tactacam

[reflexl]

Do any of you use a tactacam to video your hunts? I have one that I have never used. Thinking of putting it to work this season.

[derek]

Use one on the gun and a wide angle as a third angle usually set back at myself. By themselves, hard to paint a good picture. But multiple angles and in conjunction with the main camcorder it adds a bit to it. There are times they can be a pain and really frustrating, but self filming they have really come through to save kills I would have never got on film without them. Always neat to go back and relive the experience with what was filmed regardless.

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[cuttinAR]

I bought the 5.0 this year to try and self film hunts.  Not necessarily for production, just for myself to see and hear my hunts.  I figure I can learn from them.

Any tips on getting the most out of them?

[fallhnt]

I use them.

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[MK M GOBL]

I have a 4.0 and a "GoPro" type, both are used for B-roll and then my main camera. I'm catching as much as I can either self-filmed and sometimes have a friend along to help out.

Really do like the Tactacam for the "Hunter's View" shot!


MK M GOBL

[GobbleNut]

I've been waffling back and forth about getting the 5.0 package for a couple of years.  May pull the trigger on it before the spring hunt.  My concern is with the quality of the video.  Looking at videos from several guys that use them, it appears to me that the video quality suffers greatly when they switch shots to the Tactacam.  I really want to get a camera that functions like that, but I also want satisfactory video quality.

I also think that the head/cap attachment might be a better way to go than the barrel mounted system.  Anybody have any thoughts on the video quality or the use of one or the other attachment systems?

[MK M GOBL]

I've been waffling back and forth about getting the 5.0 package for a couple of years.  May pull the trigger on it before the spring hunt.  My concern is with the quality of the video.  Looking at videos from several guys that use them, it appears to me that the video quality suffers greatly when they switch shots to the Tactacam.  I really want to get a camera that functions like that, but I also want satisfactory video quality.

I also think that the head/cap attachment might be a better way to go than the barrel mounted system.  Anybody have any thoughts on the video quality or the use of one or the other attachment systems?

Hey GobbleNut I would say real good video but not great, the 5.0 is in 4K if you have that option for playback. My Tactacam is still better than the GoPro for hunting use. I have used both gun mount and bow mount, kind of thought the head mount thing wouldn't work well because of trying to get Tactacam pointed at bird during the shot, and with the bow in way of the string. (I see Tactacam has a mount out for this now but I haven's tried it) I am only using it for the B-roll shots, the Tactacam is the "Hunter View", gopro is a view of said hunter and my main camera catches "the hunt".

Part of the difference in the quality goes to the size and quality of the CCD/CMOS Image Sensor and which is being used.
Main Camera = $3,000
Tactacam = $300


MK M GOBL

[GobbleNut]

I have used both gun mount and bow mount, kind of thought the head mount thing wouldn't work well because of trying to get Tactacam pointed at bird during the shot.

Yeah, I have considered the problem with making sure your head is in the correct alignment with the action when using the head mount.  That could end up being a real issue at the "moment of truth".  Not having used one of these cameras before, I'm not aware of whether there is any way of viewing the video being taken in real time, but it doesn't seem like there is.  Too me, that would be a real problem with anything other than the gun mount. 

I would hate to film a classic "struttin' and gobblin" hunt only to find out later that the camera was pointed somewhere besides the bird the whole time.   

Part of the difference in the quality goes to the size and quality of the CCD/CMOS Image Sensor and which is being used.
Main Camera = $3,000
Tactacam = $300
MK M GOBL

I'm sure that the cost difference is a factor, but there are plenty of really cheap video cameras that take "acceptable" video,...or at least better than what I have seen coming out of the Tactacam.  I'm just not sure the company has made the effort to keep up with the available technology.  Perhaps I am being overly critical.  I do like the product and the concept.  I just think the video from the Tactacam products could be better based on what I personally have seen. 

Then again, I'm not sure the videos I have seen represent the newer lines of the product.  The concerns I express may well have been taken care of in the latest lines of the Tactacam cameras.  Anybody using the latest versions?....And what are your thoughts?

[GobbleNut]

....Here's another question...
How good are the Tactacam's at filming in low-light conditions?
...I'm really concerned that the video won't be very good when I shoot them off the roost in the middle of the night...   

[reflexl]

I guess this brings up another question. What are you gents using for your main camera? I am thinking of getting a new one. I had no idea that there are as many options out there. It used to be simple. The hard part for me is to set a budget. I would be inclined to spend to much if it's what I want when there are much cheaper options that would work just fine.

[Muzzy61]

I use the Tactacam as well as a go pro and standard video camera. It's not the best quality video, but I've had is be the only footage I've gotten a few times when things happed to fast to get the other cameras turned on.

[reflexl]

....Here's another question...
How good are the Tactacam's at filming in low-light conditions?
...I'm really concerned that the video won't be very good when I shoot them off the roost in the middle of the night...   

Now we know............................LOL

[derek]

As stated, the tactacam quality of footage just does not compare to what is coming from a main camera. Theres a pretty big improvement between the 4.0 and 5.0 models though. @gobblenut,  our 2019 hunts, I was still using a 4.0 on my gun whereas Bonce was running the 5.0. The difference I saw was enough and I upgraded to the 5.0 for 2020.  The 5.0 allows you to film in 4k, which outside of quality, the biggest thing that stands out to me with this is being able to digitally zoom during edit and not have it completely pixelated.

A couple things I've learned from using them. The design of the tactacam has a battery with terminals on the end. Recoil from large turkey loads bounces that battery slightly away from the camera and will power off and corrupt your file to the point I have never been able to recover it. This has happened to me on a handful of birds and it sucks. I've learned they dont like to be over tightened in the gun mount, so keeping them to where theyll spin is ideal to prevent them from cutting off. A little tape on the back of the cap also helps to push the battery a little tighter in. In Hawaii,  I doubled and the tactacam was on... file powered off likely after my second shot as I had it loose enough it pushed the cap back. Now I run a thin piece of tape around the camera behind the mount to keep that contact from happening.

Also keeping batteries in them charged is a pain and I've lost footage when a battery died as a bird was getting close and I couldnt move.

All that said, I think I've learned to adapt with them fairly well and I have not seen a better option yet so i will continue to use them. I am open to suggestions if anyone has them.

The head mounts make me sick watching video from, and are even worse with tactacams than fish eyed go pros. Your only option there imo is with a wide angle and even then... its rough. The mount they offer is side mounted and does not see the same view from your head being up or head being down on the stock, you have to choose.  Anyways. Not my preference.

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[derek]

....Here's another question...
How good are the Tactacam's at filming in low-light conditions?
...I'm really concerned that the video won't be very good when I shoot them off the roost in the middle of the night...   

Low light is better with the 5.0 than 4.0 but not great. In my teaser video you'll see a Montana merriams in a very dark screen, to the point if you view in bright light you can barely see it... that was minutes into shooting time and still very dark. Couldn't believe he was on the ground already.

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[GobbleNut]

...All good information to know.  So, with the apparent problems and limitations of using a Tactacam, are there alternatives that are better suited to our needs?  I see some of the YouTube guys using different set-ups, as I am certain some others here do, as well.  Anybody got any recommendations in terms of alternatives to going the Tactacam route? 

I have also considered the GoPro set-ups, but have been reluctant to go to them because I am not sure they have any zoom/magnification capabilities based on my limited knowledge of that type camera.  In my experience, zoom capability would seem to be essential. 

And another question: I know some of action-type cameras have remote controls.  Are those worth getting?