Thread: Buying a Trail Camera

Looking to get a couple of trail cams. Not after the latest and greatest that send you to pics just middle of the road sort of thing. They will be set up on private land so security isn’t to much of an issue.

Question is what sort of megapixel should I be looking for and stuff like that. Battery life of about 6 months would be good and easy to use.

Suggestions/Recommendations?

get the best resolution(megapixels) you can for the money you want to spend.......
get rechargable batteries and a solar panel , will last you long time
i bought 2 cheapies years ago 5 megapixel daytime pics were satisfactory. one pic was good enough to be put in one of the magazines. 1 got stolen the other only works on stills now
think you can get up to 12 megapixel now?
you should be able to switch the MMS feature off on the ones that have it

Originally Posted by Shootm

Looking to get a couple of trail cams. Not after the latest and greatest that send you to pics just middle of the road sort of thing. They will be set up on private land so security isn’t to much of an issue.

Question is what sort of megapixel should I be looking for and stuff like that. Battery life of about 6 months would be good and easy to use.

Suggestions/Recommendations?

Be careful what you buy - a lot of rubbish out there
Use Lithium AA Energizers
Do not use rechargeable batts
16mb card is best
I got 6-10 months from a set of above in the Browning
Just got some Bolyguard sg562 in for a Farmer mate - I have not used these Bolyguard as alot know I use the Bolyguard GPRS Cams full time (send pic immediately to cellphone via email)

Megapixel +10 is fine and I used to set to a 20sec Vid also

Got an Acorn one.Seems pretty good so far

The sim card cams that send photos may seem like a good idea, and if put in places where there is little chance of accidental triggering by wind on branches, rushes etc and there is coverage may be an option. I know someone who has one, after recieving 200 photos of rushes, and a whacking great phone bill the sim card came out pronto.

Originally Posted by Marty Henry

The sim card cams that send photos may seem like a good idea, and if put in places where there is little chance of accidental triggering by wind on branches, rushes etc and there is coverage may be an option. I know someone who has one, after recieving 200 photos of rushes, and a whacking great phone bill the sim card came out pronto.

You set them to turn off before wind in daytime
You also have FULL control via SMS to turn off if stormy night

But - care needs to be taken where to position them - I always have my Batt chainsaw and cut away any wavy stuff in 30m range

Also - do not get a Cam that only does PXT - as NZ is .50c per pxt
I use GPRS (only available on Vodafone of 2 Degrees) and pay bu Data used
Set pic sent back at min (copy of actual at only about 50-100bits) and you will get 20 pics per MB @ .20cents per MB = 1-2 cents per pic
Also you can set cam to only take 1 or 1000 pics per 24 hour timezone

So your mate obviously needed to do some study or better to talk to someone who knows before installing it :-)
Prob another Millennial mania who looks over the top of us "olde c~~nts" :-(

I use Bushnell ones and seem to work well. if you want to borrow one to try out let me know

Sent from my SM-G960F using Tapatalk

Good info so far keep it coming. I imagine that the ones that send you pics are dearer to buy?
I’m not really interested in that feature because there is no coverage for it to send anyway.

Back to basics guys just a simple (like me) camera that I can set and forget for 6 months.

So 10+ megapixel check
Energiser lithium batteries check
.......
........

Originally Posted by Shootm

Good info so far keep it coming. I imagine that the ones that send you pics are dearer to buy?
I’m not really interested in that feature because there is no coverage for it to send anyway.

Back to basics guys just a simple (like me) camera that I can set and forget for 6 months.

So 10+ megapixel check
Energiser lithium batteries check
.......
........

GPRS Cams are alot more expencive and you need to be a patient man to put up with them Re their set up and lias with Putor etc

Just buy the best Cam possible for what $$ you have to spend
But just be careful - there is crap out there
Browning - Moultree - Bushnell - Acorn - all good
Go basic 1st and upgrade later

EBay - if you can get a good shipping rate is best option (shipping has got rediculas but)
Just buy a known Brand

I used Browning's for 2 years before changing to the GPRS Scoutguard (Bollymedia) ones
G8 little cams
Used to be able to get 2 in at once via Ebay - but now with NZ$ and shipping cranked up - its not easy getting two in under the $400
My 2 best (and most exp were Moultree) but they were $200NZ compared to a Browning at 150ish

It was a pxt one and was a few years ago I dont think there was a remote control option obviously they are better now
.

All my Cams now are hooked to a 6v AGM Battery
Via special cable
I think (never did it then) you can get same for the ordinary Cams
You still need some internal AA batts though and I use rechargeable inside as they are only there to keep powered up when I change the 6v and also as a back up if Possum picks off the clip attaching the cable to the 6v

And - Possums !!
Do NOT use a tree spike if one supplied with Cam
Reason - Possum will play with it (as they often do) and tip it upside down and next rain - F~~cked Trail Cam :-(
Use strap and make sure it cannot be inverted

I prob just saved you 1 Cam already :-)

i have a acorn and have used it on and off and had no problems with it.

Originally Posted by Mohawk .308

I have two ltl acorns, just the cheap ones but they work great, had them for about 5 years now with no problems

Here's what the video looks like

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=kv31cfk0Zqw

Good one
Is that "the Stag" ??

PS
You need to remember b4 posting Trail Cam Vids/pics on here to remove the GPS location

GPS Loco was a windup

Pity though - be worth a trip up to Porinui for him :-)

You have a good spot - look after it and mount that head its a ripper !!