This past August, before the season began, I purchased the Stealth Cam Archers Choice Trail Cam. Later, after the season started, my good friend allowed me to borrow his Moultrie M 80. Since I had both cameras, I decided to use them head to head on the same tree with the same settings to see which results were better and thus give me an idea of which is the better camera.
After using both cameras for the better part of the hunting season, I have discovered that both cameras have positives and negatives, which I noted most in the reviews. However, after using them head to head, it gave me a much better understanding of the which camera gave better results and is the clear winner. I will reveal the better camera towards the end of this post.
First, we will start with the Stealth Cam Archers Choice 8.0 Megapixel Infrared Digital Game Scouting Camera which is pictured below. Highlights of this camera: easy to use, easy user friendly setup, in a good camo pattern, accepts just about any type of SD card, has a good lock hasp, accepts Stealth Cam's 12volt battery, has video with sound, has an external display to tell you how many pictures have been taken, and finally has lots of different picture options, including time lapse mode, which I have also seen called plot monitor. All of these things are the highlights of the Stealth Cam Archers and if you want further details, read my Stealth Cam Archers Choice Review.
Major downfalls: camera is a bit pricey, customer service is horrible, camera has a very slow trigger speed, camera can freezer up if battery gets weak, and finally the range during night time is limited.
Then we have the Moultrie M 80 Trail Cam (Pictures below) which has similar highlights: Small and compact, easy to use, also simple to setup, comes in a black finish, accepts a 12 volt power source, has different camera settings including time lapse, offers video and sound, and finally boasts a 50' range during day or night. These are the highlights of the Moultrie M 80, to read more check out my Moultrie M 80 Review.
The major downfalls to this camera are: strap and clip are very cheap and undersized, only accepts standard SD cards (not premium) therefore slows down both taking pictures and reviewing them, has a very small cheap clasp for locking, no external display, and finally, the 12 volt power port is mounted within the door, which means you have to unplug the camera to open the door and/or plug it in after the door is closed, which does not allow you to verify the camera is on.
When looking at the cameras head to head though, you quickly notice the differences. The M 80 has much better distance and trigger speeds hands down. But the Archers Choice accepts any SD card and has an external display. The M 80 got pictures of things that the Archers choice did not which means it has greater sensitivity. The Archers choice has a better lock clasp and strap for mounting. They both have similar settings; offer video with sound, both run on 8 double A batteries or an external 12 volt power source. The Moultrie customer service was outstanding whereas, Stealth Cam's is awful at best. The M 80 is cheaper than the Archers Choice which is said to be because it is black rather than camo like the Archers choice.
I think in the end, the Moultrie M 80 is my winner. It offers better distance, sensitivity and seems to be more reliable as long as you follow Moultrie's rules for the SD Cards. The M 80 is cheaper and offers better customer service. I think the M 80 also takes clearer pictures, but I decided to give you, our readers, the chance to judge for yourself. I have added four photos below from each camera. Take a good look at them and leave a comment below on which you think takes the better picture.
Stealth Cam Archer's Choice Picture 1
Moultrie M80 Picture 1
Stealth Cam Archer's Choice Picture 2
Moultrie M80 Picture 2
Stealth Cam Archer's Choice Picture 3
Moultrie M80 Picture 3
Stealth Cam Archer's Choice Picture 4
Moultrie M80 Picture 4
What do you think? Did I make the right choice by picking the Moultrie M 80 over the Stealth Cam Archers Choice? Leave us a comment with your thoughts!
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