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Digital game cameras are not trail cameras

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Digital game cameras are not trail cameras

Old 01-09-2007, 08:49 AM
  #1  
Spike
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Join Date: Nov 2005
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Default Digital game cameras are not trail cameras

I purchased a Moultrie Digital 100 last year and have had it out twice. Once over an active scrape and once on a trail entering a food plot. The camera was angled down the trail to catch deer as they were coming to the plot. No pictures were taken on the camera either time, yet the battery was down when I went to retrieve it both times. I called Moultrie and talked to one of the owners of the company, at least he said he was one of the owners, and this is what he told me. He said that none of the digital game cameras from any manufacturer are designed to be used as trail cameras. He said they are designed to be placed over bait or something that will keep the deer stationary long enough for the infrared sensor to pick it up and take the picture. He said the fact they have an infrared sensor and not a motion sensor, as the 35mm trail cams do, means that they require the object to remain still long enough for the camera to work. He also stated the fact that a digital camera does not take and record a picture instantly like a 35mm camera(I am aware of this)and this is also another reason it is not designed for trail use. He went on to say the he has several digital game cams from other manufacturers and none of them work good as trail cameras. He said if I was wanting a cam for trail use I should stick with the 35mm model with a motion sensor.
I am looking for help from some of you guys and gals out there who have used this or other digital game cams to see what you think of what I was told. I know the camera was set up correctly each time I had it out and there were deer there for pics to be taken. I find it hard to believe that all digital cameras are as bad as the one I have. Any of you out there who can lend some info, please do.[]

Thanks, Tonytiger
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Old 01-09-2007, 09:48 AM
  #2  
Typical Buck
 
Join Date: Feb 2003
Location: Seymour IN
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Default RE: Digital game cameras are not trail cameras

I have that one and I only place it over alafalfa fields or under an oak tree somewhere where they will hang around long enough to get the picture. IF they just walk in front of it the trigger is to slow.
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Old 01-09-2007, 10:42 AM
  #3  
 
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Join Date: Jan 2004
Location: El Dorado, Arkansas
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Default RE: Digital game cameras are not trail cameras

I own 2 of those cameras. ( was three but one got stolen the last week of the season ) The guy at Moultrie is simply telling you something that is designed to cover up for their slow trigger mechanism. The camera can work as a trail camera, but it has to be positioned properly.

There also is the possibility that you have a defective camera. I have had to take back two brand new , straight out of the box , camerasbecause of problems. But if you get one that works, it is a decent camera, especially for the money.

I know a fair amount about these cameras, beacuse I have been using them for a few years now, and I have also dealt with the people at Moultrie a couple of times, so I know their song and dance.

Fact is, you will have to try the camera out on yourself. put it up and you walk the trail. Then just stand in front of the camera. let it take the pic. If you show up , then the camera works, and you just have to figure out how to rig it for your set up. If you dont show up in a pic, then take it back and swap it for a new one.

Also, If you are using the rechargable 6v battery, make sure it is fully charged, and you should be able to get about 3 to 4 days use , and about 250-350 pics out of it. That is typical for mine.
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Old 01-09-2007, 11:04 AM
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Join Date: Feb 2006
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Default RE: Digital game cameras are not trail cameras

I had two 100's and Both were defective. Each would drain a disposable battery in a day. They were from Walmart. I got a 200 model and it works ok. I also have the rechargeable battery and the solar pannel for it. With that it will work for two to four weeks. Every once in awhile it will have an electrical goof up and the best thing to do is remove the battery for a bit and then reset it.
Moultrie has their new models set so there has to be something infront of it for over a whole minute before it will take a picture, it is called the sureshot? Go to www.ChasinGame.com and read all about them in the forums.
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Old 01-09-2007, 11:40 AM
  #5  
 
