Archery hunting with a camera
Elk
I am thinking about buying a Spy Point Xcel camera for my upcoming elk hunt. I have never hunted with one of these small cameras. I do not want distractions or anything thats cumbersome. Has anyone had much experience using a small HD camera?
I have a Cannon Vixia HF300 that I have mounted to the front of my bow while hunting at the moment and I love it. Great Picture Quality. I just bought another one that was a refurbished camera at 120 dollars and it has a one year warrantee.
If you don't want any distractions, then having a camera to operate while hunting won't be the answer. When done right it can be rewarding though.
I have not went with a bow mounted camera yet. I have a small Panasonic HD camcorder with a 46X zoom and it is awesome. It has imagine stabilization too. I screw the pivot arm into a tree and then put the camera on the pivot arm. When I see a critter I grab my bow 1st and then use my free hand to move the camera on the critter to film it and to zoom in. Once close I zoom out and take my shot. I do not readjust the camera if it walks out of the pic because by then I am not concerned with the cam. If I get it on video which I almost always do then great. If not oh well and at least I have film of it before the kill shot. I have filmed my own hunts many times and if you set up right you can do both with no issues. The nice thing about my cam with that 46 times zoom is you can see exactly what the animal has to offer.
Be carful filming though and getting to focused on the great picture you are seeing. Sometimes your watching a non shooter critter and then a huge ones comes from the other direction and it is right on you and you likely wouldn't have missed it if you were not so focused on the cam. You still need to look around and be ready just like you would be if you didn't have the cam on. You will learn that part real fast. Also don't watch it all on the screen either. They can be closer than you think and be in the kill zone before you know it. This is why I have a point that once they get to it I zoom out and wait for them to walk back into the picture frame.
Occasionally I have had an animal come in fast and didn't have time to mess with the cam but most times you have time to open the screen and the camera turns on automatically. Then you point and zoom if you want too. It is awesome to get footage and everyone else loves to watch it after. You have more than your memory with film too.
"Sometimes your watching a non shooter critter and then a huge ones comes from the other direction and it is right on you and you likely wouldn't have missed it if you were not so focused on the cam."
Been there, done that. It will forever haunt me until I can redeem myself. I no longer take pictures of lesser animals while in wait of a shooter.
Read your rules and regs first. I know Colorado does not allow electronics to be attached to your bow. Good luck.
I will occasionally film using my Sony HD camcorder if I'm on a stationary setup (treestand or ground ambush). When running and gunning (especially solo)...not so much.
I could use all that video to promote my Company, but even I'm not stupid enough to mess with video when I should be hunting! (and I can be stupid...just ask my Wife) ;)
If you've got someone to film for you...that's the way to go!
Best of Luck, Jeff (Bowsite Sponsor)
Like I said on the other thread, most of the "action cams" are for action under 30 yards, or pointed at yourself. But Sony Action Cam AS-15, AS-30 or AS-100 are AWESOME for low light, stabilization and price. Definitely consider it when comparing products.
I use a Panasonic HD mounted on my hat via a Solvid Systems hat/strap system. Used it some but sometimes the dang thing hurts my temple right where the camera mounts.
The best cam IMO is the Panasonic HCV-700. It has great HD quality and the best optical imagine stabilization out there IMO. Its only draw back is that 20 min before dark. The 46X zoom is what I love. Most higher end cams have 10-12X zoom and that's it. If what you're looking at is 300 yards away and you zoom in it is still small and hard to see. Not with the Panasonic HCV-700.
I found a low light feature on it but it sucks. It gives you enough light but the imagine stumbles and blurs. All and all I took the trade off of bad low light (20 min before dark) for the high quality image and 46X zoom
Hammer, not sure if you realize my camera is the Panasonic HC V-700, and that is the link I provided.
Sorry Greg I didn't notice the link at 1st. Maybe I noticed and hadn't opened it yet.
That's cool though. Great camera!
Bullhound and Hammer did you realize the OP's SpyPoint is $250 and an action cam? lol.
Yep. He said he didn't want to use a big cumbersome camera and asked if anyone had experience with a small HD camera and the cam Bull and I use is pretty small.
Why?
Just trying to be funny. Big difference in price, features and intended purpose.
The cams we have are 100 bucks more. lol
I know he said he was thinking about that one so for 100 more this is a better option IMO. I know nothing of his camera other than what it is.
