Customer Reviews

Moultrie Game Spy I-40 Infrared Flash Game Camera

5 star:		(33)
4 star:		(31)
3 star:		(15)
2 star:		(8)
1 star:		(26)

 

 

Let me say that I like my product just fine. I think it is a product that offers a good value. Like other game cameras, it has its own set of issues. It takes good daylight images and the night images are okay. I currently own 3 game cameras, two of which are I40s and if I need more, I won't hesitate to get another I40.

There are some shortcomings to the camera, however. Some of these shortcomings are things common to game cameras and something I didn't realize when I first started using game cameras (this information for those buying their first game cam).

You can shoot video, but the color on my I40 cameras is poor in video mode.

Night video segments are apparently limited to just 5 seconds at a time.

As an adult male, changing out SD cards (how I get my images, putting in a blank and taking the card with images home to download) is tough because the slot in which you need to reach with your fingers is narrow. This is impossible with gloves.

Be careful in closing the camera. The O rings that keep moisture out are a bit delicate. It isn't a problem if you are careful, but you need to be careful.

There is a delay between motion sensing and when the camera takes a picture or starts a video (not just an I40 issue). This isn't a problem if the camera is set up to watch a feeder. It is a problem if you are using the camera to watch for animals passing by down a trail. Animals can trip the sensor and walk past the camera before the image is taken. So the camera needs to be pointed down the trail and not across it in order to be more successful.

At night, the images tend to be blurry. This is a product of the IR illumination and slower shutter speed (not just an I40 issue). You don't have the same problem with white light flash cameras, but they can scare animals.

You can end up with a LOT of blank images simply due to the impact of wind (not just an I40 issue). If you put your camera on a tree that sways in the wind, the relative movement of the ground or other foliage relative to the swating camera will cause it to sense motion and take a picture. There is motion, but no animals.

Some good points...
Not expensive given the features you received, picture quality, etc.

The multi-shot mode makes for some interesting 'catches'

With a 1 or 2 gig SD card, you can get hundreds and hundreds of images on the highest resolution setting without filling the card.

The batteries do quite well unless you are shoot dozens of video clips a day (mine were set at 30 seconds) during a highly windy day or put the camera on a swaying tree and taking hundreds of pics a day.

The controls are pretty easy to use.

The aiming laser is nice.

As noted, if I need another one, I will be happy to buy an I40 again.

In the spring of 2008 I purchased 4 of your I40 cameras and the Moultrie picture viewer for these cameras. The cost was almost $1000 dollars after shipping.
I used the cameras for one summer season. During their use the cameras were housed in weather resistant, bear proof housings. At the end of the summer I stored them with the batteries out and in a box in my closet each wrapped in bubble rap. These cameras only saw 15 weeks of field use.
This year I took the cameras out to prepare for my summer scouting season.
With the first camera the buttons completely quit in the first 2 weeks of use. I had to take the batteries out and let the camera sit over night. After re-installing the batteries the buttons would usually work. However, I had to perform this procedure every time the camera was powered down. Now this camera has another glitch. When an SD card is installed the camera will only take one picture before the lcd screen reads "memory full". I have used several "NEW" SD cards and the results are the same.
The second camera's infrared flash has completely quit working so night time photos are no longer possible.
The third camera will not hold its settings. After every trigger activation the camera changes its date and time. The time stamps on the pictures range from year 1964 to 2067 and the month and day constantly change.
The fourth camera's infrared flash works periodically, you never know if you'll get pictures or just black screen. This camera will also continuously trigger at times. Sometimes once the trigger is tripped the camera will take a non stop string of pictures only quitting when the memory card is full. Then when you try to view the pictures on you computer all the files are listed as corrupted and will not open.
As for the picture viewer, this item is practically worthless. During field use I can view about 25 pictures before having to change the batteries. I went through 9 sets of batteries in one day and never did check all four cameras (ran out of batteries)
I contacted Moultrie Customer Service who, although polite, had an "it's your problem now" attitude. The response was that my 1 year warrantees had expired. My feeling is that if one camera had gone bad so be it, I must have purchased a faulty product. But all four of these cameras do not work. Moultrie Customer Service department told my I could send them in for repair at my cost, including shipping and they would see if they could diagnose and fix them. Customer service said it would probably cost between $100-$150 dollars to repair them if they could be repaired at all. They also said that if repairs could not be made I would just be out that money because there was nothing they could do. Well, I'm going to pay over a hundred dollars each to repair cameras that were only used for 15 weeks then became inoperable.
If you break down purchase cost vs. amount of time used it cost almost about $70 a week to run those cameras and now I'm stuck with a product that does not work.
Moultrie seems to be distributing a faulty product at a very high price. Then when that product breaks they refuse to stand behind it. Their reputation is defiantly not all it cracked up to be. With quality like this I'm surprised they even offer a warranty at all.

