i've been using the stealth cam ir500 this year. works like a champ. had been using the regular flash 2.0 but that one quite working due to ants getting in the camera. (my fault. didn't check it for 3 months then found I had only 1 latch closed i/o both.) Academy had the ir 500 on sale a month back for 99.99.

It seems like the majority are split between the Cuddeback and Bushnell. Can someone post a day and night pic for each of these brands so quality can be compared. i know it will not be exact comparison since the setup is different but it would give those of us trying to make a decision something to see.

Prior experience with Cuddeback is hit or miss with the camera and damn near impossible to get through to customer service for warranty issues. Anyone else experience this with Cuddeback?

Thats the beauty of America aint it! LOL its ok to disagree. But Ii get about 2 weeks life from my Regular flash and about 4 or 5 months with infrared! Both take good pictures, so its just a matter of preference.

Here are a couple of pictures from my Bushnell Trophy Cam that is about 35' from my feeder.

Daytime:


Nighttime:

The Bushnell takes pretty good videos also.

TB

Does your husband have to have the best of everything? If not, the regular Cuddeback (with flash) for $199.99 should make him happy.

If he has to have the best of everything, then the Reconyx for $600+ dollars is the way to go.

I had absolutely no problems with gettting through to customer service and they were great. Photo quality isn't an issue with the Cuddeback, nor is battery life, or ease of setting up (top marks for that). Problems, such as they are, are insensitivy in the sensor. I suspect that I miss some animals that go by too quickly or too far away. I still recommend it for something in its class.

Oh heck no. We are just down to earth sort of folks from the country and a semi decent camera will do just fine. Heck we can't afford much more then that. LOL. We are just curious what comes out at night at his feeder and I know he would get a kick out of seeing the critters in the pics.

Bubba, that Bushnell does take some nice pics. Thanks for posting those. At least, if nothing else, we have it down to two different cameras to choose between. That already makes it a lot easier.

Glad to help. The Bushnell has a great trigger speed (I have a couple of pictures of crows in flight), about 1 sec., and it runs on 8AA batteries, cheaper than 4-6 C or D. I haven't had it long enough yet to speak for the battery life but so far I like it a lot better than the $100 Moultree and the 2 $300+ Stealth Cams I previously owned.
I think it takes good pictures. I ain't trying to win any photo contests, I just want to know what and when animals are showing up at the feeder.

TB

Here are a few random photos from some of my Cuddeback Capture flash models!

JCB, looks like you need to do some culling





I'll throw one in, the wildgame IR4. Its cheap, $89 at academy, and takes good pictures. Battery life is great, and I have yet to have any issues. It does have a slower trigger speed, but at least I'm seeing whats out there...

That bushnell looks good too

Treebass, I bought a Wildgame, no IR and am disappointed. I went to my place yesterday and pulled the card. I put fresh batteries in a week ago. No pics since 11/30 and no corn left on the ground but lots of tracks. I'm writing off this as an inexpensive mistake.

JCB, I think you just convinced me on what my next couple of game cams are going to be. Those are some very nice shots. I also think I will be going back to the traditional flash. Thanks for posting those.

At this point I to am not able to determine which is a good reliable game cam, however I can tell you which one I would stay as for away from I as could get and that is the Moultrie I-40. These things are nothing but cheap junk as for as I am concerned.

Apparantly, there have been a few folks that like them and have had good luck with them and they should consider theirselves lucky they happen to get a good one.

I have two Moultrie I-40's and had nothing but one problem after another with them. Both of them have been replaced several times by Moultrie with another I-40 that will not work either.

Good luck.

JCB those are really nice pics. You don't have a problem with spikes by the way? LOL. That last deer looks realy nice and so does that fox. So, is there an advantage over having a flash vs the infrared? I would think that the flash would scare the wildlife away and the camera could also easily be spotted by anyone (meaning "uninvited" folks) noticing the flash in the dark.

That real long spike I have been wanting to cull all year but havent been able to catch up with him.....YET!

The 8 point in the last picture I was going to shoot as soon as I saw him but but he broke a G-3 and brow tine before I could kill him! He is safe untill next year now!

One huge advantage of the flash over the IR is the flash is waaaaay more reliable! I did a ton of research online before making my decision and just about all the IR cameras are very unreliable! I have been running Cuddeback flash models for two years and have NEVER seen a deer spook because of the flash! That big 8 point in the last picture was at that feeder for over an hour and the flash never spooked him despite the fact he was looking right into the camera when it flashed! I have NEVER seen any animal (pig, cow, coon, deer, yote, porkupine, goat, sika, etc.) leave because of the flash!

Yes the flash is likely to be detected at night by those in the area that shouldnt be, but most trespassing takes place in daytime hours anyway!

How good is the trigger on the cuddy? I'm looking to get another camera, and my pick up the bushnell or cuddy.

Lots of god info here, thanks

I dont remember what the trigger speed is exactly on the cuddy, but I think Scoutgaurd had the quickest trigger time on the market at the time! I have caught plenty of birds in flight with the cuddy though so it must be pretty decent!

Just looked it up and the trigger speed for the Capture is 0.24 seconds! That sounds pretty fast to me!

Here is some good info on the Capture!

One thing I disagree with is the battery life! They claim it will get 1000 pics, but I am getting twice that with my three cameras and also with my dads two!

http://www.trailcampro.com/cuddebackcapture.aspx

oh yea, thats fast enough. I think Im missing alot with my slower trigger speed. I like the pic of the corn coming down

Trophy Cam all the way,

I have a 3 moultres out of four. I would like two buy some other cams. But the guys that hunt with me have cuddys have problems more then me. They take great pics but ive seen moisture in them and the flash went out on one in the first yr. Who makes one that will take a 6 volt and hook up to solar panel, thats what I want.

Well I finally made a decision and ordered the Cuddeback Capture IR Trail Cam via Amazon for $224. I'll let you know how my husband likes it after Christmas. Thanks for all the input you gave. It really helped to make a decision.

Im sure he'll like it fine!