Code Black - Long

[phade]

I've had the cam for about three weeks or so, and finally able to gather an impression.

First, I am convinced black flash (actual black flash within 2-3') is the only way to go from here on out in cams. The lack of avoidance was immediately clear - no tracks in the snow going around the cam (no loops, etc.). Although there was no mature buck on cam yet to see if they will do the same, not a single deer appears to look at the "flash" of the cam itself at night.

Black flash tends to have more motion blur than red IR, but the Code Black seems to be the best of what I have seen, save for the Reconyx line. I am more than happy with the level of blur in this cam. I'm going to be hard pressed to buy anything other than black flash from here on out. Daytime pic quality is unreal. Absolutely unreal - arguably the best commerical cam daytime pics I have ever seen.

The cam takes 12 AA batteries - and DLC suggests avoiding lithium due to overloading power preventing the MMS function from working. I am using Utilitech (Lowe's brand), which have proven themselves. I am looking into an external/solar option. I figure in the stock form, the batteries should get me 900-1,200 transmitted pics before the MMS function craps out - so likely looking at 2-3k pictures in that time (3 pic burst @ 1 min delay, with only the first pic being sent). The cam will still function long after in regular cam format once the MMS function does not have enough power to transmit. The Black 60 is the non-MMS version, and people have verified 20k photos on a single set of batteries. The power drain is obviously the MMS feature. Still, I find this to be greatly acceptable.

The 3-shot burst is fast - as in...WAY faster than anything on the market and competes with Reconyx. All three pics will be taken in around 1.5 seconds TOTAL. Some people say that is too fast. I think it is OK and no complaints from me. The cam is very sensitive on its sides - therefore, I may experiment with placing some electrical tape on the sensor sides, about 1/8 in. People have done that to the Black 60. I really haven't gotten enough empty first pic frames to worry me.

The transmitted pic is 640x480. I find that it is good enough to show detail on the go. Sometimes I see an empty pic, and a pull of the card shows it was a squirrel way out (50 feet) that you can only see by moving the pic series back and forth. This cam doesn't "miss" much sensing wise.

Video function is mediocre - it's akin to a regular Bushnell TC (non-hd). Nothing "wrong" with it per say, but just nothing to write home about. Really, if you are buying this cam, you are using it in pic mode since you cannot yet send the video files MMS. The 2013 DLC cams with HD are out of this world nice. Again, they opted not to include HD on the 2013 Code Black as it's not a useable function via MMS.

Reception - I am in a good cell coverage area. It is via At&t Go Phone. I pay $9.99 for 1k pics a month. $20 for unlimited. Without a feeder/mineral lick set up (for obvious reasons here in NY), the $9.99 a month option will cover you UNLESS you have multiple contacts to send it to. For me, I have both my phone and my email. That means 500 separate pics per month (each contact is 1 text). I did find out that if the phone is off, the text will not be delivered. It has happened to me 2x, so I use the email as a back up on my phone. I get 3-4 bars and I get pics within 90 seconds of it being taken. Most people report a 2 minute average, so I am on the better end of the spectrum. I do have an external antenna on the way, as I plan on tinkering with it to see if the transmission speed increases or when I move the cam to my lease or friend's ground.

It costs me about $20 in gas in one trip to a particular lease. If I can squeeze out 3 months of transmission on whatever power source I choose, then I simply won't go to the lease June through August unless I want to go there for other reasons. That's $60 right there if I go once a month, which is a big offset of the monthly fee. If I went every two weeks just in June-August, the monthly service for the ENTIRE year has been paid for in offset gas costs.

At one point, I was worried about it not transmitting pics, as I went about 30 hours of no pics being sent. It was miserable conditions out, right when we had that good snow and wind drifts. I trudged out there in the dark (sans flashlight of course) and got to the general area of the cam. I was trying to look around for it, when my phone went off. The darn cam sent me a pic of me, looking for the cam. I immediately turned around 180 degrees and there it was 15 feet away.

So, overall, it's going to be a great cam for me. DLC has a good service rep for the most part. I'm really looking into their Black Flash non MMS cams for 2013. I'm also looking at a second Code Black.

Edited January 20, 2013 by phade

[sampotter]

Interesting. What does the camera cost?

[phade]

Retails at $360. If you are thrifty, you can find clearance sites for mid-to-high 200's.

[Doewhacker]

That is so cool, pricey but cool. This would be great for us as or best spots are all over an hour from home. Great for guys with security issues at camps too.

[phade]

This cam will offset the fost in gas savings. Also the cam is useful when in funnels, as daylight activity picks up, i know and can move on it.

[wooly]

Also the cam is useful when in funnels, as daylight activity picks up, i know and can move on it.

No offence phade, but that almost doesn't seem fair to me.

If a camera is texting a hunter when the deer are moving in a certain area, maybe technology has gone too far as far as fair chase goes.

Reminds me of some fly in hunts that prohibit hunting within 24hrs of the flight in. I feel these will promote this same unfair advantage of being ahead of the game.

[Doewhacker]

No offence phade, but that almost doesn't seem fair to me.

If a camera is texting a hunter when the deer are moving in a certain area, maybe technology has gone too far as far as fair chase goes.

Reminds me of some fly in hunts that prohibit hunting within 24hrs of the flight in. I feel these will promote this same unfair advantage of being ahead of the game.

I see your point but is it that much different from a regular cam that stamps the date time temp ect in the pic?

[Doewhacker]

Might I add I just got my first ever cam this past Xmas so I am probably the last guy to weigh in on anything trail cam related. Lol

[wooly]

I see your point but is it that much different from a regular cam that stamps the date time temp ect in the pic?

