Overview

The latest Bushnell Core DS-4K No Glow wildlife trail camera offers 4K video resolution at 30fps, interpolated 32MP still images, dual image sensors and improved SD card storage size. 

This is the step up from the similarly-named Core S-4K which is offering 4K, but at 20fps. 

This is Bushnell's new flagship wildlife camera. Its quick, offers great video and image quality, good detection ranges and solid battery life. 

Finally, Bushnell have added the ability to use SD card sizes above 32GB - so now you can use up to a 512GB SD card in a Bushnell wildlife camera for the first time.

The Camo finish on the Bushnell Core cameras is some of the most realistic we’ve ever seen.

It is straight-forward to use and the menu will be familiar to Bushnell users, with no major departures or changes in the settings.

It’s powered by a 9V system from 6x AA batteries, meaning rechargeable AA batteries are not suitable. This still means night time videos are limited to 15 seconds per clip with LED Control set to ‘High’. Turning this setting to ‘Low’ or ‘Medium’ means you can get 60 second clips at night.

Video Quality:

Max res: 4k (30fps day, 30fps night)     Max length: 2mins day, 15 secs night
Trigger speed: about 0.7 seconds     Recovery time: about 1 second

Video quality has always been a strong point with the Bushnell cameras, and now they've made the push for 4K. This Core DS-4K model has the higher frame rate of 4K at 30fps, meaning smooth footage in this mode.

Video quality is really good so far - struggles a little in lower light (dawn and dusk) however.

Photo Quality

Max res: 32MP (lowest 2MP)    Max number per trigger: 6 photos
Trigger speed: under 0.2 seconds    Recovery time: about 0.8 seconds

There is a large amount of interpolation happening with the Bushnell - its base sensor is 2MP and its interpolating that (the process of adding more, similar pixels around an original pixel) up to as high as 32MP. That means that at the 30MP option, most of the image is made up. We always suggest therefore to chose image resolutions at the lower end in the Core DS-4K menu - i.e. 8 or 12MP, for better results in photo mode.

Speed and detection

Trigger speed: approx. 0.2s (photos), 0.7s (videos)    Recovery speed 0.8s
Detection range: approx. 110ft    LED type: No-Glow Power LEDs

Bushnell have always had some of the best detection circuits on the market, and the Core DS-4K keeps that up. Detection ranges are really good - so good that sometimes, you need to turn them down to allow the animals to get a bit closer before the trigger happens!

Video trigger speed is a little slower than on some other cameras - this is the effects of using 4K however. Files sizes are so much larger, it takes a few tenths of a second more for these to generate and allow the Core DS-4K to trigger. 

Build quality & batteries

Warranty: 2 years (through NatureSpy)
Batteries: 6x AA (Lithium strongly recommended)

The Bushnell Core DS-4K is a well built wildlife camera that feels good in the hand and lasts in the field. The battery tray makes replacing the batteries much easier and everything is well put together.

As you’d expect from the Bushnell brand, the camera trap feels strong and robust and will hold up well in the field for extended periods of time.

The latch is better than previous models, although the door is quite lightweight. However, we have had no problems reported so far.

Battery life is very strong better than on previous Bushnells, with the camera using 6x AA batteries at a time. Lithium are strongly recommended to get the best out of the camera. Note that officially, rechargeable batteries are not recommended with this camera by the manufacturer.

If using Lithium AA batteries and taking about 20 videos every 24 hours, you will get just over 3.5 months from one set of batteries. If taking about 60 photos every 24 hours, you will get over 1 year. Very impressive considering only 6x batteries are being used, and in part it’s thanks to its modern IR LEDs.

Just to note - neither NatureSpy nor Bushnell recommend using rechargeable batteries in this camera. We would only recommend single-use Lithium.

The Bushnell Core DS-4K is covered by a 2 year manufacturer’s warranty in the UK when bought through NatureSpy.

Ease of use

The current crop of Bushnell wildlife cameras are sturdy, well built devices. The forward-facing colour screen makes setup and review in the field easy, and the menu flow and changing settings is straightforward.

Those that have used Bushnell cameras before will recognise all the settings – there are no major changes or departures on the Core DS-4K, but the layout is clearer and more intuitive. The manual is clear and easy to follow.

Overall a very straight-forward camera trap to use, but if you do require any help or have any questions you can just get in touch with us.

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