GENERAL
We do not recommend using microSD cards with LtlAcorn cameras, as you may run into compatibility issues
We do not recommend using an AC adaptor to power your camera. This could cause product failure or damage
You should replace your SD card every few years, as they have a maximum number of read/write cycles and will degrade over time. You should also replace your card you notice damage to the electrical contact
PIR Mode – This setting will take still pictures of game during the day and night, when motion is detected. This is the most commonly used mode.
Timelapse – This setting will allow you to take timelapse images during the day only.
Video – This setting will take video clips of game during the day and night.
One of the hardest things to estimate when speaking in terms of a trail camera is battery life. There are many variables that must be considered when trying to calculate the power consumption of your trail camera such as; the mode of operation being used, the number of pictures or videos taken, how many of the pictures or videos taken occur when the flash is needed as well as the temperature.
It is recommended that a good quality alkaline or lithium battery. Using the recommended batteries will provide not only optimal performance of your trail camera but also provide the longest battery life possible.
A camera has what is known as a “false trigger” if the PIR sensor thinks that there is motion and heat in front of the camera lens when there is no subject in the image. These “False Triggers” are the result of placing the camera in an environment where there is motion associated with tree branches creating motion in front of the camera or an area where there is high heat in the foreground and any motion from wind could set off the camera. Setting a camera up over water is also a potential cause for this issue.
To remedy this situation try moving the camera to an area that does not have any of these issues or try changing the sensor level on the menu settings.
If the camera continues to take images when there is no subject in them, try placing the camera in an inside environment and aiming at a location where there is no motion. If the camera continue to show issues, then there is probably an electronic component issue. If this is the case, please contact our customer service to send the camera back for repair.
All currently produced Primos cameras will accept standard SD cards that are 32GB or less. some model accept max 64GB, You can verify what size your specific model will accept by checking the owner’s manual. Your manual will also give you an estimation of how many photos/videos each size card will hold.
Your serial number will be on the inside of the camera, on a white sticker. You may need to look at the bottom of the door or inside the battery compartment, depending on the model you have.
You can view or download your owner’s manual here.
Ltl Acorn Trail Cameras are not waterproof, but they are weather resistant and should operate fine in normal rainy conditions, as long as they are set up properly.
Rechargeable batteries are not recommended. We do recommend a high quality alkaline or lithium battery.
Yes, we recommend viewing your photos/videos on a computer as other digital devices can change the format of the SD card.
The infrared flash will give off a low glow red light it is not invisible.
The flash range is the distance that you will be able to see in the picture when a picture is taken using the flash. The motion detection range is the distance from the camera that the camera will sense motion and be activated. Both of these ranges will be effected by many different factors.
An infrared flash is going to produce a black and white picture and will be visible in the dark. It produces a dull red glow that is not bright enough to catch your attention in the dark but if you looked right at it, it would be visible. A No-Glow flash is going to produce a black and white picture and will NOT be visible in the dark. It produces no visible light unless you are very close to the camera and will be nearly invisible in the dark.
The camera has flash memory so your images and settings will remain intact.
By using the test mode. A light on the front of the camera labeled TEST will blink when the camera is detecting motion. Directly face the camera towards the location you are trying to cover and walk in front of it to see the light go on, this will indicate activity.
SETTING UP TRAIL CAMERAS
We recommend mounting your trail camera at a height of approximately 3ft. off of the ground. The heavy duty 1″ nylon strap threads through the back of the camera to secure it to trees large or small. For best results target an area approximately 25ft. to 35ft. in front of the camera.
- The trail camera should be mounted at the same level as the target subjects chest. To capture large game such as deer it is recommended to mount the camera approximately 3′ off of the ground.
- The angle of the land in front of the camera should be taken into account. If there is any incline or slope you will have to improvise to position the camera correctly.
- It is recommended to target an area approximately 25 – 35 feet in front of the trail camera.
- We suggest clearing any debris such as branches or brush from in front of the camera as these things can diminish the results.
- If you feel the need to mount the camera high make sure you aim the camera down to where the subject is expected to be. Keeping in mind that this will diminish the detection range causing the need for the subject to be closer to the camera.
Three Golden Rules
Waist High – Mounting the camera at the height of your waist will provide the best results.
Level Aim – Level ground will provide the easiest mounting experience and take the guess work out of mounting the trail camera on uneven ground.
Clear of Brush – A clear field of view will provide peak performance from the trail camera.
Ltl Acorn Trail Cameras are triggered by two things which are outlined below. Trail cameras are typically designed this way to keep users from getting blank scenery pictures and/or videos when leaves blow in the wind, etc.. Understanding how your trail camera operates makes reaching the desired outcome much easier.
Motion: The first thing our trail cameras look for, and most commonly known, is motion within the detection area.
Temperature: The second thing our cameras look for, and less commonly known, is a variance in temperature.
Once the trail camera sees both of these things it will then trigger and perform as specified by your settings.
The illustration above gives a visual of the trail cameras detection area. This also displays how the camera sees temperature variances. With this information in mind it becomes easier to understand that when a subject walks directly toward the camera it may not be seen as it is likely staying in one temperature zone
We do not recommend setting up your camera to take photos through glass. Glass can affect the motion sensor, and can reflect the LEDs causing overexposed or “whiteout” photos.
Ltl Acorn Trail Cameras are designed for outdoor use. It is okay to test the camera indoors or in a covered area, but please note that lighting and reflection will not be optimal for correct photo exposure or video recording – you may end up with poor quality photos or videos due to this.
