I have used a LOT of cameras for outdoor purposes. Wildlife cameras have really evolved in the last 5 years. If your looking for a simple, affordable camera that you can place on a tree and program in the interval for taking shots then you can use any sort of foodplot camera. Plot Watcher is one that is advertised pretty heavily on the Outdoor Channel. I personally would rather have a camera that has many more functions and I can use for other purposes. My hands-down favorite is the Reconyx cameras. They take thousands of pictures on a single set of batteries. You can program in so many different functions I cannot begin to list them all. Camera speed, burst rate, day/night, delay, timed, lapse, etc... Do some research online. The nice thing about a Reconyx is you can use it and if you decide to get rid of it, you can sell it on Ebay for almost what you bought it for. These cameras are quality. I am planning to have multiple cameras on my build site. I want one on the road, one on the structure and one to record progress. One for fun and two for security. I plan to use a ladder to mount them up on the trees so they are out of sight of the contracted labor. I hope they won't see any use, but If we have some theft we should be able to do someothing about it. Good luck Saftgeek-

I looked into this extensively. Even joined a hunting web group where such questions could be posted. I learned a lot. It looked like a IR that doesn't flash I think they call it black flash) would be best, locked down with special cables or hidden in a transfomer look alike case. The batteries in the winter was an issue and they would custom bore it to allow for a power cord- but then if I didn't get a good pic I was stuck with a custom altered camera. The total figure for all that get up was a bit high, considering they said I wouldn't get license plate capture with that and would need another camera for reading a license plate. So I called the police and they recommended a guy in the surveillance/electronics business and he came out and said " no you really want other security options, not a camera" He proposed stuff that wouldn't work out for us with teenagers, and when I said I wanted a camera he wouldn't specify which one but he wanted over 1K for it and $78/ hr to set it up. Yeah right. I think I'll wait. Looks like new camera technology called 'Listro" ? in the news lately can perhaps get the focus on faces and license plates if I can wait a few years. Sounds like you can't wait. From what I'm reading you need to be just a bit tougher to break into than the neighbors and that most break-ins are not by smart types but juvies and addicts. If you google specific game camera you can find video and pics on the web of those camera ( usually wildlife pics) I found this info and a specific guys ratings of these camera to be very helpful. Can't remember the name tho. Hope this helps.

Although I am currently only working as an advanced amateur shooting for my own purposes, way back in the late 60's while in the Air Force I was professionally trained as a "Still Photographic Specialist" and I worked as a professional photographer for a short time after I got out of the Air Force in 1972. I principally shoot Pentax invented the through the lens pentaprism viewfinder and they were the first company to make cameras with a built in light meter. At the time Nikon was makng the Nikon F, which is unquestionably one of the finest camera ever made, but the Nikon F did not have a built in light meter, Instead they had an optional viewfinder that had the light meter built into the viewfinder and with the optional viewfinder it was designated the Nikon F Photomic. Canon was still making some world class rangefinder cameas but they had not yet got into the SLR market. From 1966 until 2006 I had amassed a collection of 21 ranging from an 16mm fisheye to a full 1,000mm that weighs in at nearly 32lbs including the dedicated wooden tripod that came with it. Pentax lenses, so when I decided to upgrade to Digital I chose a Pentax camera because Pentax has reverse engineered their digitals so we can still use all of our lenses. Needless to say, I am fully comfortable with a totally manual camera, although I do appreciate the conveniences of modern technology. As a sideline, I have been teaching a free photography class at our local senior center for about a year, and as you might imagine I hear your question quite often. First off, let me make it perfectly clear. Just buying a professional camera will no more make you a better photographer than what buying a stethoscope would make you a nurse. Before you buy a camera you have to stop and think about what you intend to do with it. If all you need is a camera to take good high quality scenics and family album type photos then I would not recommend the expense of a true DSLR. Professoinal photographers need a DSLR because they need to select lenses for the type of photography they perform. By example, a news photographer needs a fast normal lens and generally a moderately long telephoto, whereas a sports or wildlife photographer needs super long telephoto lenses while a scenic photographer needs super wide angle and a portrait or fashion photographer needs normal and short tele lenses and a nature or forensic photographer would need macro lenses for super closeups, while a laboratory photographer might need a microscope adapter for their camera. While that Nikon D3100 package is a very good deal, you must keep in mind that it is an entry level DSLR and while it does have enough automation that you can basically take it out of the box and use it as a point & shoot while your learning, but if you decide to really get into serious photography within a year or so you will begin to see its limitations. Basically that camera has different modes, which means you can select Full Automatic mode, Portrait Mode, Scenic Mode, Sports mode, etcetera and the camera will make the necessary adjustments to meet the need of the mode selected. It should also have a manual mode so as you advance it will work with you. For a true beginner making the initial switch from basic Point & shoot to a more sophisticated camera I would advise you to consider what the industry now calls a "Bridge Camera". (In fact, I bought a bridge camera as a backup camera). Generally the bridge cameras have the same basic shape and size as a DSLR and many of the advanced control features but instead of interchangable lenses they have a super zoom lens and they cost much less. By example, Walmart carries a number of bridge cameras from Nikon, Canon, Fugi and Kodak. My personal choice was the Kodak Easyshare z981, which has 14mp resolution and a 26x zoom lens(equivalent to a 26 to 676mm zoom.) It has a 3" display on the back of the body and it will shot both stills and video,and it has all the modes that you will have on that Nikon. All for a mere $238 plus you will have to buy a memory card separately. Another great bridge camera is the Canon Powershot SX30-IS. It has a 35x optical zoom and sells for $350. One word of caution. 200 to 250mm is about the longest lens that you can successfully use as a hand held camera. I would strongly suggest if you buy a camera that exceeds 200mm or 8x you will need a tripod too. Having said all of that, no matter what camera you choose, in the beginning you will feel a bit awkward until you get the feel of it. If you run into situations you don't understand or you have photos that you would like constructive criticism I would invite you to post them in the photography forum and their are a number of very knowledgable ppl that will help you along as you learn.

I don't think this forum is going to be the people in the know about this question. It would probably be better to ask someone in the field of security and surveillance. I know there are some pretty sophisticated systems and the field is advancing all the time so there is probably something that can do what you want. I don't think it will be a trail camera though.