Edventurous

I recently bought a Moultrie M-880 and set it up according to the instructions a few weeks ago. I'm using a SanDisk SDHC 8GB memory card, which I formatted before using it. I took the card out today to download the pictures; to my surprise, there was nothing on the memory card. So, I'm not sure if there weren't any animals (1), is the camera not functioning properly (2), or, did I not set it up properly (3). Any thoughts on how I can determine if it's option 2 or 3? Thanks.

littlearrow

Edventurous: here are a few suggestions if you haven't already tried: 1)make sure the camera is shut off whenever changing SD cards or batteries. 2)remove the battery tray and look inside the opening. You should see a small push button. This is pressed to do a reset. 3)check your batteries with a digital meter. Any battery dropping to 1.0 to 1.2 volt the camera will not function properly. Newer series cameras start to malfunction in the 1.2 to 1.3 volt range. 3)format your SD card in the computer. 4)make sure your SD card is not locked. Sometimes as cards wear from use, they will automatically lock as you insert them either in the camera or the computer. 5)try a different SD card. If none of the above help, give Moultrie an email. They have given me excellent customer service. I always do an in house or in yard test to make sure a camera functions properly before setting it out in the field. I just recently purchased one of these cameras and now have it set out in the field. I was very happy with the results doing an in house test: 1)no more blurry night pictures, 2)when set to video, thats all this camera takes. Older series would take a picture first, then the video. What was captured in the picture was often missed in the video due to delay. 3)this camera has a much faster sensitivity. Good luck.

Edventurous

littlearrow:
Thanks for the info. I wasn't aware of the reset button in the battery compartment; could it be that the lack of pushing it caused the problem? The procedure for doing an in-yard test seems obvious, but just to make sure...I should set it up in the yard, walk back and forth in front of it, and see if images of me are on the card? How do you unlock an SD card?

littlearrow

Sometimes pushing the reset button will clear up a camera error.
As you look at the card face up (you will see the card name, size of card). On the left side is a very tiny slide switch. Pushing the switch up will unlock the card. Pushing the switch down will lock the card. To work in the camera or in the computer the switch must be in the up (unlocked) position. The reason for the lock position is so pictures or videos can not be deleted and also in the locked position the card can not be formatted (delete everything on the card). To save picture or video to your computer or external hard drive if you have one, the SD card must be in the unlocked position. If an SD card has been used a lot, when installing it in either the camera, computer or card reader the slide switch may slide down, there by locking the card. In my case, as soon as an SD card is removed from a camera, I will lock it. This way I do not make the mistake of reinstalling the SD card I just removed either into that same camera or another one. Good luck.

Wilcam47

all good advice...also make sure you use good batteries such as energizer or Duracell...don't use cheapo's they wont last especially in cold weather. If your camera uses AA's get the energizer lithiums they work great..

Edventurous

I found the little "locking" switch. It was in the unlock position. I'm using lithium batteries. Another thing that could have been an issue is that I formatted the card via my lap top, and not in the camera. I'll reformat in the camera and press the reset button; hopefully I'll be good to go. Thanks.

littlearrow

Glad to hear you found the switch. As for formatting the card in the laptop, I'm not sure if this would affect it. Maybe some one else that has used a laptop to do this will come on board. I do not have a laptop, but all my cards are formatted in my computer. Lithium batteries are excellent as they test 1.79 to 1.83 volt when new. This gives lots of working range. Also good when operating in colder weather. As mentioned Duracell are good. Go for the Coppertop which test 1.6 volt when new. I have not used the regular Energizer, but stay clear of the rechargeable Energizer. Bumped up with a charger they stabilize out around 1.37-1.38 volt. They are a slow drain battery, but in the newer cameras, the camera starts to malfunction or shut down around 1.25 to 1.3 volt, older ones 1.0 to 1.2 volt. The only rechargeable I still use are "C" because Lithium does not make those.

Wilcam47

sometimes just reinserting the card makes it work. Depends on the game cam though...