I received my first GardePro camera today. I only started using trail cameras about 4-5 years ago. The E5 was cheaper than the A3 at the time I ordered it. So that's the one I have. My initial impression of the camera is quite good! My past experience has been Tasco (8MP, 10MP, & 12MP), Browning (Command Ops and Dark Ops models), Wosport Mini, & Campark T20 trail cameras.
Browning - I started with 5 working Browning cameras last season. Two of those still work properly this year, & the issues have been different for the three that aren't working. Browning did replace one of my Dark Ops after sending one back to them. I do want to acknowledge that. I am done with $100+ trail cameras for now.
Tasco - I want to like these cameras, & when they work they are quite good! None of my 8MP & 10MP Tasco trail cameras lasted more than two seasons, & some didn't go beyond one season. I've tried various tricks shared on youtube, but they have all failed. I do have a more current 12MP Tasco out. I am hoping for the best. The 3 biggest knock on the Tasco trail cameras - No pics counter & no battery life indicator, which results in having a blank SD card at times without knowing. If you knew the issue at the camera, you could address it at the time. The third issue is the new 12 MP pics will not open on my Mac laptop. The former models did not have that issue. My Wosport Mini has the exact same set up features & buttons, & it has the same issue. I had to buy a cheap Chromebook to look at the saved pics.
Wosport Mini & Campark T20 have been a more current experiment. I like that these cameras only require 4 - AA batteries. The Wosport Mini is like a smaller version of the Tasco. The only deal breaker I have noticed so far is the information strip on the pics. The letters are quite small & in white. It's very hard to read it on some pics. It's annoying enough to be a bit of deal breaker, which is too bad! The Campark T20 seem decent, but I hate the buttons for set up. It's not intuitive and the power button is in the worst possible spot. It's hard to see & feel once the camera is on the tree. It's really hard to manipulate the power button which is silly. The 6 buttons are very tiny & impossible for me to read with my readers. Once I remember which button is which, it's not terrible. I haven't had the Campark cameras out long enough to comment on pic quality.
So my search for the "Holy Grail" of trail cameras continues. I can honestly say the GardePro E5 has an excellent owner's manual. The quality of the buttons are better than any other trail camera I have owned. My Browning cameras don't even have a view back screen like this camera. Everything seems solid with this camera. Set up was easy & intuitive. It has the best full size SD card slot I have ever seen on a camera. I've already tested a few pics in the house and the pics open on my Mac laptop. The only negative that I have noticed so far is the back of the camera. The back is quite smooth and most other cameras have a surface that grips the trees better. It helps when wedging a stick behind the camera, too. Other than that, I am impressed so far! If I like this camera, I will buy more of them as my other ones become dead!
I plan on slipping the GardePro out in the woods tomorrow. Archery season opens September 17th in Wisconsin.
