FS: Cheap Blackflash Game Camera

[phade]

I have a cheap, but good value blackflash camera. It is relatively new to the market, called the Scoutguard 520. It is tiny! I already have a few of these and this particular camera was tested in my back yard for two nights. Otherwise it is brand new. It is a great cam for someone not looking to spend a lot of money, but would like a serviceable blackflash camera. Will sell for $70 shipped.

 

Here is the review for it from my pursuitoutdoors.com website (pics are on that site, too for reference):

 

Scoutguard 520 (SG520) - Initial Findings

 

This is BMC's latest offering for 2016 to compete in the "entry" level price-point.The MSRP is $79.99. It is a "blackflash" camera with 940nm illuminators. In fact, it only has four...four. That's a big variation from the number of illuminators seen on most cameras today; however, light output has been solid out to 30 feet and starts to get challenging at 40. For the pricepoint and blackflash, this is acceptable performance.

It is a 12MP camera, with 5MP being the native resolution. It also offers 720p HD videos. The day pictures reflect other BMC cameras with usable picture clarity - you won't win any photography competitions - but they are servicable. Night pictures show surprising clarity with minimal burn on close-up images. Light at the edges of the frame can be better; however, many cameras of higher pricepoints battle this challenge, too. Videos are usable, but are not a strength of the camera.

 

The camera doesn't seem to miss much if any action, the sensor is matched well with its sensing area and trigger speed of 1 second. If anything, the camera can be too sensitive during daytime, as each day tends to have a few false triggers, more when hot, windy days occur. Still, it is not excessive.

 

The camera has delay settings as low as 10  seconds for triggering. With this being the lowest delay, it is not competitive in this category with the more expensive cameras on the market; however, it is comparative to others in the price range. Battery life has been acceptable, even moreso when considering that it only takes four AA batteries. You should expect several thousand photos on a set of alkaline before needing to swap them out.

 

The camera body is well designed, with a viewing screen on the front to select settings and review images. The screen is small and will not give alot of detail, but it can be used to check the camera picture frame when setting it to ensure you are not cutting off heads of deer by mounting too low. The camera buttons are all on the outside, preventing the need to open the camera to check pictures or change settings. This is a fantastic design because it prevents rain from getting into the camera when it is being "checked" during humid or rainy weather. It has a tripod mount on the back to use screw-in mounts and avoid the telltale strap. Overall, this camera is the smallest on the market. It is solid green, but hides well due to its size. It is smaller than the palm of a adult man.

 

In closing, this camera is initially showing potential to be one of the best budget cams on the market in a very long time. It is perfect for high risk areas or public land. It hides well, triggers reliably, and is blackflash. There isn't anything like it on the market right now. While it won't "Wow" a trail camera enthusiast, the value for the dollar spent is immense. This rates as a buy.

Edited June 15, 2016 by phade

[phade]

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