Hi everyone, were back in action and looking to keep the newsletters regularly coming as time permits.
We’ve had a few enquiries regarding trail cameras and best practice for using them so thought we would compile a bit of a user guide to cover a broad range of cameras but slightly more specific to the Ltl Acorn range of cameras. In this newsletter we will also touch on a few new items available now and coming soon to our website and store.

Trail Camera Tips & Tricks

Batteries
Batteries are not included but battery choice is vital for the performance of your camera.
Please speak to us for advice on which batteries are recommend but we recommend either
Energizer Ultimate Lithium (non rechargeables),Panasonic Eneloop Pro 2500mA
(rechargeables) or Fujitsu Rechargable which use the Eneloop Technology.
Power issues can bring about many strange glitches and problems with any trail camera so
it’s very important to use a recommend brand and type before assuming you have a fault
with the camera itself.
IMPORTANT – Do not leave batteries inside the camera if you are not using it,
this could result in acid leak and ruin the camera – this is not covered under
warranty!

SD Card
Always use genuine branded SDHC cards (SDHC, class 10), there have been in the past
many fake cards on the market (especially being sold on Amazon & eBay). Also, always
format your SD card using the “format” option in the camera menu or via your computer.

Manual Reset
If you think your camera has developed a fault, try a system reset as below.
Remove all batteries & SD Card, bring the camera inside for 24hrs then test again. Reset
the camera to default settings via the built in menu before testing.

Infrared
The infrared beam is powerful so don’t position the camera too close to any solid objects as
your night shots could suffer “white out” issues. For cameras that came out of the factory
from around early 2018 onwards (Ltl Acorn Cameras) you may have the Infrared Brightness Adjustment feature too. This feature allows you to adjust the strength of your cameras infrared beam and can help reduce white out problems with night time images or video.

Infrared Cut Filter (situated in front of the lens)
When moving the camera in your hand you may notice the IR cut filter moving in front of
the lens, this is perfectly normal. When the camera is in operation, it will decide if the cut
filter is needed automatically depending upon light levels.

Infrared Brightness Adjustment
If your camera has this feature then you can adjust the power of the infrared, great if you
are getting some white out issues on your night vision video footage or photos. When in
TEST mode just push the downward arrow button on the camera, your current infrared
brightness level will be displayed on the screen, push the downward arrow key again to
change the setting, there are 3 levels available (high, medium & low) and your camera is
likely to be set to high as default.

On/Off/Test Switch
If you find that your camera is not responding correctly to the switch position you have
selected, for instance the LCD screen does not come on in TEST mode but the camera
works fine in ON mode, or if you have the camera in TEST mode but it is working as if in
ON mode then it may be that the switch contacts have become dirty. There is information
on the bottom of this manual which explains how to carry out a quick clean of the
electronic switch contacts – a very simple process.
This is something that is worth doing periodically anyway to ensure the best performance
and longevity of your Ltl Acorn camera.

How does the camera work?
The wildlife trail camera has 3 heat sensors. 2 of these are known as side sensors or prep
sensors, they cover a total range of 100 degrees.
So if you imagine drawing the letter V with the bottom point being the camera lens and the
V having a 100 degree angle then you start getting a feel for the area that the sensors will
cover in front of the camera.
The third (and most important) of the 3 sensors is the central “shooting” sensor.
This sensor has a V of 35 degrees.
The camera will only actually record a video or capture an image when this sensor is
triggered.
The side sensors act to prepare the camera in advance of the central shooting sensor being
triggered. The reason for this is so that the majority of your videos or images will begin
with the subject fairly central within the camera view.
All 3 sensors are heat sensors. They take the ambient air temperature and if they notice a
different heat signature that’s what triggers the camera into action. For example, it’s 15
degrees outside and a human or creature with a body temperature of much higher than 15
degrees moves into the sensing area then the camera will come alive!

What is Trigger Speed?
Trigger speed determines how quickly, after detection by the main central/shooting sensor,
will the camera then start actually recording.
Trigger speed is always going to be faster when capturing images/photos than it is for
recording video due to it taking the camera a little longer to “wake up” and prepare for
video recording than it does for it to “wake up” and take a quick snap.
So if you want to make sure you don’t miss anything then it’s recommended to either set
the camera to take images or use the camera+video setting to take a photo first and then
start recording the video clip.

Trail Camera Triggering & Placement – Best Practice
Your trail camera records when triggered, the trigger occurs when the camera senses heat
change within the image that is different to the ambient air temperature. This increased
heat signature within the image is usually (but not always) caused by something new
entering the camera view such as a human or creature.
In most cases optimal camera placement is at 45-90 degrees from the area you expect the
subject to enter the image from. This way you are most likely to get the best picture/video
possible of the subject entering the camera view.
When a subject moves across the camera’s field of view at 45-90 degrees to the lens axis
the camera will be much more sensitive to this movement than if the subject is moving
directly towards or away from the camera.
The reason for the lack of sensitivity in the latter is because the size of the subject will only
change slowly as the cameras view of the subject expands or contracts against the
background.
Whereas, if the camera is positioned at a 45 or 90 degree angle from where the subject
enters the view, the entire subject will appear as “new” heat change from the cameras’
point of view.
As you can imagine trail camera placement is not an exact science as we cannot always rely
on any subject to enter the camera trigger area from where we want/expect them to! Trial
and error is often the best way to find out where to place your camera.

Central Shooting Sensor & Side PIR Sensors
A recording will only be triggered when the subject is within the 35 degrees central
“shooting” sensor area. With the side PIRs the total sensing range is 100 degrees but the
side PIRs will only prepare the camera to record, it will not actually start recording until the
subject enters the 35 degree central shooting sensor area.
With a wide angle lens version camera the entire 100 degrees is a “shooting” sensor area.

