Moultrie D50 Camera Review

2010 Moultrie D-50 5MP white flash Camera Review

I am not going to spend a lot of time on the description of this camera. All dimensions and programming remain the same as last years #1 Moultrie pick the D-40. We have has several request to do some reviews on the D-50 and D-55 and other white flash cameras. We have the cameras but not the time in the schedule to fit them all into one week. We have already tested the Spy Point that has white flash and will soon be testing a new MINI CAM white flash camera from one of the popular companies soon after the samples are through with at the current shows.

This is the same old hunk of a cam measuring about 8 inches wide and 10 inches tall in a plain Jane black plastic case. From the flash, lens, PIR, and LCD layout it appears that the D-55 is the same camera in a different plastic case but a little fancier. This is a standby camera that has been very popular for those who are into the night color pictures. Ranging from 70 to 90 dollars in price depending on where you shop. This is the camera in a case design like the Spy Point. Mount the camera and achieve the aim and at battery change you turn two thumb screws and the camera comes out of the case and make the change and reinsert the camera back into the case and turn it on and the aim should still be the same. They have a 12 volt external battery port at the bottom and also a Tri Pod mount so it is compatible with those heavy duty Custom One mounting brackets that use the Tri-Pod insert to mount the camera.

Programming was easy and the same as previous years cameras. The booklet was complete and easy to follow. There are no strap loops on the back of this camera only the tiny corner holes for the mini bungee cords included in the box. This is a big heavy camera so some small ratchet strap would be better. The latches on this camera are just terrible. I can only close the bottom latch but the top latch does not want to close. It takes an extreme amount of pressure to close that latch and to open it. My thought is that if it was very cold weather it would just snap off with that amount of pressure. My first function test will be for a sleep mode. When I set it up with the new batteries it seemed to be about 3 to 4 seconds for the first trigger. Then every trigger after that was fairly fast. The one minute delay is a pain in the back side for testing but we will make it through it. We need at least one good Moultrie to be available this year so we have our fingers crossed for this review. I have it pointed at the wall in a dark spot and in about an hour I will trigger it and measure the time to capture. My little trip of sneaking up on the cam and several tests shows that it does have a sleep period and the first picture takes nearly 3 seconds and those just after are much faster. On the bench it tested 3+ seconds for sleep and the un official trigger time after that of 2+ seconds. Running out side and grabbed a few quick snaps and the picture quality is just ok but not great. Day range and samples may show better, we will see.

07-26-2010 Update: Trigger time was measured and found to be 1.13 seconds with flash and .96 seconds without flash. We did determine that there is a sleep mode on this camera after some minutes. The first trigger waking up from sleep is 2.2 seconds. We then moved to the day range/8 plate/sensing range and found that the pictures were weak in color and fuzzy but the night color seemed to be a little better and the flash was good to 50+ feet. Sensing was tested but due to the high temperatures we are discounting that information until we maybe get some cooler weather.

08-07-2010 update: Sample pictures, not great, fuzzy, grainy, is about how we are going to have to describe their quality. I know this camera is low dollar in the trail camera scheme of things but the competition is slipping in some pretty impressive images for the same price. This is a massive heavy camera with its load of batteries so there should be more room inside that case for a system that can produce a little better quality picture. A real surprise, was the night color pictures with flash turned out readable and ok but still just not anywhere as good as what we saw last year from the D-40.

08-15-2010 update: Well we managed to get the needed day videos and they were readable and that is about it. Just not very good at all, so this concludes the review on this camera. From day one we have not received a single query on this camera for some reason. Last year this was one of the most popular even being one MP lower.

Trigger Tests (first trigger from sleep mode 2.21 seconds) (without flash .96 seconds second trigger after wake up) (with flash 1.13 seconds - second pic after wake up)

Flash Range

Photo Samples 5MP