As we have done with others we are going to refer readers to the standard HCO Panda camera review for all the particulars and this review will only deal with the GSM function. Unless otherwise noted trigger results and flash results are identical on this model to the standard camera.
This company has some very good experience in Cell based systems and systems that are in the hands of the users are working well. We expect this camera will also fall into that category.
The over all appearance and assembly of this camera displays a high degree of attention to detail. The gasket seal is very tight and there are three latches to ensure that there is pressure all the way around the door. The small size and great dark color will make it fit in the woods very well, except maybe on a very light grey barked tree. The box included the strap and USB cable along with a small antenna for the Cell function. The balance of this review will be the screen shots and setup procedures needed to get this little camera working on the air and start sending pictures back to our computer.
Battery life will be done by one of our friends once we finish with all the necessary review work. I do not think anyone will be disappointed with this camera.
We managed to make it through our list of 2012 camera’s and now our first new critter for this next year is hitting the market maybe just in time for Christmas or shortly there after. Having the same roots as some of this year cameras that came from HCO and Covert, which have already had the chance to prove themselves already in the field we expect this little fellow will do the same. Many of the very talented individuals from the old Boly company moved over to the Uovision plant and took up residence. The end result has been some fairly impressive units being produced and sold under these companies’ labels.
At first glance it has a bit of the “Tiny” camera (like MOULTRIE A-20 ) appearance that came from another company but that is about as close as it comes in comparison. This is a small camera that is about 6 inches wide and four inches tall. It sticks out off the tree about three inches and has a very dark brown camouflage color. This should be a very easy camera to hide even though it has that alien eye look with the array lens filters and the PIR mouth and main lens nose.
We have no documentation on this camera so I have to fly this bugger by the seat of my pants. I can normally determine the emitter count either by an actual count or from the documentation. In this case they are not visible through the filters and it is a true black flash, so I do not know the count at this time. I will also have to wait for the formal trigger times because I have my flash analyzer at a different location this week. My guess just by watching through my digital camera is it is very close to being just under a second or better.
The resolution settings are 3,5,6, MP’s and the delay goes down to zero but we always set it to the next highest setting which is 5 seconds. There is a burst mode up to three pictures per trigger. The info strip has date/time, moon phase, temperature, and battery indicator. It operates off 8 AA cells and uses up to a 32 gig SD card. Built in view screen and playback is photo only and not video. Video mode 640X480 is adjustable up to 60 seconds. It will still capture motion through the PIR when the time laps mode is selected. The time lapse setting is double window photo/video that reaches down to 5 seconds and up into the hours. There is an over write feature that allows the camera to start over writing the oldest picture stored when the card fills up. There is also pass word protection if you desire.
My dark room tests showed that I could not see the array fire during my initial tests. I then set up for good sun out side captures and both IR and sun pictures were very respectable. I believe we are going to see some happy users once these make their way into the field. Being black flash and costing about $220 I think the acceptance will happen in short order. There is a bit of a bark grabber on the back of the cam and the strap loops have some cable loops but not exactly what we would call good security but better than nothing. This is where maybe that password protection might help. Once our trail camera aftermarket vendors get the measurements I think you might see some security enclosures coming available on their web sites.
It is my understanding that HCO will have us the documentation with in the next couple of days. In the mean time I went to the Uovision site and their data on this camera says the IR count is 52 high out emitters. We are assuming that this is the same version that HCO has exclusive rights to.
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