Suggested Camera Settings (Video)

When using the Camtraptions PIR Sensor in Video Mode, camera setup will depend largely on creative goals and equipment preferences. This section focuses on the key settings that ensure reliable operation when the camera is controlled by the sensor, rather than prescribing specific exposure or quality settings.

• Focus Mode: Use Manual Focus and pre-focus on the area where you expect the subject to appear. This prevents focus hunting when the camera is triggered and ensures consistent, sharp results. Use a small aperture to give a larger depth of field where necessary.
• Exposure and Quality Settings: Choose your preferred resolution, frame rate, and picture profile according to creative requirements, memory capacity and power considerations. The sensor will not affect these choices.
• Power Saving: Enable Auto Power-Off after approximately 30 seconds of inactivity to conserve battery life. The Wake Time feature of the sensor can be used (and for some cameras must be used) to reawaken the camera before a recording commences.
• Stabilisation: Turn off image stabilisation (IS/VR) on both the camera and lens to avoid unnecessary power use and framing drift.
• Lights: For night-time recording, use continuous lights rather than flashes. The sensor can trigger Camtraptions Power Switches to turn lights on and off using the same wireless signals that control the camera.

For Nikon and Canon cameras, the camera’s menu settings must be configured to allow the shutter button to start and stop video recording. Enabling this option ensures the camera can respond correctly to trigger signals sent via the shutter release socket, allowing the sensor to start and stop video recording automatically.