Bushnell Trophy Cam Vs. Scoutguard SG550
By:  The TrailCamPro Staff

      Every day we get asked, "What's the difference between the Bushnell Trophy Cam and the Scoutguard SG550?"  Or, "Would you rather have the Scoutguard or the Trophy Cam?" 

      So, let's compare the two!

Camera Shape
          First, lets look at the shape of the cameras.

Bushnell Trophy Cam	Scoutguard SG550

          The first thing you notice is while they are very similar in size, they incorporate very different case designs.  The Trophy Cam uses a traditional clam shell, hinged case.  In contrast, the Scoutguard incorporates a unique case featuring a blend of various geometric shapes and angled surfaces. 

          In nature, very few things are completely straight with 90 degree corners.  Trees, leaves, rocks and everything else have curves and imperfections.  This allows the Scoutguard to blend in better with the natural surroundings we so often place it.


Advantage:  Scoutguard


Protection from the elements

           Another thing to consider in case design is the ability to repel the harmful effects of weather and humidity.  The Trophy Cam's traditional open-close design incorporates a rubber O' ring which seals the camera from the environment and makes it completely weather-proof.  In addition, a desiccant such as "Zorb-it" can be used to minimize condensation.


           The Scoutguard uses a sliding panel on the bottom of the case to access the controls, batteries and memory card.  There is not a rubber O-ring or any type of seal which renders the Scoutguard susceptible to fluctuations in humidity.  Desiccants are useless because of the lack of a seal and available space inside the case.


The Scoutguard is rain-proof if mounted in an upright position, but in high humidity environments (like the tropics) corrosion is a major concern.

Advantage: Bushnell


Programming
           The first thing I'm always concerned with when I get a new camera is, "how easy is it to use?"  "Is it user-friendly?"

           Comparing the two cameras is very difficult as their programming is nearly identical.  If you were to program a Trophy Cam and then turn around and program a Scoutguard you would instantly recognize they were designed by the same company.  They are that similar.  However, there is one BIG difference. 

           The Scoutguard uses a remote to program their cameras.  The remote is the size of an Ipod, and works rather easily.  The Trophy Cam is programed via a LCD screen located right inside the camera and does not require an additional remote.


           If you were to drive/walk/atv out to your Scoutguard cameras and realize you want to program it to take videos instead of pictures, you will need to have the remote to do so.  With the Trophy Cam, you can change that just by opening the case.  One less thing to break, lose or have stolen, makes this a win for the Trophy Cam.

Advantage: Bushnell


Detection Capabilities
           The detection circuitry is what controls a trail cameras trigger time, recovery time, detection range and detection width.

           I mentioned before both cameras are designed by the same company and have similar firmware.  Because of this, their detection capabilities are nearly identical.

	Bushnell Trophy Cam	Scoutguard SG550
Trigger Time	1.024 seconds	0.968 seconds
Recovery Time	4-7 seconds	7-11 seconds
Detection Range	52 ft.	50 ft.
Detection Width	Wide	Wide

There is very little difference between the two. Because of that, lets call it a tie.

Advantage:  Tie


Day Pictures
          Which Camera has better quality day pictures?

Bushnell Trophy Cam	Scoutguard SG550

As you can see, they are identical.  Once again, another tie.

Advantage:  Tie


Night Pictures
          Which camera takes better night pictures?  The Scoutguard has a flash range of 35-40 ft., the Trophy Cam has a flash range of 45 ft.

Bushnell Trophy Cam	Scoutguard SG550

           I think the extra 5-10 feet of night flash range is definitely noticeable in these pictures.  Once thing you may notice, when an animal gets pretty close to the Trophy Cam, it can white-out the animal if its within a few feet.

Advantage:  Bushnell (slightly)


Battery Life
          How long will a set of batteries last?  This is never an easy question to answer.  A camera that is on a Feeder and takes 200 pictures a day will certainly not last as long as a camera on a trail that takes 20 pictures a day.  The good news is, both cameras have incredible battery life.  In fact, these cameras only draw 1/3 ma which along with Reconyx units is the lowest current draw we have ever tested.  To compare, most other trail cameras usually draw somewhere between 3-10 ma, or about 10-30 times the power.  This explains why these little units can last considerably longer on a set of AA batteries than most other cameras using larger "C" and "D" cells.


