce a camera that meets these criteria, I will take an honest look at it. I
would also like a camera without the remote. The remote for my 565 is a little
touchy.
December 13, 2010
This cold weather is a challenge for most trail cameras. My
Reconyx cameras seem to work well especially with NiMH batteries. However, the
display screen is very slow to respond when changing settings or arming the
camera. The Bushnell Trophy Cams don't have the same issues but they seem to be
harder on batteries. My old Cabela's I50s work well but the mechanical filter is
temperamental on one of them. When it gets down to zero, even I move a lot
slower.
I've been talking with my great friends at Trailcampro
about a night color camera. I think they are tired of listening to me. There is
a new camera that I just had to have. It will be on its way shortly. This
incandescent flash camera is the ScoutGuard
SG565. I am anxious to set it up and test it out. The camera uses AA
batteries, which is a big plus in my book, especially for remote deployments. Scoutguard
has a good reputation for dependability. One last thing that makes this camera a
winner is its size, it is 5-1/2 x 4 x 2-1/2 inches. Now that is small for a
trail camera.
If you like incandescent flash, contact the staff at Trailcampro
to discuss this camera further.
November 30, 2010
This cold weather really does a number on alkaline batteries.
Now is the time to switch over to lithium or rechargeable
NiMH batteries. Cold weather does not reduce the life of lithium or NiMH
batteries
November 28, 2010
Trailcampro has
completed a new test I think many trail camera addicts will find very
interesting. In essence it shows the detection width of the camera's PIR and
compares it to the camera's Field of View. This is sweet information. I base my
camera choices on this exact information. I don't understand why narrow
detection cone camera manufacturers continue with a narrow sensing area.
November 18, 2010
Trailcampro has the
new Scoutguard
SG565. It's a nighttime incandescent flash camera. The initial information
sounds pretty good.
November 9, 2010
I have a Moultire I-50 camera from Cabela's about 18 months
old. My mechanical filter doesn't always fully swing in front of the lens for
the day pictures. I finally figured out what the issue is. When the batteries
get below 60% they don't have enough juice to move the filter completely.
October 24, 2010
The Reconyx cameras captured some nice pictures this week.
After looking at the pictures I decided to change the resolution setting to
1080p. The camera seems to zoom in a little closer with this setting. We'll see
what we get next. Hopefully the detail will be a little better. I prefer the 3.1
setting but due to the current camera setups I may have to compromise.
October 19, 2010
As a trail camera addict, I usually have a ton of questions
about specific situations, settings or camera trap setups. The guys at TCP
are absolutely fantastic at answering my questions. In the world we live in
today there is no substitute for customer service and responsiveness. The crew
at Trailcampro respond to my questions
all the time and with very good suggestions.
October 17, 2010
The Reconyx captured some great pictures in Rapidfire mode
this morning. The files are big but it is definitely worth watching. This is
where the Reconyx cameras really shine.
October 16, 2010
I have one 2009 BTC that seems to be catching the rear end of
deer instead of the full deer. It seems to only occur when the deer are walking
at the camera from the right (about 1-2 o'clock). I'm not sure if it means
anything but I did adjust the angle a little bit hoping it would help. I had
adjusted the sensitivity to 'High' a week ago but it didn't seem to help. I
assume it is my setup. I need to continue with adjustments until I figure it
out. I like the location. My 2010 BTC replacement camera from Trailcampro
is working great so far (knock on wood). It seems to be very sensitive in my
current setup. The guys at Trailcampro
are extremely responsive to my questions.
October 4, 2010
I've been extremely pleased with my Reconyx Hyperfire HC500
from Trailcampro. I put together a
little animated gif file of a recent scrum that took place in front of the
camera. The camera was set to take one picture at a time with no delay. I would
say it did a darn good job.
October 2, 2010
Pulled one of my Reconyx cameras on Friday night. It needs
different scenery. The display is missing a few pixels. I took it home,
pulled the batteries and am letting it "air-out". That seems to work
with my I50. My I50 that lost much of its display last week is back to normal.
