Guide to DSLR Camera Traps
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- Опубликовано: 24 июл 2024
- UPDATE: A few of the products mentioned here are no longer being made. I've been told that TrailMaster is no longer responding to orders. ("The Scout" sensor from Cognisys is a great replacement for the Trailmaster 1550)
The wireless transmitter manufactured by PixelPawn are out of production. I will work to update this video soon.
Photographer Michael Durham talks about the hardware used to capture professional, high quality images with camera traps. 
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No nonsense ... no hype ... Pure content ...
great work ... thank you for sharing info :)
i've been into this for a while now and i've noticed that even the simplest ideas consume a lot of time when they stack up, so...many thanks for giving us some and saving our time!!
LOTS of solid useful information, clearly & thoughtfully presented. Great detail w/ points of departure for further viewer research. Many thanks indeed, Michael. Only suggestion would be to include in the blurb area links to some of the key devices you discuss. 5*
The amount of information shared in this video is astounding. I'll be watching this numerous times as I start to gather my plans together for camera traps. Thank you so much!
Daniel Cartis thanks Daniel! I decided it was easier than sending book length emails in reply to all the questions I’ve received about camera trapping over the years.
Full marks for a proper overview of the subject. I've been looking for this level of information for ages, many thanks.
Great video review. A pleasure to watch something well thought out, informative and innovative!
Thank you for such an informative and professionally produced video on camera trapping. ..something I'd really like to get into and currently looking at the Sabre or Scout Trail Monitor systems.
Thanks a lot for sharing your rigs and help us all understand the in depth the trapping necessities !!
TFS again !
I love the Tupperware idea. Very effective and simple!
Hi my name is Chad and i am an avid but not professional bird photographer just up from Washington in British Columbia and i have been thinking about using a camera trap to study the behavior of Belted King Fishers in my area. I found this video to be the best i have watched and man what amazing images you have captured, incredible work, and man to get the ever elusive cougar is a task in and of itself, and you have found this to be quite an effective method, great job. Keep doing what you do
Outstanding video Michael - entertaining and informative. Oh, and some exquisite images !
Superb! I love people willing to share their hard earned knowledge
Lovely video. To the point, and well explained. Thank you Michael!
Absolutely incredible. Thanks for sharing your knowledge, your suggestions are really good.
This is the exact video I needed. Great explanation of method and kit. Thankyou.
Just getting set up to do my first camera trapping. Info is great and many thanks really well thought out vid.
This is such an amazing tutorial! THANK YOU
This is just the video I was looking for. So many people exclude equipment details in these types of videos. Thank you so much for putting this together. If you keep creating high quality videos like this you will soon have thousands of subscribers! I am very interested in the Cognisys Sabre but there are no reviews about it. Please make a review video. I think we would all enjoy seeing it.
Thanks Austin. Over the years I have recieved quite a few emails asking me technical details about how I do these remote setups. I made this video as a way for me to answer these questions. Its kind of a niche, and I'm not expecting tons of views. I also wanted to explore the idea of doing a workshop and determine the interest level. However, I like your idea of reviewing more gear - and I may do it!
Hi Michael,
I have a quick question for you. Do you know if there is any reason an old Nikon D300 would not make a great camera trap? It seems like an excellent choice with its legendary reputation and current price point, but I'm not seeing it used in this type of application. Thanks.
A Nikon D300 should be an excellent trap camera. You can double the battery life by using a battery grip. New batteries will be key. Original Nikons will probably last the longest regardless of the higher mAH rating claimed on cheaper off brand batteries.
Thanks for responding Michael. About 10 minutes ago I bought a Nikon D300 on ebay so I'm well on my way to making my first camera trap. Thanks for the inspiration!
Very nice video, very complete and with many great ideas! Thx for the effort!
Excellent intro. Like to see more on each of the components.
Your results are amazing!
Very good video. I appreciate the detail into the electronics. I'm thinking of modifying an IR house alarm sensor as a super cheap trigger.
Hey Michael, Awesome job on the video! I own Snapshot Sniper and just wanted to point out that programming is not required on the Snapshot Sniper board. It comes programmed and ready to go, but you also have the option of modifying the program and making your own custom programs if you purchase the PICAXE programmer. Again, great work on the video. Best camera trapping video I've seen!
Gary - sorry if I misrepresented your excellent sensor. I should have been clearer - to get the behavior I wanted from the sensor, such as a wake-up signal every five hours, or a delay in re-triggering to allow flash units to recycle, I needed to the picaxe programming.
I gotcha Michael, no problem. Just FYI, I can modify the program for you as well at no charge if they are fairly simple changes.
