Browning Dark Ops Pro XD Review
Model #BTC-6PXD | Dark Ops XD Owner's Manual
This is an excellent camera in every facet. Great pictures, good videos, extremely fast, long battery life, and easy to set up. We wish this were truly no glow, but the flash is still hard to see and would still work as a security camera. Big thumbs up from us. -TCP Staff
Trailcampro Comprehensive Score:
89/100
Browning Dark Ops Pro XD Trail Camera Review
Pros
- Excellent battery life
- Great pictures
- One of the best detection circuits on the market
- Solid case design
Cons
- Max of 20-second night videos
- Inaccurate temperature readings
- *Does not work with NiMH rechargeable batteries.
The Browning Dark Ops Pro XD dual lens trail camera has a few potential upgrades that have us pretty excited. Have two lenses, one for day shots and one for night shots, is especially interesting. Having a dedicated night lens can potentially increase nighttime photo quality significantly. Also, the upgraded video resolution could potentially put it on par with some of the top video trailcams on the market.
Photo resolution: 24 mpxl (interpolated)
Video resolution: 1920 x 1080 w/ audio
Flash Type: Low glow IR
We have been impressed with the picture quality from the Browning Dark Ops Pro XD dual lens trail camera. The dual lenses have made a noticeable difference on night pictures, producing more contrast and clarity. Keep in mind, this is a low glow game trail camera and will take slightly darker night pictures/videos than the red glow counterpart. We don't see a difference in day picture quality from this Browning Dark Ops Pro XD dual lens trail camera to the regular Dark Ops HD Pro. Still, day pictures are a real plus and display good color, contrast, and depth.
Daytime video is slightly improved with the move to 1080, although the clarity of the video isn't nearly as sharp as the Browning Advantage cameras. Much like the pictures, the night videos have seen an improvement in both clarity and contrast.
Overall, the Dark Ops Pro XD displays outstanding picture and video quality.
What if you purchase from us and aren't happy with the image quality?
This is a common question and we have a very simple solution. Call, email, or chat with us and we can take a look at the images and offer suggestions or immediately tell if something is wrong with the camera. If so, we will warranty the Browning wildlife camera for you (with the free 2-Year warranty you receive from us) or return the camera for a full refund (within 90 days of purchase). You have control of the process, remember, we work for you.
Megapixel Ratings:
In the past, many people get confused with the megapixel rating trail camera manufacturers advertise. Companies inflate the mpxl rating to attract eyes to their products. They do this through interpolation, which digitally adds megapixels to a photo without actually improving the picture.
The best way to judge picture quality is to look at actual pictures. You will notice this the most when you zoom in on a full-size image that a camera has taken. The details of the photo will appear hazy or even digitized. This is normal, and to be expected.
Picture & Video Resting Power (on): 1.3 mW
Picture Daytime/Nighttime Power Consumption: 1.8 Ws | 1.9 Ws
Video Daytime/Nighttime Power Consumption: 18.7 Ws | 37.7 Ws
Does not work with NiMH rechargeable batteries.
Picture Mode
If this camera were to take 35-day and 35-night pictures every 24 hours, the Dark Ops HD Pro XD would last 11.2 months in the field on a set of 6 AA Lithium Batteries. We consider this to be outstanding, especially considering the camera only uses 6 batteries.
Video Mode
If this camera were to take 15-day and 15-night videos (10-second videos) every 24 hours, it would last 2.8 months in the field on a set of lithium batteries. This is very respectable battery life for video mode.
Picture Trigger & Recovery Speed: 0.2 s. | 0.3 s.
Video Trigger & Recovery Speed: 0.72 s. | 1.9 s.
Detection Range & Angle: 90 ft. | 41.7° (41.8° F.O.V.)
We can't find much wrong with a detection circuit that takes pictures and videos at lightning speeds along with a detection range of 90 ft. This is an excellent detecton circuit.
Dimensions: 4.25" x 3.75" x 3.25"
Battery Type: 6 AA Batteries
External Battery Jack: 12-Volt
Case Design
You will find the case design to be nearly identical to the Browning Dark Ops HD Pro, with the obvious difference being the XD has 2 lenses (one for day and one for night images) compared to just one. The case is small, solid and durable. It has an adjustable metal back bracket that swivels up and down (about 30° range of motion). The bracket allows for easy up and down adjustments without needing to use twigs and limbs for shims. If you need more adjustability, we still recommend the Slate River Mount.
