Why the obscene MP capabilities on cams?

[SD51555]

I've run cams for about 11 years. It used to be 2-4 MP was high resolution. I had a camera die on me this weekend, and I started looking for a replacement. Now I'm seeing up to fixed 42 MP resolution on the Moultrie Micro 42i. I don't understand the point. I've always cranked mine down to 1 or 2 MP because I don't want to have to resize everything to be able to do anything with them.

Side note, the cam that died was the very first moultrie I ever bought. I was eyeballing a basswood tree I wanted down with my chainsaw. I didn't think I could get it down without hitting that camera. Marvin assured me he could get it down without hitting the camera. He grabbed the saw and went to work, and that 12" dbh basswood hit that cam perfectly and squashed it to the ground like a mosquito. He fixed it for me, and it went on to work for many more years. I hadn't laughed that hard in a long time.

 

[Hoytvectrix]

This is a good video about what you are talking about:

Here is a deeper dive into it: http://ki3u.byethost3.com/Photography-and-related/GPA3_Trail-Cam/GardePro_A3_img-improve.html?i=1

It comes down to marketing.

 

[West_Fork]

Its just marketing. Who wants longer downloads, bigger and more hard drives, bigger more expensive cards, more power use.....

So you got a 84,000 megapixel (interpolated) sensor sitting behind a $0.25 lens. I am sure its wonderful and many photo contests will be won.

 

[Mtyhunter]

good info here, so don't pay extra for the big mp! I used cams over the last 15 yrs, various manufacturers, mostly cheapo on sale cams. They all take decent enough pics for me to work with. Never really considered buying a more expensive one due to the MP.
There's been some ppl railing on Cuddelink due to the images they transmit cellular are thumbnails. Don't remember exactly what size they are, but here's my point...I use my trail cams for hunting intel: seeing the actual creature, and just as important, see which way they're coming and going. The cuddelink thumbnails work perfectly fine for me for that use, and I can easily identify a particular buck based on these thumbnails. Yeah, I can't send that thumbnail in to make a poster, however, the HD pics are still on each cam that took them, so I could have them if I wanted. I usually just clear the cards after every season, and don't even look at the HD images.

 

[Tamarack]

In my experience the bigger MP's can put out better pictures- with the perfect lighting conditions etc. Most of mine don't do any better at night though- non-white flash/color-at-night that is.
I'm sure it varies from camera to camera regardless.

 

[Wind Gypsy]

Reconyx are 3 MP and take better pics than most of the 20+MP cameras. It’s stupid.

 

[Howboutthemdawgs]

I’m not sure what Spartan is but I’ve yet to see anyone touch them in terms of quality. Their battery life leaves much to be desired as a result I’m sure

 

[BenA]

I miss the homebrew days. Those little 4MP Sonys could take some great pics for the time. I had built about 20 of them. Most of them died in a flood.

 

[T-Max]

I miss the homebrew days. Those little 4MP Sonys could take some great pics for the time. I had built about 20 of them. Most of them died in a flood.

View attachment 55736

Dude... That looks like a steer!

 

[Hoytvectrix]

One thing that I think is not really discussed with these types of discussions is the video modes. I am sure it is the same basic technology, but it sure seems like there are clear differences in video quality, despite most cameras having similarly sized sensors. Which probably means it comes down to quality of sensor or the code used to interpolate the pixels used in the videos.

I have been a fan of one of the cameras that is a culprit of what this thread is about. I really like the Sony sensors that they are using in their cameras.

 

[Tamarack]

One thing that I think is not really discussed with these types of discussions is the video modes. I am sure it is the same basic technology, but it sure seems like there are clear differences in video quality, despite most cameras having similarly sized sensors. Which probably means it comes down to quality of sensor or the code used to interpolate the pixels used in the videos.

I have been a fan of one of the cameras that is a culprit of what this thread is about. I really like the Sony sensors that they are using in their cameras.

Oh come on..which one?
I do mainly video and I agree.

 

[Hoytvectrix]

Oh come on..which one?
I do mainly video and I agree.

The Gardepro cameras. There is another thread where we have been posting about them.

 

[bigboreblr]

The technology is evolving so quick ,its hard to try a camera for a year then buy more the next. They usually come out with a new one.

I got a few basic gardepro 5's the piture is nice, but the motion detection is the best I've ever had from a basic camera.