I'm finally getting some pictures and videos in from the Moultrie I45.  I had been eagerly anticipating the arrival of this camera, and after looking at the images, I am torn as to whether or not to keep it or send it back.

Let me first say that I had very high hopes for the I45.  At $249.00, I was expecting decent quality images and videos.  After reading the specs, it sounded like this infrared game camera would do everything I was looking for.  They have been backordered everywhere, so I assume the demand has been high for them.  I'd like to hear from others as to what their experiences are with the Moultrie I45.  Please leave a comment and let me know.

Here are my experiences thus far...

For the most part, I like the design of the camera.  It has a solid feel to it.  I like the leveler, as well as the V-shaped back braces which give it a firm fit on the tree.  It straps on very nicely.

After hanging it for the first time though, I discovered my first problem; no way to secure it.  There is a lock hole on top of the game camera that allows you to lock to top shut.  This is the only lock hole available for securing the camera to the tree.  I went to secure the camera with a long shank lock and a security cable, and discovered that the lock hole is too small to accept a standard gauge lock.  I was forced to go buy a smaller gauge lock.  The only way I could secure it to the tree was to lock my security cable with the long shank padlock, and run that through my smaller gauge lock.  This is a big drawback with all the concerns about game camera theft.  I contacted CamLockbox.com (which I wrote about the other day), and they will have security boxes for the I45 available in a couple of weeks.

The second draw back is the positioning of the lock hole.  It is located on the rear corner of the camera.  When I went to open it this evening, I had a difficult time inserting the key and turning it.  I didn't have much room in between the camera and the tree to work with.  I would have preferred to see this located a little more on the side of the camera, instead of towards the rear.

It has been raining heavily here in Kentucky over the past couple of days, and that is what led me to my next concern.  To access the memory card, and the camera controls, you need to unscrew two thumb screws on the sides of the game cam, lift the top open, and rotate it forward.  With a light rain occurring, I noticed water droplets landing on top of the camera.  I did my best to wipe them dry before closing the camera back up, but I'm concerned that the design of the camera could lend itself to condensation issues.  You need to really watch for dripping water or rain when changing your game cards.  You may even want to keep a cloth handy just for this purpose.

On a positive note, I love the controls and ease of programming.  For a camera that uses an LCD panel for programming, this was one of the most straight forward I have seen.

I would have liked to have seen more configuration options though.  For example, you can choose from 5, 15, or 30 second videos.  Those are the only options.  And I just recently learned that at night, the video length defaults to only 10 seconds.

For the photo delay, you can choose between 1, 5, 10, 30, or 60 minute delays in between each activation of the PIR.  I'd like to see the ability to configure any desired delay here, similar to what the Scoutguard SG550 gives you.

I pulled my memory card this evening to review the quality of the images.  I'm torn here as well.  I have a mix of very good quality images, and some that were pretty poor.  Let me qualify this though.

I had set the camera to high quality video at 30 second clips.  I was pleasantly surprised to see that each video was also accompanied by a still image that contained the photo strip with the date, time, temperature, moon phase, and camera identification.  I wasn't expecting to see both images and videos on my card.  I was only expecting to see videos.  What this allowed me to do though, was see a big difference between the photo quality, and video quality.  Some of my daytime images were crystal clear.

They had vivid color, and excellent definition.  The level of detail they caught was much higher than expected.  To the left is an example of one of the good daytime images of a doe captured by the I45.  This one was caught at 3:37 pm.  It was shaded in the woods, but there was good light still.  The upload to the blog may not do this image justice, but I can say that I was pleasantly surprised with the quality.  But after reviewing some more images, I started noticing some problems.  I noticed that some of the images had some pretty serious blur to them, when my targets were on the move.  When inspecting the videos, I noticed that the daytime videos were a bit grainy.  Not bad, and something I could live with, but a disappointment after seeing the quality of some of the stills.

