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HCO ScoutGuard SG550
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The HCO ScoutGuard SG550 is a 5MP digital scouting camera with infrared technology for night time pictures. One of the first things I noticed about the ScoutGuard was its small size. One of the things that has frustrated me with many of the current trail cameras is their large size, well this camera is very small measuring only 5 1/2 in. by 3 1/4 in. This is a welcome change.
I have given the ScoutGuard a C for picture quality. The pictures are good, but the infrared pictures just do not measure up to a good flash picture. Please read more about our picture quality explanation and see sample pictures here.
The trigger speed is the quickest I have recorded to date.
The HCO ScoutGuard SG550 operates on AA batteries. The camera will operate on four batteries and four additional batteries can be installed for longer battery life. We are using rechargeable AA batteries. I had thought that the eight rechargeable batteries lasted for five weeks in cold weather, but I found that I had not had the camera on and they had lasted for six weeks and were still working. I'll also mention that these eight batteries were not the cream of the crop of my recharegeable batteries so newer batteries may give an even longer life. I have had some difficulty knowing exactly when the camera is turned on. I thought I had this problem worked out, but I guess I haven't done that just yet.
The date and time are imprinted on each picture.
The HCO ScoutGuard SG550 was relatively easy to set-up although it is somewhat different than any camera I've used to date. To set-up the camera there is a remote that you plug into the camera for this purpose. The camera has no screen or set-up buttons other than an on/off switch, so to change any of the settings you have to have the remote to do so. This could be a problem if you want to change something and don’t have the remote with you.
The time delays available are the best of any digital trail camera I have tested to date. They include delays of 1 second to 60 seconds in 1 second increments and from 1 minute to 60 minutes in 1 minute increments. I couldn’t ask for any more.
The ScoutGuard also has the capability of taking up to 3 pictures upon each triggered event.
A nylon strap is provided to attach the unit to a tree and the case is designed so that a Python Cable lock can be placed around the camera, but it is not the best design for Python Cable use I have seen. The strap is also a little short and is not long enough to attach the camera to some of the trees I normally use.
The HCO ScoutGuard SG550 uses SD memory cards to store images accepting cards up to 2 GB in size. This camera does not have any internal memory capacity.
There is no viewing screen on the ScoutGuard but USB and video cables are provided.
The camera is in test mode when turned on with the remote connected to the unit. The camera enters live mode when the remote is unplugged and it is always in live mode when turned on without the remote plugged in.
The HCO ScoutGuard SG550 has video capability with the capacity of taking video up to 60 seconds in length.
I have already answered one question about whether or not the ScoutGuard is waterproof. The camera opens up on the bottom in a sliding type cover that does not have any o-ring seal. I have noticed that in snowy conditions there was water on the cover when I slid it out. The good thing is that the switches are on the underside so the water would have to resist gravity to get into the camera. The camera is not waterproof if you would dunk it into a bowl of water, but the design looks like it will not allow water into the camera's electronics under normal operation.
I have given the HCO ScoutGuard SG550 a C for an overall grade. The camera works well and has great battery life, but the picture quality does not measure up to the best cameras so I will not use this camera in my best areas for buck pictures. Similar to the Reconyx, I'll probable use this camera when I want more cameras out and when I want to put a camera in an exploration area to see what may be around. If I catch a nice buck in that area I would then move in one of my better picture quality camras. If you truly need an infrared digital trail camera the low price of this camera would make it a good choice.
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