Why is my Trail Camera not Taking Pictures? How to Fix it!

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Rob Johnston

Editor & Article Writer for Outdoor Wilds

Why is my Trail Camera not Taking Pictures?

In this article I answer the question, “why is my trail camera not taking pictures” and offer solutions on how to fix the causes where possible.

Most of us have had problems with a trail camera where it either doesn’t take pictures, or the pictures that have been recorded are of poor quality.

It’s a frustrating situation where you begin to think the camera is faulty or has become completely defunct.

In a lot of cases it’s down to a simple issue as to why a trail camera is not taking pictures or working as it should.

Applying basic trial and error in many cases can isolate the problem which then allows the issue to be directly addressed.

Let’s now go through some of these common problems and troubleshoot them as we go along.

Hopefully this check list will have your trail camera up and running again in no time.

SD Card Problems

I’m going to start with the most common reason why a trail camera stops taking pictures. That is problems with either the SD card slot inside the camera or the SD card itself.

First off, try another SD card if you have one to see if the problem is down to that particular card. If the second card works then we know there is a problem with the original SD card.

There are a number of reasons why a card may stop working, and I’ll cover those issues later in the article.

Card error message

Almost all modern trail cameras accept a standard size or micro SD card. If you take a look at the back of these cards you will notice a number of brass contact pins. The pins are separated by very thin plastic partitions.

If the pins on the SD card become clogged with mud or debris, this can cause the card to be unrecognisable by the trail camera. In this situation the camera will display a card error message.

To solve this problem you may need to physically clean the SD cards brass contact pins. Inspect the plastic partitions, to see that they haven’t broken.

Sometimes they break off inside the camera card slot, and this can cause further problems.

Cleaning the SD card

I’d suggest using some isopropyl alcohol and a Q-tip to remove any dirt present on the pins of the card.

Take your time, try and avoid pressing too hard on the pins as the plastic partitions are liable to break.

Once you have removed all the dirt and debris. Give the card wipe with a lint free cloth if you have one and let the SD card rest at room temperature for 10 minutes or so.

Last update on 2024-03-31 / Affiliate links / Images from Amazon Product Advertising API

SD card slot problems

The SD card slot has a habit of picking up dust and dirt if you don’t keep your SD cards clean.

To ensure the card slot is not causing any problems due to a bad connection. I’d suggest using a can of compressed air or gas duster.

Hold the camera so the card slot is facing downwards if possible, this just helps gravity let any loose debris fall out more easily.

SD card locked

Standard size SD cards have a plastic lock pin, located on the top right edge of the card.

The up position is for unlocked. If the card slot has a problem with locating the pin correctly, the trail camera may come up with the message “SD card locked”.

If you’ve cleaned out any debris as mentioned earlier using the air duster method and the camera is still displaying an error message, then the card slot may be broken and in need of replacement.

In this case I’d suggest talking to your trail camera supplier to see if the camera is covered under warranty for a replacement SD slot, or alterantely whole new camera.

Last update on 2024-03-31 / Affiliate links / Images from Amazon Product Advertising API

Update The Firmware

Making sure the firmware is updated is very important. All modern trail cameras will have a version number in the menu settings.

It’s just a matter of checking the number and seeing if it matches the latest firmware number on the manufacturers website.

To update the firmware follow the instructions on the website or user manual that was supplied with the camera.

In almost all cases it will involve downloading the firmware onto your computer hard drive then copy and pasting the file onto an empty formatted SD card.

Once you have the correct firmware on the SD card. Place the card inside the camera and switch the camera on. Make sure you have fresh batteries for this process.

Even if you have the latest firmware installed, it may have become corrupted or “bugged”. So again, I’d sugget to follow the manufacturers guide on the website and install a fresh version of software onto the trail camera.

Good SD Card Practice

Finally, a mention of some good practices for SD cards. It’s worth keeping your cards inside a specifically designed waterproof SD card case.

Numbering all your cards is also a good idea. Try and use the same SD all the time or each camera. This lessens the chance of bad file sectors on the card and other file structure problems.

Lastly, always format the SD card inside the trail camera once you have transferred the pictures and video to your computer hard drive from the last scouting session.

Last update on 2024-03-31 / Affiliate links / Images from Amazon Product Advertising API

Trail Camera Not Switching On

I’m going to only focus on trail cam batteries here and leave external power supply issues for another article.

Battery type

I’d always suggest lithium batteries over alkaline for powering trail cameras. Although they are more expensive, the performance of lithium batteries, especially in cold weather far outweigh the cost difference in my view.

If you’re using alkaline batteries it’s worth noting that once the output drops to around 1.3 volts they struggle to supply enough power to the LED IR flash at night. This can cause black pictures at night.

Check the batteries

Check the batteries output by using a ZTS Battery Tester or similar to see if the problem is due to low power supply.

Sometimes, a single battery may be the cause. You place 8 x AA fresh batteries inside the battery tray and for whatever reason one of the batteries may have a defect. This will cause resistance and drain the other healthy batteries more quickly.

So, again it’s worth just checking the output of all the batteries to see if there is a problem there.

