What do I need besides the trailcam?

[Band]

Should be getting a trail cam soon.  Besides batteries, a couple of cards, and a security setup what other equipment do I need to invest in?  How important is it to have a portable viewer to take in the field?  I assume I'll just take out a card for home viewing and replace it with another so I'm wondering whether that is a necessity.

[hughjorgan]

There is no reason to buy a card viewer if you own a digital camera you can use that. If you have an iPad that works pretty good as well, fits in the pack just fine, but you would need to buy the card reader for that.

[cem3434]

If you buy the mini sd cards, most Android and I-phones will suffice for a viewer as you can plug in the sd cards to your phone.

[bowhunterwa87]

I switch sd cards and view at home. Like naches said baits a plus. I got 1167 pics in 3 days last week with alfalfa and Apples.

[Band]

There is no reason to buy a card viewer if you own a digital camera you can use that. If you have an iPad that works pretty good as well, fits in the pack just fine, but you would need to buy the card reader for that.

I have both, but the iPad screen is so much larger it would be nice to use it.  Can you tell me about having to get a card reader for that?  I assume you put the card in the reader and connect it to the iPad?  Will any card reader do?

[Skyvalhunter]

Not all file extensions from trail cams will work in your cameras. Some cameras will give you an error message so try it at home first.

[jackelope]

If you buy the mini sd cards, most Android and I-phones will suffice for a viewer as you can plug in the sd cards to your phone.

iPhones are not capable of viewing sd cards as far as I know. If you know something I don't, please share.
There is a plug in sd card reader for iPad but it doesn't work in the phone.



There's also a usb adaptor for iPad.
Looks pretty much the same.

[jackelope]

That's the way I read it too, but you can't. At least you can't plug the sd card into an iPhone. iPhones don't have an sd card slot, and the adaptor that works in the iPad doesn't work in the phones.

[Band]

That iPad plug in looks like you plug it into the iPad and just slide in the (full size) card.  If so, that looks like a great little device.  Can I get that in just about any electronics department?  I suppose there is also some kind of associated app to be able to scroll through pictures?

[hughjorgan]

There is no reason to buy a card viewer if you own a digital camera you can use that. If you have an iPad that works pretty good as well, fits in the pack just fine, but you would need to buy the card reader for that.

I have both, but the iPad screen is so much larger it would be nice to use it.  Can you tell me about having to get a card reader for that?  I assume you put the card in the reader and connect it to the iPad?  Will any card reader do?

Jackelope posted a picture of the adapter I use. I bought mine off amazon, came with two different adapters. They are made by Apple. I am sure there are probably other makers if you want to save a few bucks.

Here is a link to the adaptor I use...

http://www.amazon.com/Apple-iPad-Camera-Connection-MC531ZM/dp/B003K1EYM6/ref=sr_1_2?ie=UTF8&qid=1418594707&sr=8-2&keywords=iPad+card+reader

[jasnt]

Some sort of viewer is nice but not necessarily needed. Often I set up my cams I take an extra SD. Put in the extra walk around and even run by some times. Then change SD card and check to be sure when I get home, then if I need to move something I do it next trip. I should note most my cams are on public ground year round. Few never get moved as they produce well year round. Some cans are just seasonal and may get moved weekly. Specially if I'm targeting one animal. Often I will continue to fallow the target animal till I feel I've found its core, then I'll sometimes bring in several cams to one area to get a good idea of all travel routes to and from said core.  I like to set cams facing north to avoid sun streaks or white outs. I often mount them low! About waist high,lower if focused on predators. Sometimes over head facing down can be best(especially in high people traffic probability areas), no one looks up.

[jackelope]

I don't move my cameras so I just have multiple cards.  Swap them out every time. Save the pics I want and clear the cards....repeat.

[cem3434]

That's the way I read it too, but you can't. At least you can't plug the sd card into an iPhone. iPhones don't have an sd card slot, and the adaptor that works in the iPad doesn't work in the phones.

That sucks for iPhone owners and thats why I stated "most" phones. Even the older style flip phones will accept mini sd cards. I guess that is just one more reason I refuse to buy an iPhone.    I have an Android and have never had any issues with viewing pictures on my phone by swapping out mini sd cards.

[jackelope]

That's the way I read it too, but you can't. At least you can't plug the sd card into an iPhone. iPhones don't have an sd card slot, and the adaptor that works in the iPad doesn't work in the phones.

That sucks for iPhone owners and thats why I stated "most" phones. Even the older style flip phones will accept mini sd cards. I guess that is just one more reason I refuse to buy an iPhone.    I have an Android and have never had any issues with viewing pictures on my phone by swapping out mini sd cards.

Gotcha. I saw the part where you said I-phones and assumed that you meant iPhones. My bad. You can buy all sorts of inexpensive devices to look at pictures.

[billythekidrock]

Not all file extensions from trail cams will work in your cameras. Some cameras will give you an error message so try it at home first.

Definitely try it out at home first. Pull card from tcam, view in camera and then put it back in tcam and verify that it will continue to work.

Some of my tcams won't read an sd card after it has been in my digital camera. They need to be formatted on the pc or in the tcam before they work again.