AngelofDeth92

im lookin for a nice digital trail cam for a reasonably low price any ideas?

Angus74

Ive got a couple Cuddebacks, and love them, Im starting ot have flash problems with the oldest after about 20,000 pics, but they can put in a new flash and it will be going again. The new Cuddeback Excite is a good camera for not a ton of money. I also have one of the Moultrie cams from Wal Mart, and for 100 bucks it seems like a good camera, the pics arent as good, and the batteries dont last as long, but its only a hundred bucks. It works fine. Be careful theyre addictive.

npaden

My idea is that there isn't such a creature. The nicest digital trail cams are going to run you $500+ and even those have some problems. Homemade trail cameras are probably the best if you have the ability to make them.

If you will let us know what you are going to be using it for and how often you will be checking up on it we might be able to help you narrow it down though. Is the camera going to be set up on a trail or over a feeder or water source? Some of the less expensive cameras will work decent over a feeder but they are almost worthless set up on a trail. Some of the better trail cameras with fast trigger times eat up batteries every couple weeks. There isn't one perfect camera for every situation, especially if you are looking to spend under $200.

I just bought a Moultrie Gamespy 200 with a solar panel and a 6v rechargeable battery to set out over a feeder and I also bought a Stealth I390 with a rechargeable 6v battery and I'm trying to use it on a trail pointed parrellel to the direction that the animals will be traveling. Both of those cameras review as taking good pictures but their trigger times aren't very good. The Moultrie has a reputation for needing the animal to walk back and forth in front of the camera several times before triggering so really it is only good in front of a feeder. The Stealth is supposed to trigger dependably and has a burst mode so I'm trying it on a trail and seeing if it will trigger fast enough. With it pointed down the trail I'm hoping it will be effective. Both of those setups cost under $200 including the rechargeable batteries and the solar panel for the Moultrie. Both should last over a month between charges which will be good for me because I live 100 miles from where the cameras will be placed.

The other camera I got is the Bushnell trailscout. 19200 I think the model was. It was cheap ($135 including shipping) and seems to get good reviews as having a good trigger (it routinely takes the most pictures of animals even compared to some more expensive ones), but it does have some issues with eating up batteries in a couple weeks and sometimes it will go into sleep mode and the trigger speed will slow down. I figure for the price I put it out on a trail and will see what I get pictures of before the batteries run out.

One other thing to consider is that the manufacturers seem to be refining these on a yearly basis and if you wait until this summer the 2007 models will probably be better and faster.

FWIW, Nathan

Snoogsdad

I agree that unfortunately there is such a thing, depending on what you consider reasonable.

It is my opinion that you can stay under $500 and get a real good digital game camera.

Out of the 20 that I have used and tested and are still available I currently like the Trail Watcher cameras which are under $500.

Your other option is to make one yourself if that suits you. You can do this for under $300.

You can take a look at all our our reviews at our website listed below.