Trail Camera life expectancy?

[Olphart]

I've had Wildgame, Bushnell, Primos, Browning, and now I'm trying Moultrie. The Browning is still working okay but the nighttime pics have been grainy and black and white since day 1. The daytime pics are great and I've had it about 1.5 years.

I just had two Primos 46's go crazy and die. One was about 2 years old and the other less than a year. They started taking pics every 10 seconds to 2 minutes of nothing and ate the batteries, then wouldn't start up with new.

I replaced the Primos with some new 2015 A-5 Moultrie cameras, since they use AA batteries and the cameras have a 2 year warranty (1 with Moultrie and 1 with the seller).

Is there a camera out there that doesn't have to be replaced every 1-2 years, gets excellent battery life, and gives great 24/7 pics?

[systemnt]

Got 7 yearold moultries left out year round in S.tX still kicking...
that said.. i also have a wildview (not a WGI) flash camera that still works

[Puncher51]

I have 5 moultries that have been out for 4-5 years now. Batteries will last 4-5 months at 1000 pictures a month. Nighttime pics aren't the best with the older model IR's, but they do what I need them too.

[jerp]

I feel your frustration. I will do all kinds of research and settle on one brand or another but it is still like buying a scratch-off lottery ticket. We have some old, cheapo, bottom of the line Moultries that have been working for years, and some more expensive cameras that conked out within weeks. Other times, paying up for the good ones has paid off and they are reliable. I can't figure it out other than there must be very spotty quality control at the factories. I now just buy one, hang on to my receipt and hope to get lucky...

[RackstackerG5]

I went straight moultrie and cuddeback after running a 3-4 WGIs and having them give out after a year and a half. Either they would quit working all together or suck the life out of batteries in a few days. My Moultrie cameras have been good but I am pretty sold on the newest models of the Cuddeback cameras for a few reasons. Reasons being, Battery life, and picture quality. I have had two of them out for over a year and only changed out the batteries once. The quality is 20 MP and trigger times are fast enough for what I use them for. @ $150 a pop they are priced right there with moultrie and in my eyes a better camera. Just my 2 cents

[JeffJ]

Cuddebacks. Have three of them and they go all year. Probably average 9-10k pictures a year on each.

[Pineywoods]

FIL had same exact thing happen to his Primos after a very short time. I've had my Spypoint for over 6 yrs and it's still working great. Me and a buddy both bought wild game innovations razor 8 in 2014...both worked great for a season then started not wanting to turn on. One crapped out completely this August and the other did the same exact thing in September. Seems like I would have learned my lesson with their junk. I'll be buying another Spypoint I guess..

[Traxx]

I have had scout guard, moultre and now cuddiebac. The moultre only lasted a year the scout guard got waterlogged last week and had grainy night pics and the cuddiebacs are only a few months old.

[reddogdan]

I have an old Moultrie I80 that's 10 years old. Every couple of years I replace the led screen. Still working. Just picked up a new moultrie

[lmartin5]

I think you experience extremes going both way. In my experience (owning Cuddeback, Moultrie, and Browning), the average life expectancy of a camera is two full hunting seasons.

At both ends of done spectrum, both Moultrie cameras lasted less than one full season, and we are in our third season with the Browning cameras.

[Jamesl]

I have 6 Moultrie 880i's and they have been working well. I have about 3 of the old primos 46 that are still working. Once they crap out, I will replace with Moultrie's.

[macoop]

The short answer is that there isn't a trail camera made that is worth a crap. Between the various brands that I have owned and the people that I know that have owned the other brands, they all have issues.

[Ten Ring]

I have a 5 or 6 year old Moultrie. Bought it probably the first year they started making them run off AA batteries. Works great.

[AndyTX]

I have an old Moultrie I80 that's 10 years old. Every couple of years I replace the led screen. Still working. Just picked up a new moultrie

Can you still get the LCD screens? I have one that I replaced once, and has gone out on me again.

[gmac]

The Moultrie M80s from four or five years ago were the best ever IMO. The ran on batteries for long periods of time and took great pictures. I lost one to flood water in April, my brother still has three running. They run year round. I have one of the new Moultrie 880 gen 2s. Takes great daytime pictures but I cannot get the flash to work at night.

As far as new cameras the Browning Strike Force are the closest I have found. I have 7 running now. Two of them are over a year old now and still performing great.