As I inspected some of the images and videos taken around dusk or dawn is where I had my doubts about the I45.  Mine seemed to have a difficult time determining when it should cut over to infrared mode.  Some of the images and videos taken around this timeframe are so dark that I can barely see my game.  It appears to be cutting over to infrared mode too late.

Here is an example of a photo taken at 7:28 PM EST, when infrared mode would have really helped out.

The video that I captured right at this same time was dark as well.  Had the infrared mode kicked in earlier, I think it would have resolved this issue.  I don't know if this is something that can be resolved with a software update or not, and would like to approach Moultrie's support for more information.

Here is an example of the video that was captured at the same time.  It is darker than I had hoped for.  Had the infrared kicked in earlier, the vido could have been much more viewable.

I did notice on one image about 7:44 pm EST that the infrared did kick in.  That's just too darn late.  In my area, there is a lot of dusk and dawn activity, and the I45 gave me too many images that just aren't viewable.

I typically am a big fan of Moultrie's game cameras, and love what whey have done with some of their prior models.  That may be in part why I had such high hopes for the I45.  But after looking through 100 images and videos that I've captured over the last few days, I think I've just made my decision to send this one back.  It's time to take a hike back into the woods and pull this one down.  I hate to say that too, but for $249.00 I expect more.  I've had better experiences with less expensive game cameras.  I'm not going to shut the door on Moultrie yet though.  I'd like to take another look at this game cam if they come out with any modifications.

This is just one man's experience, and I urge you be the judge for yourself.  Maybe I got a lemon, but at this point, I can't say that I'm very pleased with it.  I am interested again in hearing from others on their experiences with the I45, so drop me a comment if you've tried the I45.

The Moultrie Game Spy I45 digital infared game camera is the first of its kind.  With a retail price of $289.00, this new offering from Moultrie is the first, truely invisible infared game camera.  You won't have any of those glowing red infared emitters staring you down.  You (and your game) will never have any indication that they have triggered this camera's passive infared sensor.

I'm really looking forward to these cameras hitting the market.  They will be hot I'm sure.

During the daytime, ths camera will reach out to 50 feet, capturing 4 MP digital images and video clips.  There is also a 3 picture multi-shot mode that will automatically fire off 3 pictures in succession when triggered.  One of the big things to watch for on this camera is the improved trigger time.  Moultrie boasts that you won't be left with empty frames like on previous models.  You get all the same picture stamping with time, date, moon phase, and temperature.  The camera's software is now easier than ever to update as well.

The camera will come with 32 MB of internal memory, but will accept memory cards of up to 4 GB capacity.  So you can feel confident that you will have plenty of space to work with when setting any of the three resolutions for pictures or two resolutions for video.

The Game Spy I45 will be compatible with the Moultrie Game Spy Management System that will allow you to access your pictures and camera settings remotely from your PC.  This much anticipated feature will give you the data you need to maximize your hunt, and ensure you are on the right trail or in the right stand.  And you can analyze that data from your home, before you ever head into the woods for your hunt.

Before you buy a Moultrie Game Camera Security Box, watch this video.  You will have second thoughts once you see how easily they can be popped open.  I'm a fan of Moultrie's game cameras, but after seeing this video, I won't be investing in any of their security boxes until they go through a major redesign.

I recommend you look at CamLockBox or another security box manufacturer.  I own some CamLockBox security boxes, and they are solid.

Ever have a hard time locating your game camera in the woods? It can be tough, especially as all the new vegetation comes in the Spring and the landscape takes on a different look. Or how about locating your tree stand in the dark? Well if you have a Moultrie MFH-CACT Camera Activator attached to your Game Spy M40, M60, I40 or I60, then your problems are solved.

The Camera Activator is a remote control key fob that allows you to remotely activate your trail camera. You can force your camera to take pictures at the press of a button, or it can be used to make your camera emit LED pulses.

This is an inexpensive add-on that can be very handy.

The Moultrie Game Spy I40 is a popular game camera due to the rich feature set and mid-range price it is offered at. This infared digital game camera has no visible flash, so you won't spook your game. The 150 day battery life from 6 D cell batteries gives you 5 months worth of operation in the field.

