My local archery shop has put some trail cameras in my hands for some testing. I have been getting some great pictures with my existing trail camera and he wanted me to do some in the field testing with some camera that he is going to carry. I will post results and pictures over the next few weeks. Boy it feels almost like Christmas. The cameras are: Wildview X6C Predator trailcams Traileye IR Spypoint IR-6
No, just a month or so for testing. I'm sure I could get a good discount since it is an open package and it's used.
I did a quick video test of the Wildgame and Spypoint. It was low light conditions, the Wildgame DID NOT use it's IR's where the Spypoint DID us it's IR's. I am going outside now to do a video with each camera and compare quality and brightness. Here are the low light condition videos of the two camera test. Note these videos were taken at the exact time. http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=7Z8e7mYSTUI http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Oi-sjGWA2w0
Starting with the Wildgame X6C. It is small and compact. Easy to navigate and set. Easy to open and attach with included bungy cord straps. 18 IR's Now about the night video test I just did, my path in front of each camera was 40 feet away. I could not trigger the Wildgame camera until I got about 35 feet away. During each video from each camera I circled around the same bush for IR distance test of each camera. The Wildgame also has a noticeable red light that flashes when movement is present. It will flash until the IR's glow red and the camera take the video. When the video is finish the red blinking light now flashes green. Compare this video to the others. *** Note the quality after uploaded to YouTube is very, very poor. It is much better then what you see on Youtube, but you will see a difference between the different cameras videos *** http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=V-JWOHbjAUM
Spypoint IR-6 Semi compact. Easy to navigate and set up. 46 IR illumination. Tiggered in low light IR's befor the other two cameras. Inside falls out everytime you open the door. Videos is same as above, enter at 40 feet and circle around bush at 50 feet. Don't forget low quality of YouTube. http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=oBQq18M0qf8 Picture of insides that fall out.
Predator Traileye IR Largest of the group. The easiest to navigate and set up. Cleanest inside. Only takes 10 second videos ( that's it ) 47 IR illumination. Sound for video mode. Same as video test above. Same poor quality YouTube Best and brightest video of the group. Two 10 second videos. http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=tkOzYT6NVKY http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=p251V_IMU48
OK, pulled the cameras. Owner of archery shop needed the cameras for the weekend for display purposes at his vendor both. He will return them for me to put back in the field for more test. I will do the next few post about what I found for each camera in the 1st week they were out.
OK, 1st up is the Wildgame X6C. I must have not hit enter to change it from video mode to picture mode when I was doing the 1st night testing, so I only have videos and no still pictures. ( Sorry ). Camera held time and date perfectly. It took 29 videos in the weeks time, my Bushnell is three trees over and took 429 pictures ( three picture burst with 2 second delay between burst ). Battery life seemed untouched. ( using Duracell rechargeables 2650mah ). Video quality is very good, day and night. I am going to up load videos to photobucket hoping quality is better the Youtube. Next time out I will put it right next to the Bushnell for speed and quality comparison. I won't forget the picture mode this time. Here are some videos from the Wildgame. http://s295.photobucket.com/albums/mm158/2robinhood/?action=view¤t=Grandmomsbuck1.mp4 http://s295.photobucket.com/albums/mm158/2robinhood/?action=view¤t=Grandmomsbuck2.mp4 http://s295.photobucket.com/albums/mm158/2robinhood/?action=view¤t=Grandmomsbuck3.mp4 http://s295.photobucket.com/albums/mm158/2robinhood/?action=view¤t=Grandmomsbuck4.mp4
Predator Traileye IR up next. Predator did not hold time or date. ( went to Jan. 2010 ) Reasons, I don't know, I'll reset and see what happens next time out. Reaction time is slower them my Bushnells. Deer were almost out of picture frame when picture was taken. Seemed to be low on quantity of pictures, my Bushnell get 125+ pictures per week ( Predator had 9 picture in the week ). Don't forget that the fastest the Predator will take pictures is one picture every ten seconds. ( my Bushnells are set at 3 picture burst with a 2 second delay in between burst ) Picture quality is EXCELLENT, very sharp and clear. When camera was put out battery gauge was at 98%, after the week and only 9 pictures it was down to 60%. ( Duracell rechargeables 2650mah ). I'll see what next time out brings. Here are some pictures.
Last up, Spypoint IR6. Spypoint did not hold time, Date was right, but it lost 5+ hours in the weeks time. Battery level is done in 1/3rds on the Spypoins gauge. When out at full charge and ended at the 2/3rds in the weeks time. Took about the same weekly amount as my Bushnells in this location. Reaction time is slower then the Bushnells. Objects were further into the first picture then compared to the bushnells. Picture quality is good, but seemed blurry on movement. In the last picture, I approached from far away from the camera, walked in a fa fairly slow pace and this was the first picture of the four picture burst. This may help you get an idea of reaction time from me walking in.
Maybe to do a little quality comparison. These two pictures where at the same exact spot, just at different time. Fawm picture on the Bushnell is set @ 5mp and in daylight the Predator is also 5mp. Both picture have clouds in the sky, but I am not sure of how much bright light. Colors and detail, the Predator has the edge.
that's some pretty extensive testing!! thanks for taking the time to share with us. looks like the bushnells beat them hands down! i'd rather have a little duller colour then just see the deers ass.
I pulled the camera for the owner of the archery shop to display at his vendor booth at a 3D shoot. But camera have been returned to me and are back in the woods. I have the, setting wise, as close to the settings on my Bushnells as I can get. They are also mounted on the same trees and facing the same spots as the Bushnells for a direct comparison. The only issue I can see with them being put on the tree like this, is night time IR pictures. If both cameras go off at the same time, there will be more IR's then just a single camera. I will retrieve the cards from all on Saturday and post my findings.
My main point of interest on deciding which camera I buy next is going to be Detection range. Which on of the cameras has the largest detection range, to include the Bushnell?
I may not have them long enough to tell what long term battery life is going to be. Also my personal camera ( the Bushnells ) all have Energizer lithium batteries in them, where all three test units have Duracell rechargeables ( 2650mah ) batteries in them. I had the rechargeables already and I didn't want to spend $60.00 on the lithiums for the testing.