The sunny skies and dry air we've experienced the last week or so sure seems to
help. LCDs with missing pixels doesn't bother the camera's picture taking
ability but it is somewhat annoying.
Trailcampro is a great
company. Their responsiveness is top notch. I had a 2010 BTC go bad. I sent it
to Springfield, MO. It arrived there on Friday according to my tracking number.
I literally had a new camera on my doorstep today. Fantastic service!
September 25, 2010
Well, it was a rough checkup this week for three of my
cameras. I think all three will still take pictures but each one has display
problems: A Bushnell, a Reconyx and a Moultrie. What is the chance that would
happen in the same week? I assume it is all the rain we had. All were
dry on the inside when I opened them up.
September 22, 2010
Trailcampro has begun
to post their findings from their 2010
Trail Camera Shootout. Nineteen (19) cameras found their way into the
competition. Was your camera one of the top performers? Follow the link and find
out.
September 21, 2009
And the winner of the Trailcampro 2010 Trail Camera Shootout
is................???
September 19, 2010
After arriving home last night I got to thinking that I
probably needed to go back out and dry out the internals on some of my cameras
especially the Reconyx. Yesterday was just nasty. Note to self "Don't pull
SD cards when it is raining". So I trekked back out Sunday afternoon. Below are some
pictures captured by the camera since I was there yesterday. Talk about one ugly
little buck. It would be tough to find a volunteer to take a crack at this
thing. Man is he ugly! The camera was set on 5-picture burst and 1080p for
resolution.
Here is a 5-picture series of infrared pictures. The camera's
night flash setting was Maximum Flash.
Update: My 2009 BTC is deployed again. It seems to work OK.
We'll see in a few days.
September 18, 2010
I have a 2009 BTC that just wants to give me a gremlin every
now and then. Today it's the picture numbers on the bottom of the Setup screen.
I opened my camera, checked the number of photos, turned it off, pulled the
card, inserted a new card and turned it back on today and the picture numbers on
the bottom of the Setup screen won't show up. I tried new batteries and a
different SD card. The numbers still don't show up.
Update: I brought this camera home. Pulled the batteries, let
it dry out, put the batteries back in and now it works fine. The software in
these 2009 BTC cameras just seem to need a 3-finger salute every now and
then...Control>Alt>Delete or a one finger salute in this case...turn it
off and pull the batteries...that will teach this camera to mess with this Iowa
fat boy.
September 12, 2010
I moved my 2010
BTC to a different farm on Saturday. The prior setup just wasn't fair to the
camera. The new camera spot is more typical of a camera setup. I forgot my
security cable so I went back on Sunday to pull the card and add the security.
After the one-day soak, the BTC appeared to be operating as I felt it should.
The pictures looked fine. I'll know more in a few days. I sure like this camera,
it takes sweet pictures. I typically lean towards a camera that has higher
picture quality and this camera hasn't disappointed me in the quality category.
For those of you with 2010
BTC cameras, my 2010 is a 119435C with the C being important I believe.
Bushnell has a firmware update on their website. Check your packaging to see
what version you have, you might need updated.
I also deployed my new Reconyx Hyperfire HC500 from TCP.
I test drove it in the back yard for a day. These cameras are top notch. The
fit-n-finish is fantastic! But, as with all cameras, you need to put them in a
setting that is fair. Trigger speed isn't that important to me. You need to know
your camera and give it a chance to excel. Trailcampro
has all sorts of info to help you with that. Use TCP
as a resource.
September 11, 2010
The Reconyx
Hyperfire HC500 from TCP is
performing as advertised. It is in a sweet spot and doing well. I'm not sure how
my 2010 BTC is doing though. I think it was just in a spot that was tough to
perform and I was shooting the flash into nowhere. I'm still getting some blank
day pictures with sensitivity set on Normal. This camera has been moved to a
location that is just a little more conducive to taking pictures.
