Plot watcher

[cecil30-30]

Anybody got one? I've been seeing them advertised and never checked them out,i just looked at their website,it looks pretty cool.Be able to set it up and watch the area all day and not have to physically be there,talk about wanting to be in 2 places at 1 time.I usually get a little bit income tax back,I think i might order me one..

 

[TheLBLman]

Cecil,

Doubt you'll like it as much as the advertising suggests. Check out the reviews at www.chasingame.com/index.php?id=153

Sounds like if you use it as suggested in the advertising, you can expect fresh batteries to last only 4 or 5 days. Image quality is something like 1.3 mp, compared with 3.0 to 5.0 for most trail cams being sold now.

Seems to me if a deer were close enough for you tell much about it with a 1.3 mp image, it's probably close enough to trigger most regular trail cams.

But if they later come out with much better image quality and much longer battery life, might be interested.

 

[BSK]

In my opinion, the Plot Watcher time-lapse cameras are good for one thing in particular--monitoring a large area (such as a big food plot or field) to help in identifying deer movement patterns across the area during daylight. With a regular trail-camera, a deer has to be close enough to trigger the motion sensor of the camera. That can be difficult over a wide area. The time-lapse systems have no motion trigger. They just take pictures at set time intervals.

However, they do have their downsides:

1) They only take daytime pictures.

2) Low image resolution. Deer in the distance will not be identifiable as unique deer (you won't be able to see rack details).

3) Very short battery life (no more than a week).

4) To get the best information, pictures will need to be taken frequently, hence you will be faced with assessing thousands upon thousands of digital images. One user I talked to said he collect 14,000 images in a week. That's a lot of pictures to go through.

 

[TheLBLman]

However, they do have their downsides:

1) They only take daytime pictures.

According to chasingame, they even missed the best parts of the day, i.e. they typically didn't work much during that magic time between daybreak and dawn, or between sunset and dark.

 

[cecil30-30]

THe plotwatcher takes 1 pic every 5 secs.Im gonna have to think on this one.As it stands right now,it would definatly be an impulse buy,and im bad for that,if I just give myself a few days to ponder it,i usually don't want it,plus im wanting an eotech for my AR pretty bad.

 

[J.M.A.N.]

You should consider the Ltl Acorn Trail Camera. It also has a time lapse mode built into it so you are getting a two-fer. Using Tenergy rechargeables (only 4) I was able to get over 7200 pictures utilizing the time lapse mode. It will also do time lapse at night but the limitations are the flash.

From what I understand, this will be a standard feature on many of the 2011 cameras making the Plotwatcher obsolete.

 

[TheLBLman]

I suspect if you'll wait a few months, there will be a "version 2.0" come out with better image quality and longer battery life.

Actually, some trail cams have offered this same feature (and with 3.0 and higher image quality) for years. Really, not much new here, other than better marketing of the concept.

From what I understand, this will be a standard feature on many of the 2011 cameras making the Plotwatcher obsolete.

EXACTLY.
I thought the Plotwatcher was obsolete the day it came to market, i.e. 1.3 mp images and short battery life.

 

[BSK]

Dang, a picture every 5 seconds would fill a memory card up fast! Battery life would always outlast the memory card capacity with it set on 5 seconds.

Again, one tester got over 14,000 images in a week. That's a lot of pictures to go through.

 

[archer19]

Dang, a picture every 5 seconds would fill a memory card up fast! Battery life would always outlast the memory card capacity with it set on 5 seconds.

Again, one tester got over 14,000 images in a week. That's a lot of pictures to go through.

I got a Plantcam at Home Depot for around $70.00 bucks, pretty good resolution, Had a tech buddy set me up with software to download and create a video. Works pretty well, can scan thousands of frames in 10 minutes or so. Stop and pic out individual frames for still pics. Not bad for 70, can atleast see if deer are using the area instead of sitting for a couple days in the stand.

 

[BSK]

...can atleast see if deer are using the area instead of sitting for a couple days in the stand.

For that purpose, time-lapse cams have real merit.

 

[185PY]

I found a camera that operates on time lapse and seems to work just as well for only $60.

Of course I haven't owned the PW so I can't say for sure but for that price its great.

I am interested in a camera like this. would you reveal what brand and model of camera this is?

 

[185PY]

Thanks