Looking at picking up a trail cam or 2 to prep for the upcoming season. Any suggestions or reviews?
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Looking at picking up a trail cam or 2 to prep for the upcoming season. Any suggestions or reviews?
Lots and cheap! Just my 2 cents.
You definitely get what you pay for. Cheap cams are usually unreliable cams. Moultrie, Stealthcam etc. would not be my first choice. I run Browning and Bushnell only now, got rid of all my other models. They are reasonably priced and are consistent from trigger speed to quality.
This site is a great resource for comparing cams.
https://www.trailcampro.com/collecti...camera-reviews
On second thought what do i know! Spend as much as you can afford on a high quality camera and put it in a magical spot. That should get the job done. Sorry about the bad advice earlier .
Some of my most reliable cams have been the cheap $40 ancient tasco special.. in the cold no issues and battery lasts forever ... where as a couple of my u-ways have froze up and the battery drains in a hurry... start with something mid range if you think spending $450 on a camera is within budget go nuts . And no the wind did not trigger the uway to take a million pics for battery drain
I go for lots and cheap too. Simmons Whitetail were some of the best I have run into but they don't make them anymore. I have run a bunch year round with few issues.
I do have a couple expensive ones. A Bushnell and a Browning that are excellent video quality with sound. I would have never bought them for myself but they were gifted to me.
I have 2 or 3 Stealthcam's kicking around. Not very impressed with the video quality or trigger speed on those but battery life is pretty darn good. Fairly reliable too I guess.
I ran one higher end moultrie and it packed it in after about 2 weeks.
I'd be in the same boat if I didnt already have a bunch of cams. I'd probably order some sketchy stuff off Amazon or DX LOL
Go for lots and go cheap. Unless you make a living off social media and need the highest quality videos, why bother spending $200 on one cam?
I have been running gamepak and apeman ones off Amazon and they have been excellent. One hung up from June to December, got 460 video clips and seemed to stay watertight just fine.
Like everything, the Chinese have been quite good at copying the better known brands and making cheaper alternatives.
The amazon ones are usually $75 but I just picked up 2 more for $55 on a 1 day sale.They record up to 1080p and with reasonable quality as well. (Stealth cam ones are useless at higher resolutions due to terrible interpolation). They do record sound as well which is super neat. My cheap stealth cam do not.
Also, they have screens on them so viewing pics is very easy. This particularly handy when setting the cam and checking that it is aimed correctly. Saves me a bunch of time.
Trigger speed is 0.3-0.8 seconds, as advertised. I cant confirm that other than to say I'm satisfied with it. Not too many deer getting caught on their way out of the the frame.
They have been WAY better than the cheap Stealthcam ones.
If your budget allows get the expensive ones, they will surely be better but at $55 each, I'm gonna stick to the cheap ones.
Does anyone have ones that are proven to work in minus 25 with no issues?
Thanks
There's a lot more to a camera than getting a clear pic or video. Lots of cameras will advertise fast trigger speeds or high megapixel ratings which are really just inflated from interpolation. Nothing more frustrating than only having the a** end of a deer or elk on your screen. You can usually find Brownings or Bushnells on for $120-$150, often cheaper on clearance sales from different sites.
Most guys don't have a clue what they miss when running cheaper cams, especially if they only run it on picture mode. I know because I was one of those guys for a few years. Bought lots for cheap when I was on a student budget. Finally pulled the pin on a better model Browning and ran it on video next to an entry level cam. Couldn't believe how much more that camera picked up than the one right beside it. Sold off the others and started accumulating some better inventory.
You don't need to break the bank to get into higher quality cameras. They have better trigger speed, detection range, image quality and are much more consistent than an entry level camera. Worth it if you really want to know what's out there.