Camera comes with 2 levels of software installed but has to be updated just to use....we already had taken pictures as there was nothing in the instructions that told you do download first. the website wasn't easy to use and I could never get thru to tech support on the phone....BUT, once I got the software downloaded/upgraded, it's great....nice pictures, you can edit/delete while viewing the slide show....

Ive owned a few cameras, and i bought 2 of these. I had them out 9 days and had 800 pics on 1, and 450 on the other. the battery life was still 92% after taking all those pics. that was with raovac batteries!the only problem i have is the strap is way to short, it wouldnt fit around an 8 inch fence post.definetly the best camera for the money.it wouldnt let a snake slither by without getting its picture!after 25 years of hunting I would love to afford 2 more!

I love this camera, it works great. I only gave it 4 stars because the mounting strap broke off when I was tightening it. The brackets that hold the strap is very weak. That is the only thing I don't like about it!

I have had this camera for about 9 months now. It takes excellent photos! Not as high resolution as the Moultrie 6mp but I would buy this one again for the savings on price and the minimal quality difference from this to the 6mp. I live in MN and have used these cameras in -0 degree temperature. The battery life is unbelievable to be honest, best on the market! From June to Sept I have pulled at least 2000+ photos from this model (4mp IR) and still have 45% battery life. I have found that the camera only functions properly on about 30% battery life so I don't have much left but it's been worth the money in batteries. One VERY important thing to remember is to use Duracell batteries, not Energizer or any other type including rechargeables. I have tried the others and they do not compare to Duracell in the cold weather. It's about 35-50% of life out of the others, compared to Duracell. Buy with confidence from Moultrie for cams and feeders!
Good luck hunting!

The advertised Battery life appears to be realistic. My dad and I put the Camera out where it ran taking 1200 to 1500 pictures for about 5 weeks and the battery life was still showing around 80%.

The picture clarity is very good, with deer often visible at distance beyond 150 ft. in the day light with color pictures.

This camera has outperfomred my expectations and I have already recommended it to others. I really really like this camera.

I bought a Moultrie game cam last spring and used it all summer/fall. After that much time in the field, I must say that I'm a little disappointed. My negative observations are listed below.

1. Too long of a lag for taking video/pictures. My best example was a grazing cow that showed up center in the game cam, then grazed her way to the right of the screen after 30 seconds. The cow showed up dead center before ever tripping the sensor. A deer walking by is often only seen by a hoof only even when it's at a decent angle, or just leaving the view.

2. Too noisy. I've caught both coyotes and deer that are staring at the camera, then turn and run off, or pace back and forth while looking at it. I can hear the thing "click and buzz" without my hearing aids.

3. Cheap seal. The front cover and side port is covered with a black plastic lid that uses a square formed strip of rubber about 1/8" thick. It's very prone to falling out when your using it, and allowing moisture past the seal. Tough to open the lid in freezing weather. It also lets lots of moisture inside to fog up the camera lens when the weather cools off making for some very poor shots.

4. SD card slot is very deep in the side of the camera housing. About the only way I can get my paws in there to remove the card is with needle nose pliers.

5. Mounting strap is very cheap and broke in half the first good frost. I had replaced it with a "motorcycle type tie down strap". Of course you could buy the Moultrie mounting platform...

I bought this model for it's price as $200.00 was about entry level for an I.R. camera but really expected more...

Purchased this product, worked !st season O.K., stored over summer without batteries, installed new batteries to return to woods and front display wouldn't show numbers, only black squares. Called customer service and was told to return for no charge repair or replacement. The nice lady I talked to said there wasn't even a need for a receipt, they would just take care of it. After they received it at Moultrie I got a call telling me the gasket on the battery door was broken ( See other reviews with same problem )and allowed moisture to enter in shorting out a circuit board and this problem was not covered by warranty. I guess I didn't change the little rubber band gasket every time I removed the memory card to prevent this problem. They said the cost to repair would be about 90% of the price of a new camera which I declined. They said they would return my junk camera.( I guess so I can throw it away.) I am a sporting goods dealer and I informed Moultrie in our phone conversation that I would never recommend any of their products because of poor quality but mainly their customer service making empty promises.

Great pictures. Batteries last a long time. The only reason I don't give this camera a 5 star rating is because of the cheap strap that you use to mount it with. Just be sure not to tighten it too much.