Warning about Camtrakker Trail Cams - 10/04/09
Last year I purchased 3 trail cameras from Camtrakker, the MK-8 model ( <http://www.camtrakker.com/mk-8-trailcamera.aspx > http://www.camtrakker.com/mk-8-trailcamera.aspx ). Before purchasing them I did my due diligence, asked someone locals to give opinions on brands and then called Camtrakker direct for info. I called Camtrakker mainly to ask for their recommendation between the MK-8 and MK-8 Environmental(the MK-8 environmental is basically a beefed up version of the MK-8 for foul weather). I don�t recall who I spoke to but he assured me that based on the location of use(near Medford Oregon) the Environmental would be total overkill and just to go with the MK-8. These aren�t cheap trail cams($399 for the standard MK-8 and $535 for the Enviro) so it was refreshing not to get the hard sell on the more expensive model although I would have paid it if necessary.
Long story short we bought 3 MK-8 cameras and put them at various places on my property. These cameras were nothing but trouble from the start. They continually leaked and retained water within the housing(even with barely any rain). 2 were so bad you literally had to open them up, pour out the water and take them inside to dry for a couple days. Within a few months of purchase I returned 2 out of 3 explaining the issue. They were (apparently) fixed but still leaked very badly even after the �repair�. I sent one back again for the same issue and the owner refused to fix it under warrantee , accusing me of submerging the camera in water. We did not even have a very wet year last year and all cams were at roughly 4� up on trees at high points or on the side of hills. There is no way any of them could have even been within 3 feet of standing water let alone submerged. We purchased another brand of camera (Stealthcam) for half the price and they are performing very well in similar conditions.
I have attempted to get Camtrakker to make good on their warrantee by either fixing the units or offering a refund...they have done neither. I would gladly have paid the extra money to have a camera that actually functions correctly in an environment that gets roughly 25 inches of rainfall a year.
Buyer Beware as my experience has shown that Camtrakker puts out a substandard product at premium prices and then refuses to stand behind it.
Long story short we bought 3 MK-8 cameras and put them at various places on my property. These cameras were nothing but trouble from the start. They continually leaked and retained water within the housing(even with barely any rain). 2 were so bad you literally had to open them up, pour out the water and take them inside to dry for a couple days. Within a few months of purchase I returned 2 out of 3 explaining the issue. They were (apparently) fixed but still leaked very badly even after the �repair�. I sent one back again for the same issue and the owner refused to fix it under warrantee , accusing me of submerging the camera in water. We did not even have a very wet year last year and all cams were at roughly 4� up on trees at high points or on the side of hills. There is no way any of them could have even been within 3 feet of standing water let alone submerged. We purchased another brand of camera (Stealthcam) for half the price and they are performing very well in similar conditions.
I have attempted to get Camtrakker to make good on their warrantee by either fixing the units or offering a refund...they have done neither. I would gladly have paid the extra money to have a camera that actually functions correctly in an environment that gets roughly 25 inches of rainfall a year.
Buyer Beware as my experience has shown that Camtrakker puts out a substandard product at premium prices and then refuses to stand behind it.