With facts and myths getting messed up, it is helpful to figure out which one is true or not. Check out the most typical myths about trail and gaming cameras and the facts behind them.
More megapixels equate to higher quality of pictures.
This is by far, the most common misconception of first time gaming or trail camera buyers. As for trail or gaming cameras, megapixel ratings are interpolated. Interpolation is a process wherein the native resolution of an imaging device is enhanced.
This is done with the help of software to produce the image in a higher resolution. Megapixels serve as tiny dots that make up the image. Therefore, the more dots that compose the image, the more you can zoom into the photos for a closer look at details. Considering this, you can also see the picture clearer.
One disadvantageous trick in some cameras is that they merely split a pixel into 4-16 pixels which do not produce a brighter image. This means that you cannot always guarantee that an 8-megapixel camera will provide a high-quality image or video.
It depends on how that 8-megapixel photograph is produced—through pixel splitting or creation and focus on a megapixel. So, don’t let yourselves be fooled by such promising numbers and features. It might as well be some trap which will give you poor quality images.
To make sure that a camera takes good pictures is to examine sample pictures using that particular camera. These are accessible through a couple of gaming camera review websites or the actual trail camera shops.
Ask some online users if you can have a copy of the trail camera which you are interested in if you want to. This option is also useful for those who reside too distant from the physical trail camera shops and for those who do not have time to visit one.
So far, most gaming cameras on the market have 3.0 or 3.1 megapixels. Each has their different range, and some of them are adjustable in megapixels. You can decrease to a particular minimum level or the maximum when taking photos.
All Infrared Gaming Cameras are of the same kind.
Not all infrared gaming cameras are similar. One of their main distinguishing and exclusive features is the light it emits. Infrared gaming cameras have two kinds. Each of these kinds has their exclusive functions which will work well under different conditions.
Also, each is entitled to his or her advantages and disadvantages. The first kind is the No Glow Trail Camera, and the other one is the Red Glow Trail Cameras.
No Glow Trail Cameras do not produce a light that the human eye can see, particularly at night. Given this feature, you can be secured that the camera will not be easily stolen, as it blends with the dark. This feature will also make it seem as if the camera is not present in the dark, which is suitable for surveillance functions.
Meanwhile, Red Glow Game Cameras give off a faint red glow through its IR emitters when capturing photos or videos at night. Considering the light it emits, these kinds of cameras produce clearer images that are captured at night. This feature also allows the user to identify species better that it captures. On top of that, Red Glow Trail cameras are by far more affordable than No Glow Cameras.
Given these qualities of the different cameras, they also have some cons which are essential to consider. For the No Glow Trail Camera, the risk is that they are not easily seen. While this may be an advantage, this is also a disadvantage. These are not easily seen but are also prone to getting unintentionally damaged.
These cameras might get hit or destroyed since there are no evident signs to represent the camera in the dark. Another disadvantage of this kind of camera is the quality of the image outcome. Since there is no light emitted, the quality of the night image is not as bright as the one produced by the other kind.
As for the Red Glow Camera, the disadvantage also lies in it being readily visible. Animals might react unnaturally and might even destroy the camera upon seeing the red light it emits. Humans can also be destroyers and even stealers of the trail camera.
Alkaline Batteries (or any battery) work well with Trail Cameras.
While alkaline batteries are the most affordable and easy-to-find, it does not work well with trail cameras. When you take photos with alkaline-battery-powered trail cameras, its voltage level, and capacity decreases.
This means that every time you take pictures, the power decreases which lead to a gradual decline in the brightness of the flash. Cold temperatures, particularly those experienced in Fall and Winter also contribute to this decline. Given the temperature, the lifespan of the battery also decreases at a faster rate.
On top of the flash illumination, the overall lifespan of the camera itself also declines with the use of alkaline batteries. The inappropriate use of alkaline batteries damages not just the battery but the camera itself as well. Its performance in taking pictures are also at risk of being It makes the camera use up lesser and insufficient power from alkaline batteries.
Keep in mind that mismatch of a battery not only causes a decline of trail camera performance. It can also cause bigger harm such as overheating, bloating and worst case, fires. So, better off, don’t use the batteries which you know is not compatible.
