Bushnell Trophy Cam HD Essential Instruction Manual [ml]

INSTRUCTION MANUAL

Model#: 119837 03-17

2

TABLE OF CONTENTS PAGE #

ENGLISH

FRANÇAIS

ESPAÑOL

DEUTSCH

ITALIANO

4-36

37-76

77-115

116-156

157-195

3

IMPORTANT NOTE

Congratulations on your purchase of one of the best trail cameras
on the market! Bushnell is very proud of this little unit and we
are sure you will be pleased with it as well. We appreciate your
business and want to earn your trust. Please refer to the notes
below and the instructions in this manual to ensure that you are
completely satisfied with this product.

If your Bushnell Trophy Cam HD Essential E3 does not
seem to be functioning properly or if you are having photo/
video quality issues, please check the Troubleshooting/
FAQ section on pages 28-32.
Problems are often due to something simple that was
overlooked, or require only changing one setting to solve.

If your problem continues after trying the solutions in
the Troubleshooting/FAQ section, please call Bushnell
Customer Service at [phone]. In Canada, call (800)
361-5702. For EU owners, email: [e-mail]

Bushnell recommends using 8 Energizer® Lithium AA batteries in this

Trophy Cam HD Essential E3 model to obtain maximum battery life

Do not mix old and new batteries

Do not mix battery types-use ALL lithium or ALL alkaline

Rechargeable batteries are NOT recommended

Bushnell recommends using SanDisk® SD and SDHC Cards

(up to 32GB capacity) in all Trophy Cam HD Essential E3s

INTRODUCTION

About the Trophy Cam HD Essential E3

The Bushnell Trophy Cam HD Essential E3 is a digital scouting camera. It
can be triggered by any movement of game in a location, detected by a highly
sensitive Passive Infra-Red (PIR) motion sensor, and then take high quality
pictures (up to 16MP still photos), or video clips.

The Trophy Cam HD Essential E3 consumes very little power (less than

0.08 mA) in a stand-by (surveillance) state. This means it can deliver up to
six months stand-by operation time when the device is powered by eight
AA alkaline batteries, and up to twelve months utilizing lithium AA batteries.
Once motion in the monitored area is detected, the digital camera unit will be
triggered at once (typically less than half a second) and then automatically
take images according to previously programmed settings. The Trophy Cam
HD Essential E3 is equipped with built-in infrared LEDs that function as a
flash, so that it delivers clear photos or videos (in black & white) even in the
dark, and it can take color photos or videos under sufficient daylight. The
Trophy Cam HD Essential E3 is designed for outdoor use and is resistant
against water and snow. Your trail camera is one of the latest generation
of Bushnell Trophy Cam HD Essential E3s, and includes many new or
improved features, such as:

• Auto PIR Sensitivity-the camera monitors ambient temperature
conditions and automatically adjusts the sensor/trigger signal to be
more sensitive to slight variations in temperature on hot days, less
sensitive on cold days.

• Field Scan 2x with Live Trigger-The “time lapse” feature added in last
year’s models has been enhanced with the addition of the option for
a second block of recording with its own start/stop times. Trigger
signals generated by nearby wildlife activity will still generate additional
photos/videos as they normally would, independently of the Field Scan
operation.

• Audio Recording capability in Video Mode. 720p HD Video.

ENGLISH

5

Applications

The Trophy Cam HD Essential E3 can be used as a trail camera for hunting
or scouting game. It is also suitable for surveillance usage.

PARTS AND CONTROLS

The Trophy Cam HD Essential E3 provides the following connections for
external devices: USB port and SD card slot (Fig. 1, next page).

A 3-way power switch is used to select the main operating modes: OFF,
SETUP, and ON (Fig. 2).

A control key interface with six keys is primarily used in SETUP mode to
select operational functions and parameters. As shown in Fig. 2, these keys
are: UP, DOWN, LE FT, RIGHT, OK and MENU. Four of the keys can also
perform a second function (shortcut operations in SETUP mode) in addition
to their main function: The DOWN key can be used to set the camera to
Photo mode (still camera icon), and the UP key can set the camera to Video
mode (movie camera icon). The RIGHT key also serves as the manual shutter

BACK VIEW

Cable to Battery
Compartment

LCD Screen

Power/Mode
Switch

6

ON
SETUP
OFF

UP/Video

DOWN/Photo

LEFT

MENU
OK/Replay

RIGHT/Shot

Fig. 2: Button and
Switch Guide

(“SHOT”) button of the camera and the OK key switches the camera to the
Playback (“REPLAY”) mode. These secondary functions are indicated by
icons or text above the key as shown in Fig. 2.

