Reconyx Microfire MS8 Review

2019 Reconyx MS8 Review

The MS8 is a true wifi trail camera. Place the camera within a wifi network and it will email you every picture taken. The MS8 is the perfect weatherproof wifi security camera. - TCP Staff

Model # MS8

Reconyx MS8 FAQ's

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Pros

• Only trail camera on the market to connect to home/business wifi and transmit photos for free
• Very fast picture detection and recovery
• 5-year warranty from Reconyx on this product
• Excellent case design and easy programming

Cons

• Requires an app to be downloaded on your phone and basic technology skills
• Only locking option requires buying the security case

Trailcampro Analysis

The Reconyx Microfire MS8 is the first wifi trail camera to hit the market. Let's take a look at how it performs.

Picture Quality:

Photo resolution: 3 mpxl

Video resolution: 1024x720 w/ audio

Flash Type: Low Glow Infrared

Day pictures do not have the bright color we have seen in other Reconyx trailcam models. However, we knew there would be a trade-off in picture quality to have the wifi technology. Clarity, depth, and focus all look accurate from our security field pictures.

Night pictures do lack flash range. The MS8 would not excel overlooking a dark, open area, but it does well when there are objects for the invisible IR light to bounce off of or in areas that have street or business lighting to help with the photos (like our security pictures below). Overlooking the lack of flash range, we are happy with night pictures.

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Video quality mimics picture quality. We only use the MS8 for security surveillance of our warehouse and office space and with the wifi technology, we believe that is the best but not only use for this camera.

Videos can't be sent via wifi. They are saved to the micro SD card.

Battery Life:

Picture & Video Resting Power (on): 2.89 mW

Picture Daytime/Nighttime Power Consumption: 1.94 Ws | 4.05 Ws

Video Daytime/Nighttime Power Consumption: 22.79 Ws | 86.48 Ws

Picture Mode

If this camera were to take 35-day and 35-night pictures every 24 hours, the MS8 would last 5.9 months in the field on a set of 6 AA Lithium Batteries. Keep in mind, the more you connect to the camera with your app and download photos, the quicker the batteries will be used.

Wifi Internet Mode

If you connect the camera to your home or business internet and if the MR5 were to take 35-day and 35-night pictures every 24 hours, the MS8 would last 3.9 months in the field on a set of 6 AA Lithium Batteries. When you compare this to cellular trail cameras on the market, this is outstanding battery life.

Video Mode

If this camera were to take 15-day and 15-night videos (10-second videos) every 24 hours, it would last 1.4 months in the field on a set of lithium batteries. This on the lower end of efficiency, but remember, the camera is only using 6 AA batteries. This camera does not transmit videos via wifi.

Detection Circuit:

Picture Trigger & Recovery Speed: 0.10 s. / 1.6 s.

Video Trigger & Recovery Speed: 0.22 s. / 5.8 s.

Detection Range: 40 ft.

Picture trigger and recovery speeds are outstanding. This camera can catch even the fastest animal. Video trigger is extremely impressive but the video recovery time is sluggish.

Detection range is 40 ft. This really limits the setup options for the MS8.

Overall, this detection circuit is faster than the Reconyx Ultrafire models but does not recover in picture mode as fast as the Hyperfire trail cameras.

Quality of Design:

Dimensions: 4.75" x 4" x 3"

Battery Type: 6 AA Batteries

External Battery Jack: 12-Volt

Case design is top-notch, which is exactly what you expect from a camera made in the U.S.A. The engineers at Reconyx are known for building game cameras with extreme precision and durability.

Case design is unique and progressive. The MS8 has a tube shape and could be concealed inconspicuously in a number of ways. This is not without trade-offs. The tube shape could either blend in well or stick out depending on the situation. The mounting is also unique - the MS8 comes with a screw in mount (with a ball joint) that allows the camera to be pointed numerous ways.

The front of the camera screws off revealing a front and back. The battery compartment fits neatly into the back of the camera. There is a cloth pull tab to remove the battery compartment. We have found this doesn't work nearly as well as forcefully slapping the compartment against your off-hand. The batteries are very snug and tough to remove without the help of a small screwdriver or a key. All three components have specific positions they must be in to fit together properly.

WIFI Transmission & Setup

We finally have a true Wifi trail camera! This has been long-awaited and eagerly anticipated. With a recent firmware update, the MS8 can connect to your home or business wifi and transmit pictures directly to your email address. We quickly updated our MS8 that sits on the outside of our office/warehouse and connected to the wifi network. This was quick and easy and accomplished in a matter of minutes.

We now can check pictures and activity around our offices from anywhere in the world. Reconyx does not charge a fee for this, so outside of the cost of the camera and the cost for your wifi, this is a free service (unlike cellular trail cameras).

If you don't have wifi access near the camera, the MS8 can still create its own wifi hotspot and send pictures to your phone when you are within 50-100' (exactly like the Reconyx MR5).

Setup is done entirely with the Reconyx app on your phone. This can be found in the app store on your iPhone or on Google Play on your Android. Remember, this camera requires the app to operate - there is not an internal setup screen. Once you have the App going, search for the camera (you will still need to be within 50' to change or edit settings. You can't access the camera remotely, you must be within 50'). If the camera is nearby, the app will quickly find the camera and will run you through a quick setup guide (extremely handy for first-time users). After this is over, you are ready to get the camera set to your specifications.

Setup couldn't be easier, simply select a setting and change it to your liking. Time and date automatically correlate to your phone's settings. We found all our favorite settings, including; start/stop time, PIR sensitivity and password protection. When you are ready to put the camera to work, just select "Arm Camera." This will also happen automatically after 2 minutes (as long as you don't have the codeloc on).

Durability on Reconyx trail cameras is un-matched. These cameras are engineered and produced in Holmen, Wisconsin by some of the brightest minds in the business. We have yet to have a warranty issue with the MS8.

There are obvious trade-offs to both the unique camera shape and only using a phone to program the MS8. However, if you are proficient with a smartphone and the shape of the camera works for your scenario, we believe you will find the quality of design near-flawless.

Reconyx MS8 Review Conclusion:

As the only true wifi connected trail camera on the market, the Reconyx MS8 is in its own class of security trail cameras. Even with that in mind, the MS8 is an impressive device. This is a completely weather-proof camera, capable of emailing you every triggered photo, anywhere in the world - for free. If the camera is within a wifi network, this is the ultimate security camera.

The MS8 is compact, fast, durable, takes adequate pictures, and reliably sends photos to your email address. The battery life is good when compared to cellular trailcams but below average if compared to a typical trail camera. This camera isn't for everyone, but if you are looking for a wifi camera, you should be pleased with the results.

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

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FAQ's: Reconyx MS8 Trail Camera

Q: How do I view the pictures?

A: There are a couple of ways to do this. Pictures/videos are stored on the micro SD card you place in the camera.

• View pictures on your computer. Plug the micro 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.
• View pictures on your smartphone. The MS8 requires the Reconyx App to program the camera. From this app, you can also view the downloaded pictures or videos.

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 an 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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