A very informative video that has whetted my appetite for this type of photography. I will check out the UK market and see what is available. I have 4 Godox V860ii’s which fire from a transmitter so only require a detector and receiver. I would use it mainly for Badgers, foxes and owls. Thanks for sharing this video.
Great video. I'm only a backyard amateur photographer, but you have given me some great ideas!
Great video, very informative. Thank you and good luck with nature photography.
Awesome 👍, thanks a lot for the exchange of your experiences and your knowledge
Thanks a lot for share your tip and techniques , It is really very useful and your have master the techni and remote control photography
Thank you for this informative video. It is really useful.
Such a great tutorial! Thank you!
Thanks a lot for in-depth information. Already using PIR censors but was missing is some expert opinion, Will implement some of the tips and wish to capture some great nocturnal wildlife.
Thanks
Great video, Michael. I was wondering, how do you fix the lens shade to the container?
Would love some info on your camera settings and what types of settings might suit different situations :)
Thank you for a great video. Very informative.
Great Video Michael. I appreciate the shout out for my company. TRLcam.com . Also, we are now shipping a passive infrared motion sensor and active infrared motion sensor.
WOW great video!!! I am very interested in your camera traps!!
Fantastic video. I have watched it a few times, and learn more with each viewing. I know shooting a tutorial of yourself setting up, and all the details was laborious, but you nailed it. I have been trying to capture Florida panthers walking in the swamps of south Florida for a few years without success. But after watching this video, your info helped me capture a few. Thank you. I just watched your bats drinking at night video. Wow. Now if you can make a video of how to trigger HD video with lights, so I can capture panthers on the prowl at night, that would be awesome. Thank you.
Wow Jay! That is impressive. I'd love to see some of your captures. Any chance you would like to collaborate in the future? If so, please send me a email via my website durmphoto.com
Anyone of your photos - I would consider is worth the effort.. So good. Cheers AU.
Very in depth. Thank you. I put my cameras in south Florida's swamps and where people frequent. Therefore, I put my cameras in surplus military ammo cases, and a cable around a tree so they don't walk off. Do you have any issues with condensation on your lens exposed to humidity? Also, what shutter speed, aperature, and iso do you use for night shots?
The condensation on the lens problem is one that I have not completely solved. Typically in the early morning when the air begins to warm and the camera is cooler than ambient temp - the lens will fog up. I try and use lenses with the smallest front element which seems to dry out faster.
In regards to camera settings - no two setups are alike. My settings can be all over the map so its really a matter of making it work for each situation.
very good and well detailed video!!
Very informative video. Maybe you would consider making a ebook on the subject.
Great job! Need to find the sensors online.
What sort of battery life do the Pixel Pawn get? I noticed that have a flashed LED that would potentially consume battery.
Thank you for a very informative video
well done. thanks for uploading
Awesome video
Great video, just wondering where I can get those clamps your using, I built a system but I am having issues figuring out how to mount it.
Bogen super clamp. There are many cheaper knockoffs that actually work pretty well: www.amazon.com/Manfrotto-035RL-Super-Clamp-Standard/dp/B0018LQVIA
Great video, I was just wondering what is your preferred method of attaching your motion sensor and flashes to trees when your setting up in the field?
Typically I use a manfrotto type super clamp with a stud and mini-ball head. I use these for cameras, flash units, and sensors.
I'd want to attend a workshop on this
Excellent video sir! I'm very interested in those clips you use to support anything and attach it to trees, for example at 8:28. How are they called?
Its a manfrotto super clamp with mini-ballhead
thanks a lot michael. a great starter video. :-)
I tried your suggestion of using the wireles Pixel transmitters. They work really well, except that they for some reason make my camera burn through its battery in just a few days. I don't know why considering I have checked and the camera goes into sleep mode, but yet its battery dies in a few days. Any suggestions?
That is a puzzler. I've not had this issue and can't see how a device in the hotshoe would impact battery life on a camera.
Very interesting video with really good examples. Thank you Michael! Could you tell me which lens did you mount at 4:20? I understood a PENTAX lens but it is not clear for me which one, especially if you are mentioning 20 $. On ebay I only found them beginning at 100€.
Hendrick - the lens mounted on the camera is weird little hybrid that I picked up at used camera shop for $20. It has a "variable" focal length. its not a a zoom lens, but you can switch between 28mm and 35mm focal lengths by adjusting the barrel. Its called a Soligor dualfocal 1: 3.5/28mm + 1:3.8 35mm. My copy is quite sharp but does flare a bit - so I take care to have a well covered lens shade.
Michael Durham Cheers! I'll give it a try. Also I am interested in a workshop but I guess the united States are a bit far a way for a workshop.