Older model Browning. They have only improved since then.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ViXVUmTFEmE
From the first Bushnell I bought. Still going strong after being in the field year round for a few seasons. Have acquired quite a few more since then.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=lcq1sdvRBfA
I have 10 wild game evolutions they all work great average price is 110.00
http://www.huntingbc.ca/photos/data/500/1344.JPG http://www.huntingbc.ca/photos/data/500/2230.JPG
http://www.huntingbc.ca/photos/data/500/3178.JPG http://www.huntingbc.ca/photos/data/500/4138.JPG
.................................................. ......................................http://www.huntingbc.ca/photos/data/500/5_2_.JPG
As others have mentioned, I wouldn’t worry about the cheaper ones for their image quality, but rather missing animals. I don’t care about the photo/video quality, I just hate the idea of investing a few months into a camera and missing something. I would recommend the Cabelas brand cams. They can be relatively affordable, and also come with a screen to test placement.
Here is the wildgame cam thats costs a person around 110.00 this cam took the pictures I posted on this tread,,it can also take videos
http://www.huntingbc.ca/photos/data/...um/002_2_8.JPG
I have a mix of cheap ( old tasco that is huge lol ) to mid range browning( I don’t remember all the brands I have lol). Here is what I have figured out if you have poor trigger speed the cam is still useful but you need to set the cam so the animal will be in frame for an extended time. So yes cheap cams are still worth buying but you are limited to how you can set them and be effective. I would not rely completely cheap cams but a mix works for me
I don’t run bait or minerals so all trail, pinch point, and funnel set up
poor trigger speed cams I use them on tight trails and funnels so the animal will be walking towards or away from the cam for an extended period of time. Basically point them down a straight stretch
wider trails, intersections, and anywhere I think animals may pass by giving a limited window I use my better quality cams
In my opinion a mix makes it cost effective and gives you the ability to cover more ground but you need to pick locations according to the cams trigger speed
I have already covered the interpolation and trigger speed in my post for the cheap cams.
And again, yes, your expensive cams will be better but let's not kid ourselves and talk about how $120 isnt breaking the bank. How many hours of work does it take for you to make $120? Probably 3 for most people. That IS breaking the bank if you can get acceptable results for $55.
Not all cheap cams are created equal and point of my post was to get people to not buy the cheap stealth cam ones. They are terrible and not worth $30 let alone $70-80.
Just like LED light bars, cams have come a long way. 10 years ago you pretty much had Rigid light bars and they were like $800. Nowdays you can get Chinese copies for like $70 that work almost as well. They dont last as long but for a fraction of the price you can afford to buy 10 of them.
Same with cams. They have come a long way.
I will upload some videos at some point so people can see a comparison in quality
This post is accurate.
Image quality is not real high on the list in terms of what most guys who are serious about scouting look for in a camera. Most cameras on the market have decent image quality from the low end right on up.
Trigger speed, detection field/range and consistency are the first few qualities that come to mind.
As has been said already, most guys don't have a clue what they are missing out there (guaranteed twoseveno is missing stuff with those cams.). I know I didn't until I looked at upgrading. Some guys just want to capture a few cool pictures/videos and for that, an entry level camera will do the job most days. If you really want to get a sense of the inventory in your area and make sure you're missing as little as possible those cams aren't going to perform how you want.
Most hunters don't have the time to run a lot of cams. What's better, running 12 cameras for $75 that half-a** get the job done (with half probably sitting on the shelf) or 6 really solid cameras for $120-$150 that perform when put to the test?
12 that "half ass" at $75 hands down.
First, have you anti-cheap cam guys actually tried cheap cams in the last year or two? Have you set them side by side with an expensive one and then compared the captured footage later? How do you know twoseveno is missing stuff out there? .... sounds like pure speculation to me at this point
Second, with a 12 cam coverage you are bound to produce much better results overall even if you lose the ocassional pic or two.
Third, I rarely get running deer on my cams where trigger speed of 0.2 seconds would help me over 0.7. Its just not that frequent in the real world, in MY areas.
The biggest feature for me is range (especially night time). More so than a couple milliseconds faster trigger time.