PARTS AND CONTROLS

USB PortSD Card Slot

Fig. 1: Connections

Video Mic

Video Mic

FRONT VIEW

LED IR
Flash

Light
Sensor

PIR
Sensor

ARD

Lens

Motion Indicator

Lock
Hole

Latch

Tripod Socket

7

INSTALLING THE BATTERIES AND SD CARD

Before you begin learning how to use your Trophy Cam HD Essential E3,
you will first need to install a set of batteries and insert an SD card. Although
that may only take you a minute, there are some important notes about both
batteries and SD cards you should be aware of, so please take the time to
read the following directions and cautions:

Loading Batteries

After opening the latch on the right side of the Trophy Cam HD Essential
E3, you will see that the Trophy Cam HD Essential E3 has eight battery

slots. A full set of eight batteries must be installed for the camera to operate.
Be sure to insert each battery with correct polarity (negative or “flat” end
against the long spring of each battery slot).

Bushnell recommends using eight new lithium
AA (Energizer® brand) or alkaline AA batteries.
NiMh Rechargeable batteries can also be
used, but they might have a shorter life span
due to their reduced efficiency over time and
at low temperature.

Inserting the SD Card

The Trophy Cam HD Essential E3 has 64MB internal memory, which
can hold about 50 photos (@ 4K resolution). This is handy for testing and
getting familiar with the camera, but you will no doubt want to leave the
camera unattended for longer than a day or two, so using an SD card is
recommended. Insert the SD card (with the camera’s power switch in the
OFF position) before beginning to operate the camera. Don’t insert or
remove the SD card when the power switch is in the ON position.

8

The Trophy Cam HD Essential E3 uses a standard SD (Secure Digital)
memory card to save photos (in .jpg format) and/or videos (in .mp4 format).
SD and SDHC (High Capacity) cards up to a maximum 32GB capacity are
supported. Before inserting the SD card into the card slot after opening the
camera’s front cover, please make sure that the write-protect switch on the
side of the card is “off” (NOT in the “Lock” position). The following describes
how to insert and remove the SD card:

• Insert the SD card into the card slot with its label side upwards (see
above). A “click” sound indicates that the card is installed successfully.
If the wrong side of the card is facing up, you will not be able to insert
it without force-there is only one correct way to insert cards. If the
SD card is not installed correctly, the device will not display an SD
card icon on the LCD in SETUP mode (the SD card icon displayed after

switching to SETUP mode will have a “lock” symbol inside it in it if the card
is locked). Formatting the SD card by using the Trophy Cam HD

Essential E3’s “Format” parameter before using it for the first time is
recommended, especially when a card has been used in other devices

(see “Changing Menu Parameter Settings” for details).

• To take out the SD card, just gently push
in the card (do not try to pull it out without
pushing in first). The card is released from
the slot and ready to be removed when you
hear the click. Be sure the camera’s power is
switched OFF before inserting or removing
SD cards or batteries.

USING THE Trophy Cam HD Essential E3

Once you’ve prepared your Trophy Cam HD Essential E3 by properly
installing batteries and an SD card, you could simply take it outside, strap it
to a tree, switch it on and leave-and you might get some great photos that
are exactly what you wanted. However, we highly recommend that you first
spend some additional time indoors with this manual and your camera until
you know a bit more about what the 3-way switch and those control keys do.
If nothing else, you’ll probably want to at least set the date and time so the
camera will imprint them (or not-it’s your option) on your photos as they are
taken, learn how to set the camera to shoot video clips instead of still photos
if you like, and read some tips about mounting it on a tree.

9

THE OFF, ON, AND SETUP MODES

The Trophy Cam HD Essential E3 has three basic operational modes:

• OFF mode: Power switch in the OFF position.

• ON mode: Power switch in the ON position (LCD screen is off.)

• SETUP mode: Power switch at SETUP position (LCD screen is on).

OFF MODE

The OFF mode is the “safe” mode when any actions must be taken, e.g.,
replacing the SD card or batteries, or transporting the device. You will also
use OFF mode if you connect the camera to a computer’s USB port later
to download your photos/videos. And of course, when you are storing or not
using the camera, you will switch it to OFF. Please note that even in the OFF
mode the Trophy Cam HD Essential E3 still consumes power at a very
low level. Therefore, it’s a good idea to take the batteries out of the battery
compartment if the camera will not be used for a long time.

