cheap cam review
#1
Nontypical Buck
Thread Starter
Join Date: Nov 2014
Posts: 2,743
cheap cam review
OK, so I know many guys are always looking at trail cam's and the prices go from high to low.
I have been playing with trail cams now since the late 90's (35 mm film cams) I have had a LOT of different brands and from high end costly one's to cheap as I can find
I have had a LOT of cam's stolen over the yrs (25+ cams) so, I have always been trying to find cheaper cam's for higher risks places
most of the low cost cam's I have tried have been very hit and miss at best, and most have been either very slow wake up times, or ate battery's and a ton of pic's with NOTHING in them, and most have not lasted very long
I run cam's 24/7/365, and in low temps (minus 30+ wind chills) to close to a 100 or more in summer time
I was at Wally world last yr and seen they had some Tasco trail cam's for $25 bucks and change
no frill's NOTHING special about them lower megapixel only 4, but they do have a 6 and a 8 for a few dollars s more! think the 8 was 38 bucks and 6 $30
I have the first cam outside now for 6+ months, ahve taken well over 9,000+ pic's on same set of battery's
its been super reliable, very fast wake up time and so far LONG battery life even in the cold, rare if ever do I get a pic with nothing on it(animal wise)
NOW the pic's are not the most clear but NOT expected, flash range has been OK on deer and foxes out to about 40-50 feet, on bears it gets a little harder due to them being black, in day time, it tends to add a little yellow to the color on things, and IF you set it up to to take a pic every 2 seconds, it seems to struggle a little with the second pic in a row, just a little darker than the first pic
BUT for 25 bucks, I now have 4 of them and all have worked just fine
and I think anyone looking for a cheap cam that won't make you curse if it grows legs on you, there worth the 25 bucks!
here are a few pic's
I have been playing with trail cams now since the late 90's (35 mm film cams) I have had a LOT of different brands and from high end costly one's to cheap as I can find
I have had a LOT of cam's stolen over the yrs (25+ cams) so, I have always been trying to find cheaper cam's for higher risks places
most of the low cost cam's I have tried have been very hit and miss at best, and most have been either very slow wake up times, or ate battery's and a ton of pic's with NOTHING in them, and most have not lasted very long
I run cam's 24/7/365, and in low temps (minus 30+ wind chills) to close to a 100 or more in summer time
I was at Wally world last yr and seen they had some Tasco trail cam's for $25 bucks and change
no frill's NOTHING special about them lower megapixel only 4, but they do have a 6 and a 8 for a few dollars s more! think the 8 was 38 bucks and 6 $30
I have the first cam outside now for 6+ months, ahve taken well over 9,000+ pic's on same set of battery's
its been super reliable, very fast wake up time and so far LONG battery life even in the cold, rare if ever do I get a pic with nothing on it(animal wise)
NOW the pic's are not the most clear but NOT expected, flash range has been OK on deer and foxes out to about 40-50 feet, on bears it gets a little harder due to them being black, in day time, it tends to add a little yellow to the color on things, and IF you set it up to to take a pic every 2 seconds, it seems to struggle a little with the second pic in a row, just a little darker than the first pic
BUT for 25 bucks, I now have 4 of them and all have worked just fine
and I think anyone looking for a cheap cam that won't make you curse if it grows legs on you, there worth the 25 bucks!
here are a few pic's
#2
Nontypical Buck
Thread Starter
Join Date: Nov 2014
Posts: 2,743
sorry for what ever reason all my day time pic's, will not upload , keep getting file fail error? and I ain't that smart of a tech guy to know why
same camera, same sized pic's, so sorry
but for 25 bucks I give these camera's a 2 thumbs up, long battery life, fast wake up, and decent pic's for the $$$
same camera, same sized pic's, so sorry
but for 25 bucks I give these camera's a 2 thumbs up, long battery life, fast wake up, and decent pic's for the $$$
#3
I really enjoy trail cams now, almost as much as hunting. When bear hunting I couldn't wait to get out there and get the SD crd.
This winter I left my camera out all winter. Got a few interesting pics. Also lots of fun pics of walking the dogs.
I have never had one stolen. But I have thought about getting some cheap ones just so I could have more for scouting purposes.
I keep telling myself I should leave them out more.
Nothing I have is super expensive. $6-85ish. Two last year were 60s. At the moment I like Moultires. Simple. Haven't had long enough to say. One of my old Wild Game seems to be eating batteries.
Wish you would see more off season sales, or maybe I am justing missing them. Sales but nothing great.
This winter I left my camera out all winter. Got a few interesting pics. Also lots of fun pics of walking the dogs.
I have never had one stolen. But I have thought about getting some cheap ones just so I could have more for scouting purposes.
I keep telling myself I should leave them out more.
Nothing I have is super expensive. $6-85ish. Two last year were 60s. At the moment I like Moultires. Simple. Haven't had long enough to say. One of my old Wild Game seems to be eating batteries.
Wish you would see more off season sales, or maybe I am justing missing them. Sales but nothing great.
#5
Nontypical Buck
Join Date: Oct 2011
Location: Midwest
Posts: 1,079
Thanks for the review mrbb, I saw some of the 6 & 8 in a local Wallyworld at the prices you mentioned. My first thought was that they are probably a waste of money but now I will get one and try it out. Trail cameras are addictive, it seems that there is always a need for a few more. Thanks again.
#6
Thanks for the review mrbb, I saw some of the 6 & 8 in a local Wallyworld at the prices you mentioned. My first thought was that they are probably a waste of money but now I will get one and try it out. Trail cameras are addictive, it seems that there is always a need for a few more. Thanks again.
#7
Nontypical Buck
Join Date: Oct 2011
Location: Midwest
Posts: 1,079
Ebay has some refurbished Browning BTC-2XR's going for $44 with free shipping. Not a bad deal, they have a Browning one year warranty. These are 10MP cameras from back in 2013 and 2014 according to the Browning webpage. I bought one and a BTC-1XR(6MP) for $75 for the two.
#8
I like the moultries becuase they have the external power port. I drive all my all year off 12v 7ah batteries and never have to recharge during the hunting season. I just wish some of these cheaper ones came with the same input for power. I would like to buy the same in lower MP quality as who needs a 12 - 20 MP camera to know when the deer are walking down the trail. Bigger, better and larger pics just waste more processor time reviewing them.
A lot of these are China clones of old moultrie and other models in different cases. I just wish they would put better LED's in them and a slight better processor and raise the price $10
A lot of these are China clones of old moultrie and other models in different cases. I just wish they would put better LED's in them and a slight better processor and raise the price $10