Primos Proof Cam 03 Review

Primos Proof Cam 3 Review

- The Proof Cam 03 is fast, efficient and programs in seconds. - TCP Staff

Model # 63056 | Primos Proof Cam 3 Owner's Manual

Pros

• Incredibly fast picture trigger speed
• Beautiful colorful daytime pictures
• Exceptional flash range and night pictures
• Battery efficient
• Easy programming

Cons

• Slow video trigger speed

Trailcampro Analysis

This has been one of our go-to no glow infrared trail cameras from 2015. Fast trigger, great pictures, and easy programming have made this a fan favorite.

Picture Quality

Photo resolution: 12 or 3 mpxl | Video Resolution: 1280 x 720 HD w/ audio | Flash Type: No Glow Infrared

Primos cameras are gaining a reputation for outstanding color and clarity in their daytime pictures. The Proof Cam 03 certainly lives up to that reputation. The daytime pictures are crisp, clear and offer nearly everything you could expect from a trail camera photo.

The Proof Cam 03 is a no glow infrared trail camera. They seemed to have toned down the flash from last year which is probably a good thing. The flash seems even with good contrast and impressive, but not overpowering range. The whiteout common on 2014 Primos cameras is still somewhat present, but nowhere near the same extent. This camera won our 2015 Flash Range Shootout with an incredibly well-lit photo.

In the past few years, many consumers have been misled by the megapixel rating trail camera manufacturers advertise. Don't get caught up in this. We consider 99% of megapixel ratings to be a marketing gimmick. Companies inflate the mpxl rating of their products through a process called interpolation which digitally adds megapixels to a photo while marginally improving quality, if at all. The only way to judge picture quality is by examining the pictures a trail camera takes. For instance, the Proof Cam 3 interpolates its photos out to 12 mpxl (if you choose the highest photo quality in the settings). We consider interpolation completely unnecessary, however, every manufacturer employs this tactic. You will notice this the most when you zoom in on a full-size image that the camera has taken. The details of the photo will appear hazy or even digitized. This is normal, and to be expected.

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Videos display the same quality of color and contrast as the photos. These are among the most vibrant videos we have witnessed this year. The only downside to video quality is the audio the mic picks up is pretty poor.

Battery Life

Resting Power (on): 1.8 mW | Daytime Power Consumption: 4.01 Ws | Nighttime Power Consumption: 6.03 Ws

Battery life appears to be strong on the Proof Cam 03. The resting current is very low while the day and night power consumptions are middle of the road. The increased night consumption is undoubtedly due to the power required for a strong no glow infrared flash.

The Proof Cam 3 uses lithium, alkaline or NiMH rechargeable batteries. We recommend lithium if you want trouble-free, long battery life. If this camera were to take 35-day and 35-night pictures every 24 hour time period, the Proof Cam 3 could still last an impressive 7.1 months in the field on a set of Energizer Ultimate Lithium batteries.

Detection Circuit

Picture Trigger & Recovery Speed: 0.20 s. / 4.1 s. | Video Trigger & Recovery Speed: 2.70 s. / 4.7 s. | Detection Range: 70 ft.

The Proof Cam 03 enjoys a scintillating picture trigger speed of 0.20 seconds. This is in the very top percentile of all trail cameras. The recovery time is fairly average, hovering around 4 seconds. The video trigger slows down quite substantially, however, the video recovery remains in the 4-second range.

The detection zone on the Primos proof cam 03 is nearly identical to the field of view (35.1° to 34.6° respectively) and the camera detected out to 70 ft. The field of view is about 7° more narrow than most trail cameras and thus, the camera covers that much less an area. We did get a high number of false triggers in this year's Detection Shootout.

Quality of Design

Dimensions: 5.25" x 4" x 2.75" | Battery Type: 8 AA Batteries | External Battery Jack: 12-Volt

The case design is simple and strong. The camera works well with both the Slate River Mount and the Python Cable Lock. The cable lock goes around the front of the camera, locking the camera shut as well as securing the camera to the tree.

Programming the Primos Proof Cam 03 is incredibly easy. Throw away the owner's manual, you won't be using it. Simply slide the toggle switches to your desired setting, and put in the time/date and off you go. The only downside to the programming is the lack of advanced options. Here is a breakdown of the settings:

• 1-5 multi-shot
• 5 s. - 60 s. video clips
• Time Lapse: 1, 2, 5, 10, 30 or 60 m. intervals - Daylight Hours
• Photo Stamp: Time, date, temperature and moon phase
• Picture + Video Mode: No
• Start/Stop Time: No
• Password Protection: No
• SD Card Overwrite: No
• PIR Settings: No
• Flash Settings: No

Durability has been hampered significantly by defective battery connections in earlier model runs. Inventory after Nov. 1st has been corrected. Our current inventory consists of the good battery connections and we haven't had a single warranty on any battery terminal since November.

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