Moultrie A7i Camera Review – Capture Your Adventure Moments

Just because the Moultrie A-7i is one of the most affordable trail cams on the market does not mean that it is in any way a budget surveillance device. Not only is it every bit as tough as high-end models from major outdoor gear manufacturers, but it also has loads of customizable features that make it a useful addition to any hunter or outdoor enthusiasts scouting arsenal. Long range, fast trigger speed, and excellent night mode imaging are just a few of the reasons that the Moultrie A-7i offers excellent value for the money. Let’s see what sets this trail cam apart from the majority of other more expensive models in its class.

Table of Contents

Long Battery Life
Rapid Fire Trigger Speed
Image and Video Resolution
Detection Zone
Mounting Hardware Options
Final Verdict

Long Battery Life

The most impressive feature of this trail cam is that it lives up to its battery life claims. Some trail cams in the same price point and class boast a 6-month battery life, but then last only a few weeks when shooting in video mode or when they are set up in a highly active area for the local wildlife. The Moultrie A-7i will capture up to 16,000 photographs on a fresh set of 8 AA lithium battery cells, so you are more likely to get that full season/6 month battery life, unlike models that boast a long battery life but end up not delivering on that promise. Make sure you only use lithium battery cells though, as alkaline and rechargeable batteries are less resilient to maintaining their charge in cold weather than lithium batteries.

Rapid Fire Trigger Speed

Honestly, the second most important feature on a good trail cam is the trigger speed. If photos take too long to process, fast game and wildlife don’t get photographed, and your camera is not really all that useful for scouting or wildlife photography. Fortunately, the A-7i has a 1.5 second or faster trigger speed, making it excellent for capturing wildlife in motion even in lowlight conditions. This is an ideal speed for larger game animals such as deer, elk, moose, or bear, but may not be the right choice if you are trying to photograph small birds or other small animals due to their moving much faster than the 1.5 second trigger time as a general rule. Hunters will generally find the A-7i more than adequate for their needs though.

Image and Video Resolution

The A-7i sports a 7-megapixel resolution camera that performs exceptionally well in daylight or in nighttime photography, largely due to its wide detection zone and black infrared LED array. Fast trigger speed and long battery life aren’t worth anything if your camera doesn’t snap clear photos that you can refer to later on for scouting or hunting purposes. The good news is that even though the 7-megapixel resolution is a bit lower than similar models, it still takes fantastically sharp images and videos even when lighting or other conditions for photography are less than optimal. It’s also a great help if you like to take video recordings instead of photos, as the A-7i records in 640×480 standard video resolution. While this is not an HD recording, it does take up significantly less space on the memory card, so you won’t be visiting the camera all that frequently to pull a memory dump and erase the SD card for fresh recording.

Detection Zone

This Moultrie trail cam has a somewhat shorter range than most trail cams, but at 40 feet it is more than adequate for larger game animals regardless of how or where you place it. For best effect though, it is usually better to place it well within that 40-foot range so that the motion trigger is more likely to capture game or wildlife in motion. Night time range is a bit longer thanks to the infrared flash, but you still want to position your trail cam within the 50 foot night time flash range in order to ensure that you get clear images of the wildlife passing by.

Also Read: Capturing Memories with the Best Underwater Camera For Scuba & Water Activities

Mounting Hardware Options

The A-7i from Moultrie offers numerous methods for mounting this camera in the wild or on your property for the purposes of covert surveillance. The unit comes with a mounting strap that can be threaded through two brackets for securing it to trees so that it is on a stable platform and can capture footage within its detection zone effectively. There are also two pass-through eyelets for securing your trail cam with a locking security device so that it cannot be stolen or removed from where it is mounted with the combination for the lock or a key. Last but not least, the A-7i can also be mounted to a tripod via a threaded inlet in the base for temporary setup near a hunting camp or feeder to track and photograph the local wildlife without alerting them to a hunter or wildlife observers presence.

Things We Liked –

Extended battery life
Easy installation
Invisible IR flash

Things We Didn’t Like –

7 MP resolution inferior to similar models in its class
Few customization options for trigger and image/video capture
Non-HD video recording

FAQ -Some pre-selling Questions and Answers about the particular product

Q: Can this be screw mounted?
A: There are only slots for a mounting strap, ⅜-inch holes for a locking security cable, and a threaded nut insert for mounting the camera to a tripod.
Q: Are pictures geotagged and time/date stamped?
A: Photos are time and date stamped, but this model does not offer to geotag.
Q: What is the maximum size SD memory card you can use with the A-7i?
A: This model accepts up to a 32GB SD memory card.

Final Verdict

The Moultrie A-7i is by no means a top if the line trail camera with all the bells and whistles you could wish for. It is also no slouch when it comes to tracking medium and large game animals and capturing photo and video in pristine resolution either. What it lacks in overall utility it more than compensates for based on its price point and the versatility it offers for mounting and placement with the right accessories. If you are looking for a good quality trail cam that is no-frills and all business for scouting deer or other large game, the Moultrie A-7i is an excellent choice.

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JB

I started this blog to provide advanced material, guiding you towards a better and more comfortable fishing experience. I deliver more than fishing gear guides, and motivate people to hit the water!