RAPTOR WIRELESS DATA PLAN CAMERA TEST COMPLETED

Ghostman · **Joined:** Tue Aug 23, 2011 9:23 pm **Posts:** 1557

As your know I was testing a Raptor field camera the last few days. The test has been completed very quickly due to shortfalls of its operation.
Here's my findings in brief:

1. Camera IR and lense were off center when recieved.
2. Cameras IR's were reflecting back in the lense creating the white circles in the night pics.
3. 12v SLA battery was below working voltage in just a few days and after less than 30 pics.
4. Solar panel is a must for unattended operation or extended periods of time.
5. COTA or command over the air requests took to long to obtain the sent results.
6. Trigger time lower than 1.5 sec created frosty vegetation appearance and color was absent in day pics.
7. A cut filter is needed to retain true colors in pics and keep a short trigger time setting.
8. Red flash IR's had great illumination but detail in pics was not good.
9. PIR triggering was excellent even at 60' from target (manual adjustment only).
10. Camera lense was not high quality for the price tag on the unit.
11. Did not send every picture, did a suprise walk up and waved arms well past the trigger time and delay and no pic sent.
12. Unit is not concealed easily as its in a large Pelican case.
13. Can only be secured to an object by pedestal or tripod mount / eyebolts on sides for Python cable security.
14. Software was pretty easy to use and detailed if your somewhat tech savy.
15. Carries a high price tag that doesn't seem to match the features and benefits or functionality of the unit.
16. Must obtain a transferum FPT account to utilize the COTA features listed. Cheaply priced but another expense.

These are some of the things I found in just a few days testing the camera and might not be in a deeper detail if it was tested for a month or so lets say. The items I found were ones that automaticaly deterred me from making the purchase of the unit so there was no need to test it any further.

The customer service at Pix Controller was excellent. The test unit was expedited quickly even when a big project was at hand. The unit I received was 2 years old and been everywhere as a demo unit. I believe the shipping settlement caused the lense and IR's to be off center. I was offered another unit or repair of this one to continue the testing but, I elected not to.

This unit might be fine for security survellance more than as a hunting camera. I still think that the pictures of said objects at a distance of 30' or more would be difficult to use in a prosecution case if needed because of picture quality or pixilation when magnified. It reminded me of covienence store photos of who robbed the place and the pictures are always lowgrade or distorted. I believe if some of the issues I listed were targeted and corrected it would serve our purposes greatly.

I can't phathom the $1000.00 price tag it carries when I have $150.00 store bought cheapies that take as good or better pictures than the Raptor. This is my findings on this camera from Pix Controller and are unbiased in all accounts.

Hope this helps you all out.

"GHOSTMAN"

phoneguy44 · **Posted:** Tue Dec 20, 2011 2:01 pm

You dont think with that many complaints you have there you might have just got a bad cam ?

NantucketShedHunter · **Posted:** Tue Dec 20, 2011 6:14 pm

Earlier tonite I dug a hole and put a coffee mug full of molasses in it at the bait station. Now I'm getting tons of pictures from my Little Acorn MMS sent to me.
:mrgreen:

Ghostman · **Joined:** Tue Aug 23, 2011 9:23 pm **Posts:** 1557

NantucketShedHunter wrote:

Earlier tonite I dug a hole and put a coffee mug full of molasses in it at the bait station. Now I'm getting tons of pictures from my Little Acorn MMS sent to me.
:mrgreen:

I don't know how that relates to the Raptor test but, ok.

"GHOSTMAN"

NantucketShedHunter · **Posted:** Tue Dec 20, 2011 6:42 pm

I was just rubbing it in. I'll shut up now.

Ghostman · **Joined:** Tue Aug 23, 2011 9:23 pm **Posts:** 1557

phoneguy44 wrote:

You dont think with that many complaints you have there you might have just got a bad cam ?

Some may have been from shipping and others may not be. I was assured nothing was wrong with the cam from Pix Controller as it was tested prior to shipping out.

It is what it is or so I found out in a short period of time.

Call'm and test one yourself and see if it makes the grade.

"GHOSTMAN"

Chachoze · **Posted:** Tue Dec 20, 2011 8:37 pm

So this was a demo unit? Did you have to provide the sim card and data plan to test the wireless features then or was that part of the demo unit as well? I assume it is the former.

How long of a trial period do they allow you?

