Suggestions for a "trail cam" camera system?

[tigerwillow1]

I probably shouldn't admit this publicly, I just drive a couple of screws into the tree trunk, length based on the thickness of the bark.

 

[CCroft]

Wow...well-timed thread since I'm considering the same thing (upgrading wildlife cams). I'm focused on three camera locations:

1. a ravine pond where I'm looking at a working distance of minimum 1-2' out to 20-25'
2. 2 driveway/open areas with 3-4' min distance out to around 75'

Here's what I'm getting now with my cheap REOs (410 for drive/open area; 510 for ravine); the motion blur is obviously the weakness. I'd be thrilled ending up with something like this if possible (same cat several hundred yards away but recorded with Browning Recon Force Edge BTC-7E trailcam). For smaller species like birds, I'll convert the video to jpg, so I'd want to improve on that as well (e.g. this warbler; serviceable but not the greatest quality image...again with the 510).

These would be hardwired (CAT6), POE not necessary since I have power available, and I'd be doing the motion triggering/recording via Blue Iris.

So would a 5442 ZE or 5842 ZE be a solid choice for the ravine pond, and 2 x 5442 Z4E for the driveway/open locations?

'Don't mean to hijack this tread, but figured other folks interested in wildlife camming might find my situation related/useful as part of this tread/discussion...but I'm happy to post as a separate thread.

Thanks for your time/advice!
Colin

 

[EvanVanVan]

Here's what I'm getting now with my cheap REOs (410 for drive/open area; 510 for ravine); the motion blur is obviously the weakness. I'd be thrilled ending up with something like this if possible (same cat several hundred yards away but recorded with Browning Recon Force Edge BTC-7E trailcam). For smaller species like birds, I'll convert the video to jpg, so I'd want to improve on that as well (e.g. this warbler; serviceable but not the greatest quality image...again with the 510).

Wow! I don't even know how a (mountain) lion got into the neighborhood

Good luck with your cameras!

 

[tigerwillow1]

So would a 5442 ZE or 5842 ZE be a solid choice for the ravine pond

If you're planning on using the camera's motion detection or IVS, both of these are a poor choice. I have one of each that are bricks to me because Dahua has done such a stellar job of filtering out animals. If you will use BIs motion detection and/or deepstack I have to sit on the sidelines because I don't use either. I recently started a separate thread for this here: Detecting wildlife with Dahua cameras

 

[CCroft]

At this point I'd be using BI's motion detector which has worked pretty well for me so far.

If you're planning on using the camera's motion detection or IVS, both of these are a poor choice. I have one of each that are bricks to me because Dahua has done such a stellar job of filtering out animals. If you will use BIs motion detection and/or deepstack I have to sit on the sidelines because I don't use either. I recently started a separate thread for this here: Detecting wildlife with Dahua cameras