In the trail camera world, there seem to be two types of users – those that demand exceptional video quality and those that yearn for dependability. For the latter, many hunters just want them to consistently work! I fall into this group. I’ve tried many game cameras over the years dating back to the old models of the eighties and early nineties that were simply 35 mm cameras lodged in a box; With film to be developed. Ugh. The excitement over having the ability to even have a camera alternative in the field was outweighed by their clunky and labor-intensive undependability.
I’ve used many camera brands on various hunting properties, including ones low, moderate, and downright crazy in price. I’ve had a variety of success with different brands and models, but most didn’t hold up or were convoluted to operate. With mainly these factors in mind, I’ve personally had the most consistent luck with the Cuddeback, Cabelas, and Reconyx cameras. Admittedly, I’ve had some good experiences with much cheaper cameras such as Wildgame Innovations, but they typically didn’t hold up.
The Simple Need for Photos
For most of us, scouting whitetail deer is serious business and failed cameras and bruised budgets can be brutal. I’ve admittedly tried about every inexpensive camera I’ve 
come across with mixed results. But in 2017, I discovered the Tasco 8 MP Trail Camera at Walmart. At $28, it was a no-brainer for this tightwad to take it out for a spin. I started with two of them on a small piece of property I own and was astounded at the ease of use and acceptable, if not outstanding photo quality. After months of success with the cameras, I bought a few more. Prior to the 2018 season, I bought a couple for a new hunting property and several more for the family farm. Here are some observations.
Picture Quality: Fair to Good
For two full seasons now, my Tasco cameras have been placed near game feeders, heavy trails, and scrapes. They have captured good photos of many deer, predators, hogs, and other wildlife; even a trespasser. It has adequate trigger speed and boasts a 50-foot flash range – with the latter even seeming a little longer. Used for simple scouting, daytime photos taken have been very clear. Nighttime images have not been as good, but certainly adequate. Again, for me, I’m not trying to publish my photos in photography contests, but simply want to effectively scout and inventory deer herds. Either way, most of the images are good enough for identifying deer in detail, as well as for social media.
Battery Life: Good
Like most trail cameras, this camera takes 8 AA batteries, which can be laborious. However, I’ve found that battery life in this model has been as good or better than some of the other high-end cameras I run. I’ve consistently gotten a minimum of six months of continuous use from them. Not bad in my book.
Ease of Use: Very Good
I’ve had a poor experience with many cameras in this area. Admittedly, one reason can be my failure to set them up correctly or at least at optimal settings for my needs. The Tasco 8 MP camera is about as seamless as possible. It has a common control feature that 
includes On, Off, and Setup – the latter for setting the time, duration, and the like. It lacks a few features, such as a temperature stamp, but for me, this is usually not a big need.
Durability and Portability: Very Good
In my limited experience, this camera has held up well over periods of time outside. In fact, several of my initial ones from the summer of 2017 have never been brought in from the field and continue to work as they did out of the box. It sports a durable housing and one of my favorite features is the built-in female threading making it easy to attach to trees with most any screw-in mounting brackets. Though included, no straps are needed. This is huge for me because I often find camera straps to be cumbersome. This makes it easy to move cameras between locations on the properties I hunt.
Conclusion
Game cameras continue to be a popular form of low-impact scouting for many hunters. There is currently a litany of fancy ones sporting outstanding picture quality and even wireless capabilities. Nonetheless, there are still many hunters that simply need value and dependability. I have been very pleased to be able to easily and affordably run many of these cameras with success. If budget is an issue and you wish to run multiple cameras, the Tasco 8 MP camera is a really good alternative. With consistent workability and adequate features, you’ll spend less time throwing tantrums and more time scouting. Additionally, with trail camera theft being an issue (especially on public land), I’d much rather lose only $30.
Are cheap game cameras worth your investment? In my opinion, when considering the Tasco 8MP camera, the answer is a resounding yes. Considering the price point, you’ll be hard pressed to beat it. Give them a try. Hopefully, you will avoid hurting your foot after kicking a nearby tree. What’s more, maybe your savings can be put toward taxidermy on a quality whitetail.
