Ltl Acorn 6210 water resistance tests update

Acorn 6210 water/condensation problem update 07.07.2012

I'm very happy and relieved to be able to say that the reason for the condensation problem in the Ltl Acorn 6210 Trail Camera has been identified.

After lengthy tests and analysis the cause of water getting into the control panel is, at long last, understood; and some final changes to the case upgrade are now being made.

I don't know exactly how long this will take, but it will be as fast as possible.

I will post a full explanation of the problem and how it was solved at a later date. Users of cameras which have this problem should remove the rubber bung (external power supply input) from the base of the camera.
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Fig 1:   Ltl Acorn 6210 HD Series trail camera
Left: Modified version  Right: Old version

I'm a little disconcerted to find retailers offering the updated version of this camera for sale when I'm still conducting water resistance tests on the modification.

This is a little premature as the unit I'm testing is still taking in water; so if you are offered an updated - waterproof - camera at this stage, think  before buying.

Acorn have made a lot of improvements to the existing design as illustrated in figures 1 and 2; but then they send me a unit to test with damage to the sealing lip (figure 3 arrow 1) and more damage caused by tooling marks (figure 3 arrow 2)
(figure 4 arrow 1)

In theory the design changes should prevent water

Ltl Acorn 6210 case modifications update

Ltl Acorn 6210

I've just received notification from the manufacturers that they are despatching the test camera, with all the modifications and updates, to me tomorrow.

This should mean that if all goes well I will be able to start tests by the end of next week and the crucial water testing could be completed about ten days from now.

We would estimate that subject to satisfactory tests and the manufacturers stock levels, we may be able to start fulfilling back orders for this camera by around the 5th July 2012

Raven and Pine Marten at bait site using Acorn 6210MC

This Raven (Corvus corax)  visited one of my bait sites last week and made off with all the meat within forty minutes, leaving nothing but the smell of what might have been for the Pine Marten (Martes martes), who arrived later the same day.

Both of these animals are feeding young nearby. I've heard the Raven calling on occasions and recently found the Pine Marten denned up with young in an old Beech tree.

Pine Martens Mating

I'm going to be away for a week, so this will be my last post until I return.

This video is a composite of three short clips from the Ltl Acorn 6210MC which I have on test, along side the Bushnell black flash camera trap.

The Acorn is mounted just above the Bushnell and the sudden increase in IR light level is caused by the Bushnell switching on. These cameras produce approximately the same amount of illumination, so this is a good example of the gain when doubling the amount of light source. The trees in the distance are about 45 feet (15 meters) from the cameras.

I don't know if I'm imagining this, but at the second light increase during copulation, both animals momentarily froze as if they were reacting to it. These trail cameras are both black flash so this has got to be a coincidence, hasn't it?. It did make me wonder though.

Trail Cameras for Sale

Ltl Acorn 6210
No glow cameras from £190
Including a full set of batteries, 
a 4GB SanDisk SDHC memory card
and free UK shipping

Ltl Acorn 5210
No glow cameras from £160
Including a full set of batteries, 
a 4GB SanDisk SDHC memory card
and free UK shipping

It wasn't my original intention to monetize this web site but I quickly realised that if I was going to be able to do useful survey work I would need many more trail cameras than my limited budget would allow.

From that need was born the arrangement I now have with Wildlife Services, which is to offer wildlife survey equipment at reasonable prices with good service and information backup. 

I earn a commission from each sale which is used to help me purchase more cameras for my survey work.

The principal products I offer are the trail cameras I use myself, because in my opinion, they provide the best value for money presently available; and I am committed to their use for my survey work.

I am currently in the middle of researching and writing a joint review of the Ltl Acorn 6210 and the Bushnell Trophy black flash with colour viewer #119467 Trail Cameras; and there is a considerable and growing amount of information about these cameras available on these pages.

While the Bushnell is undoubtedly an extremely good camera, producing slightly better quality still images than the 6210, I feel that the 6210 offers much better value for money. Both cameras have their pros and cons, but at the much lower price and indeed with its higher overall specification, I don't believe there is a camera of this type to equal the Ltl Acorn 6210.

Update 04.02.2014
There have been some changes since I wrote this post but not my opinion of the Acorn 6210. My arrangements I with Wildlife Services had also shifted a little more recently with my having more sales involvement in the form of testing and despatch. This was primarily because of issues with the GPRS module which now seem to be resolved.

The extra work was too much and I'm now way behind with repairs and not getting any survey work done. In future I will be concentrating on repairs, parts and technical support plus a lot more wildlife work. Future sales will be through the links on my sales page and will go straight into the Wildlife Services system.

It means that I will no longer be carrying out extensive testing of every camera sold but Martin Bailey at Wildlife Services now has a protocol in place which covers all the basic camera functions and will be conducting his own pre-sale tests.