In the first review I'm going to share my experience with the 8MP Bushnell Trophy Cam.
Resolution Settings: 3, 5, 8MP
SD Capacity: 16 GB
PIR Sensor: Low/Med/High
Night Vision Flash: 32 LED, 45 ft. or 15 meters
Day/night sensor: Auto
Power Supply: 8 AA (not included)
Battery Life: Up to one year
Video resolution: Widescreen, VGA, QVGA
Video length: Up 60 Seconds
I have had 2 of these cameras for about a year now. I have 2 versions, one with picture review and one without. They both have been out all year now without (big) problems. Only the day/night filter doesn't work anymore on one of the cameras. The basic function, determination of the animal, still works but only in black and white.
There were several strong points that made me pick this camera:
- compact
- up to 1 year battery life, I get at least 3 months with normal batteries and regular detections
- 1 second trigger
- Works day and night
I started out in picture mode but soon switched to movie mode. With movies there is a far greater chance to see something in the first place. It's also much faster to review the movies instead of wading through hunderds of pictures with nothing on them. I now set it to max resolution and 20 seconds with an 8 second interval.
The most important thing to look out for is placement, by far. If one tiny branch hangs close to the sensor it will detect every breeze that makes the branch move. This will result in a full sd card after 1 or 2 days not to mention wasted battery life. Best results come when the cam is pointed to an open area. Long grass in mild wind doesn't get picked up too often.
Sensitivity is good to great. Moths, mice and other small animals get picked up if they are close enough. The bigger animals like roe deer get picked up from much further. This is where the 'movie vs picture' setting comes back into play. Sometimes the camera detects something in the dark that is at a greater distance then the leds can sufficiently illuminate. The upside is that the eyes light up so you can more or less see what animal it is by the way it moves. If it would be only pictures it's very hard to spot someting.
Sensitivity is good to great. Moths, mice and other small animals get picked up if they are close enough. The bigger animals like roe deer get picked up from much further. This is where the 'movie vs picture' setting comes back into play. Sometimes the camera detects something in the dark that is at a greater distance then the leds can sufficiently illuminate. The upside is that the eyes light up so you can more or less see what animal it is by the way it moves. If it would be only pictures it's very hard to spot someting.
Here are some pictures of the camera in action:
I use 2 sd cards for every cam. This way I can take out the used card for review at home and put an empty one in. It's also good to have an extra set of batteries. The camera has no use when it's at home while the batteries recharge..
This camera trap has been out for quite some time now and prices have fallen a lot so it's a good time to pick one or two up. There is also a new version out with 40 black leds. Just think about where you put them in the woods because it's not the first time I had to look for 15min to find it again after a week.
For video samples look in my youtube channel: Youtube
I will buy this camera trap again if it would fail after some years of use. It's a great tool and gives the ability to be 'there' all the time. If you have a specific question about this item, feel free to ask.
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