September 4, 2010
I think I have a "run away" camera. My 2010 Bushnell
Trophy Cam seems to go on a picture taking binge every now and then. I hope it
is just temporary but we will see. I will keep an eye on it.
September 3, 2010
Trailcampro continues
to perform reviews and
tests on cameras as they come in. Check out their review of the long awaited Uway
NT50B with true covert black flash.
September 14th Trailcampro
will be holding their trail camera shootout with results released a couple of
days later.
In an effort to keep you up to date with our Reconyx HC500 experience, below is a 5 picture series of some turkeys. The camera doesn't seem
to miss much but the picture quality needs just a little bit of tweaking. We
sure hope they consider a firmware upgrade in the near future. The only editing
we did from the original was to change the size to 640 x 480 pixels.
August 21,2010
This is a follow up to the date issues I was having with my
2010 Bushnell Trophy Cam. The cam held the date and time all week so I assume it
was the batteries. It is currently running on a set of NiMH. The number of
pictures on these batteries in one week: 3,500.
August 20, 2010
Trailcampro is
performing their 2010
Trigger Speed Showdown. For you speed junkies keep an eye on this Trailcampro
report.
Trailcampro has
indicated on their Blog that there
is a Bushnell Trophy Cam firmware update. Follow this link
to the blog. Once there you will find a link to the location of the firmware
itself.
Everybody should stay in touch with the Trailcampro
website and keep an eye on the Uway
camera. The engineering that went into this camera is supposed to be extreme.
Delivery has been delayed for months until the engineers and manufacturer got
things just right. This sounds like a high level of quality control. The picture
quality is said to be very good. It comes in both a red flash and black flash
option. Visit Trailcampro
for more details.
August 10, 2010
For you trigger speed junkies, read this
article by Trailcampro. It is from
2009 but tells you who has the speed.
August 7, 2010
The Reconyx HC500 took 2,900 pictures this week. The camera
was set on 3-shot burst, 3.1 mp and balanced night mode. Below is a 3-shot
series of both color and black and white. Still no shooter bucks at this
location.
August 1, 2010
The Reconyx HC500 took 5,100 pix this week. I don't know how
it crammed all those pictures on a 2 GB Sandisk card. I'm still waiting for my
first mature buck. Below is another 5-shot series in color and some random night
mode shots. The night mode setting was "Fast Shutter".
July 24, 2010
Trailcampro indicated
on their blog that the Uway
NT50 and NT50B Nighttrakkers may actually begin shipping this week. Keep
your eyes on this cam as the 'hype' on the web says this camera is one to watch.
One of the unique specifications with this camera is sound recording with the
video.
Below is a 5-shot burst of pictures from our new Reconyx
HC500 purchased from Trailcampro.
Our location isn't producing any mature whitetails yet but we think it should only
be a matter of time. We will give it a couple more weeks before deciding if we need to
punt and move it to another location. We anticipate the deer will move from the
soybeans to the corn any time.
Below is a single nighttime picture from the Reconyx HC500.
July 15, 2010
Check out the Trailcampro
2nd Annual Trail Cam Photo Contest. Help a brother out and vote for Picture
No. 84. There are some very good photos in this year's contest. Top prize is a Reconyx
Hyperfire HC600 Ultimate Package. Trailcampro
needs to be commended for putting together such an awesome prize package.
July
10, 2010
The Bushnell
Trophy Cams have really been pumping out the pictures (knock on wood). One
of my I40s takes very nice pictures but the light metering can really be a pain
at times. Before I moved my I40 last week, it sat just inside the edge of the
woods pointed out into a field with about one fourth of the picture 'horizon'.
This caused the the camera to meter perfectly on the sky but during the day, the
pictures were extremely dark. I couldn't even make out the little fawns in the
pictures. That is one thing I have learned with the Moultrie I40 and I50. This
camera isn't smart enough to know to meter on the darker foliage right in front
of the camera. The Bushnell does a much better job.
