looking to get my first trail cam
 

Im looking to buy my first trail cam, and would like to know what you would recommend for $200. I have tried reading all the reviews on cabelas and bass pro but every camera has mixed ratings, some say its the best then the next review says its a pos. I would like one that is IR and could hold a charge for a few days. thanks for any info you can throw at me

Moultrie M-80 hands down!! I bought 6 of them for $120.00 but I have recently seen them as low as $109.99. I did have problems with one of them out of the box but Moultrie had a new one at my doors within 8 days from the time I mailed it to them. Pike

I have a scoutguard sg550 for $179. It gets great reviews and I can see why. Great trigger speed, very nice pics, great battery life and very durable. I think they started to make this cam in 2008 so it has been a great cam. Scoot

Build yourself a home brew! They are by far the best bang for the buck.

I just got my first trail cams. I chose the Bushnell Trophy Cam. It was on sale for $130. (The 5mp version though).

How is that? What homebrew can I build for under $110.00? Not to mention the 4-5 hours of my valuable free time that is worth more than $110.00 to me. Pike

Congrads!! Cant beat a BTC. for that price even if it is a 5MP. Which in my opinion anything over a 4MP is a waste.(for lack of a better word) when it comes to trailcams. Pike

The $129 Bushnell that Cabelas has listed.

Bigdaddy12pt. Just checked ebay and the cheapest USED P-41 4mp camera I found was 78.50 with free shipping. Add in atleast another $60.00 for a board, sensor,case, lens and other materials and then the cost of a solder gun and other tools and then the amount you feel your free time is worth and there is no way homebrews are the best bang for your buck. But if you enjoy building them as a hobby that something totally different. Pike

For some1 looking to get their 1st cam the scoutguard or the moultrie M80 are hard to beat. I have both, and while the scoutguard has been a workhorse for me the M80 is cheaper, takes better pics day and night and the video quality is better. The time lapse and hybrid features this cam offers are a plus to.

I love my M80 so far.

Well for starters, he asked for a cam for around $200. I have built 2 P32's, 1-P41, and 1 S600. And not one of them cost me close to $200. I dont count my time when I am building a cam for myself. Now, I will agree, there are alot of "store bought" cams in this price range, that take good pics. But, my P41, and S600 take just as good or better pics, then any camsyou can buy in a store. And, my warrenty is forever. And yes, P41's are priced thru the roof right now, but, If you are patient, and shop around, you can find them for cheaper then that.

Dude most people dont have time to shop around for a couple months to find a cam to use. Im not worried about lifetime warrenty If they dont have problems out of the box, (which only one of them did over the last 3-5 years, a M-80) I never have a problem with them and they usually last 3-5 years ( I had one cam stop working over the last 5 years but had 5 cams stolen, and the cam that stopped working got infested by ants and the date and time stopped working. Regarless when you can buy M-80's and X6C's for under $110.00 its just a waste of time any money to build homebrews. ( unless like I mentioned before you just enjoy building them, dont get me wrong, I can see its a cool hobby, I just would rather spend my free time with my kids, scouting, fishing or working out than building something I can buy for less money.) Pike

I have had several Store bought cams over the past 5+ years, and can honestly say that I have never really had any problems with any of them.

2- Stealth 35mm cams (still have one, and sold the other)
2 Moultrie D-40's Very reliable cams, but crappy pics. IMO
3- Cuddeeback Captures (still have one, and sold 2)

If you are talking about a cam for $110, you are correct, you would be wasting your time trying to build one for that. But he was looking for something around $200. And if I am spending that kind of money, I will build one every day. I just finished a S600, and I dont have more then $150 into it. In order to buy something with the same quality as the S600, you are going to spend way more then $150. I will say it again, I am in no way knocking ANY store bought cam. I just prefer a homebrew. Can we just agree to disagree?