Battery tray contacts and connections

A quick inspection of all the battery contacts and terminals inside the battery tray may highlight a problem. Usually, corrosion looks like a blueish / white powder substance.

If you need to clean any corrosion inside the battery tray, use some isopropyl alcohol and a Q-tip to carefully clean the metal contacts. Vinegar also works well too.

Last update on 2024-03-31 / Affiliate links / Images from Amazon Product Advertising API

Power Switch

If the camera’s LCD display flashes intermittent power or none at all, then it may be down to the plastic power switch which you find on most trail cams.

The most common reason for a faulty power switch is a build up of moisture in the atmosphere over time. This dulls the contacts on the switch, leaving a very thin film of corrosion that’s not visible to the naked eye.

Clean the switches contacts

To solve this, and only do this if the camera’s warranty has expired. Remove the batteries and take some contact cleaning solution, WD40 works well, spray the switch with a small amount in both the ON and OFF positions.

Hold the camera with the switch facing down when doing so, allowing any excess solution to drip out.

Leave the camera for 24 hours at room temperature after the application of the spray.

Remember this may void the camera warranty, so I’d only suggest this as a last ditch option.

Last update on 2024-03-31 / Affiliate links / Images from Amazon Product Advertising API

Corrupt Files

Corrupt picture or video files recorded onto the SD card typically have lines through the images.

The cause of this may be a firmware issue or bad sectors on the SD card. Reformatting the card and a fresh install of the latest camera firmware will usually solve this problem.

If you’re using an Apple computer and having problems playing back video files, it may be down to the file format. AVI video files can be troublesome when played back on an Apple mac.

A dedicated media player such as VLC [1] installed on your Apple Mac should play back smoothly any AVI type video files.

False Triggers

A trail camera detects movement using a PIR sensor, (passive infrared sensor). The sensor detects variations in infrared heat within the detection zone.

If you think the PIR sensor is at fault, then a walk test may highlight this problem.

To carry out a walk test. Set the camera up around 4 feet off the ground and walk from left to right in front of the camera. Start at 10 feet and move back at around 10 feet increments.

Trigger delay

Have the camera set in basic picture mode and make sure there is no trigger delay set. Trigger delay is a setting that tells the camera to ignore any further movement after an initial trigger.

For example, the camera picks up movement of wildlife starts to record this movement but ignores any additional detected movement for a period of time.

The reason trail cameras have trigger delay is to stop an SD card from taking pictures of the same subject too many times. It’s not beneficial to have dozens of pictures of the same animal in most cases.

IR Filter Issues

Faulty IR filters are usually the cause of several picture problems. Black pictures at night and pink / purple hue pictures during daylight.

The IR filter in a trail camera is a physical filter that covers the lens at night. It’s operated by the light sensor on the front of the camera.

The light sensor tells the IR filter that it’s night and therefore drops the filter down covering the lens. The reason for this is so the lens picks up the Infrared illuminated light from the LED emitters.

LEDs on a black flash trail camera emit light at around 940nm. This is undetectable to humans and wildlife and camera lenses without an IR filter.

If the IR filter is stuck in the open position, then you’ll only get black pictures and video at night.

If the IR filter is stuck in the closed position then daytime pictures have a noticeable pink / purple hue as mentioned above.

I’m afraid the only solution to properly fix a stuck IR filter is to send it back to your trail camera supplier to be fixed with a new IR filter housing.

I do know of some people giving the camera a good whack on the side of a tree to physically dislodge the filter. If you’re in a pinch then maybe use this option, but I wouldn’t recommend it in most cases.

Check the IR Flash

It’s quite rare to have a problem with the LED flash emitters on a trail camera. LEDs are designed to last a very long time and their failure rate is low.

To check that the IR flash is working. Place the camera in a dark room or cupboard, it must be dark enough for the camera’s light sensor to think that it’s nighttime.

Switch the trail camera on and make sure the camera is set to detect movement within 10 feet.

Take a picture with your smartphone of the front of the camera with the smartphone flash switched off.

If the LEDs are working fine, the picture on your phone will be black with just the LED emitters glowing in a matrix and nothing else.

This is a simple and easy way to check the LEDs are working. You can now move onto further trial and error methods outlined above in this article.

Trail Camera Modes

No one likes reading the user manual that comes with the camera. Not fully understanding the camera modes can sometimes be the reason why your trail camera is not taking pictures.

Some trail cameras have a set time for operation. You can set the camera to record only from 10pm to 5am for example.

The trigger delay is a commonly misused setting that leads people to think the camera isnt working properly.

Bottom line is, check out all the camera modes to make sure they are set to record as you intend.

Final Thoughts

I’ve covered the most common problems associated with trail cameras failure to take pictures and provided simple solutions to them.

I’d always suggest talking to your trail camera supplier or manufacturer if you have any doubts.

Sometimes a trail camera is just inherently faulty. In which case send it back and have it replaced with a new camera if the warranty covers it.

I hope this helps some of you out who are currently having problems with your trail camera. I’ve been there and know it can be very frustrating.

Let me know in the comments if you have any additional advice on trail camera troubleshooting, I’d enjoy reading your experiences.