All photo and video files will save to your SD card. You can view these files through a computer, or with a compatible SD card reader.
On most Ltl Acorn cameras, you can delete media from the SD card through your Primos camera, or you can always delete media through your computer. For most Ltl Acorn Cameras, you will hold the up and down arrows at the same time to clear the card (owner’s manual will list specific instructions for your model).
Time Lapse + Photo is the same as Time Lapse mode, but it will also capture photos during day or night when motion is detected. This mode gives you the option of long range surveillance, while also allowing you to see what is walking directly in front of the camera day or night. However, with the camera constantly taking pictures, the battery life will be limited.
Time Lapse mode captures images automatically (with a chosen delay time between photos) throughout the day, and saves this footage into a video file. This is popular for scouting further distances, or big open areas (food plots, fields, etc.) where you would like to capture footage whether there is motion or not. This mode will only take photos during daylight hours
While Ltl Acorn products do excel in all of these aspects, it is not indestructible. Sharp rocks, stiff limbs, and unexpected falls can push any fabric or clothing type beyond its limit.
Any problem that is caused by abuse, misuse, or an act of nature (fire, flood, moths, etc.) is not covered. Snags, stains, pilling, discoloration, deterioration, burns, or damage from normal wear and tear are not covered by this warranty.
TROUBLESHOOTING
All Ltl Acorn Trail Cameras fall into two flash types; standard infrared and invisible infrared. With both types any picture or video taken when the flash is not needed will be in color. Any image or video taken when the flash is needed will be black and white. Typically one might assume that this translates to all images and videos taken during the day being in color, and all take during the night being black and white however there are a few exceptions.
There is a sensor on the front of the trail camera that detects the light level and determines when the flash should or should not be used. It is possible that during the day there can be periods of black and white images and sometimes this can even occur all day. The placement of the trail camera plays a large role in this as if the camera is placed under heavy tree canopy then it is possible that enough light cannot get through the canopy to the sensor on the front of the camera. Weather also plays a role in this as if it is a cloudy or stormy day or period of a day then there may not be enough light for the camera to determine the flash is not needed. Lastly, transitional periods at dusk and dawn when the light level may be at the threshold so the camera chooses may produce these types of images and videos as well.
To ensure that there is nothing wrong with the trail camera a self test can be done by removing the camera from the tree and placing it in full sun. With the camera turned on make a few passes through the detection area and view the images. If they are in color you know the camera is operating as it should.
On All LtlAcorn Cameras you can delete photos through the camera by pushing the up and down arrows at the same time while the camera is turned on to test mode . If the card has been used in other devices, or if you are having issues with recording photos, we do recommend doing a full reformat
All LtlAcorn cameras have an anticipated battery life, which will be listed in your manual. This anticipated battery life is calculated using Lithium batteries during optimal conditions – your battery life can be affected by the temperature, the type of batteries you are using, and the number of images/videos taken per day. If your camera’s battery life is drastically shorter than what is advertised, however, you may need to fully reformat your SD card
If an object is too close to the camera, the LED light may reflect back causing over exposure. This is common and is not considered a quality issue. To obtain optimum image quality, you will want to set up the camera where it is at least 15 feet away from where you expect the game to be.
The other time you may seem overexposed or even darker than normal photos would be during transition periods (dawn & dusk). The camera changes settings to optimize your photo, which means that while you are transitioning from dark to light or vice versa, you may see a limited number of photos that are lighter or darker than normal. Be sure to avoid setting up the camera in a direction that will cause sunlight to shine directly into the camera lens (facing East or West).
If it appears that your LEDs will not turn on at night, you will first need to change the batteries; low battery life will prevent the LEDs from operating properly. If you continue to have trouble after changing the batteries, please contact customer service for additional assistance.
If there is motion in front of the camera at night, but you are not seeing any photos or videos record, you will first need to change the batteries; low battery life can prevent the LEDs from operating properly. You will also need to make sure that you are using a Class 6 SD card or higher. Lower class SD cards will not write the files quick enough to record, resulting in little to no night photos and/or videos.
If your battery life is too low, it could stop the camera from taking photos. If the camera is not taking photos once your batteries have been replaced, you will need to make sure your SD card is fully formatted and that the card is unlocked.
First things first, you need to replace your batteries. Make sure that you have good batteries in the camera, and that you have the correct SD card installed. If you continue to have trouble after checking those things, please contact our customer service team
If there are limited, random photos with no game present, the following scenarios are most likely:
- An animal ran through the picture extremely fast
- A smaller animal/bird is around the camera/sensor but not in the field of view
- The sunlight or heat in combination with moving elements (trees, brush, shadows) is causing a false trigger
The first two scenarios are hard to prevent, but you can keep tree limbs, tall grass, and obstructions away from the camera. To avoid potential false triggers, try not to setup the camera directly in the sunlight
Ltl Acorn Trail Cameras require a SD card as there is no internal memory. If upon powering your trail camera on, with a SD card installed, the cameras display screen lights up and begins flashing this typically indicates there is a problem with the SD card installed.
The first step in troubleshooting is to turn the camera off and remove the SD card. Power the camera back on and the cameras display should read either “Please Insert SD Card” or “No SD Card” depending on model. If either message is displayed this is normal operation and further indicates the problem is SD card related.
The second step in troubleshooting is to try another SD card that meets the recommendations for the trail camera. If another SD card is not available you may try formatting the SD card however, it is possible that if there is a defect with the SD card formatting will not resolve the issue and trying another SD card would still be the recommendation.