A lot of people who enjoy the outdoors love to take a camera that they can depend on. Given the expanding market when it comes to these cameras, it can be quite confusing to pick which camera to choose. For both beginners and experienced outdoor enthusiasts, the Moultrie M880 Gen 2 has become a top choice for them.
It is no secret that the M880 Gen 2 trail camera is an improved version of the popular M80XT game camera. What exactly makes the Moultrie M880 such a gem in today’s market of game cameras? This Moultrie M880 review will help you understand what to expect from the unit. This Moultrie M880 review will provide all the pros and cons, not to mention a comparison to a similar product such as the Moultrie M888i.
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What to expect from the Moultrie M880?
For starters, the Moultrie M880 Gen 2 camera is a mid-range camera that has been released in 2015. It is a significant upgrade to the previous year’s M880.
Here are the aspects in which the M880 Gen 2 is better than M880 Gen 1.
- It is redesigned from ground
- Added quick start mode for simple and quick setup.
Though this Moultrie game camera has been quite some years since its release, a lot of people are still using this camera for different purposes. It has been mainly used for surveillance of wildlife activity as well as hunting purpose. It has the function of your usual game camera that can be used outdoors. It has the ability to withstand the elements, not to mention it can also capture both video and photos in the wild. It has been known for performing well and shoots immediately once it has detected motion within its range.
User-friendly design
The Moultrie M800 is a great product especially if you are very particular about the design of the camera. It has a user-friendly design that even first-time users can take advantage of. You can even make use of the device even if you haven’t read the manual. It has an easy to use program which has been improved from its predecessors.
In addition to this, setting up the M880 camera to a tree is quite easy. The case has a phyton lock compatible hasp which means that it can be placed securely without a problem. The camera has a camo finish which makes it a good product especially if you wish to have a discreet camera that is not going to be noticeable to animals that you are planning to capture.
Performance
One of the things that you will learn from this Moultrie M880 review is the overall performance of the unit. How exactly does perform especially in the wild? Does it provide a great user-friendly experience especially for people with no prior experience of using a game camera?
The Moultrie M880 has a trigger speed of 0.8 second which is a quite impressive especially for a mid-range game camera. However, it has a slow recovery time of 5.2 seconds which can be quite frustrating for someone who plans to capture the moving animal once it gets detected by the device. The good news though is that you can have other delays including 10 and 30-second delays. Of course, this can be considered versatility on the part of the camera especially if you are already running out of power on your unit.
If you are looking to capture different angles of the moving animal in the wild, you would rather want to choose burst mode in order to take 3 consecutive shots in just a single motion trigger.
According to its manufacturers, the detection range offered by the camera is at 50 feet. However, it isn’t that accurate since it may not actually detect moving objects within 50 feet upon testing in the field. When used in the field, the Moultrie M880 has a detection range of within 40 feet.
As for the angle that the camera can detect movement, it has a 50-degree horizontal field of view that is wide enough compared to other cameras out there.
The camera is superb during the daytime. You can expect spectacular images from the camera without any issues. On the other hand, when it comes to night time, it relies mostly on a flash in order to be able to take photos and video. The Extended mode provides a picture with a clear image at the center and a darkened area for the rest.
M880 has low-glow infrared that gives you the ability to observe animals in the dark. This means that you also don’t distract them because of the low-glow LED infrared used on the unit. However, don’t expect the highest quality photos and videos when using the unit in the dark with its low-Glow infrared LEDs. In this regard the M880i which comes with infrared LEDs may be the go.
Picture and video quality
When it comes to the picture and video quality, The Moultrie M880 is a standout. It is an 8-megapixel camera that has two basic operational modes. You can choose to have the motion detect mode that triggers the unit to shoot when a moving object enters its detection range. You can also choose the burst option to take 3 consecutive photos in just one trigger.
Another operational mode is the time lapse mode. This way, you can set the time when the camera can capture images. The user has the ability to choose 1 or 2 different periods of recording. There is also the freedom to choose from 13 different intervals.
The good thing about this device is that it includes a motion freeze setting that can help reduce the blur, especially in night time photos. This makes it possible for users to still experience great results despite the M880 being a mid-range hunting camera.
You can also choose what kind of still image resolution you want to use. You can have a low resolution to a high-resolution option on this camera. You can even choose as low as 0.9 megapixels. In addition to this, you can also enjoy 2 settings for the videos. You can capture videos on VGA (640 x 480) or HD (1280 x 720).
Battery life
The camera is well adapted for the wild especially if you plan on camping for a few days. The battery life can capture 13,500 images without changing the battery. Thanks to its energy efficient design, the Moultrie M880 can run for months without any issues.
The camera operates on 8 AA batteries. You can also opt to invest in rechargeable batteries to make sure that you save some money in the long run. The Moultrie M880 also runs using a 12 volt DC external power source. This means that it can be plugged into a power source when used for home security.
Standout features
The camera has the ability to upload directly online. This makes it easy for the user to review the images without a problem as long as there’s a stable WiFi connection. In addition to this, it makes use of a digital security lock in order to ensure that you are the only one who gets access to the images that you took.
The camera also has an info strip that includes the moon phase, time, temperature, date, and even the location of the camera when the photo was taken. This makes it easier for users to trace the location where an object has been spotted. It becomes a perfect tool not only for hunting enthusiasts but also for scientists that are observing certain animals in the wild.
Durability
The Moultrie M880 has become popular due to its robust and weatherproof design. It is a reliable option especially if you are planning to use it amidst unpredictable weather.
Pros and Cons
There are a good number of good things that make the M880 standout. It has fast trigger speed compared to other units in the market. In addition to this, you have different options when it comes to the camera’s recovery time. This means that you can change the recovery time in order to save battery life. It also has a good number of options that make the camera impressive. And lastly, it has an impressive battery life that can take a good number of photos, not to mention it can be plugged.
So what are the things that could still be improved with the Moultrie?
M880 game camera? For one, it only has a limited flash range. This means that you may not be able to capture the same quality of the image when the product is used in the dark.
What makes it different from Moultrie M880i?
So what makes the M880 different from the M880i?
The primary difference is found in the no-glow technology used by the M880i. It has flash and 32 infrared LEDs that can prevent animals from being distracted. However, the problem with the M880i is that it can only illuminate a lesser area in the dark.
If you are willing to buy the M880i, you should be willing to put the trail cam 10ft – 12ft above in the air so that the deers will not be distracted at night by the LED.
Conclusion
Moultrie M880 is a great product that you can depend on, especially if you decided to take photos and videos of animals in the wild in a discreet manner. With a durable case, it can withstand different elements.
It also can be used for dark and daytime scenarios. However, keep in mind that there are still some things that could’ve been improved with the Moultrie M880. Is it really worth its price? For a midrange camera, it is something that is worth it.
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