ON MODE

Anytime after the batteries and SD card have been inserted, you can switch
on the camera. When the power switch is moved to the top position, the
camera will enter into the ON (Live) mode. The motion indicator LED (pg.
7, “Front View”) will blink red for about 10 seconds. This interval allows time
for you to close the Trophy Cam HD Essential E3’s front cover, lock it,
and leave the monitored area. Once in the ON mode, no manual controls
are needed or possible (the control keys have no effect). The Trophy Cam
HD Essential E3 will take photos or videos automatically (according to its
current parameter settings) when it is triggered by the PIR sensor’s detection
of activity in the area it covers.
You can either move the power switch directly from OFF to ON mode, or
stop at the SETUP position first to change one or more settings, then move
the switch to ON after you have finished doing so.

SETUP MODE

In the SETUP mode you can check and change the settings of the Trophy
Cam HD Essential E3 with the help of its built-in LCD These settings,

found in the SETUP Menu, let you change the photo or video resolution,
interval between photos, switch the time imprint on, etc. Moving the power

10

switch to the SETUP position will turn on the LCD display, and you will see
an information screen that shows how many images have been taken, the
battery level, camera or video mode, etc (see Fig. 3, pg. 12).

NOTE: Always move the power switch from OFF to SETUP mode. It
is possible that the camera could lockup if it is switched from ON to
SETUP mode. If this occurs, simply move the switch to OFF and then
push it up to SETUP again.

SETUP Mode Shortcut Keys/Functions

As mentioned earlier in “Parts & Controls”, four of the keys below the LCD
have secondary, “shortcut” functions when the camera is switched to
SETUP mode (but the MENU key has not been pressed):

• Press the UP key to quickly set the camera to shoot video clips.

• Press the DOWN key to quickly set the camera to take still photos.

• Press the RIGHT key to manually trigger the shutter. This is useful
for testing the camera-make sure you are in SETUP mode, press the
RIGHT key, and a few seconds later a photo or video (depending on
how the camera was set) will be saved to the SD card (or internal
memory if no card is inserted). The “number of images taken” counter
on the bottom left of the LCD will increase by one. If the display
indicates “SD PROTECTED” when you press the SHOT key, switch
the camera OFF, remove the SD card and slide its protect switch off.

USING THE SETUP MENU TO CHANGE
SETTINGS

The main purpose of the SETUP mode is to allow you to change the settings
of the camera’s parameters (14 different ones are available) so your Trophy
Cam HD Essential E3 operates exactly the way you want it to. You will do
this by entering the SETUP Menu and pressing the keys below the LCD
display, which will show you each parameter and its setting.

Changing Parameter Settings in SETUP Mode

A wide range of options or “parameters” are provided to allow you to set
the Trophy Cam HD Essential E3 to your operational preferences. To
change the setting of any parameter you must first switch to the SETUP
mode. Once in SETUP mode, pressing the MENU button will allow you
to select any parameter and change its setting. The name of the parameter

11

Fig. 3: SETUP Information Screen

Camera (Still Photo) Mode

Still Photo Mode

Time Stamp

Field Scan On

Video Mode

Video Mode

Image Size (Resolution)

SD Card Status

4K

7

# of Photos Taken Remaining Photo Capacity

Video Sound On

Video Resolution

7

Available Video Recording Time

Battery Level

Date:Month-Day-Year

Time
Hour:Minute:Second

12

and its current setting will be shown on the LCD. Pressing the RIGHT or
LEFT key scrolls to the next or previous parameter (RIGHT key to move on

to the next parameter and LEFT key to go back to the previous parameter),
and pressing the UP or DOWN key lets you select a different setting for the
currently displayed parameter. Once you have selected your preferred new
setting for a parameter, press the OK button to save the new setting (actually
change it). When have are finished changing the settings of one or more
parameters, press MENU again to exit the SETUP menu. MENU can also
be pressed anytime you want to cancel changing a parameter’s setting after
a new setting has been selected (but OK has not been pressed yet). After
setting the parameters to your preferences, be sure to move the switch to
ON to begin actually taking photos or videos. No images will be captured if
the switch is left in the SETUP position (unless you press the RIGHT/Shot key
after exiting the menu)-in fact, the camera will power off automatically after a
few seconds with no key pressed.

