Trail cam life expectancy?

[Popcorn]

I run a fleet of reconyx cams from very large old ones that never fail thru the hyper fire models and the ultra fire and the hyper fire cell cams. The hyper fires are the work horse in our stable. Thousands of pics every month, out in the weather 10 months of the year and seldom ran issue that cleaning and maintenance wouldn't have avoided. Plus love their repair shop. Email, get return authorization, ship, email with issue and cost if any, resolve, repair, return. Often it's a software thing and no cost. I don't like any of the cell cams. Things don't like me or my bodies electromagnetism, plus I stress excessively about them being stolen and the pics are just not the quality I expect for the price.

 

[backyardtndeer]

i have a couple old cannon owl's. If you know what these are, then you are truly an "old timer" from here. . They were working years ago when i went "digital".

Cannon Owl
Motion Sensor Light from walmart (can't remember the model)
diodes/jumper from radio shack

Speaking of digital, i found in my homebrew drawer, a couple Sony P32/P41's. These still work !

I had 4 homebrews with p41's that still worked when I bought my first moultrie cam. I have 4 moultrie cams now, and last I checked they all still work. I don't leave my cams out year round anymore, but I used to.

 

[BSK]

I run a fleet of reconyx cams from very large old ones that never fail thru the hyper fire models and the ultra fire and the hyper fire cell cams. The hyper fires are the work horse in our stable. Thousands of pics every month, out in the weather 10 months of the year and seldom ran issue that cleaning and maintenance wouldn't have avoided. Plus love their repair shop. Email, get return authorization, ship, email with issue and cost if any, resolve, repair, return. Often it's a software thing and no cost. I don't like any of the cell cams. Things don't like me or my bodies electromagnetism, plus I stress excessively about them being stolen and the pics are just not the quality I expect for the price.

Early on, Reconyx was the bomb! Expensive as all get out, but well worth it due to how long those cameras last. And any problems and they would usually fix them. I don't believe I ever had one just die. But eventually, everyone else's technology caught up and surpassed Reconyx. For me, they just aren't worth the price anymore.

 

[deerhunter10]

The spartan cams I have are the go live, I did an in depth cost to run the cams at the 6 month mark and posted it here. you may enjoy.

First cam got in fall 2021 and still running good. I have the go live models.

I am really looking at the go live cameras they are really intriguing to me.

 

[tellico4x4]

First year or two Browning entered the trail-cam market, their cameras were crap. And I mean CRAP! Wow, have they ever improved. In my opinion, currently best cams on the market for the price.

What model you liking best?

 

[Shooter77]

I have 5 bushnell HD 8mp that have been running 24/7/365 since 2012. They've been chewed on by bears and one had the protrusion on the cover broke off from the neighbors cows rubbing it to death. One is slowly dying now, the flash is getting weak every time I pull the card. It might be throwing a flash 20-30 feet now. I have 2 of them that I would have 8-12k pics when I would pull the card for years. I have some spypoint cells that have been out since 2018 & 19. The rest of my new cell cams are under 2 years. All my cams run 24/7/365.

I would think 3-5 years for year round action is reasonable. environment can be harsh on electronics.

It's gotten worse since summer.

 

[BSK]

What model you liking best?

Spec Ops Elite HP4 and HP5. I like the HP4's night illumination. It is more a flood-light type effect where the light is spread wide. Great for covering a wide area, like food plots. The HP5 has more of a spotlight illumination that reaches out farther but is under-illuminated at the edges. So I use HP4s on food plots and HP5s everywhere else. The HP5s also have better color (more true) in daylight images and better sound.

 

[JCDEERMAN]

I have 5 bushnell HD 8mp that have been running 24/7/365 since 2012. They've been chewed on by bears and one had the protrusion on the cover broke off from the neighbors cows rubbing it to death. One is slowly dying now, the flash is getting weak every time I pull the card. It might be throwing a flash 20-30 feet now. I have 2 of them that I would have 8-12k pics when I would pull the card for years. I have some spypoint cells that have been out since 2018 & 19. The rest of my new cell cams are under 2 years. All my cams run 24/7/365.

I would think 3-5 years for year round action is reasonable. environment can be harsh on electronics.

It's gotten worse since summer.
View attachment 167864

The one that the flash is dying - either send it in for a discounted new one (if bushnell does that - browning does) or just change the settings to work daylight only in a specific spot

 

[JCDEERMAN]

Spec Ops Elite HP4 and HP5. I like the HP4's night illumination. It is more a flood-light type effect where the light is spread wide. Great for covering a wide area, like food plots. The HP5 has more of a spotlight illumination that reaches out farther but is under-illuminated at the edges. So I use HP4s on food plots and HP5s everywhere else. The HP5s also have better color (more true) in daylight images and better sound.

I think we have about 12 brownings, but only one of the HP's (HP5). The video is truly amazing @tellico28

 

[Shooter77]

The one that the flash is dying - either send it in for a discounted new one (if bushnell does that - browning does) or just change the settings to work daylight only in a specific spot

that cam 10 years old, i've got my 80.00 out of it...I will check to see if they do a trade in service.

 

[dr]

I.ve got 2 old Moultries D50s still working. Probably 12 years old.
Got a 5 year old Wildgame still working.
Most of my old MP8 Coverts arent useable
Every Browning still going strong,Some are 6 or 7 years old.

What model browning do you have?

 

[dr]

I used to bet on 2-3 years, and would be pleasantly surprised by individual cams that would last 5 or 6. So far (knock on wood), all of my newer Brownings are still running (4 that are 3 years old, 4 that are two years old, 4 that are 1 year old).

What model Browning? Thanks

 

[BSK]

What model Browning? Thanks

I'm a HUGE fan of the Browning Spec Ops Elite HP4 and HP5 cameras. They are true black-flash. I've got a dozen of them. No failures yet. They both run in the $180-190 range, and worth every penny.

 

[dr]

I'm a HUGE fan of the Browning Spec Ops Elite HP4 and HP5 cameras. They are true black-flash. I've got a dozen of them. No failures yet. They both run in the $180-190 range, and worth every penny.

Thank you!