This 4 Mega pixel camera has a quick trigger, and the infared emitters can reach out to approximately 50 feet. You have the option of choosing between 3 different picture resolutions and 2 different video resolution modes. Up to 3 pictures can be shot upon each activation of the PIR, with an approximate 13 second delay between each shot. The timeout between activations is configurable between 1 to 60 minutes, so you don't end up with a memory card full of pictures of the same animal. The daytime pictures are in color, and the night time infared pictures are in black and white. Each picture will have the temparature, moon phase, time, date, and camera ID embedded. So you will know when, and under what circumstances the picture was taken. The same image stamping is available on the videos that the I40 captures. The video images can be captured during the day and night. These videos can be 5 seconds, 15 seconds, or 30 seconds in length.

The camera comes with 32 MB of internal memory, but will accept optional SDRAM memory cards. A 1 GB SD card is included with the camera, but it is capable of accepting up to a 4 GB memory card. Depending upon the mode your camera is operating in, you can capture thousands of images or hours of video on a single 4 GB memory card.

As mentioned earlier, the I40 gets approximately 150 days of operation off of 6 D cell batteries. It also has the capability of accepting an optional external power source. The MFH-CPP Power Panel is compatible with the Game Spy I40, and it uses a 12 volt battery and solar panel to give you indefinite battery life in the field. This optional accessory can pay for itself over time.

The weather resistant case comes in a black color, but you can always apply a camouflage kit to make your camera less detectable to would-be thieves. Moultrie also makes tripod mounts and camera security boxes that are compatible with this camera. I highly recommend using a security lock box, either from Moultrie, or a third-party manufacturer to protect your camera from theft. The I40 is a popular model, and there are many security devices on the market for it.

Another great feature of the I40, is the camera ID feature. You can enter in the location fo the camera, and this will be embedded on each photo as well. Moultrie also added an Up/Down angle adjustment knob on the back of the camera. This means no more placing of sticks between the camera and the tree, just to try to get that perfect angle. The Laser Aim feature emits a 'red dot' laser beam to help you ensure that your camera is positioned to cover the desired location. Its added features like these that really make Moultrie's game cameras popular.

There are 3 modes of operation for the I40. SETUP MODE enables you to customize your cameras settings. After 4 minutes of inactivity, the camera will switch from SETUP mode to AUTO mode. When the camera is in AUTO MODE, it is ready to take pictures or videos when the PIR is activated. Once the camera enters AUTO mode, you have 30 seconds to leave the field of view before it will start capturing images. Lastly, is the HANDHELD MODE. In HANDHELD mode, the I40 will operate like a normal digital camera, and you can take pictures by pressing the shutter button. In this mode, it can capture pictures or video.

You have several options for viewing your pictures. You can remove the memory card, and place it in a card reader in your PC or Laptop. You also have the option of connecting the included USB cable from your computer to the I40. This will allow you to view the images on the SD card, or the embedded I40 memory. You can also use the included TV Out cable to view your images on a TV.

So if you are in the market for an afforable game camera that is packed with features and options, then check out the Game Spy I40 from Moultrie.

Do you own a Moultrie Game Camera? Well how would you like to say goodbye to batteries ... Forever?

Well if you own a Moultrie MFH-CPP Power Panel, you will never have to worry about changing batteries again. The moultrie power panel is a solar panel and 12 volt battery in one. Moultrie really went the extra mile when designing the MFH-CPP. It contains an LCD display that show that gives you feedback about its operation. The real-time solar value helps you mount the power panel to allow it to operate most efficiently. It also tracks daily and weekly solar efficiency status. You can see the internal battery charge level as well.

This weather resistant solar panel comes with a 10 foot cord. This allows you the ability to mount the MFH-CPP in the best location for optimal sunlight. The panel can be easily mounted to a tree, pole, post, you name it.  READ MORE ABOUT THE POWER PANEL