Parameter Display

The settings for a parameter are shown on the display as follows:

Only one setting is displayed at a time, starting with the current setting

for the parameter when it is first selected (Fig. 4a). To change the
setting, use the UP/DOWN keys to display the new setting you want
(Fig. 4b), then press OK to “Execute” (make the actual change to this
setting). If you want to confirm this setting is now the current one, just
press the RIGHT key to scroll to the next parameter, then press LEFT
to go back again to the previous one. You should see the parameter
setting you just made.

13

Fig. 4: Selecting Parameter Settings

(4a)

Press MENU

Press DOWN to select new setting
for the highlighted parameter

(4b)

Press OK to confirm and execute
the new setting

14

EXAMPLES-Changing the Settings of Some Common Parameters

Following this page, you will find tables listing all of the parameters found in
the SETUP Menu, along with their possible settings (or range of settings),
and a detailed description of what the parameter controls and what
the settings do. If you read the previous section detailing how to select
parameters and change their settings, you should be able to dive right in, find
the parameter(s) you want, and setup the camera to your preferences. But
maybe you’d rather walk through an example or two first:

To change any parameter’s setting, always start with the power switch in the
SETUP position. After the LCD comes on, press the MENU key.

The first parameter you will see when you enter the SETUP Menu is “Set
Clock”. As the Time Stamp feature is “On” by default, the camera will normally
imprint the date and time on each photo or video, based on your settings
here. Press OK and use the UP/DOWN keys to set the hour (24-hr format,
“00”=midnight, “12”=noon), then press the RIGHT key move to the minute
field and set it (again using UP/DOWN). Press RIGHT to move to the lower
row and set the year, month and date using the same method. When finished,
press the OK key to confirm the new time and date settings you made.

Now press the RIGHT key to move to another parameter in the Menu. The
next parameter you will see is “Mode”. To change it from its default setting of
“Camera” (still photos) to “Video” (shoot video clips), press the DOWN key
to select the “Video” setting. Press the OK key to “Execute” (Set) the new
setting you’ve selected for this parameter.

Now press the RIGHT key to move to another parameter in the Menu.
Pressing it four times will take you to “Video Length”. Try using the UP and
DOWN keys to scroll through the range of settings, then press OK to lock in
your setting for the length of each video clip the camera shoots.

Pressing the RIGHT key several more times will get you to the “Default Set”
parameter. Highlight or select “Execute” (using UP or DOWN) and press OK
to restore all parameters (including the Mode and Video Length parameters
you changed a minute ago) back to their original factory default settings. The
default settings for each parameter are indicated in bold type in the SETUP
Menu tables on the next several pages.

15

Field Scan 2x with Live Trigger Feature

Field Scan is a revolutionary new feature for the Bushnell Trophy Cam HD
Essential E3, which allows you to monitor your food plots or field edges
with time lapse images or video. When set to “On”, the Trophy Cam HD
Essential E3 will take a photo (or record a video clip) automatically at your

choice of intervals (for example, once every five minutes) during one or two
blocks of time you set up for each day, without requiring a trigger from
an active animal. This has the advantage of giving you the ability to monitor
the edge of a field that might be 50 or 150 yards away from the camera out
of the PIR sensor’s range. The result is an effective range much greater than
it would normally be, with the camera dependant on triggers generated by
nearby animals. This is a great tool for hunters to scout an entire field with
only one camera.

If an animal does enter the area covered by the PIR sensor and generate a
trigger event during a time in between the Field Scan intervals you set, the
camera will capture an image or video just as it normally would, based on
your other menu settings. Here’s how to setup and use Field Scan (be sure
you’ve set the current time in “Set Clock” first, so your Field Scan recording
will stop and start at the correct times of day):

1. Move the main switch to SETUP, then press MENU.

2. Keep pressing the RIGHT key, stepping through the Setup Menu until

you reach Field Scan.

3. Press the UP key to select On, and press OK (Step 1, pg.18). You will

see "A", representing the first block of time you can define (a second
block of time later in the day, "B" can also be setup if you wish). Press
OK (Step 2). This takes you to the screen to set Start and Stop times,
which determines the clock times when the first block of Field Scan
recording will begin and end for each day. You can set these times to
the exact hour and minute you want, for a recording “window” that
lasts anywhere from just a minute to a full 24 hours.

