Setup & Advice
How to get the most out of your camera’s battery life
Today’s trail cameras are designed to use less power than ever before.
This is good news for anyone who has discovered their camera has gone flat in the middle of a time-lapse or stopped functioning during a research project.
So how do you avoid situations like these and ensure your camera is working when you most need it?
We’ve put together a guide to help you better understand your outdoor camera’s power usage and some tips on how to maximise it.
THE BASICS
There are three major factors that influence how much power a camera is using.
- MODE: A camera set to photo + video or multi-shot will use more power than photo-only, as will a camera that is transmitting images. A 3G/4G camera will use 10-20 times the power of a standard camera.
- MOVEMENT: Your batteries died in 3 days? Check for constant movement – such as grass or leaves constantly triggering a camera. Constant movement equals constant photos leading to a drained battery in next to no time.
- RESOLUTION: The higher the resolution of the images being transmitted, the more power consumption required. This doesn’t apply to cameras not transmitting images.
3G/4G CAMERAS
As mentioned above, a 3G/4G camera will use a lot more power than a standard camera because it is also transmitting images. Several factors will determine the length of a 3G/4G camera’s battery life including:
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How often the camera is sending images
- Transmitting images uses 90% of a camera’s power. A dormant camera will use almost no power. Under average conditions, a set of alkaline batteries will send 500 images in a 3G/4G camera. It doesn’t matter if it takes one in a day or one in 6 months, it is the number of images transmitted that will determine how quickly the batteries run down. Just remember, if a camera is transmitting to two phone numbers or email addresses, then that will double the transmission time. Also, once again check your camera is not being set off by moving vegetation.
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The size of the images
- You can determine the image size the camera will send back to you. A small image (80kb) will send much faster than an original size image (1-2MB). It can take 10 times more power to send a larger image than a smaller image, especially in areas where there is poor reception.
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The quality of mobile reception
- If you have good mobile reception, then a camera can send images in just 20 seconds. This means the modem will only be running for those 20 seconds. However, if the reception is poor and the camera is taking 120 seconds to send an image, then the modem will be running for 6 times longer. This means the camera will be using six times more power to send an image.
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SMS Control Setting
- If your using one of our Swift cameras, you can pre-set the camera to receive an SMS message from you to change it’s settings. You can set this to either INSTANTLY or DAILY. In the INSTANTLY setting the camera modem is left on constantly, so the camera can receive a message at any time. This uses very large amounts of power and will run the cameras batteries down within just three days. This mode is only recommended if you are using a heavy-duty solar panel or 240 power supply. When using batteries, make sure the camera is set to the DAILY setting. The camera will only receive your message at a set time each day to preserve battery life.
POWER OPTIONS
Most of our cameras can use several different power options. These include premium alkaline batteries, rechargeable batteries, solar panels and AC power. Here are a few things to keep in mind when determining the right power source for your camera:
Premium Alkaline
- There is a huge difference between the abilities of various alkaline battery brands. We have found some brands will only deliver 500 photos from a set of batteries, while others can produce 10000.
- High charge retention alkaline batteries such as the AA Fujitsu Premium are one of the best we have found – both for their battery life and for leak protection. Leak protection is very important as cheaper brands are more prone to leaking in your camera. This can corrode your camera beyond repair (it’s not easy sitting in a box for months at a time in 60 degree plus temperatures). It is important to note that flat batteries are very likely to leak, no matter their quality. This is something that battery manufacturers have not been able to overcome. Never leave flat batteries in your camera for long periods of time.
- We also highly recommend Duracell and Energizer, for both longevity and leak protection.
Low Self-Discharge Rechargeable Batteries
- These batteries are a great way to not only save money, but also save the environment.
- Low self-discharge rechargeable batteries are different to standard rechargeable batteries in that they can retain their charge over long periods of time when they aren’t in use. They are perfect for our cameras that are made to sit out over long periods. Most standard rechargeable batteries will lose charge even when not in use.
- If you are taking lots of photos and videos (going through batteries monthly), then we highly recommend you use low self-discharge rechargeable batteries. You will start saving money after your third recharge. Not only that, but rechargeable batteries will also deliver more images per set of batteries than alkaline batteries.
- Another big positive is that they are much less likely to leak than alkaline batteries. However, it can happen in some instances.
- We offer both Fujitsu and Eneloop low self-discharge rechargeable batteries which can be recharged up to 2100 times. You do need a charger for them – we offer large 12 Cell Battery Chargers.
Solar Panels
- Powered by clean renewable energy, a solar panel requires little maintenance. It is the perfect attachment for cameras in remote locations or operating over a long period of time.
- We highly recommend solar panels for use with the 4G camera models, again because of just how much power these models use (10 – 20 times the power of standard camera models). Adding a solar panel will reduce the number of times you need to visit these cameras – making them pretty much set and forget.
- We have two sizes of solar panels:
- A small Swift Solar Panel that can generate enough power for 1000 images per day (or 100 photos per day for 4G models).
- A larger, Heavy Duty Solar Panel which can generate enough power for up to 10,000 images per day (or 1000 photos per day for the 4G models).
- Solar panels have built in batteries so they can keep the camera going during the night and cloudy days. You don’t even have to use batteries in the cameras when using a panel, although it can be good to use them as a backup (NOTE: The solar panels do not charge batteries in the camera, only their own built-in lithium batteries).
Lithium Batteries
- Lithium batteries are a great option if you need the camera to operate for long periods of time.
- Lithium batteries offer about 20%-30% more power than rechargeable batteries do. However, they are use once only (they can’t be recharged) and a relatively expensive.
- The Energizer lithium battery is the best lithium battery performer we have found, by a long way. Some other brands of lithium battery can actually perform worse than a good brand of alkaline battery. So again, the brand of the battery is very important.
For any help or advice on camera power, give us a call on 1300 544 249 or drop an email to info@outdoorcameras.com.au. Our team are very happy to guide you through selecting the right power options for you.
Questions about anything in this story? Call us on 1300 544 249.
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