The SD card is easy to get in and out and the battery eject button is easier than the regular Pro models. We have found the temperature ratings in all Browning cameras are very unreliable and off by a significant margin. If you need the temperature readings to be accurate, we would not recommend a Browning camera at this time.
Overall, the case design on the Pro XD is outstanding. It not only feels like a quality camera, but it functions like you would expect from a much higher-end model.
Camera Setup
The Dark Ops Pro XD has a small internal viewer that makes camera setup and picture/video playback extremely easy. The viewer is a huge improvement and the live-view element eliminates the guesswork in setting up for the perfect trailcam shot.
The internal setup should only take you a minute or two - at the most. Even though the internal viewing screen is small, Browning was nice enough to enlarge the words on the screen for those of us with poor eyesight!
The Pro XD can accept SD cards up to 512 Gigabytes. This is more than enough storage than you could ever use.
SD Card Storage Examples
With a 16 Gig SD card and the camera taking 4 mpxl photos (this is our recommended setting as it is closest to the native resolution), the Dark Ops Pro XD game trail camera could store 7,774 pictures on the SD card.
With a 16 Gig SD card and the camera taking 1280x720 videos, the Dark Ops Pro XD could store 318 10-second videos.
From this data, you can extrapolate out storage capacities of different sized SD cards and different resolution settings. If you need additional or larger SD cards, you can shop all SD card options here.
Durability
Durability on the Dark Ops Pro XD has been typical of Browning cameras so far. If anything arises, we will update this review accordingly.
Through our 2-year warranty program on the trail cameras we sell, we are able to track warranty rates on all trailcam manufacturers. We do not publish this data but Browning trail cameras have proven to be a durable camera for us. If an issue arises in this model, we will update this Browning Dark Ops Pro XD Review immediately.
This is an excellent camera in every facet. Great pictures, good videos, extremely fast, long battery life, and easy to set up. We wish this were truly no glow, but the flash is still hard to see and would still work as a security camera. Big thumbs up from us.
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FAQ's: Trail Camera
Q: How do I view the pictures?
A: There are a number of ways to do this. Pictures/videos are stored on the SD card you place in the camera.
- View pictures on your computer. Plug the SD card in a desktop computer or laptop via the built-in SD card reader or use a USB reader if your computer doesn't have one. This method works for most tablets as well. With this method, we recommend having two SD cards per camera so you can swap them in the field.
- View pictures on your smartphone. Get the iOS & Android Reader. Phone readers require an app to access the photos, you can read more about these via the previous links.
- Trail Camera Viewers. While more expensive, handheld viewers are useful if you don't have a smartphone or run multiple trail cameras.
Q: Will this trail camera trigger on small animals (birds, rodents, etc.)?
A: Trail cameras detect on a combination of heat and movement, so, yes, small mammals will trigger the camera. However, if you are going after smaller warm-blooded mammals, we recommend getting the camera closer to your target. For best performance, place the camera in an area that would enable picture detection from 3 - 20 ft.
Q: Can animals see the infrared flash on this camera?
A: This is somewhat controversial. Humans can't see the flash as the nanometer spectrum is above what the human eye can detect. It's also much harder for an animal to see, but that could depend on the species of animal as different species see in different light spectrums.
Q: Where can I purchase this camera?
A: From us! We hope to woo you with our incredible charm, two-year warranty, 90-day returns, free continental U.S. shipping, and technical expertise. If that isn't enough, we give you an 8 Gig SD card with this camera and you can call and talk our ear off anytime.
Seriously, though, we know you have plenty of options of where to spend your hard-earned money. The internet can be the wild, wild, west of too-good-to-be-true deals. If you choose to do business with us, we will go out of our way to make sure you are happy with the camera you select and the service we provide you.
We are passionate about testing and reviewing trail cameras, but most importantly, we are passionate about treating our customers the right way. We do things differently from what you have come to expect from other internet retailers and we hope you give us the opportunity to prove that to you.
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