June
5, 2010
My
little '09 Bushnell
Trophy Cam really did well in it's first week in the field, it took 681
pictures. The Tenergy
NiMH rechargeable batteries were still hanging in there. My settings are as
follows: Camera, 5 mp, 3-shot, 15 second delay, normal sensitivity, time stamp
on. This time of year with warm temperatures it is typical to set sensitivity to
high but I was worried about false triggers so I left it on normal. It seemed to
do quite well. I'm watching for ants or bugs taking over my security box. So far
so good. I may need to stop at the hardware store and get some ant killer if
they begin to call my box home.
May
30, 2010
There
appears to be a lot of decent looking cameras to hit the market yet for us
camera addicts. My friend at Trailcampro
indicates they are anxious to run through their trail camera shootout for 2010
but they are waiting on some of the cameras to hit the market yet. One type of
cam that seems to have a limited choice in the market place is the nighttime
incandescent flash. Trailcampro
staff feel the Cuddeback
Capture is a very good camera for those people looking for the nighttime
color photos. I am saving my pennies for now waiting for the staff at Trailcampro
to to
May
7, 2010
Well, I
held a new Reconyx Hyperfire HC500 in my hands today. I was in a sporting goods
store and they had one in stock. The camera is much smaller than I expected. Trailcampro
says Wow!
April
30, 2010
Here's
what Trailcampro has to say about the
Bushnell Trophy Cam:
Bushnell
has made trail cameras for a long time. The Bushnell Trophy Cam is their
best game camera yet! Much like the Scoutguard and DLC cameras, the
Bushnell Trophy Cam comes in a tiny package. Measuring 6" tall X
4" wide you could fit a half dozen cameras in a backpack with room for
lunch. Don't let the small size fool you, this camera is capable of
taking picture after picture for months on end.
During our review of
the Bushnell Trophy Cam, we found the trigger
speed to be 1.024 seconds. Our testing also revealed the
detection width, or the area the camera can effectively "cover", to
be the same exact width as the field of view of the game camera. This is
great news! Consider this, as soon as that monster 10 point buck walks
into the field of view of the Bushnell Trophy Cam, you will have a picture
1.024 seconds later. Depending on whether you have the camera set at
either 3, 5 or 8 mpxl, the Trophy Cam can be
armed and ready for the next picture in 7, 11 or 15 seconds.
You can use up to a 16
Gig SD Card with the Trophy Cam trail camera. A 2 gig card, set on 3
Mpxl, will hold 2400 daytime pictures or
3200 night pictures. If set on 5 Mpxl, the Trophy Cam will hold 1600
daytime pictures or 2000 night
pictures. Obviously, not all of your pictures will be just day or night
but this gives you an idea of what to expect.
We noticed that the night
flash range goes out to about 45 ft. on average. The 2010 model
has 32 infrared LEDs which have greatly improved the night pictures clarity
from right to left.
Another great thing
about the Bushnell Trophy Cam, is there is no
remote to use during programming. All the programming is done by
simply opening the camera and punching a few buttons. Programming was a
cinch, no problems whatsoever. On the Bushnell
Trophy Cam XLT (Viewer) model, you have the option of viewing pictures
right there on the camera.
The video quality is 16
frames per second. It is very easy to set to video as well. Simply
open the camera, hit menu, go to the "camera mode" setting, and put
it in video mode. It is just as simple to switch back to picture mode.
Battery life might just be the strongest point of this game camera. You
can expect 6 months on a set of 8 AA alkaline or NiMh batteries. If you
use Lithium batteries, you may get up to 1 year battery life! This is best
in class.
As with just about
anything, the Trophy Cam is not perfect. During our review of the
Bushnell Trophy Cam, the camera only detected
out to about 45 ft. The focus is also a little blurry on objects
within 1 meter.
April
16, 2010
Trailcampro
Low Price Guarantee
Buy With Confidence!
At Trailcampro we guarantee our customers the lowest priced
Scouting cameras on the web. If within thirty (30) days of your purchase you
find a lower price on a exact product we will gladly refund you the
difference. Please note the following:
-
Qualifying
products must be in-stock and shipable from our competitor.
