Covert Black Maverick Review

2019 Covert Black Maverick Review

If you need a camera to put on a feeder, bait station, or scrape; the Black Maverick would be a fine choice. What it lacks in speed, it makes up for in picture/video quality, battery life, and case design. - TCP Staff

Model # 5342 | Black Maverick Owner's Manual

Black Maverick FAQ's

Pros

• Solid picture quality
• Excellent battery life
• Strong, durable case design

Cons

• Terrible detection circuit
• Some dark daytime images

Trailcampro Analysis

Picture Quality:

Photo resolution: 20 mpxls (interpolated

Video resolution: 1920 x 1080 w/ audio

Flash Type: No Glow IR

Day pictures have been inconsistent. We have had many spectacular images with awesome color, clarity, and depth. We have also had many dark daytime images, on several cameras. Not sure the cause, but this inconsistency knocked the rating down just a bit. However, the daytime images are really good overall.

Night images have seen an improvement over recent years. We haven't had the white out we've experienced in the past. The IR photos are well-illuminated with good contrast.

Video quality has been excellent. Shooting in a 1080p resolution has produced outstanding results, as you can see below. Night videos have also been a pleasant surprise. Overall, video quality is a big plus on the 2019 Black Maverick.

What if you purchase from us and aren't happy with the image quality?

This is a common question and we have a very simple solution. Call, email, or chat with us and we can take a look at the images and offer suggestions or immediately tell if something is wrong with the camera. If so, we will warranty the camera for you (with the free 2-Year warranty you receive from us) or return the camera for a full refund (within 90 days of purchase). You have control of the process, remember, we work for you.

Megapixel Ratings:

In the past, many people get confused with the megapixel rating trail camera manufacturers advertise. Companies inflate the mpxl rating to attract eyes to their products. They do this through interpolation, which digitally adds megapixels to a photo without actually improving the picture.

The best way to judge picture quality is to look at actual pictures. You will notice this the most when you zoom in on a full-size image that a camera has taken. The details of the photo will appear hazy or even digitized. This is normal, and to be expected.

Battery Life:

Picture & Video Resting Power (on): 1.78 mW

Picture Daytime/Nighttime Power Consumption: 2.8 Ws | 4.2 Ws

Video Daytime/Nighttime Power Consumption: 19.6 Ws | 90.3 Ws

Picture Mode

If this camera were to take 35-day and 35-night pictures every 24 hours, the Black Maverick would last 9.4 months in the field on a set of 8 AA Lithium Batteries.

Video Mode

If this camera were to take 15-day and 15-night videos (10-second videos) every 24 hours, it would last 3.0 months in the field on a set of lithium batteries. This is very respectable battery life for video mode.

Detection Circuit:

Picture Trigger & Recovery Speed: 1.56 s. | 5.0 s.

Video Trigger & Recovery Speed: 3.7 s. | 10.1 s.

Detection Range & Angle: 50 ft. @ 53.5° Detection Angle (41.3° F.O.V.)

There's no need to get too in-depth in this category nor do we need to beat a dead horse. The Black Maverick has an extremely poor detection circuit.

Quality of Design:

Dimensions: 5.5" x 4.75" x 2.5"

Battery Type: 8 AA

External Battery Jack: 6-volt

Case Design

The Black Maverick has a unique latch and case design. The latch slides up and down to unlock the camera. This works really well and is easy to manipulate. The outside of the camera is typical of Covert scouting cameras. The plastic feels thick and rugged. Very well-built cameras.

The unique part about the case design is that the camera on the inside of the case is removable. While this isn't the first camera to do this, it is uncommon. In the past, we haven't liked these designs because the cameras have a tendency to fall out or be dropped. The Black Maverick's camera actually stays in the case really well until it is pulled out. So the risk of dropping the camera is very low. For this reason, we don't mind the design and find it rather useful.

The Black Maverick has a built-in python bracket on the back of the camera and a 1/4" x 20 threaded insert on the bottom for a Slate River Mount.

Camera Setup

The Black Maverick sets up quickly and easily. The settings are easy to navigate to and marked clearly. The 1.5" viewing screen is a tad small, so bring your reading glasses if you have trouble seeing.

We love that Covert includes start/stop time, sd card overwrite, and password protection in the options.

Durability

Through our 2-year warranty program on the trail cameras we sell, we are able to track warranty rates on all trailcam manufacturers. We do not publish this data but Covert Scouting Cameras have had an average warranty rate. If an issue arises in this model, we will update this Covert Black Maverick Review immediately.

Keep in mind, our 2-year warranty program is your free insurance program in case something goes wrong with a camera you purchase from us. This warranty protects you from any manufacturing defect the camera might experience for two years.

Covert Black Maverick Review Conclusion:

If you need a camera to put on a feeder, bait station, or scrape; the Black Maverick would be a fine choice. What it lacks in speed, it makes up for in picture/video quality, battery life, and case design.

Since 2005, our mission has to been to provide consumers with unbeatable value, advice you can trust, and customer service that exceeds expectations. There are plenty of places you can choose to do business with, if we are lucky enough to earn your support, we promise to give you our undivided attention. Trailcampro has grown each year not only by relying on your happiness but on the assumption that if we blow you away with customer service, you will brag about us to your friends (have you seen our referral/reward program?).

As always, if you have additional questions, feel free to call, email or chat with us. We look forward to helping you find your next trail camera!

Enjoy our reviews? Please consider purchasing your next trail camera from us.

FAQ's: Covert Black Maverick Trail Camera

Q: How do I view the pictures?

A: There are a number of ways to do this. Pictures/videos are stored on the SD card you place in the camera. Here are some other methods for viewing images:

• View pictures on your computer. Plug the SD card in a desktop computer or laptop via the built-in SD card reader or use a USB reader if your computer doesn't have one. This method works for most tablets as well. With this method, we recommend having two SD cards per camera so you can swap them in the field.
• Trail Camera Viewers. While more expensive, handheld viewers are useful if you don't have a smartphone or run multiple trail cameras.

Q: Will this trail camera trigger on small animals (birds, rodents, etc.)?

A: Trail cameras detect on a combination of heat and movement, so, yes, small mammals will trigger the camera. However, if you are going after smaller warm-blooded mammals, we recommend getting the camera closer to your target. For best performance, place the camera in an area that would enable picture detection from 3 - 20 ft.

Q: Can animals see the infrared flash on this camera?

A: This is somewhat controversial. Humans can't see the flash as the nanometer spectrum is above what the human eye can detect. It's also much harder for an animal to see, but that could depend on the species of animal as different species see in different light spectrums.

Q: Where can I purchase this camera?

A: From us! We hope to woo you with our incredible charm, two-year warranty, 90-day returns, free continental U.S. shipping, and technical expertise. If that isn't enough, we give you a 16 Gig SD card with this camera and you can call and talk our ear off anytime.

Seriously, though, we know you have plenty of options of where to spend your hard-earned money. The internet can be the wild, wild, west of too-good-to-be-true deals. If you choose to do business with us, we will go out of our way to make sure you are happy with the camera you select and the service we provide you.

We are passionate about testing and reviewing trail cameras, but most importantly, we are passionate about treating our customers the right way. We do things differently from what you have come to expect from other internet retailers and we hope you give us the opportunity to prove that to you.

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