Join Date: Jan 2007
Location: Shleby CO. Ohio
Posts: 27
Default RE: Digital game cameras are not trail cameras

my dad had the same thang with the Moultrie Digital 100 he never got a good one he whent to the stealth cams
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Old 01-09-2007, 01:35 PM
  #6  
Nontypical Buck
 
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Location: ILLINOIS
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Default RE: Digital game cameras are not trail cameras

I would say either your cam is bad or the 100's are junk (although I have never tried it). If you had it on a scrape, it should have had plenty of time to trigger. I have the 200 and put it over scrapes and have gottendozens of pics, and the battery lasts a long time. Here are some pics
http://www.huntingnet.com/forum/tm.aspx?m=1822626&mpage=1&key=&#182262 6
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Old 01-10-2007, 10:30 AM
  #7  
Typical Buck
 
Join Date: Jan 2007
Location: Indiana
Posts: 585
Default RE: Digital game cameras are not trail cameras

I just got a stealth cam for Christmas this year and it is my first trail cam ever. I put it up on a trail with no baits or food plots and got 33 pics in one week, 26 of them were keepers. I read the reviews and the model stealth cam I had did get a high review for the price range. I also put in a high speed memory card, I don't know for sure if this helps or not but when I bought my second digital camera it took forever from the time I hit the button until the pic took.The tech guy forMinolta recomended a higher speed memory card. (I didn't know there was such a thing).The high speed memory card helped so I put it in my trail cam.
My camera is pointed down the trail and it has about a two second delay from motion to picture. So unless a deer was just at a full sprint I don't see how it could pass by in two seconds. Some of my shots were 5 different pics of the same deer as it was walking down the trail
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Old 01-10-2007, 12:05 PM
  #8  
 
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Join Date: Jan 2007
Location: North Texas
Posts: 234
Default RE: Digital game cameras are not trail cameras

I had a 100 and sent it in, it wouldn't take any pictures. I got a 200 back, and the pictures are great. We have 3 of them now. Ours are all set up over and we get about 100-110 pictures in about 4-5 days. Of course some are squirrel, crows, and coons, but alot are good deer pics. The biggest factor I believe is using the laser aimer. If the camera is pointed too high or too low it won't get near as many pics. We set ours up between knee and waist high.
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Old 01-10-2007, 09:33 PM
  #9  
 
Join Date: Aug 2004
Posts: 126
Default RE: Digital game cameras are not trail cameras

Thoolder85,
Hope you had your boots on when wadding through that response, it sounds like a pretty thick load he was giving you. I have three cameras. A 35 mm Stealth, 1 MegaPixel Bushnell, anda 3 MegaPixelCuddeback. The Cuddeback always takes the best pictures of deer within the frame (fastest trigger time) andthe batteries last the longest. Of course the Cudde was also 3 times the price, but I've been very pleased with the results. I have heard of people having difficulty with the new no flash models on forums, but don't know anyone personally that has one.

J
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Old 01-11-2007, 11:09 AM
  #10  
Typical Buck
 
Join Date: Feb 2003
Location: Ontario Canada
Posts: 604
Default RE: Digital game cameras are not trail cameras

I did alot of research on tail cams a few years ago. I wanted an IR unit, but I could never understand the high price for an IR unit, compared to a regular white flash camera. I had a friend that dirrected me towards a hime made unit. After research, I came to the conclussion that store bought units were garbage conpared to what could be built.

The moultrie cams are noted for triggering times in the 6-8 second range which is correct when the owner said that it would be no good for trails. Some cams will trigger faster, but the price is also way up there on them.

On average, a home made unit (with regularly used cams) will trigger near two seconds. Some a little faster, some a little slower, it all depends on the camera you use. They will range from 1.3 - 6.0 megs.

The difference between home made units and store bought are the components which are used. The higher priced units will use top quality sensors and boards but most of the store units will only be trying to make them as cheap as possible to make a sale. Any cam that has a trigger over 4 seconds will be almost usless on a trail, unless you want pics of the back end of the animal walking past.

That is just my thoughts on store bought units.
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