My cameras don't call me when they see a deer and tell me how big he is,lol

I have no problem exploiting patterns that trail cams reveal from one day to the next.

I just don't like the idea of them calling hunters to tell them there are deer here NOW!

Know what I mean?

[fasteddie]

Great pics !

[phade]

No offence phade, but that almost doesn't seem fair to me.

If a camera is texting a hunter when the deer are moving in a certain area, maybe technology has gone too far as far as fair chase goes.

Reminds me of some fly in hunts that prohibit hunting within 24hrs of the flight in. I feel these will promote this same unfair advantage of being ahead of the game.

I agree that it can be a game changer in theory, but I can gurantee you that it won't be the difference maker between killing a mature buck and not killing a mature buck. It tells me when the chasing and daylight activity increases to make my decision. The only difference to me is stepping foot within the confines of the camera. Going by that rationale, the game camera is within the same confines - it confirms an animal is there or isn't in the area and the only thing the hunter did was plop the cam on a tree. Why not scout the old fashioned way?

I believe Montana or Wyoming has made it illegal to use in-season. I support the premise of nomadic/ranging (elk, caribou, maybe moose/bear) animals shouldn't be subjected to that practice, but a whitetail is not an animal that fits into that style. That buck could be gone within minutes and never make it back there again. The elk, bear, moose, on a fly-in is seen and can be relied upon to be within a certain area that can be glassed, shot, or moved upon stalking.

I share your concern, but ultimately, it's not going to be the difference maker for me.

[erussell]

I wish they made them that called you and said there was a tresspasser there now.

[Paula]

I wish they made them that called you and said there was a tresspasser there now.

or just go off like a siren, TRESPASSER TRESPASSER, YOUR A TRESPASSER

[erussell]

or just go off like a siren, TRESPASSER TRESPASSER, YOUR A TRESPASSER

That would be funny!!! Kind of like a car alarm.

[fasteddie]

I saw a Primos Black Cam at the Macedon WalMart today . It was marked down to $99 . Don't know which model it was ........

[phade]

I saw a Primos Black Cam at the Macedon WalMart today . It was marked down to $99 . Don't know which model it was ........

Original Cam Body, takes D, and is the CR model. CR = close range = 25 ft max = pass. Lots of blur.

[wooly]

I saw a Primos Black Cam at the Macedon WalMart today . It was marked down to $99 . Don't know which model it was ........

Eddie, I returned a Blackout 60 to Primos a couple months ago because it was draining batteries overnight.

They sent me a brand new replacement and the red IR filter wouldn't flip positions from daylight to dark.

I ended up pulling the filter off, which in turn gets me quality night time IR pics, but heavily red tinted daylight pics. With the filter in place, I'd get good daylight pics and completely black shots at night. I'm sure they'll replace it AGAIN, but I'm holding off as long as there's still a few bucks left with antlers.

I agree with what phade says about the black flash drawing ZERO attention to the cam. I've been running it in video mode for a while now, so you get to see their reaction, or lack there of in the blackouts case. They do take super nice, high quality pics and vids when they're opperating propperly, but I'm getting a little frustrated having my cam spend more time in the back of a Fed Ex truck than strapped to a tree. I know there's lemons with any cams, just kinda sucks having gotten two of them in a row from the same company... $99 is a good price though if ya get the chance to snatch that one up. They're pretty good about returns should it malfunction.

[Sogaard]

Question: what sort of plan do you need to get to hook the camera up to cellular service? Is it just regular voice plan, or do you need to pay for the equivalent of another smart-phone data plan?

[phade]

That info is in the original post. Att plan via go phone.

[phade]

The 99 cam is not a good deal at all. Its a cr model. Thats essentially the primos 35 old style with weak blacklight power. It is marketed as 30 feet and people at best get 25. A whole host of other issues.

If i were trying to cheap out as much as possible and get a black flash, id buy a refurb original blackout from natchez for 109 or two for 99 each. But really, no sense as the primos blackout cams are mediocre performera. Better to save the cash or spend 170 or so on a black 60 on clearance. Only other decent bf is the bushell but really it only performs great in video. Pics are very subpar to the black 60. The 13 black 60 is feature rich...if it is reliable thats a smoking cam. But, cost is up there. Better off dealing with a clearance 12.

[phade]

Wooly, when you have battery issues like that, turn the cam on in a closet and let it sit for 5 min. Then take one of your digital point and shoot cams and turn that baby on. Walk into ths room and have the cam pointed at the array. You will see the array fire on the screen of the digital camera. Chances are the array is sticking on after it fires the first time, killing batteries.

[wooly]

Wooly, when you have battery issues like that, turn the cam on in a closet and let it sit for 5 min. Then take one of your digital point and shoot cams and turn that baby on. Walk into ths room and have the cam pointed at the array. You will see the array fire on the screen of the digital camera. Chances are the array is sticking on after it fires the first time, killing batteries.

That would make sence. I'll bet you're right.

Even knowing that though, I'd still have to return it for repair or replacement.

Good tip though for someone trying to trouble shoot one of these units!

[SplitG2]

I wanted to wait till more reviews were out on this cam. After, reading many, I'm pulling the trigger on two covert code black cams. I currently have two MP6 cams and like them.

[Sogaard]

That info is in the original post. Att plan via go phone.

Whoa, how did I miss that on the first read? Thanks

[phade]

I wanted to wait till more reviews were out on this cam. After, reading many, I'm pulling the trigger on two covert code black cams. I currently have two MP6 cams and like them.

fifieldseednfeed.com

or wingsupply with the thanks10 code for discount...cheapest places I know if right now.

The 13 CB have SMS functions where you can control some features via text. While I find it pretty neat, I haven't been able to justify it over the cost savings of the 12 model.

Edited January 25, 2013 by phade