4. Set the [Start] and [Stop] times, beginning with the Start hour, using

the UP/DOWN keys to change the setting (Step 3). The hour setting
is based on a 24-hour clock, with “00” hours = midnight, “12” hours
= noon, “23” hrs = 11PM, etc. To move to the next setting, press the
RIGHT key, change the minute for the Start time with UP/DOWN,
then on to the hour and minute settings for the Stop time.

16

5. After you finish setting the Stop minutes, press OK to confirm your

settings for the first block of Field Scan recording. If desired, you can
create a second block of time by pressing the DOWN key to select
"B" (Step 4), then press OK and follow the same process to set Start
and Stop times for Field Scan block "B" (Step 5). As an example of
how you might use these two available time blocks, you could setup
Field Scan time block "A" for the dawn hours from 6 AM to 8 AM, and
block "B" to capture images between 5:30 and 7 PM. No Field Scan
recording would occur from 8AM to 5:30PM, or from 7PM to 6AM.

6. After setting Start/Stop times to define Field Scan block "A" and/or

"B", press OK, then press the UP or DOWN key to select "Interval"
and press OK (Step 6). The Field Scan "Interval" setting lets you
control how often a photo or video clip is recorded during the block(s)
of time you defined with the Start and Stop settings. Your options are
60 minutes, 30 minutes, 15 minutes, 5 minutes (this is the default), or
1 minute (still photo mode only). Use the UP/DOWN keys to select
your preference, then press OK to save it (Step 7). Note that for videos,
"Interval" is independent of the Length of each video recording-it’s
how often videos are recorded, not how long each one lasts.

7. Here’s an example of how the camera would operate, based on the
following Field Scan settings:

Field Scan: On
Field Scan A:
[Start]: 6:00
[Stop]: 8:00
Field Scan B:

Note: avoid any "overlap" of Field
Scan A & B recording blocks when
setting their start and stop times,
to assure correct operation.

[Start]: 17:30
[Stop]: 19:00
Interval: 15M

These settings would cause the camera to capture a photo (or video,
if the camera is set to that mode) once every 15 minutes, beginning
at 6 AM, until the Field Scan "A" recording block stops at 8:00 AM.
Later that day, the camera would again take a photo or video every 15
minutes between 5:30 PM and 7:00 PM (during Field Scan time block
"B"). The next day, the camera would again record an image or video
once every 15 minutes between 6:00 and 8:00 AM, and between

17

5:30 and 7:00 PM. No Field Scan recording would occur from 8AM
to 5:30PM, or from 7PM to 6AM. Remember, Field Scan recording
is independent of normal triggers due to animal activity–even if no
animals enter the IR sensor coverage zone, an image or video will still
be captured every 15 minutes during the block(s) of time. If an animal
triggers the camera “in between” the 15 minute intervals, it will be
recorded, same as it would if you had setup the camera with Field Scan
turned Off. Note: Field Scan settings of frequent intervals and/or

long periods between start and stop time can reduce battery life.

(Step 1)-set Field

Scan Mode to “On”

Steps 4 & 5 are
optional (only

required if you want
to set up a second
block of Field Scan
recording with
different stop and
start times)

Note: the Interval
Setting sets the
timing between each
image for both Field
Scan "A" and "B"
recording blocks.

18

(Step 2)-select Field

Scan "A" (press OK)

(Step 4) (opt)-select Field

Scan "B" (press OK)

(Step 6)-select Field

Scan "Interval"

(Step 3)-set Field

Scan "A" Stop & Start

(Step 5) (opt)-set Field
Scan "B" Stop & Start

(Step 7)-set Field

Scan Interval

The SETUP Menu – Parameters and Settings

Parameter

Settings

(Bold=default)

Set Clock Set

Mode

Image Size

(only aects still
photos)

Capture
Number

(only aects still
photos)

Video Size

(only aects
video clips)

Camera or Video

HD Pixel,

4K Pixel,
16M Pixel

1 Photo,
2 Photo,
3 Photo

1280x720,

640x360

Description

Press OK and use the UP/DOWN
keys (to change the setting) and
LEFT/RIGHT keys ( to move to the
next field) to set the hour (24-hr format
only, “00”=midnight, “12”=noon) and
minute, and then (on the lower row),
the year, month and date.

Selects whether still photos or video
clips are captured when the camera
is triggered.

Selects resolution for still photos.
Higher resolution provides more
pixels, but creates larger files
that take up more of the SD card
capacity (fills up faster). 4K is a good
compromise between resolution and
file size.

