Looking to purchase a few new trail cams. Advice?
12-02-2013, 03:21 AM
#1
Nontypical Buck
Thread Starter
Join Date: Oct 2008
Location: Camp Lejeune, NC
Posts: 3,869
Looking to purchase a few new trail cams. Advice?
With all the sales going on right now I'm looking to pick up a few more trail cams. I currently only have one and it's an old Cuddebak Attack from about 6 years ago. It has been great and still works fine but I don't want to shell out the coin for a few of them.
I'm looking for quality cameras under $100. I don't care about video or sound, I just want a cam with good trigger speed and will take clear pics. Oh, and it needs to last more than a season.
What recommendations do you guys have? What cams should I stay away from?
I'm looking for quality cameras under $100. I don't care about video or sound, I just want a cam with good trigger speed and will take clear pics. Oh, and it needs to last more than a season.
What recommendations do you guys have? What cams should I stay away from?
12-02-2013, 06:28 AM
#2
Nontypical Buck
Join Date: Nov 2009
Posts: 1,592
SWThomas: If you haven't done so, view some of the pictures submitted on various trail camera forums. Many are blurry, poor quality and very grainy. These come from the cheap cameras. The manufacture can not afford to put top quality parts in cameras or any other product and sell for low prices.
If you save and add another $50 to $100 over and above what you mention spending, one could get a good quality camera. As another suggestion, purchase a camera that uses AA batteries. With this type of camera one is able to use Ultimate Lithium batteries which are high voltage, testing 1.79 to 1.83 volt with a digital meter. These are excellent in colder weather. Another good battery is the Duracell Copper Top which test 1.60 volt. The newer model cameras start malfunctioning when the voltage drops to or around 1.3 volt. The older model cameras would start to malfunction around 1.0 to 1.2 volt.
I am having good luck with the 2009 Bushnell and various series of Moultrie. Things to watch for when using Moultrie: 1)blurry night pictures or video at night due to movement. 2)when set to video, they take a picture first, a delay, then the video. 3)the field of view in the video is narrower than in the picture. Moultrie said this is how it down loads.
Bushnell offers a two year warranty while most of Moultrie offer one year. Newer cameras on the market are coming out with faster trigger time, but cost more money. Some cameras are advertised, being capable of up to 32 GB SD card. Much of this is an advertising gimmick. I find 8GB is large enough. Using larger GB cards, your batteries will be drained well before the card fills up.
Another good camera source is Ebay, but make sure the seller is an authorized by the manufacture, or there is no warranty. I have bought some from Ebay and have had good results and excellent communication with the authorized seller.
For independent reviews check out: http://www.chasingame.com and http://www.trailcampro.com
Good luck.
If you save and add another $50 to $100 over and above what you mention spending, one could get a good quality camera. As another suggestion, purchase a camera that uses AA batteries. With this type of camera one is able to use Ultimate Lithium batteries which are high voltage, testing 1.79 to 1.83 volt with a digital meter. These are excellent in colder weather. Another good battery is the Duracell Copper Top which test 1.60 volt. The newer model cameras start malfunctioning when the voltage drops to or around 1.3 volt. The older model cameras would start to malfunction around 1.0 to 1.2 volt.
I am having good luck with the 2009 Bushnell and various series of Moultrie. Things to watch for when using Moultrie: 1)blurry night pictures or video at night due to movement. 2)when set to video, they take a picture first, a delay, then the video. 3)the field of view in the video is narrower than in the picture. Moultrie said this is how it down loads.
Bushnell offers a two year warranty while most of Moultrie offer one year. Newer cameras on the market are coming out with faster trigger time, but cost more money. Some cameras are advertised, being capable of up to 32 GB SD card. Much of this is an advertising gimmick. I find 8GB is large enough. Using larger GB cards, your batteries will be drained well before the card fills up.
Another good camera source is Ebay, but make sure the seller is an authorized by the manufacture, or there is no warranty. I have bought some from Ebay and have had good results and excellent communication with the authorized seller.
For independent reviews check out: http://www.chasingame.com and http://www.trailcampro.com
Good luck.
