Gardepro T5CF Non-Cellular Trail Camera Review
The Gardepro T5CF is a close-focus trail camera that can produce clear photos of animals as close as 20 cm. All other trail cameras use an infinity focus that produces clear shots of everything beyond one meter. This Gardepro trail camera is perfect for bird watching, various wildlife studies, and much more. - TCP Staff
Model # t5cf | GardePro T5CF Manual
Trailcampro Comprehensive Score:
93/100
Gardepro T5CF Trail Camera Review
Pros
- Optimized for close-focus photography
- Fantastic battery life
- Long detection range
- Easy programming
- Time Lapse
- Hybrid Mode
Cons
- The videos will change a bit of color mid-video
- You must go to your files app to view photos when viewing on Apple products
Be Wary Of Megapixel Ratings
Megapixel ratings for trail cameras seem to increase more & more every year. In reality, the native resolution of 99% of all trail cameras is 5 megapixels or less. Manufacturers artificially inflate megapixel ratings for advertising purposes through a process called interpolation. Interpolated photos are enhanced by software to mimic the file size of a higher megapixel photo, but seldom offer additional clarity or resolution. The result is an exponentially larger file size photo which takes longer to load and slows down the speed of your camera. We always program our cameras to capture photos at the image sensor's native resolution. This allows our cameras to operate as efficiently as possible and store more photos to memory. With shorter load times, this also allows us to review photos at a much quicker pace. To put things in perspective, the trail camera widely considered to be the "Gold Standard" and used by more professional researchers than any other unit is just 3 megapixels.
Photo resolution: 32 mpxl (interpolated)
Video resolution: 1080p
Flash Type: No Glow
Picture & Video Resting Power (on): 0.71 mW
Picture Daytime/Nighttime Power Consumption: 1.3 Ws | 1.8 Ws
Video Daytime/Nighttime Power Consumption: 15.8 Ws | 23.5 Ws
Here are your best battery options:
Trailcampro Choice: AmpTORRENT Rechargeable AA Lithium
If the T5CF were to take 35 day photos and 35 night photos every 24 hours, this camera would last 17.8 months in the field - per charge - on a set of AmpTorrent Rechargeable AA Lithium batteries.
There are a number of benefits to these batteries. They provide up to 1,200 recharges with the included USB cable, have consistent 1.5 volt operation, are eco-friendly (less batteries in a landfill), and the batteries pay for themselves after two recharges.
Longest Lasting Choice: Energizer Ultimate Lithium
If the T5CF were to take 35 day videos and 35 night videos every 24 hours, this camera would last 26.8 months in the field on a set of Energizer Ultimate Lithium batteries.
Ultimate Lithium batteries are the longest-lasting battery choice due to their incredible consistency and capacity. Although we have loved these batteries for a long time, their expense has risen drastically so they are not a cost-effective option.
Picture Trigger & Recovery Speed: 0.55 s. | 2.0 s.
Video Trigger & Recovery Speed: 1.9 s. | 2.0 s.
Detection Range & Angle: 100 ft. @ 47.6° detection angle (94.6°)
Dimensions: 6" x 4.5" x 3"
Battery Type: 8 AA
External Battery Jack: 12-volt
SD Card Size: Full size, Up to 512GB
Case Design
The case design is simple and intuitive. There have been improvements to the latch design, it is now beefier and easier to open than older Gardepro's. The weatherproof seal has seen some minor improvements as well.
The camera has a tripod mount on the bottom of the case, but not on the back.
The batteries are snuggly held in a covered battery compartment on the inside of the camera. The camera has a super handy internal viewer that allows for picture viewing and for easy programming.
Camera Setup
Programming is done on the internal picture viewer and the screen makes reading all the options incredibly easy. It has all the popular options like hybrid mode, photo burst, pir sensitivity, timelapse, and programmable start/stop time. Overall, the setup is very easy and intuitive.
Durability
The vast majority of consumer-grade trail cameras are inexpensive, imported devices exposed to harsh conditions 24/7/365. Most manufacturers only offer a one-year warranty. We stock only the most durable units and provide an additional year of warranty at no extra charge. The Trailcampro exclusive 2-year warranty allows you to deal directly with Trailcampro avoiding long wait times on hold with the manufacturer and prolonged periods without a replacement camera. We turn around most warranties in just one business day!
All test results are achieved through the use of proprietary equipment used exclusively by Trailcampro. Any re-publication of this data without prior written consent is strictly prohibited by law. COPYRIGHT TRAILCAMPRO, L.L.C. 2023, ALL RIGHTS RESERVED.
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