Ghostman · **Joined:** Tue Aug 23, 2011 9:23 pm **Posts:** 1557

Chachoze wrote:

So this was a demo unit? Did you have to provide the sim card and data plan to test the wireless features then or was that part of the demo unit as well? I assume it is the former.

How long of a trial period do they allow you?

Its a data plan SIM from AT&T. They supplied the hookup. It was a demo unit that was 2 years old. They were allowing me up to a month to test it out. Call'm and see if they'll hook ya up. I'll be retrieving this one tomorrow if weather permits and if not then Thursday.

"GHOSTMAN"

FearNot · **Posted:** Sat Dec 31, 2011 12:03 pm

Ghost Man is "Spot On" with his findings. I bought a raptor in Jan and have been scratching my head over it ever since. I did have trouble with AT&T service in my area, no fault of the raptor.

You should be somewhat of a techie as stated. I did have the cam rocking during the peak of the rut here in PA. It was awesome getting pics on my ipone while on stand and seeing what's going on at night with the rut.

I have 20+ cams out and the raptor has spent more time in my office than in the woods!

My thoughts are that for the money, I'll take 5 bushnel cams any day.

I have 2 reconyx that are fine but they lack pic quality as does the raptor. The raptor pics are very poor.

The raptor looks like a phone box hanging on a tree. Very hard to hide.

SportsmanNH · **Posted:** Sat Dec 31, 2011 12:38 pm

Ghostman you did as an extensive test on that cam on every setting and possible setup that can be done to a cam . I hope you are still in the 30 day trial period to return it . Although it works , the results you posted are the same as what Trailcampro came up with for the most part. You put every effort to inform everyone of your observations and findings as they happened . Excellent work by you and much appreciated . What you did will save someone else from doing the same thing over a longer period of time beyond the test time allotted for return and therefore getting stuck with an expensive cam. Although it does work , but to me does not live up to the expense .
Like FearNot said , hard earned money would be better spent on 2 Reconyx or 5 Bushnell 466's rather than on one Raptor.
Thank you again for all your hard work .

Ghostman · **Joined:** Tue Aug 23, 2011 9:23 pm **Posts:** 1557

[quote="FearNot"]Ghost Man is "Spot On" with his findings.

I'm glad someone else see's the light on what compiled information was taken during a private test of a camera.
It's pretty simple in my book on what a supreme picture from a camera in the bush should look like. If it fails to deliver excellent "BASIC" results then, the device fails in my ratings.

Sometimes the consensus here doesn't agree with whats posted and take it to heart, which isn't a deciding factor in the test. I also realize that the photo sites used don't always deliver the best images that are on the SD cards etc. I have posted many direct answers, results and opinions regarding what I see here. Don't take it personal!!

I'm just as disgruntled as the next when we purchase a trail camera etc. for a large price and get half a$$ed results.
Posting adament answers will alieveate from one being confused about what was said about the subject on hand. As was stated in a post, "It's all what your looking for in an end result" very true indeed. If we educate each other on what a poor, better, average, above average and best in these cameras may choke out those crummy mfg's plastering the market with those cameras with just a lense and dull penlight night flash that do nothing but disgruntle the owner. I believe Anthony has expelled a lot of time and money to provide us with results to use for deciding on what route to take. I'm sure there are some areas he missed but, for a novice camera user its plenty enough. My hats off to the Chasingame admin personell.

There are a couple choices I have decided on in a new trail camera and will have these installed and post examples of what basic day and night shots "I" think would satisfy most everyone. This will come with a price tag to do but, $1000.00 for 1 camera like the one tested is a bit much for the average short term deer hunter not hunting on private land and worried about theft let alone splurging $1000,00 for a limited use camera.

I'm sorry you have a camera thats not meeting your expectations. This is why I tested it first. I'm very grateful for PixController giving me the chance for free to field test the Raptor.
Thank you for your posted reply.

The below signature will clear up any confusion regarding the topics I just covered.

Ghostman · **Joined:** Tue Aug 23, 2011 9:23 pm **Posts:** 1557

Thank you again for all your hard work .[/quote]

You and the forum members are very welcome too! I enjoy this hobby almost as much as the hunting. I tinker with these cameras all year long and am very excited everytime when I open the SD cards files to see what might have happened by.
I'm not so happy when the brainteaser faults that arise but, its part of the dilemma that occurs with each model I suppose.

Thanks to all of the members and Chasingame.

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RAPTOR WIRELESS DATA PLAN CAMERA TEST COMPLETED

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