Product Description
Capture images and video of animals in their natural state with the Wildgame Innovations 1.3XMP Game Scouting Camera with Video. High-quality images and video combined with an extra long battery life, this camera is sure to meet your expectations. Wildgame Innovations Game Scouting Camera with Video: High capacity photo strobe Effective distance: 40' PIR sensor: 45' PCB on board batteries to retain settings Estimated battery life: 1,200 images or 40 days External battery pack port Power pack sold separately as an accessory Digital still cable Digital video capable Model# S1.3X
| List Price: | $80.00 |
| Price: | $32.99 |
| as of Thu, 21 Feb 2013 05:09:47 GMT ***Remember, deals price on this item for sale just for limited time*** | |
Product Details
- Amazon Sales Rank: #1561 in Camera & Photo
- Size: S1.3X
- Brand: Wildgame
- Model: S1.3X
Features
- Effective distance: 40'
- High capacity photo strobe
- PCB on board batteries to retain settings
- Estimated battery life: 1,200 images or 40 days
- Digital video capable
Customer Reviews
Most helpful customer reviews
18 of 19 people found the following review helpful.
By The WB
This is our 4th Wildgame Innovations (WGI) deer cam purchased in the past two years. The others are (see my reviews of these cameras):
Wildgame Innovations® 4.0MP IR Digital Game Camera
Wildgame Innovations IR5 5.0MP Digital Game Scouting Camera with Infrared Flash
2009 1.3 MP Strobe WGI under the Timberview brand name. Amazon use to sell it, but it has since been deactivated.
We keep going back with these deer cams, even with the flaws only because of their price point. This one was really cheap at a local store. Many of the prior issues remain in this camera -- some have improved, others have worsened. FYI; the S1.3X model is the 2009/2010 1.3 MP strobe flash camera with the ability to plug in the Wild Game Innovations External 6V Battery Pack.
After three weeks of local field time, here is what we learned learned about this camera:
The Good:
* 1.3 MP picture size -- 1280 x 1024 -- approx 700K file size (black pics are just above 200K in size)
* Nice, clear pictures that are comparable to older 1.3 MP fixed P&S camera pictures.
* Strobe (white light) flash -- color pictures day and night.
* Flash good to about 25' as currently positioned.
* 640 x 480 movies in AVI format.
* 64 MB on-board flash memory -- USB accessible and the required cable is included.
* Recognized as an external drive via USB on Windows 7 HP, Win XP Home, Mac OS X 10.5 Leopard and Linux Mint 10 KDE.
* Up to 8 GB SD card can be used in this camera to supplement the on-board memory
* Cheap 2 GB SD cards work great in this camera -- @ 700K per picture, you can store > 2500 pics.
* If an SD card is inserted, all pictures are automatically written to the SD card first.
* The SD card is now hot swappable -- you don't have to power down the cam to change SD cards, unlike older models.
* Bungee cord attachment straps are included -- they work well holding the camera to at fixed object.
* External battery port for WGI proprietary external battery pack.
* No external date/clock battery to change unlike the 2009 1.3 MP model.
The Lacking/Bad:
* 1.3 Megapixel pictures -- keeping the price down, but larger sensors are also very cheap.
* Fixed lens focus -- optimum focus is set at between 15' and 20'.
* Light sensor is easily tricked -- very dark pictures with backlit scenes.
* Movies only in daylight, pictures at night.
* AVI files @ 640 x 480 are big (about 1.5 MB/second)
* NO laser sighting to show the aiming of the camera.
* Again, "C" cell batteries for a power source -- white flash takes more power to flash than the IR unit.
* Use only premium "C" cell batteries -- cheapo batteries do not have the strength to make this camera work.
* The battery clips are held in by weak plastic clip holders that DO break very easily (see my IR4 review).
* Accessing the 64 MB on-board flash memory can only be done with a computer via USB cable.
* There is NO provision to copy images from the on-board memory to an inserted SD card.
* We didn't and will not test SDHC cards in this camera, since the manufacturer doesn't state their use in this camera.
* Software (mini-CD) included contains older Windows OS drivers and multiple language copies of the owners manual.
* There is NO provision to adjust/modify/update this game camera's firmware by the USB connection to a computer.
* The battery meter ALWAYS shows 1/4 battery level, even when connected to a 6 volt battery charger (at 8.25 volts).
In comparison to the IR4's and the 2009 1.3 MP unit, this unit has a much faster trigger time. The motion detection delay appears to be about one second, down from earlier models with trigger times pushing 6 seconds. The narrow motion detection zone of this camera requires a fast trigger in order to capture game walking/running through the trigger zone. This is a step in the right direction, but trigger speed is everything. Game running through the detection field are caught at the very edges on the frame. We will take a stop watch to test trigger time on our next trip up north.
Also, when opening the case to check the picture count, a picture will be taken. This is unlike the three earlier models that allow you to open the case and no picture will be taken.
