Bushnell trophy cam or Prostalk 5mp

Santa · #1 (**permalink**) 11-03-2011, 06:40 AM

I'm looking at getting a trail camera for a school project for about the £200 mark and am trying to choose between the Bushnell trophy cam 2010 edition from a UK supplier or the Prostalk from Handykam. The camera would be set up in a woodland area to hopefully capture otters, badgers, foxes. We would want to take both day and night stills and also night video clips. Reliability and ease of use are key concerns too. Can anyone offer any advice on this?

Words · #2 (**permalink**) 13-03-2011, 12:00 PM

I don't know the Prostalk product but I'm using the Bushnell Trophy cam. It's easy to set up and use, battery life is adequate if you use disposable lithiums. Image quality is certainly ok. The strap that comes with it apparently has a fairly weak buckle, but as I didn't receive the buckle I can't be sure! I'm using an old strap from another cam.

There's a sample night clip here.

Santa · #3 (**permalink**) 15-03-2011, 08:10 AM

Thanks for your response. Your film is certainly good and it is reassuring to see that these cameras work well for mammals of the size we will be looking for. Is yours a 2009 or 2010 Trophy Cam? I ask as from reading various US review sites and forums it appears that the 2009 model is excellent and the 2010 model has many issues. By contrast I can find no comment on the Prostalk 5MP camera anywhere (and the 2MP version seems to have a slow trigger speed) so I cannot tell whether it is "better" than the Bushnell.

Also can you timestamp video?

Words · #4 (**permalink**) 15-03-2011, 06:27 PM

I assume mine is a 2010 model. I've had it a couple of months and had to wait for stock to come in, so I know it wasn't sitting on a shelf. You can't time stamp video (which is a pain), but you can time stamp stills. I find it easy to use... bit expensive on batteries especially during the cold weather, but other than that it's been fine so far.

Santa · #5 (**permalink**) 17-03-2011, 10:03 PM

Thanks again. When video files are written to the SD card is the date and time of their creation saved as one of the file properties (similar to when you save files on a pc)? This may be an OK alternative for us to having the videos actually timestamped.

Words · #6 (**permalink**) 17-03-2011, 10:05 PM

Yes, the files have 'date created' in advanced properties, so you do know when the clip was made.

davecatt · #7 (**permalink**) 18-03-2011, 02:37 AM

Hi Santa: Good luck on your project.
Have you identified suitable sites per spp? and do you have secure areas planned for positioning the camera?

If you need any advice or suggestions please keep in touch.
Dave

Santa · #8 (**permalink**) 18-03-2011, 07:47 AM

I'm sorry but I don't recognise the acronym SPP - obviously a newbie to this game! But yes hopefully we have soem areas of interest as we appear to have one location where otter spraint has been found on more than one occasion and we have a bees nest that appears to be being raided by something too. The area is woodland, I guess it will be down to trial and error but is there an optimum distance from the target?

As for security I would be setting up the camera in a fenced off and locked part of the school grounds so hopefully it will not be chanced upon by anyone (unless they were up to no good I guess!)

The Woodman · #9 (**permalink**) 18-03-2011, 07:53 AM

Hi Santa

I think davecatt is using the plural shortcut spp for species, the singular sp for specie.

wildlifewalks · #10 (**permalink**) 08-05-2011, 10:32 PM

@ Santa
I've had both the Bushnell Trophy Cam 2009 'cn119435' (got nicked by the 'hunting fraternity' from a Badger Sett) and now use the updated 2010 'cn119435' firmware version EK113 and much security equipment attached. Lovin' a python cord, chains, metal box, and padlocks!

The Bushnell Trophy 2010 version is, imho, way ahead of all the rest.
Dead easy to setup. Only proviso is that you'll need to read the instructions sent with it and then spend a day/night or two trying out the IR sensitivity modes to see what happens and apply them in prevailing circumstances for your needs. That prevents 'runaways'. If you've seen numpty USofA hunters moaning on various web forums about that? Then you know they haven't bothered to read the instructions first.

I use rechargeable batteries in mine to shoot 15 second night time vids (in the mainl). It can easily be left in the field for weeks on end without running out of battery power. I recommend you purchase a 16Gb SD card as the result

I've had substantial contact with Bushnell UK returns and repairs dept (only to seek their advice on firmware upgrades for the stolen 2009 model and subsequent advice on security items for the 2010 one). They're very very good indeed. Which is nice to know cos if you have any issues they'll happily solve them.

Hope that helps.

Hasten to add that I live in France and have absolutely no connection with Bushnell other than being someone who bought one of their cameras - and then replaced it with another through unfortunate circumstances.