Greenbay

For better picture quality is the standard flash or IR better? I am going to be purchasing a new digital camera this year and was thinking of going with the IR but want to make sure I get something I am going to be happy with. I have no idea what camera I am going to get yet. Was thinking of the IR so I was not afraid to hunt near it....I have hunted near one of those cheap 35mm Stealths and the flash spooked deer at dusk.

IL-Cornfed

If it's picture quality you're after than I promise you, NO IR will even come close. I also prefer a top quality image and thus I prefer to use all color flash digis.

TexasOaks

IR will be black and white while standard flash will be in color.

GrumpyTom

If your after high quality picture, then by all means do not get an IR camera. Your regular flash (white flash) will give you normal looking pictures. But even in saying that, it will all depend on the camera you choose to get.

Normally a cheaper camera will not give you quality pictures in the first place, IR or white flash. You also should remember that your night pictures will be limited in distance, depending on the flash with your camera. If you get 45 feet, you are doing good.

But, in your statement above:
it sounds to me that getting a camera which is less intrusive in your area is really what you want. If that is the case, then you will want an IR camera. That is their best advantage, NO White Flash to spook animals or let other people where the camera is located.

I was in the same position as you are in a few years ago, I could not find a trail camera that was up to what I wanted that did not cost way too much money, I ended up building my own and got what I wanted for a reasonable cost.

Good luck.

Greenbay

Picture quality is not all I am looking for. But in saying that I do want to be able to see what is in the picture without have to stare at it and pick it apart. Basically the only reason I was thinking of going with IR was so I could feel comfortable hunting near it. Call me stupid but I am glad TexasOaks let me know that IR flashes will give me black and white pictures, which is OK as long as I can see what is in the pics.
Ok guys that info helped out now I just have to see what else I do and do not want in a camera. Any suggestions in cameras or features I may want to consider would be greatly appreciated. Thanks again.

TexasOaks

http://www.chasingame.com/

This might help. Look at a lot of pictures of the deer... they know that IR Camera is there.

Moultries do have temperature, moon phase, barometric pressure, time, and,date on some models (you will need to check which model has what), which can be very helpful when doing your scouting or just knowing what stand to hunt. Also consider trigger speed, picture quality, batter life, and, ease of use.

GrumpyTom

here is a few picturesfrom my homebrew setup. It is with a 2.0 meg camera.

Day


Night


It is not necessary to say that the Ir camera will give you just BLACK & WHITE pictures. IF you go with the home brew style (you can purchase them already made) the night pictures will vary alot. Some will have pinkish tints, while others will have a purple tint to their pictures. Other cameras will have near normal pictures day and night, just depends on your camera you use. Most people will convert their pictures to BLACK & WHITE for better clearity or to remove the unwanted tint.

Again the above pictures are from a 2.0 meg camera and I did not do any altering to them. They are as they came from the camera, other then to download them to the internet.

Hope this helps.

PS ............ here is one that I lightened a little for a comparison (my camera flash does not reach too far)

PatriciaSTown

Standard flash will be better because it captures full color images at night, resolution and quality are better. Whereas IR captures black and white picuters at night and at day time it may be black and white or colored. And night time resolution and quality are poor than standard flash. But standard flash uses more energy than IR.