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Hey guys...thinking about buying the kit that helps you build your own digital trail camera. I need all the help i can get on what kit and what digital camera. Any help is appreciated. thanks
Building TrailCams
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Trail Cams
Devin,
I have built just about every type of trail cam there is... You cannot go wrong with the sony cameras I would suggest a P41 or P32. you will need a shutter assembly for the camera hack. Its a flat ribbon cable design that slides under an existing ribbon cable within the camera to parallel the connections from within the camera to your electronics.
There are several good boards out there its just a matter of personal choice again I have used about all of them. I really like the Bg-1 board its got all the bells and whistles and is very simple to hook up to your camera.
You will also need a UV Lens 30 m.m. in size and a flash enhancer for the flash this will enhance the flash and give you greater distance versus just using glass over the flash itself.
You will need to install the camera in a case, I have used many here as well the Pelican 1040 and 1060 cases are nice but require a bit of grinding if you plan to mount it vertical, if horizontal you will be ok. another choice would be the Otter case in the 3250 series this would require no grinding for a vertical mount.
There are also is an Individual that makes a very nice custom molded flash gasket for these that seals flash bleed Its not 100% needed but it does help. if your creative you can seal it with many other materials as well.
I will attach some Pictures of some P 32 and P41 setups I have built so you can see what one will look like when built using these cameras.
Here is a P41 setup using a Sony P41 4.1 mega pixel camera, its built in a Pelican 1040 case and mounts to a tree vertical
P41 Game Camera in Pelican 1040 case
This next camera is a P32 sony setup in 3.2 mega pixel built in a pelican 1060 case, its a slightly bigger case and this setup uses the flash gasket i refered to
Sony P32 setup in pelican 1060 case
This set of Pictures show you some flash comparisons using a flash enhancer or not using one, I duggest suing them, it will give added range to your flash.
Flash enhancer with and without test pictures
These Pictures show some examples of Picture quality that can be expected from one of these Sony Built Game Cameras, This series of Pictures was taken over a Mock scrape I made, but will give you an idea of Picture quality
Pic sequence over Mock scrape showing pic quality of Sony Built systems
For materials to build these systems or questions and Help to build them Visit
www.HagsHouse.Com here you will find all the Info and help you need to build one of these systems for yourself
Hope this is a help to you or anyone else looking to build a Game Camera, these systems hands down are much better quality than what store bought units will offer you.
Dan "Obh"
Devin,
I have built just about every type of trail cam there is... You cannot go wrong with the sony cameras I would suggest a P41 or P32. you will need a shutter assembly for the camera hack. Its a flat ribbon cable design that slides under an existing ribbon cable within the camera to parallel the connections from within the camera to your electronics.
There are several good boards out there its just a matter of personal choice again I have used about all of them. I really like the Bg-1 board its got all the bells and whistles and is very simple to hook up to your camera.
You will also need a UV Lens 30 m.m. in size and a flash enhancer for the flash this will enhance the flash and give you greater distance versus just using glass over the flash itself.
You will need to install the camera in a case, I have used many here as well the Pelican 1040 and 1060 cases are nice but require a bit of grinding if you plan to mount it vertical, if horizontal you will be ok. another choice would be the Otter case in the 3250 series this would require no grinding for a vertical mount.
There are also is an Individual that makes a very nice custom molded flash gasket for these that seals flash bleed Its not 100% needed but it does help. if your creative you can seal it with many other materials as well.
I will attach some Pictures of some P 32 and P41 setups I have built so you can see what one will look like when built using these cameras.
Here is a P41 setup using a Sony P41 4.1 mega pixel camera, its built in a Pelican 1040 case and mounts to a tree vertical
P41 Game Camera in Pelican 1040 case
This next camera is a P32 sony setup in 3.2 mega pixel built in a pelican 1060 case, its a slightly bigger case and this setup uses the flash gasket i refered to
Sony P32 setup in pelican 1060 case
This set of Pictures show you some flash comparisons using a flash enhancer or not using one, I duggest suing them, it will give added range to your flash.
Flash enhancer with and without test pictures
These Pictures show some examples of Picture quality that can be expected from one of these Sony Built Game Cameras, This series of Pictures was taken over a Mock scrape I made, but will give you an idea of Picture quality
Pic sequence over Mock scrape showing pic quality of Sony Built systems
For materials to build these systems or questions and Help to build them Visit
www.HagsHouse.Com here you will find all the Info and help you need to build one of these systems for yourself
Hope this is a help to you or anyone else looking to build a Game Camera, these systems hands down are much better quality than what store bought units will offer you.