Heat Sensors
If the air temperature is 20C and a human with a body temperature of 37C moves in front
of the camera then the camera will be sensitive to the change because of the 17C
difference between the two. If the air temperature is 30C then the camera will be less
sensitive because the difference is only 7C. With a small temperature difference between
the air and subject temperatures it can be advantageous to set the cameras sensitivity to
HIGH although this could also lead to some false triggers in some circumstances, such as a
tree branch warming in the sun and then moving in the breeze for example.
Conversely, if a 37C object moves across a subzero air temperature of say -10C the camera
will be very sensitive to this because the temperature difference of 47C is much greater. In
these circumstances it may be advantageous to set the camera sensitivity to LOW.

Batteries & SD Card
First port of call if you think your camera is not working correctly is always power!
Have a read of the section within these instruction pages about batteries and always try
new ones of the recommended type before assuming a fault with the camera itself.
Next stop is to try a brand new SD card in your camera (make sure it’s genuine and not
bought from eBay or Amazon!). We highly recommend the SanDisk Ultra SDHC Class 10
Brand.
Batteries (rechargeable or not) and SD cards do not last forever so these are the first
pieces of hardware to check.

Reset to Factory Default
Use the Default option within the cameras’ menu system to return the camera to the
default factory settings, this may help to clear any little glitches in performance.

Reset & Moisture Removal
If your camera has been outside for a prolonged period of time in some damp/wet weather
then bring it inside for 48hrs, remove all batteries & SD card and leave the hatches/doors
on the camera open. This will allow the camera to reset and dry out if any moisture has
sneaked in. Above a radiator or inside an airing cupboard can be good spots to leave a
camera.
You can even use Silica Gel packs to help absorb any moisture if you have some.
Remember moisture is not just rain water getting inside the camera but can come from
moisture in the air (high humidity levels) or from moisture on your own fingers when
opening a trail camera outdoors.

Infrared Cut Filter Test & Maintenance
If you think the infrared cut filter in front of the lens is not working correctly and you are
getting dark night time images/video then try the maintenance test below:
1. Reset your camera to default settings.
2. Set the interval to 0 seconds.
3. Put the camera lens facing up on a table and lean over it so that you will be directly in
front of the sensors and lens etc.
4. Cover the lens and infrared area with your hand so that the camera thinks it’s dark for 3
to 4 seconds, then uncover, then cover, then uncover etc. repeat this around 10-15 times
and you should see (and hear) the infrared cut filter moving in front of and away from the
lens.
This can help remove any build up of dust or debris (if there is any) that can develop over
time on the infrared cut filter mechanism. It can also help loosen the mechanism if a little
tightness is preventing proper movement of the filter.

Trail Camera Switch – General Maintenance
Trail cameras are often left outside in all weather conditions. Freezing, damp, wet weather
conditions can cause a buildup of moisture, dirt and dust particles on electronic contacts
which over time will stop them from working efficiently. Some general switch contacts
maintenance will usually clean and restore the contacts and enable your trail camera to
continue working as normal again.
Over time electronic switch contacts can also deteriorate (especially in outdoor devices such
as trail cameras) and so not operate correctly, in 95% of cases some electronic switch
cleaner can be applied and this will clean and rejuvenate the contacts and fix the problem.
With regards to a Ltl Acorn trail camera, this could exhibit symptoms such as the camera
operating as if it is in ON mode when in fact the switch is set to TEST mode, LCD screen
not coming on in TEST mode, or perhaps the camera not working at all.
We use WD-40 Specialist Fast Drying Contact Cleaner to help dissolve corrosion and improve the connections of the
switch contacts. If you can’t get hold of this product any good quality Electronic Contact
Switch Cleaner will do.
A small spray (do not drown it) of the switch cleaner should be applied to the
TEST/ON/OFF switch with the switch in the ON position (using the straw/pipe supplied with
the WD-40 Specialist Fast Drying Contact Cleaner can), then move the switch slowly and carefully between each different
switch setting about 10-15 times to allow the cleaning fluid to find its way to all parts of the
switch & contacts. Leave the ltl acorn camera indoors (in the warm house, not in a cold,
damp shed or garage) standing upside down, so that the switch is pointing upwards, for a
couple of days to allow the cleaner to break down any particles and dry out completely.
The above should be carried out indoors and without any batteries or SD card inside the ltl
acorn camera!
Leave it for 48 hours and then try the trail camera again. Make sure you are using fully
charged or new batteries (must be at least 2500mA output current) and a fresh SD card
that has been formatted in your computer and then inside the camera,
If the above procedure does not fix your Ltl Acorn wildlife camera then it’s a good idea to
give the process a second try just in case the switch contacts were particularly dirty and
require a second clean.

New Products Arriving & Available Now

If you’ve been keeping an eye on our website we have lots of new products arriving and available for back order. Below are some of the new Pulsar Thermal and Night Vision gear that is now available. Click on the link for more information and pricing. In our previous Blog Post we touched on the 3 new Axions arriving and the main differences between them. You can read that post HERE and we also put together a spec sheet for the different Axion models so you can compare them together HERE

Pulsar Thermion 2 Pro XP50 LRF Thermal Scopes
Pulsar Talion XQ38 Thermal Scopes
Pulsar Axion 2 XQ35 & LRF Thermal Monoculars
Pulsar Axion 2 XG35 & LRF Thermal Monoculars
Pulsar Merger XP50 LRF Thermal Binoculars
Pulsar Digex C50 Night Vision Scope

Well that’s it for this newsletter, in the next newsletter time permitting we will touch on a new 4G trail camera arriving soon that we are hoping to put through its paces.

Cheers
Dave
Afterdark Surveillance.