fasterem

Ok I had a flash moltrie D40, loved it took great pictures all the time, so I decided that I would upgrade to the I40 thinking that it was a better camera would do the job and take pics, well I am very unhappy with that findings that I have had had since I bought the camera in Feb. I don't know if it is the same with all Inferred cameras or just this on or just moultrie, but the camera has to be in DIRECT DIRECT DIRECT sunlight to take color pictures, this last test I left it out in the best possible spot that I could find in the WOOOODSSSSS that would get the best sunlight, the camera took 751 pictures from thursday evening til the fallowing tuesday, and out of all those pictures I get 6 color pictures. the rest are in black and white ;-(. I called moultrie, and they said it sounds like the camera is working fine, I could either take it back to where I bought it (in february) or send it in and have them look at it but she said it sounds like its just not getting enough light to take color pictures and they would just send it back to me ;-(
I have included some different time of the day pics so you can see what I am talking about, any advice would sure help in what I should do
Ok I have loaded a few different times of the day and as you can see only ONE color pic ;-( and the weather here in PA has been really hot and sunny, not full days of rain or anything like that.

littlearrow

fasterem: Here are a couple of ideas. 1) check your batteries with a digital meter for voltage. Even if brand new, you may have one that is faulty or low voltage. When the voltage gets lower than 1.2 volt, this is too low for the camera to operate properly. Your camera may not detect the difference between night and day properly. 2) check and see if you can set your camera as close to vertical (up and down) as possible. Sometimes the shutter (pendulum) may have a slight drag and the more tilt, the worse the drag. 3) if your camera can be set to video: example 10, 20 or 30 second, see if you are getting the full video length after taking several videos. If the batteries are getting weak, the first few videos might show the right time length, the rest will get quite a bit shorter.
* I don't own a Moultrie camera, but I have had these problems with Spy Point IRB as well as 2009 Bushnell Trophy camera. There was nothing wrong with the camera, just low batteries or a faulty battery (one that discharges faster than the rest). If this fails I would either send the camera back.
As far as the camera having to be out in the bright sun to function properly, I wouldn't by that. It should still give good color pictures or video on a cloudy day during day time. A sunny day will make your pictures and video stand out better however.
Good luck

penninside08

where at in pa were these taken?

fasterem

thanks littlearrow, I am heading to the woods now with a print out of your suggestions to see if anything will work, I am going to check the batteries too but I have had about 3 sets of brand new ones since I bought the camera and have same results, I personally think the same way about even with a cloudy day you still should get color pictures, does anybody else know different?
Pennisside08 the pictures are taken in Titusville, PA, About an hour south of Erie and hour north of interstate 80/79 interchange

fasterem

Ok just got back from the woods, when we got there, the thing was takin color pics, LOL but I did try your suggestions about put it in video mode and the first 3 or 4 took in color, then it was a short black and white video, so I plugged in the solar panel and it seemed like everything was in color after I plugged that in, so I am now leaning towards batteries???? even tho the reading on camera says the batteries were still at 60% ?????????? hmmmmmmmm, so I did put a new set of batteries in along with it plugged into the solar panal. I took a level with me so I know that the secerity box that the camera sits in is level, and the secerity box is made specificly for this camera and i tried the camera in and out of the box and there is no differense when it takes the color or IR pics, will know more probalby on Sat when I go back out to check the camera after a few days of taking pics, I sure hope this fixes my problem cause I am getting really frustrated here LOL

littlearrow

fasterem: I just read your last post. You did what I would have done. When you go back to check your camera next time, see if you can borrow a multimeter if you don't have one to physically check your battery strength. The battery strength image on the camera is a guide line, but you may have a battery that is weaker than the rest, even if new out of the package.
For using the Multimeter if you are not familiar with one: plug the black wire into the "com" port (hole), plug the red wire into the "ohm" port (hole). I don't have that symbol on my key board but it looks something like the following. _()_ Now set your meter pointer to DCV 20 which is 20 volt DC (direct current). Always set the meter to a higher reading than what you plan to measure. The reason for this is: 1) safety, 2) there is a fuse in the meter, setting too low could cause the fuse to blow. The red wire is positive, so touch the top of the battery with it. The black wire is negative, so touch the bottom of the battery with it. Now you should get a reading. Full voltage should read in the area of 1.5 volt. Any voltage of 1.2 or lower, is too low for the camera to operate properly. When finished, turn the meter to off.

J Pike

fasterem I havent experienced the issue your describing with your I -40 with any of my IR Moultrie cams regardless of how dead my batteries were but hopefully it is something as simple as that. Here is a couple of pics from the I-40 I just got in the mail the other day and the only D batteries I had around the house to test the cam out with were pretty much dead. Pike

fasterem

thanks for the detailed instructions littlearrow, Iwill try that on Sat, I know someone who has that meter and I am sure he will let me borrow it, and thanks J pike for discurraging me LOL JK thanks for showing me that it might be my camera LOL it does help in the diagnostics

fasterem

littlearrow I checked the batteries I took out of the camera tuesday this is what I got
1 = 1.37
2= 1.38
3= 1.38
4= 1.37
5= 1.39
6 1.38


and I tried brand new batteries of the same kind and they are at 1.66

So the question is its above the 1.2 but below the 1.5, HMMMM so is it the batteries????? HMMMM why am I not shocked that it is directly in the middle LOL
thanks again for all your help

littlearrow

fasterem: Those batteries with the readings you show in your post should still be okay. If you do have the new ones that check out a 1.66 volt, I would give them a trial. If this does not work, I would fully suspect something faulty with the camera. How many pictures or video did you take with the batteries you listed the readings for? If you were set on video, what time length: ex. 10, 20 or 30 second. Just curious.