          Bushnell advertises the Trophy Cam can last up to a year on a set of batteries.  I feel it's important to qualify this statement.  Engineers at Bushnell ran tests using high powered lithium batteries and a moderate number of daily pictures.  Is it possible to get 365 days of battery life?  Possible - yes, probable - no.  On normal alkalines you can expect more like 2-4 months.  Which is the same as a Scoutguard.  If you used lithium batteries on a Scoutguard you could get close to a year under the same circumstances as well.  For more information on batteries, please visit our Battery Info page.

Advantage:  Tie


Security Options
          How can I secure my camera to a tree to help prevent theft? 

          Both cameras have the option for Security boxes.  The boxes are nearly identical (made by the same company) and are very high quality.  Here are some pictures of the boxes.

Bushnell Security Case	Scoutguard Security Case

           However, there is a difference in security options between the two.  On the front of a Scoutguard, there is a groove that is designed to fit a Python Lock.  With a Scoutguard, you can lock it to a tree with just a Python Cable Lock.  The Bushnell does not have that option.  You MUST buy a security case with the Bushnell if you want to lock it to anything.  However, I must note we have had many customers who have been able to create enough slack in the Python cable to slip the Scoutguard out.  I feel this is a rare occurance and the Scoutguard case design incorporating the groove for the python still has merit.


This gives the edge to Scoutguard.

Advantage:  Scoutguard


Problems
          What kind of problems have you experienced with these cameras?

          As with anything, especially electronics, there are going to be a certain amount of problems or defects in a specific product.  Here are the problems we have experienced with both Bushnell and Scoutguard.

          Scoutguard:  Initially (summer of 2008), there were quite a few problems with the firmware on all the Camo models.  Scoutguard issued a firmware update in the middle of 2008 and fixed those problems.  Also, the Scoutguards originally came with a remote that had a very thin, flimsy connector.  They upgraded the connection to a mini-usb port in December 2008 and we have had very few problems with the remotes since.  All in all, we have had an incredibly small return rate on our Scoutguard models.  Given we have a 90-day no questions asked guarantee, this really confirms the customer satisfaction associated with the Scoutguard brand.

          Bushnell:  The Bushnell Trophy Cam was introduced in April of 2009 and was redesigned in 2010.  In late summer (2010) there were some issues with the firmware, which resulted in "runaway cameras."  They quickly updated their firmware, and it seems to have corrected most of the problems.

Advantage:  Tie


Warranty
What kind of warranties do the cameras come with?

Every camera that is purchased from TrailCamPro.com, comes with a 90 day no questions asked return policy.  Along with that, each camera has a manufacturer warranty.

Scoutguard comes with a 1 year manufacturer warranty against any product defect.

Bushnell comes with a 2 year manufacturer warranty against any product defect.

Bushnell's two year warranty is the best warranty on the market for any trail camera manufacturer.  This is a huge plus on their side.

Advantage:  Bushnell


Overall
Both the Scoutguard and Bushnell Trophy Cam perform incredibly well for $200.00 trail cameras and I personally feel you couldn't go wrong with either model. 

The Scoutguard offers some distinct advantages with regard to concealment and security. It's non-traditional shape and ability to use a python cable give people using public land some real benefits.  However, the Trophy cam has some advantages that are hard to pass up.  The programming interface is located right inside the camera with no need for a remote.  The case design incorporates a rubber o-ring protecting the camera from fluctuations in humidity and also allowing the use of a moisture absorbing desiccant pack.  Finally, Bushnell offers an industry leading two (2) year warranty.

If you still have some questions or feel you need some additional guidance, please give us a call - we're available Monday through Friday 9-5 cst at 1-800-791-0660.

Thanks for visiting our website,
Rich

Bushnell Trophy Cam	Scoutguard SG550