What Exactly To Look For While Searching For the Best Game or Trail Camera

Factors to Look For While Choosing the Best Trail or Game Camera

When it comes to choosing the best game or trail camera for your use, the choices are certainly not limited. You will come across several types at stores and on different pages of various outdoor catalogues. The prices can also range from a mere $50 to a $500 camera. But the main question which may haunt you is about the difference between a costly camera and an affordable one. Here are some factors to look for in a game or trail camera to help you with your choice.

1. Quality of The Images
   

   If you have some knowledge about cameras, then you will know that the quality of an image is called resolution and is measured in terms of Megapixels. In general, the higher the megapixels in a camera the better will be the resolution of the images captured by the device. Any average quality game or trail camera will have a resolution from 5MP to 7MP. Some of the best cameras come with 20MP and cheaper ones have somewhere around 2MP of resolution. It is good for you to know that a camera with a resolution of over 5MP will show you the differences between a day and a night snap.

2. Battery
   

   The important factor to consider before choosing the best game or trail camera is the battery life of the product. Nobody would like to buy a camera whose batteries drain out faster than you can imagine. If you plan to use your camera in an area, where a lot of activity is bound to happen, then a bad quality battery may soon drain out, leaving you frustrated. It is good to note that incandescent flashes consume more battery power than ordinary infrared ones. If you wish to click photos with such a camera, then an average battery can allow you to capture around three to four thousand phots in a single charge. At the same time, good quality batteries can allow around ten thousands shots. It is always better to opt for rechargeable ones, which can last longer than other batteries.

3. Trigger Activation Time
   

   You will come across many people, who overlook the importance of this factor. Ultimately they understand their mistake when they look at the quality of their photos. For those of you who are not able to understand the meaning of trigger speed, it is basically the time taken by the camera to click a photo once an animal steps into the frame. There are quite a few game or trail cameras which can take as little as a second or two to click a photo. With a slow trigger speed, you will always end up taking the photo of the rear of an animal rather than the face. Always choose such a camera which has a trigger speed of less than a second. Usually, cameras with slow trigger speeds are useful to capture photos of stationery objects or animals.

4. Settings of Clicking a Photo
   

   If you are one of the camera enthusiasts, then this factor will surely catch your fancy. When you hunt for the best game or trail camera, you will come across many, which can capture photos when triggered by motion. Usually, such cameras can only click one photo per second. However, there is one drawback of such cameras. If the subject is not in a good position, then the shot may not be worth the effort. At the same time, there are some cameras, which have the capability to capture multiple shots every second. Although you will get more photos than needed, there will be a better chance of you getting at least one great shot of the subject. Usually deer hunters prefer to use the latter cameras with multiple shot per second capacity. Another setting to consider is auto time lapse mode. A camera with this feature can be set to capture multiple photos at a specific time, even if the camera is not triggered.

5. Infrared or LED Flash
   

   When you talk about the flash of a camera, you will come across two types, LED or incandescent flash and infrared or invisible flash. In order to get a great shot of an animal, you have to choose the right type of flash very carefully. If you use a LED or incandescent flash, you can expect a photo with great contrast and quality. Such flashes easily brighten and refine the photos taken in shadows and in the dark. However, these types of flash lights do have the knack of frightening animals at night. Thus, using an incandescent flash for night photos is a bad idea. However, infrared flash lights do not alarm subjects at all. These types of flash lights create its own invisible zone. Using such a flash for night time photos is a good idea.

6. LCD Display
   

   There are many of you out there who prefer to view a clicked photo on the spot. If you decide to take a look at around hundreds of photos at a spot where your subjects are more likely to appear, then there is a good chance that your scent will reach out to them and they may well avoid coming out in the open. Better hold your horses and look at your photos once you get back in your truck. However, LCD displays do play an important role. It helps you to setup the camera in the right direction and also displays where your battery power stands.

7. Detection Circuit
   

   The maximum range of a camera, within which it can detect any motion to trigger it off is, known as the detection circuit. Usually people, who prefer to shoot photos out in the wild use cameras with a detection circuit of 100 feet. However, it would be a good idea to authenticity of such claims. There are some cameras which cannot take a good shot beyond 2/3rds of the entire range. Although an average camera will come with a detection range of around 60 to 70 feet, a low range camera is always suitable for limited areas.

8. Photo or Video
   

   Thanks to the advanced technology used in these modern times, there are many trail or game cameras, which also come with videography features. Usually those cameras, which come with 20MP resolutions, also support videography for around 3 to 300 seconds. There are also such cameras which can record videos without recording sound. Before you decide to buy such a camera, it is always a good thing to think whether you really want a camera which can record videos or not.

9. Memory
   

   When you shop for a game or trail camera, you will come across many models which can support 32GB SD cards. At the same time, there are some costly ones which can accommodate higher memory and those which do not accept more than 8GB. If you wish to choose one with a lower memory, then you better think twice. Such cameras may stop midway due to low memory. The type of memory card you need is largely dependent upon the usage. If your camera with multiple shop capacity, then a higher memory card will be needed. However, you can certainly delete any unwanted snaps later in your leisure time. There is one crucial point to note. If your camera records videos in HD quality and it is going to be a long hunt for you, then you better keep yourself ready with a greater data card. HD quality videos eat a lot of memory space.

Your Own Budget

Whatever be the situation, the end result is always dependent upon your pocket. If you have a tight budget, then opting for an affordable camera is always suggested. On the other hand, if you do not have any tension about money, then you may even go for a trail or game camera worth $10k. There are some points to remember here. If you are a first timer, then going for a feature rich camera is foolish thing to do. You will certainly not use all the features from the first day itself. Thus, purchasing an average or below average camera will be a sensible decision. Also keep a note of your usage. The type of camera you buy will be dependent upon your usage.