Just be cautious about assuming something is wrong with the camera. Like advanced cameras, the newer trail-cameras have the ability to monitor and adjust for the amount of illumination bouncing back to the camera. They will reduce illumination if a lot of light is coming back. This is to reduce "wash out" of a subject close to the camera. So if there is something close to the camera - deer, tree, grass, etc. - that is reflecting a lot of light, the camera will reduce how much light it is projecting with the flash. So before assuming something is wrong, test the camera where NOTHING close is reflecting light. If illumination is still poor, then there's a problem.
my older Browning are on their second year of taking hundreds of videos (some over 1,000), many at night, with the original set of batteries and they are still going strong with 96% battery power. Your battery monitor might not be wrong.
Thanks BSK. Will have to move it to an a tree with an unobstructed view.
What distance?
Which batteries? If Lithium, does the camera have an internal setting to ensure the battery meter is showing accurate reading? Reason I ask is Lithiums die instantly (generally speaking, they drop from 1.8v to 1.5v and they are done), so I rarely trust the battery meter in my cameras other than my Reconyx cams that have an interior setting for Lithium batteries.
Right at 75 feet.
Yes, the cameras have an internal setting for the type of batteries. I'm using (the only battery I ever use in trail-cameras) Energizer Ultimate Lithium AAs. The cameras' internal settings are set for lithium.
Gotcha. I will be anxious to see how accurately it tracks the voltage drop (1.8 (100%), 1.7 (75%), 1.6 (50%), 1.5 (25%), etc) with the L91 Lithiums.
Having the selection is a good thing. My real question is how accurately does it track the voltage drop in the L91 Lithiums. Generally speaking, it is hard to measure accurately, thus a 96% battery reading after a 1000 videos may be misleading if the voltage suddenly drops to 1.5 and the camera dies. My main point is for end users to be leery of battery meters with lithium batteries because they can be misleading as the batteries near the end of their useful life, basically dropping from 95% to 50% in a day to dead overnight. I've seen it too many times with several cameras. My Reconyx cams will go from 100% to 90% to 70% to 60%, and then die shortly thereafter. If I see a 60-70% reading, I know I am on borrowed time and have gambled too much IMO. My rule of thumb is to pull them around 80% and replace with new Lithium batteries. Food for thought.
That's a fascinating graph Andy S. Thanks for posting. I'll keep a close eye on when the sudden downturn occurs. In your opinion, if the meter is accurate, at what point (percent charge) should I change if I don't want to come back a week later to a dead camera?
From my experience, 70-80% to be sure. I've gambled with 60% readings before to come back to a dead camera that missed days of activity.