Very nice photos !
I own Nikons : D200 / D300 / D7000 / D500 / D810 ..... are any of these OK for this type of Photography ?
And waht would YOU recommend in terms of sensors ... etc
Love this video !!
very very well explained.
A workshop would be very great!!!
Bloody great. Thank you
good job bro.
thanks. saludos desde mexico
Hi Michael, Do you have any guide to rig a battery pack to a Nikon Sb-28 ?
The Godox CP-80 is an external battery pack that required 8 AA batteries, and recharged the flash very quickly. The batteries in the flash only power the flash electronics, and not to recharge the flash. The Nikon SB-28 has a special plug-in for the battery pack.
There’s a company out of England called Camtraptions run by a wildlife photographer.
They sell a flash battery extender that runs on D batteries.
www.camtraptions.com/camera-trapping/wireless-trigger-power-modification/
They also sell a very nice camera trap trigger.
Awesome. I like it very much.
Hi, thank you for this useful video !
I am a nikon user so any type of RF trans-receiver would do the trick and wake up my flashes, right ? like these ones Yongnuo RF 603 II ?
Most wireless systems do not wake-up the flash first. Make sure the system you are considering does have the wake-up signal. I have no idea about the Yongnuo, so double check before you purchase.
Thanks for the quick answer !
They seem to have this function for nikon canon flashes so I will try out
did the 603 ii work with waking up the flash ?
when ordering the snapshot sniper does it come with everything ready to go? or do you need to provide a weatherproof case and set up a wire system to attatch to the camera ?
I had to build my own housing and wire-in the connecting cord for the camera.
thanks man, I think i might go for this option. also love the photos really nice work man
I think that the sensible starting point for a workshop for camera traps would be one or more bird feeders. That will allow people to get results in daylight.
Night photography might be difficult, but if the birds arrive when there is no camera light, then that problem is solved.
You might offer to do a talk on B&H OPTIC about camera traps. You might get sponsorship by a camera or sensor manufacturer. If COVID continues, you can do it from home.
Manual focus and.......what to set the camera for proper exposure.
Has anyone noticed that the mountain lion in the very last photo (facing the camera) appears to be bleeding?
I Have looked at the image in question and do not see any blood. However, I am mildly color blind - but I can usually see red. Mountain lions kill for food and I've seen them bloody from kills. Once I got a photo of a Mountain Lion that had been mauled by the horns of a buck or bull elk - it's chest was ripped open. Being a wild predator is hazardous.
Awesome thanks so much
I am trying to set up a flash system to trigger multiply units. Using the slave function, my flashes emit a pulsing IR light which I would assume kills battery and could act as a deterrent to wildlife.
I think the system you talk about is proprietary to Nikon, Canon, or a number of third party manufacturers. You are correct in assuming it will kill your battery - I believe it is designed for TTL systems which are not battery friendly. You don't want to use TTL. Instead use manual metering and a more passive IR slave system.
Michael Durham thanks for quick reply. I will purchase a couple of sb28. And yes, I have Yongnuo speedlights currently.
The nikon Sb-28 will work depending upon which camera system you are deploying. It will work great with Nikon of course. It will work pretty damn good with Canon if you use the work arounds described in the video. The sb-28 is is one of my fave all time flash units
Michael Durham I have a Nikon d7100 but was also thinking about buying a dedicated dslr trap body like an old d7000 or maybe a full frame d700.
Michael Durham I used an sb28 last night. And while I got some great shots, the flash seems to slow down after only three shots. So I got three shots with flash. Then two without, and then two with - and so on - is this to do with battery power of flash? Also, I used yongnuo radio triggers which wake up the flash so there is no delay. They are super cheap and have excellent battery life.
Amazing video. Really great to see your process and the results are incredible. Wish you posted more content but seems you have lost interest in youtube. :(
Brilliant stuff! I thought the tupperware trick was smart until I watched the rest of the video. Man you know your stuff! Btw does that mountain lion at the end have a nasty wound on the its chest?
Anticlastisity F
The plastic food containers Michael uses are made by Lock & Lock. They offer many different shapes and sizes not only for cameras but flash units. I actually was able to purchase a twenty piece set from QVC.com for around $35.00.
You have sharp eyes. The mountain lion near the end (not the one in the cave) does in fact have a dramatic chest wound. Talking to a biologist, we speculated that the lion (who appears to be young and inexperienced) probably made an attempt to kill a buck or bull elk. Those antlers are highly useful as defensive weapons. Imagine a young, dumb mountain lion being gored by the antlers of an adult bull or buck as it tried to ambush the animal by jumping on the back. My question: did the mountain lion survive? Of course, I have no idea. But I continue to be fascinated by the unseen drama that my camera managed to capture a brief glimpse of.
oops - wrong thread!
