Todd that new letter was a relief, thank you
07-22-2010, 01:21 PM
#1
Spike
Thread Starter
Join Date: Feb 2009
Posts: 71
Todd that new letter was a relief, thank you
I have literally spent dozens of hours and several months researching trail cameras and ordered a Reconyx HC600 4 days ago and am anxiously awaiting it's arrival. I felt I had made the best choice but knowing how you are about not selfishly promoting product for personal gain regardless of the products performance was a huge relief for me. I don't have the cash to just buy a ton of these things, but plan on building them a year at a time. I am little late in the game this year because of hesitance in making a purchase and fear of theft holding me back, but I am convinced if this camera performs as I am expecting then it will make me a better educated hunter to the deer available on the properties I hunt. Thanks Todd!
07-23-2010, 11:21 AM
#2
Nontypical Buck
Join Date: Mar 2005
Posts: 1,933
Just wait until you start using them! It's so nice to know that they are working all the time - and you get KILLER pictures - not just pictures of deer that you can't figure out because the pictures aren't good.
I just checked one a few minutes ago. Only had 5 pictures on it. Checked it while I moved it, it was working. Just checked the card and it had 5 pictures of the only deer that had walked in-front of it. Instead of thinking it may not be working, that camera is now set-up on a new spot hopefully better than the previous. This is the big differance in these cameras that is worth the money knowing you have a working camera out int he field 24/7.
When you get your camera I would highly suggest running 5-10 rapidfire pictures with a 3 second gap and depending on where they are (mineral - 1-3 minute time lapse), Trail 30 second time lapse. You will get 5-10 good pictures of whatever comes through and they are spread out enough to get every angle and position of the rack to know exactly what it is you are looking at. This has allowed me to not only get a good picture or two of a big buck, but hundreds. You can study them and know what you are chasing come fall. Also, try setting them about 4-5 feet off the ground angled in a slight downward angle. The more "stuff" the lighting has to bounce off the better the nighttime pictures. Also, put them in a spot where the setting sun isn't in the background. This will brighten the image to the point where you cant see an animal right in-front of the camera. Found this out the hard way over the past few weeks.
Congrats on the camera purchase. A few of my guys have already gotten Reconyx cameras for the first time and they have already reported back awesome results. Once you use one of these, you'll find a way to get more!
I just checked one a few minutes ago. Only had 5 pictures on it. Checked it while I moved it, it was working. Just checked the card and it had 5 pictures of the only deer that had walked in-front of it. Instead of thinking it may not be working, that camera is now set-up on a new spot hopefully better than the previous. This is the big differance in these cameras that is worth the money knowing you have a working camera out int he field 24/7.
When you get your camera I would highly suggest running 5-10 rapidfire pictures with a 3 second gap and depending on where they are (mineral - 1-3 minute time lapse), Trail 30 second time lapse. You will get 5-10 good pictures of whatever comes through and they are spread out enough to get every angle and position of the rack to know exactly what it is you are looking at. This has allowed me to not only get a good picture or two of a big buck, but hundreds. You can study them and know what you are chasing come fall. Also, try setting them about 4-5 feet off the ground angled in a slight downward angle. The more "stuff" the lighting has to bounce off the better the nighttime pictures. Also, put them in a spot where the setting sun isn't in the background. This will brighten the image to the point where you cant see an animal right in-front of the camera. Found this out the hard way over the past few weeks.
Congrats on the camera purchase. A few of my guys have already gotten Reconyx cameras for the first time and they have already reported back awesome results. Once you use one of these, you'll find a way to get more!
07-23-2010, 02:43 PM
#3
Spike
Thread Starter
Join Date: Feb 2009
Posts: 71
WOW Great reply and thank Todd! You just saved me a ton of time figuring out settings to try. I was expecting a period of trial and error, but this is a great starting point. I had planned on hanging them high and angling them down. This was primarily as a deterrent to theft. I was going to take a few LW sticks out and go about 9 or 10 feet out of reach without some sort of climbing device for a thief and about 25ft from the trail. I seen some pics from another guy and they were good pics in which you could still judge a rack.
How often do you check your cameras, my next fear is contaminating an area. I may just move them frequently. I feel like a kid at Christmas wanting to check the thing and I don't even have it yet. I will resist the temptation however as to not ruin an area.
How often do you check your cameras, my next fear is contaminating an area. I may just move them frequently. I feel like a kid at Christmas wanting to check the thing and I don't even have it yet. I will resist the temptation however as to not ruin an area.
08-07-2010, 07:49 AM
#4
Fork Horn
Join Date: Sep 2008
Location: Clinton County, IL
Posts: 191
Todd,
I've also been thinking about buying another camera because we now have an additional property to moniter, maintain, and hunt. Are all of your Reconyx cameras the expensive $550 ones? Do you have a couple different models? If so, which ones do you prefer and why?
I also want to just throw out a huge Thank You to you and your whole team for making these movies. It's actually and hunting movie and not just a bunch of short clips of kills. I've come to enjoy the hunts where you just have encounters as much as the hunts when you guys finally take down a giant. I really like the doe kills also. I recently bought a bunch of hunting videos from another hunting group and started to watch them. BORING!!!! Just a bunch of kills, no background or buildup to the encunter or kill. You guys have spoiled me.
Keep up the good work!!!
And Thanks again
Clayton
I've also been thinking about buying another camera because we now have an additional property to moniter, maintain, and hunt. Are all of your Reconyx cameras the expensive $550 ones? Do you have a couple different models? If so, which ones do you prefer and why?
I also want to just throw out a huge Thank You to you and your whole team for making these movies. It's actually and hunting movie and not just a bunch of short clips of kills. I've come to enjoy the hunts where you just have encounters as much as the hunts when you guys finally take down a giant. I really like the doe kills also. I recently bought a bunch of hunting videos from another hunting group and started to watch them. BORING!!!! Just a bunch of kills, no background or buildup to the encunter or kill. You guys have spoiled me.
Keep up the good work!!!
And Thanks again
Clayton
Last edited by crenth; 08-07-2010 at 07:52 AM.
08-07-2010, 07:55 AM
#5
Fork Horn
Join Date: Sep 2008
Location: Clinton County, IL
Posts: 191
Todd,
Could you also give me some helpful info towards purchasing a video camera. I'd like to hear from you guys what you like to see in a camera. I'm not going to spend $2000 on a camera, but I know there are some nice HD cameras out there with manual focus and slightly more compact for around $1000. That's more what I am looking for in order to film my own hunts/my father/my wife.
Any info is appreciated
Thanks,
Clayton
Could you also give me some helpful info towards purchasing a video camera. I'd like to hear from you guys what you like to see in a camera. I'm not going to spend $2000 on a camera, but I know there are some nice HD cameras out there with manual focus and slightly more compact for around $1000. That's more what I am looking for in order to film my own hunts/my father/my wife.
Any info is appreciated
Thanks,
Clayton
