Spartan GoCam

[Dukslayr]

Okay I’m going to preface this by saying that I have planning to buy a Buckeye Cam 5 camera setup but we’ll just say it’s a real investment. I dabbled with s couple wireless cameras in the last few years and they’ve all been garbage. I returned all of them within 30 days. I really wanted to get a couple cameras into two places this rut that I didn’t want to venture into so I decided to try a couple Spartan GoCams (on Verizon). I run all reconyx cameras for my standard game cameras after falling in love with my first one 8ish years ago (which is still in service today), so I wasn’t expecting much. I have only been running these for three weeks but I’ve got say, so far, they’ve been really pretty good. Anyone else running these Spartan GoCams for more than a year? Curious how they’ve held up for you? I might be willing to add the solar and a couple of more cameras if they hold up. I don’t expect they will, but curious who else has been running them.

 

[huthut]

Dukslayr,

I have been running mine year around in WI for 3 years and ran them on my lease in MO when the cell signal allowed. Battery life is a challenge but I run either solar panels or an external battery. For more mobile set ups during hunting season I run Lithium batteries.

 

[Dukslayr]

Dukslayr,

I have been running mine year around in WI for 3 years and ran them on my lease in MO when the cell signal allowed. Battery life is a challenge but I run either solar panels or an external battery. For more mobile set ups during hunting season I run Lithium batteries.

Glad yo hear you’ve gotten 3 years out of them. I was in a hurry so I just threw regular alkaline batteries in them for now, but I run lithium in all my other cameras. So far I’ve gotten 3 weeks and lots of pictures and batteries are still showing full, which really surprised me. I think I’m going to set up some permanent locations with solar panels and then keep a couple others back to deploy in hard to access places during season.

 

[SwampCat]

I just had mine crap out - after four years of 24/7/365. They do use some batteries - but if you don't have them on bait piles - I would get a couple months out of mine. But, temps in the teens during the winter is about as cold as I had to deal with.

 

[144]

FYI - I don’t have any experience with Spartans, but I’ve been running Spypoints and if they are using lithiums, they’ll show 100% until they just go out. Alkaline show the reduction in battery just fine. Not sure if it’s the same case with Spartans, but just thought I’d mention it.


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[Howboutthemdawgs]

I’ve had 2 Spartans out since January continuously. They work really well. I run lithium’s. Usually get 2 months or so out of it. More when warm. I really like them. Would buy more.

 

[Peplin Creek]

I do like the Spartans I have two. One works really well and the other is starting to fail after 3 seasons. I’ve been able to get really good battery life out of them 6-9 months with 12volts and solar panels and turning real time setting off. That really drains the batteries. I also run them to send a picture back ASAP and like a 5 second delay because it takes 30 seconds or so to send.

 

[Dukslayr]

And therein lies the problem. I can probably replace them every 4 years if they last that long, and maybe technology till be better and cheaper? I don’t know... I do know that my 5 reconyx cameras are 5-8 years years old and they’re still in service 24/7 and haven’t missed a beat (send one back in because a battery exploded in it and they rebuilt it for 45 bucks). I can get a discount on the Reconyx wireless but they’re obviously still very expensive. I had a Buckeye system quoted and they’re also very expensive...but hopefully a one time purchase.

 

[Big Snow Man]

FYI - I don’t have any experience with Spartans, but I’ve been running Spypoints and if they are using lithiums, they’ll show 100% until they just go out. Alkaline show the reduction in battery just fine. Not sure if it’s the same case with Spartans, but just thought I’d mention it.


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All alkaline batteries slowly die and lithium’s will work and then abruptly shut off. Doesn’t matter the application or brand

 

[MN Slick]

Slow trigger speed and they seem to miss pictures but they sure are fun. My buddy has watch deer in front of his and not get pictures and last week walked straight away from one that never took his picture. I run two 6 volts in a series and get 6 months plus out of them. Herd 360 sells the power cord.

 

[Peplin Creek]

There are other brands out there with cheaper cameras and it’s starting to drive the price down some on Spartans. I’m going to replace my Spartans when the time comes with the stealth cam wxa series. Simply because of price. The 1280x720 image is very nice quality. No need for full Rez requests. You can find them for 60% off the price spartan.

browning and exodus have wireless cams out now too that can share data plans. Brownings will be able to send hd images too.

I guess the point I’m making Spartans are nice cams. If your worried about longevity. There are cheaper options with solid picture quality that if you had to replace later in two years would still put you at the price of a spartan without hoping it lasts 4 years.
I had to replace a spartan once and they got me the new cam within a week. That was pretty nice.

 

[Peplin Creek]

Slow trigger speed and they seem to miss pictures but they sure are fun. My buddy has watch deer in front of his and not get pictures and last week walked straight away from one that never took his picture. I run two 6 volts in a series and get 6 months plus out of them. Herd 360 sells the power cord.

I’ve noticed the same. To be fair though I don’t know of a camera that gets 100% trigger accuracy. They seem to do well enough.

 

[Dukslayr]

There are other brands out there with cheaper cameras and it’s starting to drive the price down some on Spartans. I’m going to replace my Spartans when the time comes with the stealth cam wxa series. Simply because of price. The 1280x720 image is very nice quality. No need for full Rez requests. You can find them for 60% off the price spartan.

browning and exodus have wireless cams out now too that can share data plans. Brownings will be able to send hd images too.

I guess the point I’m making Spartans are nice cams. If your worried about longevity. There are cheaper options with solid picture quality that if you had to replace later in two years would still put you at the price of a spartan without hoping it lasts 4 years.
I had to replace a spartan once and they got me the new cam within a week. That was pretty nice.

I am 100% worried about longevity. Investing in the Reconyx cameras was the best decision I’ve made for regular cameras. I just added one per year for several years. Every one of them is still in service 24/7. I’m willing to pay more for something that’s long lasting.

 

[roymunson]

I have 4 of these. Over corn or bait, I hook up an external and they'll run almost all year. But if you have a ton of pictures going, you won't get more than 2 weeks out of them IMO

As far as service goes, mine work well when I have cell service. their CS is not always the hottest and 1 of the guys was kind of an arrogant jerk to me on the phone, but they are good cameras.

I run these as my 1 offs, and on the main farm, we have a cuddelink system going that works pretty well.

 

[Peplin Creek]

I am 100% worried about longevity. Investing in the Reconyx cameras was the best decision I’ve made for regular cameras. I just added one per year for several years. Every one of them is still in service 24/7. I’m willing to pay more for something that’s long lasting.

It’s extremely hard to beat a reconyx in performance and longevity

 

[Howboutthemdawgs]

I will say that I do get frustrated with mine occasionally. For no reason it will just not send pics. Yesterday one sent over hundred, since a little after midnight today...nothing. I live six hours away from the camera so usually when that happens I won’t get any pictures until I go and reset it. I have no idea why it does that. But when I checked the SD card it has been taking pictures the whole time. And customer service is usually useless if you’re not standing in front of the camera which is kind of the point of cellular cameras...

 

[Peplin Creek]

I will say that I do get frustrated with mine occasionally. For no reason it will just not send pics. Yesterday one sent over hundred, since a little after midnight today...nothing. I live six hours away from the camera so usually when that happens I won’t get any pictures until I go and reset it. I have no idea why it does that. But when I checked the SD card it has been taking pictures the whole time. And customer service is usually useless if you’re not standing in front of the camera which is kind of the point of cellular cameras...

That really sounds like faulty camera.