Wingscapes WSCA02 BirdCam 2.0 with Flash

Comment: I've been using this camera for a few weeks. In that time, I've been able to go from watching hummingbirds visit my feeder on weekends only, to getting some really nice pictures during my work day, most days. The camera takes great pictures, though of course for small, fast moving birds it's important to have it as close as possible. In my case, it's about eighteen inches from the feeder, and the feeder has a perch, which helps birds stay longer, and stay still.

As other reviewers have pointed out, there are some critical settings to understand. First, the camera doesn't take a picture the instant there's movement and heat in the target area, so you'll get best results if there's a second or two with the bird in the frame. Second, understanding the DELAY setting is important. The delay puts some time between sets of photos, so that you don't get continuous pictures of one bird, and run out of memory. If it's set to 30 seconds, for example, you'd get pictures of a bird, then you'd have 30 seconds in which the camera isn't taking any pictures, and then it'd start watching again. The camera includes an option for no delay, which is what I use, but for more active feeders it might run you out of memory quickly. There's also a setting for the number of photos per event. If this is set to five, for example, and delay is thirty seconds, your camera would take up to five photos when it sees movement, and then wait thirty seconds, and repeat the next time movement occurs.

As to other features, the camera comes with a flash, but it is optional. If you turn the flash off, the camera just goes to sleep at night so as not to waste the battery. I haven't tried it with the flash on, but was glad I didn't have to flash birds to use the camera around dawn or dusk. The laser aimer is useful, but I wish the camera had a built in level.

The camera does not have any built in network capabilities, but I've found that using an EyeFi card as my SD card works wonders. With the card, photos that are taken get stored, and also uploaded to flickr over my home wireless network, so I can see photos while I'm not at home, and also without needing to pull the card every night.
Eye-Fi Connect X2 4 GB Class 6 SDHC Wireless Flash Memory Card EYE-FI-4CN

And finally, battery life. The camera takes four D batteries, and has no outdoor power cord. That is unfortunate, but I've had good results using high capacity rechargeables. I've been running for two weeks on a set of Tenergy D batteries, and the display on the camera shows them at fifty percent power. Other reviewers have had issues with batteries, but these have given me no trouble and I'm happy with the performance of the camera using them so far.
T-2299 Universal Smart Fast Charger with 8 Tenergy D 10000 mAh

Comment: We got this for my father as a Christmas gift and he was thrilled! He's a difficult guy to shop for, so we knew we scored big when he said this was the best present we had ever gotten him.

This takes beautiful pictures. Definitely a must for any photography or bird watching buff!

Comment: I just bought a BirdCam 2.0 and wanted to power it using an AC adaptor. I had already read the Amazon review that said the flash doesn't work properly unless a 12 Volt regulated power supply was used.

The connection on the bottom is described in the manual as a connector for a 12 Volt power supply. However, when I went to buy the optional accessory AC adaptor for the BirdCam 2.0, it gave the output specifications of 9 Volts, 250 MilliAmps. I don't know which one to use. Why are the instructions, seemingly inconsistent with the accessory? Why can't they get the details right. So far this has been frustrating.

Comment: I am still getting used to this pricey backyard birdcam, but so far, it is doing everything as advertised. I have not tried the video yet, sticking with still photos while I get the hang of the camera.

There was a "learning curve" for me, particularly with use of the motion sensing - there is a lag between the time motion is sensed and the first picture is snapped. I have one feeder where bluejays land, grab a peanut and fly immediately. This camera took 113 pictures one afternoon and only one bluejay was captured. On more static feeders, I get good pictures - see my uploads above.

For best results, leave the camera set in one location day-and-night, then seeing what is caught in the cross-hairs! As they say on TV, "set it and forget it".

Oh yes, get the camera with a flash so you can photograph the night creatures too!

I look forward to Spring when birds begin to migrate, bringing new "friends" to our feeders.

Comment: First, I must say that as long as there is bright sunlight, this camera works as advertised. However, the camera flash works poorly or not at all.

The first unit's display would blank out after a period of time and rarely take a flash picture ... even when waving my hands in front of the camera. I called the manufacturer and they promptly sent a replacement.

Consequently, I was setting up the replacement unit for its first night out to see if it operated properly. I installed relatively new batteries (EverReady Alkaline Engergizer purchased new, had been used in first BirdCam for 2 days -- display indicated 91%). I tested unit in house, and noticed that immediately after the display would indicate "Flash Charging", the display would cycle back to "Auto" and then perform a 30 second countdown. This happened over and over -- occasionally it would take a picture. But more often than not, it would simply return to the countdown menu.

My suspicion was that charging the flash was causing a momentary voltage dip resetting the unit (similar to cycling the power switch).

To test this theory, I attached the BirdCam to a regulated 12V power supply through the plug on the bottom. Now the BirdCam worked as expected. The flash would charge and it would take a picture -- never returning to the countdown menu. I noticed that when the flash charged, the amperage meter of the power supply would jump quickly and then return to the normal low current draw.

I then tested the original BirdCam using batteries to see if it would also reset when the flash charges -- It does. Almost every time the flash charges, the device resets (wasting many picture opportunities). If the 12V power supply is used, then again no problem.

I then went to Radio Shack and bought some very expensive rechargeable batteries and charger (NiMH batteries, thinking they might be able to better handle the power surge without a voltage dip). They exhibit the same problem even when fully charged.

Well, at least I understand why the BirdCam (both the original and its replacement) produced so few flash photos -- it effectively keeps turning itself off. I thought about using the unit outside and powering it from a 12V motorcycle battery; but, I mount it on tripod and the tripod covers up the 12V power port.

In summary, I find myself with an expensive camera that is basically a flawed design and incapable of reliably triggering for flash photos.

It doesn't work correctly with fully charged rechargeable D cells (even at room temperature)
It doesn't work correctly with disposable D cells when cells < ~50 Degrees F
It resists installations using an external 12V battery pack.

I was honestly very excited to receive the BirdCam as a gift ... especially after reading so many glowing reviews.

I'm not sure what to do at this point. I don't want another camera to replace the replacements .... it's a flawed design, another camera will not fix this.

I provided the above information to WingScapes and they suggested that I "put the camera outside to see if it takes pictures".