The S-50i excels in many areas (picture/video quality, detection speed, setup) but has a flaw that is hard to overlook... You will end up spending a lot of money on batteries. - TCP Staff
Poor battery life even though it uses 12 AA batteries
Slowish video detection
Trailcampro Analysis
Picture Quality:
Photo resolution: 20 mpxl (interpolated)
Video resolution: 1920 x 1080 w/ audio
Flash Type: Low glow IR
Picture quality is very strong. Day pictures have beautiful color, good clarity, realistic depth, and stops motion very well. These are among the better day pictures we have seen all year.
Night pictures have even flash distribution, perfect clarity, self-adjusting flash, and good flash range. Overall, Moultrie did an outstanding job with the picture quality on the S-50i.
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Video quality mimics picture quality. Very good overall.
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, whichdigitally 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.
Battery Life
Picture & Video Resting Power (on): 2.85 mW
Picture Daytime/Nighttime Power Consumption: 1.33 Ws | 9.94 Ws
Video Daytime/Nighttime Power Consumption: 16.3 Ws | 200.58 Ws
This camera uses 12 AA batteries in series. The power consumption is very high, producing poor results in battery life.
Picture Mode
If this camera were to take 35-day and 35-night pictures every 24 hours, the 2017 S-50i would last 5.7 months in the field on a set of 12 AA Lithium Batteries. This is very poor for a non-cellular trailcam that uses 12 AA batteries.
Video Mode
If this camera were to take 15-day and 15-night videos (10-second videos) every 24 hours, it would last 1.5 months in the field on a set of lithium batteries. This is an inefficient video camera.
Whether in picture or video mode, the S-50i burns through batteries too quickly and would be expensive to continuously replace 12 Lithium batteries.
Detection Circuit:
Picture Trigger & Recovery Speed: 0.31 s. / 1.1 s.
Video Trigger & Recovery Speed: 1.77 s. / 2.6 s.
Detection Range & Angle: 80 ft. | 24.9° (34.1° F.O.V.)
Picture trigger and recovery times are both very fast. Video trigger is slow but recovery is well above average.
In our testing, the S-50i detected out to 80 ft. Overall, this is a solid detection zone.
Quality of Design:
Dimensions: 5" x 4.5" x 3"
Battery Type: 12 AA Batteries
External Battery Jack: 12-Volt
The Moultrie S50i is a wide camera and is larger than most modern cameras. The plastic molding is thick and feels sturdy. The latch is unorthodox and feels flimsy, but probably is more durable than it looks. It is easy to manipulate and we've had no problems with it.
The camera has a python bracket on the front and back of the camera, we like the ability to lock the sd card in the camera with a python bracket on the front. The threaded Slate River Angle Mount insert is located on the bottom of the camera. The battery tray removes easily and the batteries load and unload easily.
Setting the camera up is relatively easy and is helped by the nice internal view screen. Popular settings include:
Security Code
SD Card Overwrite
IR Shutter Adjustment (Motion Freeze)
Hybrid Mode (Photo + Video on each detection)
PIR sensitivity
The internal viewer allows for easy picture and video playback. It is especially handy as a live preview to make sure the camera is angled properly.
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 Moultrie game cameras were one of our most durable cameras the last two years. This is a new model, so we will continue to keep an eye on this going forward. If an issue arises, we will update this Moultrie S-50i Review immediately.
Enjoy our reviews? Please consider purchasing your next trail camera from us.
A: There are a number of ways to do this. Pictures/videos are stored on the SD card you place in the camera. The S-50i has an internal picture viewer for viewing pics/vids in the field.
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. Choose between the iOS Reader for iPhones and the 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.
Read our Customer Testimonials to find out what our customers have been saying about us!
Domestic Shipping Options
Free UPS Economy Shipping on all orders over $99
Free shipping applies only to the lower 48 states and will be shipped via the most economical method.
Orders placed before 3 p.m Central Standard Time are usually shipped the same day
We are happy to offer expedited shipping options. Prices are shown during checkout.
International Orders
Dear International Customer:
International rates vary by country and postal code. Please click here for detailed international rates. Trailcampro L.L.C. 3048 S. Clifton Ave Suite 108 Springfield, MO 65807 1-800-791-0660
Moultrie S50i Trail Camera Accessories
Here are a few of the accessories we like to use in the S50i.
- SD cards store your pictures and videos for easy removal. We give you a free SD card with the S-50i, but most people use a second card. If you have two cards, you can swap them out when you retrieve the pictures
Verified Customer Reviews
We ensure that every customer review comes from one of our real customers and not someone who works for the competing trail camera manufacturer. These are verified customer trail camera reviews that you can trust.
We would love your feedback if you purchased this trail camera from us. We want your honest feedback, these reviews are a vital part in helping consumers choose the right game camera.
Moultrie S-50i
has a rating of 5.0 stars
based on 1 reviews.