Dan "Obh"
i learned how to make my game camera at jesses http://www.jesseshunting.com/forums/index.php?showforum=50 lots of good info there and photos to look at of deer and other animals
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i was going to make one my self but buy the time i figure all the stuff i need and the work to do on it. it will be cheeper to buy one it still going to caost you around $70. unless you can get cameras very for nothing. i was going to used throw away cameras and that will only save $15. the digitals cameras have to warm up and they dont work as good in the cold weathers, so to get a good cameras it still coast $200 - $300 for cameras that dont have that problem. i said go to walmart and buy one
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Humm
Film is a thing of the past really when talking about game cameras. so not many people are building the 35 m.m.'s anymore. also your rite the benefit of savings is not that of what it is to build a digital.
As for costs in building a digital you need to compare apples, A sony P 41 setup 4.1 megapixel complete cam setup can be built for $250.00-275.00 and will give you no problems in I dont care what kind of weather your talking about if built correctly. I freezer test all my cams in the freezer at home for several days at minus 15 degrees and they will fire flawlessly. they will fire a picture in under 2 seconds
I can say these for the P32 setups as well as Oly 370 and 380 setups. all have worked fine in a broad range of weather conditions and climates. and on fast refresh will fire a picture in and around 1 second
2 of these can be built for the cost of one store bought unit. I have alot of cams I run and approuching 20 cams, 10 are free at this point. Plus the pride in building them yourself.
Nothing wrong with film cameras and cheap, those have there place, But when working these in far away hunting places, Its of great Importance to me to have longevity in battery life and a High 400 Plus picture count ability. I may only check them every 4-5 weeks, so battery life and high picture count is essential. Plus less disturbance to an area the better.
Its not for everyone and everyone has differant sittuations in what there looking for. If your looking for something comparibale to a CamTrakker or other top line cameras then you may want to consider building your own. If content with a Moultrie then this is not for you...
Dan
Film is a thing of the past really when talking about game cameras. so not many people are building the 35 m.m.'s anymore. also your rite the benefit of savings is not that of what it is to build a digital.
As for costs in building a digital you need to compare apples, A sony P 41 setup 4.1 megapixel complete cam setup can be built for $250.00-275.00 and will give you no problems in I dont care what kind of weather your talking about if built correctly. I freezer test all my cams in the freezer at home for several days at minus 15 degrees and they will fire flawlessly. they will fire a picture in under 2 seconds
I can say these for the P32 setups as well as Oly 370 and 380 setups. all have worked fine in a broad range of weather conditions and climates. and on fast refresh will fire a picture in and around 1 second
2 of these can be built for the cost of one store bought unit. I have alot of cams I run and approuching 20 cams, 10 are free at this point. Plus the pride in building them yourself.
Nothing wrong with film cameras and cheap, those have there place, But when working these in far away hunting places, Its of great Importance to me to have longevity in battery life and a High 400 Plus picture count ability. I may only check them every 4-5 weeks, so battery life and high picture count is essential. Plus less disturbance to an area the better.
Its not for everyone and everyone has differant sittuations in what there looking for. If your looking for something comparibale to a CamTrakker or other top line cameras then you may want to consider building your own. If content with a Moultrie then this is not for you...
Dan
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Once you check out this site you'll be hooked on building trail cams www.Hagshouse.com
Here is another link to Jesse's about game cams. ( I don't know if it is the same or different from the one posted above by Nemisis2 )
http://www.jesseshuntingpage.com/site/homebrew-cams.html
My first concern might be, depending on where you plan to use it, having a battery set up that won't be affected by cold temperatures.
http://www.jesseshuntingpage.com/site/homebrew-cams.html
My first concern might be, depending on where you plan to use it, having a battery set up that won't be affected by cold temperatures.
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I wouldn't be too concearned about the battery situation on the majority of the controlers used now or in the sonys so long as the Sony camera is using high MaH NiMH batteries. The cold will lower the life but not kill it.
I'd recommend you visit both sites. I'm biased since I'm an Admin at Hags, but most of the technical expertese seems to have migrated there.
I'd recommend you visit both sites. I'm biased since I'm an Admin at Hags, but most of the technical expertese seems to have migrated there.
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711 Posts
Culleng, like OBH said "A sony P 41 setup 4.1 megapixel complete cam setup can be built for $250.00-275.00"culleng said:
If you'd look at CamTrakker's unit that has the same camera Sony P41, for their unit it cost $799.99.
I can build 3 of them for the price of just 1 Camtrakker.
Just giving you an example so you know which is cheaper.
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You can definitely buy a "CHEAP" digital cheaper, but you can build the equivilant of a $700 cam unit for $300-$350, or less, and get basically unlimited tec support. If you want a cheapee, the Stealths, Leaf Rivers, Cuddebacks are out there. If you want quality in operation and pics, buy one of the upper line like Camtrakker, Trophy Hunters Digicam, or Penns Woods, or build one. Just my 2 cents.
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