I recently purchased a small hunting property. It used to be a farm, so most of it is open pasture. However, there are some trees around the pond, and I noticed some deer activity, including finding a decent shed nearby.
It wasn’t much, but it piqued my interest, so I searched for an affordable trail camera. To my dismay, trail camera prices have drastically increased since the last time I bought one.
Spending several hundred dollars on a trail cam was not part of our budget, but thankfully, I found the Campark TC19 32MP Trail Camera. It claimed to be an inexpensive, easy-to-use, solar-powered game cam.
I decided to test and see if it was worth the $90 and discovered several benefits and drawbacks of the Campark TC19 Trail Cam. Let’s start with what I liked.Pros
- Inexpensive
- Three power methods
- Solar Power saves batteries
- Easy-to-operate
- Infrared LED night vision
- Waterproof
The main thing I love about this trail cam is its price point. It’s perfect for hunters on a budget because it offers a few high-end features at an affordable price.
My old game camera drained the big C batteries nearly every month, and I was spending a ton of money on batteries. Thankfully, the Campark TC19 uses 4 AA batteries, solar power, or the built-in lithium battery. The different power modes can work together to ensure the batteries last for a very long time.
Sometimes inexpensive products are confusing or difficult to use, and I’m not big on reading the directions before I dive in. Luckily, the Campark TC19 was easy to set up and use. I barely had to glance at the instructions!
I had a trail camera that used a flash to take pictures at night. I hated that for two reasons. The first, it often scared the animals, so I didn’t get very good pictures, or I only got one, and they were gone. Second, it gave away the location of the camera, and someone came and stole it. I won’t have to worry about any of that, thanks to the infrared camera on the TC19.
Honestly, if a trail camera is not waterproof, I wouldn’t recommend buying it. It should be designed to handle the elements, like the Campark TC19.
While I found a lot to like about this trail cam, there were some things I wasn’t too fond of and would consider downsides.
Cons
- Haven’t owned it long enough to determine if it’s going to last
- Didn’t come with the 5V wall outlet adapter
- Loop recording automatically deletes old footage
- Don’t expect high-end photo quality or build quality
As a disclaimer, I must admit I have not owned the Campark TC19 to assure you that this product will last. I received it shortly after hunting season ended earlier this year. However, it can handle cold and warm days and is waterproof against rain.
I know this trail camera is inexpensive, but trying to find a wall outlet adapter to charge the lithium battery is still annoying, so the solar panel will work. It’s such a simple thing to add to the package, which had plenty of room for it.
While some people might like the loop recording feature, I’m not a fan because it will automatically delete/overwrite the old footage, some of which I might have wanted to keep. But as long as you keep the memory card clear, you won’t have to worry about this feature.
Lastly, once again, reiterating the price, I didn’t expect to get National Geographic quality photos from this camera. Still, it is good enough to be able to identify deer or anything else that might come within 80 feet (65 feet at night) of the motion-activated camera.
Parting Shots
As the antlers continue to fall and grow back, I look forward to following along the journey with my Campark TC19.
This trail cam is perfect for hunters on a budget or beginners who are unsure if they’ll enjoy hunting.
After all, it’s inexpensive, easy to use, and takes decent pictures! Plus, it has some high-end features like solar charging without the steep price tag.
I wish you the best of luck in the woods this coming season!
Author Bio
Wes is an avid outdoorsman, freelance outdoor writer, and content creator. He grew up in a small town in Northeastern Oklahoma, where he still lives with his wife and daughter. On any given day, you might find him fishing, hunting, kayaking, or playing disc golf because his true passion is simply enjoying the outdoors, no matter the activity. You can find more of Wes’s articles at notable sites like Ammo.com, Anglers.com, ShotgunLifeMagazine, and countless other outdoor media sites.