If you're getting ass end of a deer frequently you obviously have your cam aiming to work on, OR they are all crossing too close to your cam.
Again, I'm not knocking expensive cams, but standing up for the cheap ones. I've been running cheap cams for 2 years now, and I've gotten plenty of satisfactory results. Follow me on Instagram and see for yourself.
I agree how you set your cam is a huge factor most overlook and the newer cheap cams are not bad. The old brick tasco I still run is real crap compared to the new cheap stuff and it still does the job
Only thing I like with the mid range and higher cams is the view screen so I don’t need to use my viewer
You can easily get by with cheap cams and being able to set more locations is better then quality cams.
No one is arguing you can't get some decent pics if that's all you're after. How many of those cams do you leave out year round? - I know the answer.
Yes we have compared cameras - Ourea has probably compared more cams than anyone on this site and I know what he will say. I have compared numerous entry level models side by side with mid-higher range ones and that is why I switched.
Most guys don't have the time to effectively run 6 cams, let alone twice that. Even with the best intentions, a lot of cameras spend more time on the shelf than they do in the field. Much rather run something reliable at a little more cost. With the competition among companies, a guy doesn't need to break the bank to purchase quality.
Guys are no doubt missing a lot more with those cameras than they know. If you don't mind sacrificing that to save a few dollars then $75 Amazon cams are the way to go.
This is not a knock, but you're relatively new to the game. I remember you saying the same thing about backpacks. Then you went and bought a SG.
I've never had any issues at cold temperatures. I started off running the moultries. I liked the C batteries. I was really hesitant to move to the AA battery models.
The Moultries still work but, I've converted to the Browning cams and they are superior to most of the others. They go on sale enough that they aren't a bad price. Better quality, faster wake up time (0.4 sec I believe). The AA's run well in the cold. Most of all, the cams are lighter and the quality of picture at dusk, is better.
I just want to make one more comment on trail cams. When yours comes with a strap to mount it on the tree, take that strap and find another use for it. Everyone, use bailing wire to attach your camera to the trees. You won't regret it. Less visible toward theft, more secure on the tree, animals won't bump it around, less scent on the wire than on the wide strap that spent the off season with your gear.
And I take my cameras and repaint them to more closely match the bark on the trees I typically use. A lot of the browning cams come in a bit a grey tone. I paint them dark brown and black with a bit of dark green.
Some of my cheaper cams lock up if i remove the SD card, read it, then reinstall it.
Now i just always carry SDs and format a new one using the camera itself.
I've run Spypoint, Stealthcam and Moultrie trail cameras and have had better luck with the Spypoint and Moultrie cameras (even the cheaper ones that always go on sale at Wal-Mart or Canadian Tire). Most of my hunting to date has been done in Alberta and the cameras seem to hold up in the cold just fine. The biggest challenge is keep snow from piling up in the lenses.
I run the stealth cam buy them in the 2 or 3 pack. I they work well until it gets really cold. I have read going to a lithium battery can help in cold weather
- "I know the answer" .... and what is that? if it's "all of them" you'd be right. A cam on the shelf is a useless cam. Why wouldn't i have them out year round?
- Yeah, but WHICH cheap cams have you compared? The point of my post was to point out that the inexpensive Amazon cams have been head and shoulders better than the inexpensive StealthCams. Light years ahead of them.
- well, show us the difference from your comparison then ..... i would love to see what constitutes "a lot" when comparing what the cheaper cams missed compared to the more expensive ones. I'm not doubting you, i'm just unclear on your definition of "a lot".
- I never knocked the high end packs, just their price .... that $900 for a backpack was absolutely insane. So i bought mine used at half the price. After 6 bucks and numerous backpack trips still don't think $900 is justifiable at all.
- I might be new to the trail cam game, but two years is a decent amount of time to figure out it out. It's not that hard or complicated.