The EXIF file has taken a big step backward. This camera's EXIF info writes only fixed values, just like the IR4 models. This is disappointing to say the least. Also, WGI stopped putting in any Copyright info in the EXIF file. This is good, unlike the older IR4 models, since WGI doesn't own any copyright rights to your pictures.
Battery life: we placed this camera into service on 6/7/2011. Four Ray-O-Vac alkaline batteries, 2 GB SD card and left it in the woods for three weeks. 232 pictures later, the batteries were down to 1.35 volts and the nighttime black picture issue was present, just like the 2009 1.3 MP camera. Four days and 40 pictures, the batteries couldn't keep up supplying the flash with enough power to take a flash picture every minute. By the time the camera took the 66th picture some two days later, the next 19 pictures, spaced just over 1 minute apart were black. Power management on the strobe flash units remain bad, but this camera appears to be far worse then the earlier model. We have subsequently wired in UPG UB645 Sealed Lead Acid Batteries from Amazon. Yes, we voided our warranty.
The battery level indicator remains an issue with this camera. It always reads 1/4 battery level, but now the firmware flashes the battery level as "low" only when you check the main screen with the camera door open. Now, at 1.35 volts per battery, the low battery level flashing indicator did not come on, even though this camera couldn't take nighttime flash pictures spaced 1 minute apart. Another flaw that has not been fixed.
There are a couple of additional points I want to bring out here: Wildgame Innovations warranty registration remains unique. As in years past, the warranty card and sales receipt must be included when you register the camera for warranty. WGI is very bad when contacting CS with issues. I cannot comment about today, but please keep these points in mind when you purchase this or any Wildgame Innovations camera. If the camera works, don't worry about the warranty, since it may cost more to return it to the manufacturer than the camera is actually worth.
Overall, this camera appears to be better than the more expensive IR4 and 2009 1.3 MP models. Given the improved performance, I still can only give 3 stars, like the 2009 model, since you still have the CS issue to contend with, battery usage and battery indicator with a degraded EXIF info capture in the picture files.
*****
7/31/2011 - Update (575 pics)
The new battery helped. A new problem has popped up. Like every WGI game camera we owned, there is one (or more) thing(s) wrong with it as they are used. This one is black pictures. Even with a fully charged over sized 6 volt battery, we are getting black pictures, where the flash will not fire at night. It started again only after 14 pictures (some 15 hours after being reset with a topped off battery). The spacing is almost like a hibernation issue -- after a period of time with no activity, the flash discharges, while in a low power state and movement is detected, there is no power to fire the flash. It is an intermittent problem -- sometimes, but not always, only one picture is black, other times it can be several. If we didn't wire in a bigger battery, I would warranty this camera for the black picture problem. We will live with the problem, until this camera dies.
Now, when this camera does take a picture, the pictures come out really good. We are able to capture small game running across the forest floor in mid-stride during the day. The trigger time is much quicker than the other three we owned.
We have a brown bear problem and our one bear has brought more of his friends onto the property. There is something inside the camera that attracts the bear to it. It must be the flash recharging that prompts the bear to investigate the noise. No damage (yet) from our unwanted visitors, but the one has pushed, licked and prodded the camera around while mounted on the tree.
We reset the camera back in the woods. This time in movie mode. A 2 GB SD card is installed, so we should get some good movies the next time up.
*****
11/20/2011 - Final Update (800 pics)
Hunting season just ended. We were not as successful as last year, but hey, that is why it is called hunting.
Over the last 12 weeks, I have checked this camera three times and friends checked it twice. The battery level remains within operational range, but we get all black pictures at night. It is happening on almost every picture taken at night - the last being just prior to opening day -- 42 out of 42 black pictures at night. Testing further, I found the strobe was not firing when triggered! This is true on back to back pictures and on pictures taken hours apart. My testing was performed in a basement, where nothing could trigger the flash except the test subject entering the trigger zone - me. I'm even more disappointed in the build quality of these cameras, but daylight pictures continue come out great.
If you have black picture issues with any WGI camera, warranty it! It is a build issue that will only get worse over time. This camera's older brother, the 2009 1.3MP Timberview camera is holding strong, even after over 7,000 pictures with the majority of them being flash.
Therefore, I'm lowering my star rating to 2 stars, now for the total inability to use this camera at night.
5 of 5 people found the following review helpful.
By Teresa S Hoye
Warning!!! Be very careful when ordering from this company. I just purchased 2 S1.3 cameras through them and both cameras were malfuntioning from the minute I tried to use them. Walnut Archery's policy is once it has been opened they will not take it back unless it is in its original package, now that is next to impossible considering these are in plastic that breaks all apart when opened. They promise to return an email within 24 hours and did not bother to answer my email sent Thursday May 10 until this morning only to tell me that because the cameras had been opened they couldnt help me. So please be very careful and make sure you read all the fine print on return policies before ordering and opening anything you rder via mail.
2 of 2 people found the following review helpful.
By jpgr4ever
I returned this camera within 2 days of owning it. I tested it and it worked when I walked by it at night or in the dark, but when I set it out in the woods I got all black pictures at night, and bait was gone. Maybe I just got a bad one, but I requested a refund.
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