-
Final
comparison price must include shipping, rebates and any applicable sales
tax.
-
This policy
does not apply to items listed on Ebay or other auction sites!
April
12, 2010
Trailcampro
has a new article that compares
the Tenergy NiMH batteries and regular alkaline batteries. Take some time and read
the article.
Trailcampro
says: "So how long will your Tenergy Batteries last? Roughly 1,000
charges. Let's see, you have saved money, increased the battery life of your
trail camera, and now you have kept hundreds of batteries from finding their way
to the landfill. This is an easy decision!"
We all
know that individual Owner experiences will vary but it is well worth the time
to give it a try.
April
6, 2010
For
those of you looking for rechargeable batteries. You need to take a look at the Tenergy
NiMH. I for one get sick of buying batteries, especially when the weather
turns cold. This is definitely an option for cost-conscious trail camera
addicts. Trailcampro has sample 2010
BTC photos posted for your review. All I can say is nice!
April
1, 2010
Reconyx
is at the top of the list with BEC when it comes to quality and dependability.
Reconyx has a new line of cameras coming out in 2010. These "HyperFireTM"
cameras will use SD cards in lieu of flash cards and AA batteries in lieu of C
or D batteries. This camera is priced around $550. What really intrigues me
about this camera is the fact that the camera will accept a python cable. I
look forward to Trailcampro's review of
this camera.
March
12, 2010
The 2010
Bushnell Trophy Cam XLT trail camera has some changes that can definitely be
considered improvements. It will have 32 LED's for extended IR flash and
improved image quality after dark, improved picture sensor, ability to handle 16 gb SD
cards and a molded receiver on the back for a python cable. That sounds like the
perfect camera to me. We'll see how it turns out.
I still
haven't seen any reports on the ideal incandescent flash cameras. I want decent
picture quality and a camera that doesn't eat batteries like my yellow lab eats
dog food.
One
thing that absolutely drives me crazy is the hype that goes with new cameras
coming to the market then end up being a big dud. There were a couple of models
in 2009 that had many game camera consumers giddy with anticipation. The cameras
were a flop. I refuse to preorder just because of this. I want to read some
testing and feedback information on any new model before I make a purchase.
There are a couple of cameras right now that looked great when their
advertisements hit the internet last fall but they still aren't in the market.
Go to
this website for excellent trail camera information:
February
6, 2010
Take a
look at what's new in 2010.
Well,
time to start looking for the next great trail camera. Right now the Reconyx
Camera is by far the best in the
industry. But unless somebody sends one to me
in the mail, I am not going to spend the $600. It's just too much of a risk in
the areas I hunt. There are some new things coming out and I am anxious to read
the reviews and add one or two to my inventory. The Moultrie I45 and I65 were a
bust in 2009. The cameras never lived up to the hype. The word is Moultrie is
already revamping the line-up.
I plan
to "go small" in my inventory. I really like the Bushnell Trophy Cams
but have ran into a situation where a bad batch at Cabela's required me to go
through 5 different cameras before I found one on the fifth try that didn't have
problems with the LCD screen.
I plan
to really consider a camera that has audio with video. Some already exist.
My
ideal camera will include:
-
Use
of AA batteries with battery life in the 6 month range
-
Burst
mode of 3 or more pictures
-
Included
security
-
Choice
of picture and video
-
Decent
infrared flash for IR cameras
-
A
white flash camera with dependable battery life and quality picture
-
Price
in the $200 range or less
I
learned in 2009 that the large cameras spook the deer when they see them on the
side of a tree especially when the cameras are in a security box. So if anybody
wants to send me a camera to try in 2010, I'm sure I can find a tree that a nice
Iowa whitetail walks by every now and then. See our photos page.
2009
Bushnell
Trophy Cam
Wanted
one of the new, small cameras that could run on AA batteries. Decided to
purchase a Bushnell Trophy Cam due to its somewhat positive reviews. Have been
putting it through the home testing regimen. So far so good except the switch is
a little touchy when going from the On to Setup mode.
Pros