For optimum results, don’t use alkaline batteries. Use the prescribed battery for the trail camera. Most of the time, trail cameras use lithium batteries as well as Nickel Metal Hydride rechargeable batteries. These are the most common and safest types of batteries used with trail cameras.
To find out which one is the best for your trail camera, have a consultation with personnel. Talk to a representative from the manufacturing company and ask him or her the trail camera’s compatible battery type. Also, you can consult the manual or user’s guide to avoid troubles in battery matching.
Game Cameras are complicated kinds of gadgets.
This misconception is common not only in trail cameras but also in other gadgets. This is not true. From setting up to operating the camera itself, it does not take a genius to work it out—a total no-brainer task. You can even set it up within just a matter of seconds.
The entire process is promisingly more accessible, even for a beginner in using trail cameras. Its mechanisms are simple and function as efficiently as smartphones. Also if the process involves mounting the trail camera in a tree or a post, you are sure to have the process done smoothly and efficiently.
Despite the slight differences in set-up and buttons and others, most cameras function similarly. They all have the same buttons, just differently placed and given different symbols.
All of them employ a simple kind of set-up, buttons, and function. YouTube guide videos are also helpful for fearful first-time trial camera users. On top of that, the cameras also come with manuals and user guides to help you out in times of confusion.
Trail Camera Pictures can be Viewed in Regular Digital Cameras
This myth hardly works out for many users. Regular digital cameras are one of those cameras you use for family or group photos. While there might be some truth to it, these cameras will not let you view images captured from trail cameras.
When an SD card from a trail camera is inserted in a regular digital camera, the tendency is that the latter will “lock” the SD card from the trail camera. This “lock” instance will make all your hard-worked photos into thin air as you will no longer be able to access those.
The trick here is not to make your lives any more complicated. Secure your captured and hard-worked photographs and videos by not doing anything to harm the heart of it—the SD card. The most convenient way to view your images and videos captured is to see it on your laptop or PC.
Just plug the SD card into the allotted slot, and you are good to go. Also, there are other options to work it outputting the regular digital cameras aside. You can try to use adapters which can allow you to view images through your smartphone. Aside from that, you can also see photos from an internal view or portable trail camera viewer.
These internal viewers are those small screens which you can find underneath a “lid” of your camera. Just check out the features of your camera and see if the internal camera is available. If there’s none, then take the other option which is viewing it on a personal computer. It all boils down to one point: see your photos and videos using the medium which is compatible and secure.
PPI and DPI are the same.
Despite these terms getting used interchangeably even by experts, they still have their different definitions. Both units are used to define the resolution of the camera. The difference lies in the area or medium from which an image is viewed.
PPI stands for Pixels per Inch, which also called the pixel density. It defines the resolution of the digital image. On the other hand, DPI stands for Dots Per Inch, which is the print resolution of the image. This means that the DPI is the print quality of the image.
When purchasing trail cameras, you need not get lost as you can already find out the PPI of your desired unit. You can access it either on the official website or online reviews. As for the DPI, you will have to work in out on your printing domains.
In other words, the pixels per inch determine the quality of the photo while on screen. The dots per inch assess the quality of a picture in its printed form. In buying a trail camera, or any other camera for that matter, watch out for the PPI. In printing matters, be mindful of the DPI.
It is a matter of brands and labels.
When buying your trail cameras for the first time, you just can’t help but be brand conscious. Whether it is because of peer influence or review, it is normal for you to have a preference.
Though it is true that some brands are consistent with the quality of their trail camera, it does not always work that way. Still consider the fact that different brands have different kinds of trail cameras, each having various features.
Trail and gaming camera reviews are always up online, which you can use as your guides in choosing the right trail camera for you. Some of these reviews also provide you with the quick scan of the features that your desired camera contains. You may also see sample photos taken with that camera in those sites.
You may directly ask or contact the manufacturer whose contact details may be seen on their official website. There are also online discussions where you can interact with the other users of the camera which you wish to buy. You can ask questions, clarifications, and other matters which can be useful if you want faster, lesser biased answers.
Better yet, and the most recommendable way to figure this out is through trying the products out in the physical stores near you. This way, you can immediately get responses from a representative and work your way out for any difficulties. This way, you can also instantly detect and address trail camera defects which you may find upon testing it.