Hello Mr. Durham, I've recently become interested in camera trapping with a DSLR. My name is Rainer Ullmann and I live in Germany. Since there are no instructions on camera trapping in German here in Germany and I have seen your videos about camera trapping on You Tube, I would like to ask you which basic settings you use on the sensor and on the camera make.I would be very happy if you could help me with some information.
Yours sincerely, Rainer Ullmann
Have you tried the Yongnuo RT flashes? I’m gonna try my 3 flash setup this weekend on a canon 70d... I’ll get back w u about the results. Sorry I’m a late comer to the comments.
I have not experimented with the current versions of the Yongnua - but my past experiences were that they were not durable or reliable. They often simply failed to work after a few weeks of testing, or needed to have the batteries pulled and re-installed to reset.
Cool video
Thank You!!!
Please make a updated video You mention :)
Did you order your trail master straight from their website? It looks like the site hasn't been updated since 2006 so I just want to make sure they are still around.
Trialmaster is still around - although I might have ordered over the phone. Bill Goodson, the owner, will answer questions about older units. They used to get a ton of orders from federal agencies, but I think that has largely dried up. I've also purchased from eBay and gov surplus.
Thanks for the reply.
I was also curios about how the Sabre system worked for you? I haven't found too many reviews of that system, but what I have found seems to be positive.
I've used the Sabre extensively for bats and other short duration setups. I have not yet used it for a long term set. There are a variety of reasons related to location and security. At $500 it is the most expensive sensor I use. I have two Sabre units and plan to deploy one for a long term setup when the opportunity warrants.
It appears that TrailMaster is no longer responding on their website. I would recommend the Scout sensor from Cognisys as a good replacement.
I haven watched a few camera trap videos, and your knowledge and this video are still heads above others. Since watching this video 2 years ago, I have captured a few great images. Check out my Panther Cams on fb. Jay
Awesome
I think that Nikons have HDMI outputs for remote viewing.
VERY good video. Can you talk a little slower next time Michael? We are some from not english talk land also?
Michael I know you were in the past wanting to teach a class but I’m sure it’s quit tuff setting one up.
One avenue I would recommend since your close to Seattle is Creative Live. They go into the field with guest photographers to show and teach your class. Usually it’s a one day to a week class and then ends with in studio live question and answer day.
Since camera trappings needs to be done over a period of a weeks to months portions could be filmed first then checking cameras later a crew could come back and finish thoughts portions with you and to finally make it to where you have plenty of examples.
You’ve pretty much already done that here but with a in studio class we could ask you questions live.
Creativelive.com
I would be interested in that, as well. I live near Seattle.
good. 💜
Can you tell me how does the camera stay on for so long?
Hi Sumin - the camera should go into a sleep mode where batteries are not being drained. The camera needs to wake up almost instantly when the motion sensor sends a signal.
Thanks a lot !!?
You didn't discuss exposure!
or that lion could have been in the cave while you were setting up...
I thought so too! But if the pictures were shot a long time after Michael left, then it's hard to imagine the lion just sat there the whole time.
Mountain lion was photographed 10 days after the cameras setup. This was a collapsed lava tube with a large entrance where the camera was pointing. And a small surface hole in the back where the cave ended. The lion probably entered through the back and exited where the camera was aimed. Cam traps are gamble - even of you want to photograph squirrels. I love that mountain lions are hard to figure out and move about the landscape with enough stealth and mystery to be elusive. @@BvousBrainSystems
@@durmphoto Here in Oregon, Cougars have very large territories, 60+ miles from what I've read. The poor guy at the end, hopefully, things healed up OK...
A set up like that would be stolen in the UK...our Country isn't big enough to hide stuff.
Especially here in Scotland... The land of sticky fingers!
I would recommend getting with a wielder to construct a steel lockable box for your camera set up.
I have steel boxes made that hold a Pelican case and protect them from not only humans but bears where my cameras are setup.
Bears in the past have ruined cameras and a video system I had set up. My first protective box was made from a old ammo can held to the tree by a lockable chain. I drilled screws facing out to deter the Bears from grabbing the box and shacking them.
Someone should set up a camera to see who's doing it.
Entertaining - check. Interesting - check. What I dont understand is how come you have less than 500 subscribers! What is wrong with people??!
🙏🌹🇮🇳 PSSPPP 🇮🇳 PALOJU JAI SRIRAM 🇮🇳🌹🙏
Awesome video