Tell ya what ... why don't I mail you an Amazon cam and you run it on the same tree, 6" above your best cam for a few months and we compare the footage. We'll let HBC decide if the difference in captured footage is "a lot" or not. I have a feeling it might not be as off as you think.
This will make a big difference in battery life/function of the camera
Moultrie, Tasco, WI, Stealth cams just to name a couple. One of my hunting partners tried out a set of those $75 Amazon cams on his property this fall as he has a very large parcel with numerous species passing through. They were basically useless when compared side by side to what we normally run. Even worse when temps dropped into the double digits.
Have done the trail cam thing for a lonnnng time and done enough comparisons to know what is crap and what isn't. I think it's important to pass those findings along when folks are asking for advice and not being given accurate information. There is a difference between what you're peddling and a few of the cameras and models mentioned previously. That difference is significant while the cost is not.
There are models in both Browning and Bushnell that are very reasonably priced. As JT said, they go on sale pretty regularly as well.
Hopefully the OP is finding the discussion useful. His goals for the camera will ultimately decide what he ends up buying.
I am enjoying and appreciating all the information!
Where is everyone buying Bushnell and Browning cams for $120?
On Cabela's the cheapest browning is $170 and they don't even seem to carry Bushnell.
Cheapest SpyPoint is also $170.
When one cam costs $120 and another HALF that, yes, that IS significant cost difference.
Had mine out for several months, captured over 460 videos ... how is that useless? Maybe he just has sh*t cams. Not all amazon cams are the same.
For (i don't even know which time now) no one is saying a $75 dollar cam will be better than a 150 dollar cam.
Obviously you have your way of running cams and we have ours. OP should know both approaches and the price involved in both and make up his mind with that.
I'm not peddling the cams to make money here .... just showing what CAN work on a budget and that not everyone needs to go out and drop a grand on cameras to photograph some deer.
it's like telling a guy his 1995 Ford F150 is crap because it's slow and bad on fuel and doesn't have a heated steering wheel and you drove both it and the 2019 and the 1995 one was just useless ...... well ..... no. He drives the 1995 because he wants to, because it works for him and because it gets the job done.
It's not what you capture. It's what you miss.
Interesting comparison btw.
Many opinions on here. Like Highcountry said if you want pro advice on cams go to Trailcampro.com. Many factors such as trigger speed, recovery time, detection range and angle, battery life and the benefits of No Glow etc are explained very well. They have a first time buyers guide on there for the beginners + they review and sell all the mid to high quality cameras. Unless your putting up cameras in your backyard buying many cheap cameras isn't that great of advice. Driving hours to go check pics with fingers crossed that something didn't go wrong with that $75 camera isn't what I want to do. Fuel and batteries ain't cheap.
I have a Moultrie and it takes fantastic pictures. $110 IIRC off of Amazon.ca. free shipping. I have it set up until spring on a nice spot. Can't wait to see what I get on it!
Good info. There is some great advice in this post. Also, at https://www.trailcampro.com/collecti...camera-reviews you can review older models under the "Archived Trail Camera Reviews" tab. Cameras change from year to year. Lots of stores have great sales on last years models.
Maybe you got a bad batch of lithiums. They should last exponentially longer than regular alkaline batteries in both warm and cold temps.
I agree!
So how about YOU send me one of your standard cams and I'll run it against the Amazon one. Same tree. Same batteries. Same settings. And we see just how much the Amazon one misses out on.
If HBC votes that the difference is significant I return the cam and $50 for your trouble.
If HBC votes the difference is NOT significant, I keep the cam.
Deal??
Can you speak a little more about performance degradation in cold weather?
At what temp do you notice performance issues?
Do you attribute them more to batteries going dormant due to cold, or cam itself?
Do you find increased trigger time in the cold, or other issues?
I brought the cold/drain issue up. All batteries drain faster below freezing. If I'm copying stuff off cams to my tablet at -15 I have to use a power pack. Same deal watching a movie at night on my cell phone at those temps, I have to leave it plugged in to get through half the movie.