Stealth Trail Camera GL30/GL50/GL80

vole-woman · #1 (**permalink**) 03-01-2010, 08:22 AM

Can anyone give me any help? My husband bought me an infra-red motion detector camera so I could film wildlife - I think it's the GL50 though the box is strangely coy on which exact model lives inside.

My first problem was that the camera just locked up and wouldn't work and had to be returned for a replacement, so I'm wondering whether it's not that good a model anyway.

But now I've got a new one I set it up last night and managed to get some images of a mouse, but they're too bleached out to see any detail at all.

The instructions are utterly useless - badly translated rubbish and giving no advice on anything bar the barest minimum. So I was wondering whether anyone here had used this type of camera and could give me any tips on getting the best out of it, most especially how to take off the dazzle so I can see some detail of the animal I'm filming.

I'd be ever so grateful!

The Woodman · #2 (**permalink**) 03-01-2010, 08:28 AM

Hi Vole woman

Your bleached image is caused by the subject being too near the infra red diodes hence over exposed. Set the camera up further away from the bait/run/hole.

The IR emitters are quite bright and of a low wavelength that Foxes and cats are sometimes scared from the bait when my unit fires up at night.

vole-woman · #3 (**permalink**) 03-01-2010, 08:44 AM

Thanks. How far away would you advise? It was about 2 1/2 feet away (the maximum the greenhouse floor would allow, unfortunately).

The Woodman · #4 (**permalink**) 03-01-2010, 05:46 PM

I use my StealthCam Prowlers usually at 10 - 15m from the target area, however, I've never used them for anything as small as mice though.

If you can gain distance that will be probably be your best bet otherwise reduce the glare of the IR diodes by covering with a thin sheet of red cellophane or similar. A transparent red sweet wrapper may do the trick - I'm thinking of Cadbury's Roses - that sort of wrapper. It may be trail and error I'm afraid unless someone comes up with another answer!

Good luck.

vole-woman · #5 (**permalink**) 03-01-2010, 08:00 PM

That's a great tip, thanks! I'm not putting it out tonight as it's too cold, but will try when the temp rises above freezing. Then I'll post my results. The woodmouse seems pretty cooperative.

While I'm here, can anyone recommend software I can download to edit the videos? I don't mind if it's not free, but it does have to be easy-to-use.

BillyPilgrim · #6 (**permalink**) 04-01-2010, 12:45 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by vole-woman

That's a great tip, thanks! I'm not putting it out tonight as it's too cold, but will try when the temp rises above freezing. Then I'll post my results. The woodmouse seems pretty cooperative.

While I'm here, can anyone recommend software I can download to edit the videos? I don't mind if it's not free, but it does have to be easy-to-use.

I've used Virtualdub for many years. Its free as well and very easy to use for basic editing.

VirtualDub | Get VirtualDub at SourceForge.net

ps. I had a Woodmouse visit a place where I used to sit at the rear of a hide. He loved peanuts!

vole-woman · #7 (**permalink**) 04-01-2010, 02:08 PM

Brilliant, thanks. And I love your mouse!

The Woodman · #8 (**permalink**) 08-01-2010, 07:33 AM

Don't worry about the temperature, vole-woman, I had my Stealth Cam out for the last two nights and look at the temperature recorded on each image. The date is not set correctly.

The camera lense cover, PIR and IR diode diplay were covered in frost and I didn't think the images would come out at all.

I hung a dead Mallard in my Sorbus and it took six minutes for the Fox to pull it off.

If you do use yours in very cold conditions, be wary of condensation when you bring it back into the house. I wrap mine in a towel and leave it for an hour to get to room temperature.

vole-woman · #9 (**permalink**) 08-01-2010, 09:40 AM

Thanks. I've got a sweet wrapper ready to cover the lights.

I'm anxious to see whether it does work because the company who supplied it refused to give me a refund, only an exchange, on the first version I had. So I'll try it tonight.

vole-woman · #10 (**permalink**) 12-01-2010, 07:21 AM

YouTube - half a minute of wood mouse

Ta daa! I know I've a lot of trial and error learning on how to get the best out of the camera, but I'm quite pleased with this. In the end I got the glare down by putting a single sheet of toilet paper over the bulbs!