12-02-2013, 10:48 AM
#4
Nontypical Buck
Join Date: Jan 2013
Location: North Idaho
Posts: 1,071
Ive had good luck with Bushnell and Moultrie. Energizer lithium AA camera batteries are by far the longest lasting in the cameras.
stay away from the Tasco game camera from walmart...it didn't last very long before it went out...and got half as many pics as other game cam's.
Primos is ok...but eats batteries pretty quick...especially in cold weather.
stay away from the Tasco game camera from walmart...it didn't last very long before it went out...and got half as many pics as other game cam's.
Primos is ok...but eats batteries pretty quick...especially in cold weather.
12-02-2013, 03:51 PM
#5
Fork Horn
Join Date: Sep 2010
Posts: 468
For that price Moultrie are reliable. I have one that runs off of C batteries and one with AA. I use rechargeable batteries and swap them out once a month. I haven't had a problem with them yet and it gets around -20 during the winter nights sometimes.
12-02-2013, 04:45 PM
#6
Fork Horn
Join Date: Dec 2003
Location: WISCONSIN
Posts: 482
I have two Bushnell cameras - one is an older (~2009 or so Bushnell Bone Collector) and the new is a 2013 Bushnell HD.
I normally put the cameras up in Aug/Sept with last year's batteries in them and put fresh batteries into the camera in Nov right before deer season. These batteries will finish off the season, and get me started next year. This makes sure I have full charged batteries when it matters (once it's cold) - but I'm still making the most of my Bushnell's great battery life.
I'm VERY happy with my 2009 Bushnell, but I may be contacting Bushnell over my 2013. It seems to occasionally have a slow trigger - which I know isn't normal.
I normally put the cameras up in Aug/Sept with last year's batteries in them and put fresh batteries into the camera in Nov right before deer season. These batteries will finish off the season, and get me started next year. This makes sure I have full charged batteries when it matters (once it's cold) - but I'm still making the most of my Bushnell's great battery life.
I'm VERY happy with my 2009 Bushnell, but I may be contacting Bushnell over my 2013. It seems to occasionally have a slow trigger - which I know isn't normal.
12-05-2013, 03:52 PM
#8
Fork Horn
Join Date: Jun 2008
Location: West Wisconsin
Posts: 126
Go on Ebay and search out Moultrie M-80XD. Then look for these cameras with 2 year warranty listed by them. I can not remember the company selling them but they are the best deal on the internet. I own 4 of these cameras now and will be purchasing a couple more from this same company (vminnovations could be the company name). Great battery life, great picture quality, easy to use/setup, and very reliable makes these cameras my number 1 choice.
Keep in mind I used to use Reconyx (which are great cameras also; I have no complaints) But when I had a camera stolen it scared me into selling my Reconyx cameras and buying something less expensive so my wallet would not empty out so fast if a thief found another one of my cameras.
Keep in mind I used to use Reconyx (which are great cameras also; I have no complaints) But when I had a camera stolen it scared me into selling my Reconyx cameras and buying something less expensive so my wallet would not empty out so fast if a thief found another one of my cameras.
Last edited by dbllunged; 12-05-2013 at 03:55 PM.
12-08-2013, 07:06 AM
#10
Nontypical Buck
Join Date: Sep 2008
Location: Missouri
Posts: 1,421
Go on Ebay and search out Moultrie M-80XD. Then look for these cameras with 2 year warranty listed by them. I can not remember the company selling them but they are the best deal on the internet. I own 4 of these cameras now and will be purchasing a couple more from this same company (vminnovations could be the company name). Great battery life, great picture quality, easy to use/setup, and very reliable makes these cameras my number 1 choice.
Keep in mind I used to use Reconyx (which are great cameras also; I have no complaints) But when I had a camera stolen it scared me into selling my Reconyx cameras and buying something less expensive so my wallet would not empty out so fast if a thief found another one of my cameras.
Keep in mind I used to use Reconyx (which are great cameras also; I have no complaints) But when I had a camera stolen it scared me into selling my Reconyx cameras and buying something less expensive so my wallet would not empty out so fast if a thief found another one of my cameras.
He wasn't getting any pics even when he was sitting in the stand and seeing them right in front of the camera.
So I put my Scoutguard right above it and it was taking about 1 pic per every 10 of my Scoutguard.
Trigger absolutely sucks balls on that camera.