Selects how many photos are taken
in sequence per trigger in Camera
mode. Please also refer to the Interval

parameter. Note: only one photo
will be captured if "Interval" is set to
1 second, regardless of the Capture
Number setting.

Selects video resolution (in pixels per
frame). Higher resolution produces
better quality videos, but creates
larger files that take up more of the
SD card capacity (fills up faster).
640x360 is VGA video in standard
4:3 format, 1280x720 is widescreen
16:9 HD format.

19

Parameter

Video Length

(only aects
video clips)

Interval

Settings

(Bold=default)

10S (second)

default, with 60S
to 5S possible
range (15S max.

for video at night)

10S (second)
default, with a
60M (minute)
to 1S (second)
range of settings
available.

(60M-1M are set
in one minute
increments,
59S-1S are set
in one second
increments)

Description

Sets length per captured video
clip. Settings begin with 10 second
default when parameter is first
selected. After stepping down to
5S, video length settings start over
at 60S.

Selects the length of time that the
camera will “wait” until it responds to
any additional triggers from the PIR
after an animal is first detected and
remains within the sensor’s range.
During this user set “ignore triggers”
interval, the camera will not capture
photos/videos. This prevents the
card from filling up with too many
redundant images. Settings begin
with the default 10 seconds when
parameter is first selected.

Notes: after setting down past “1S”,
settings start over at “60M”.

Setting the Interval time to 1
second will capture the maximum
# of images, but some may appear
"washed out" if animal is too close to
camera at night.

20

Parameter

Settings

Description

(Bold=default)

Sensor Level

Camera Mode 24 Hrs, Day,

Format Execute Deletes (erases) all files stored on a

Auto, Low,
Normal, High

Night

Selects the sensitivity of the PIR
sensor. The “High” setting will make
the camera more sensitive to infrared
(heat) and more easily triggered by
motion, and the “Low” setting makes
it less sensitive to heat and motion.
The High setting can be useful when
the ambient temperature is warm
(making it more difficult for the sensor
to detect animals), and the Low
setting may help in cold weather if
the camera is being triggered too
often by anything warmer than the
surroundings. “Normal” is for average
or moderate conditions. The default
“Auto” setting will allow the camera
to determine the best setting based
on its current operating temperature.
This is an ideal setting if the weather
is expected to change significantly
during the period the camera will be
used.

Allows user to limit operation to only
day or night period if desired. An
ambient light level sensor determines
"Day" vs "Night" automatically. This
setting takes priority over any Field
Scan settings.

card to prepare it for reuse. Always
format a card that has been previously
used in other devices. Caution! Make

sure you have downloaded and
backed up any files you want to
preserve first! Press OK to execute,
press MENU (or select NO then press
OK) to exit without formatting.

21

Parameter

Settings

Description

(Bold=default)

Time Stamp

(only aects still
photos)

Field Scan On, Off

Video Sound

(only affects
video clips)

Default Set

Version n/a Displays firmware version

On, Off Select “On” if you want the date &

(After On is
selected): “A”

Start/Stop, “B”
Start/Stop,
Interval

On, Off Select “On” to record audio along

Cancel,
Execute

time (that the photo was captured)
imprinted on every photo, select “Off”
for no imprint.

Turns Field Scan (Time Lapse) record­ing mode on/off. When activated,
Field Scan forces the camera to take
photos or videos even when it is not
triggered by a nearby live animal,
useful for constant monitoring of an
area that might be far away from the
camera. The user can set the start
and stop times for up to two indepen­dent “blocks” of Field Scan recording,
as well as the interval time between
each photo/video. To ensure correct
operation, avoid setting overlapping
start/stop times for Field Scan A and
B. Please read the “Field Scan 2x…”
section of this manual for details on
using this feature.

with the video when the camera is set
to video mode (saved file sizes will be
slightly larger).

Select “Execute” and press OK to
restore all parameters to the original
factory default settings. If the camera
is behaving oddly and you think you
may have changed the setting for
something accidently (but aren’t
sure which one), this will reset all
parameters to their most commonly
used or “generic” settings.

22

MOUNTING AND POSITIONING THE
Trophy Cam HD Essential E3

Mounting

After you’ve set up the camera’s parameters to your personal preferences
at home or in your truck, you’re ready to take it outside and slide the power
switch to “ON”. When setting up the Trophy Cam HD Essential E3 for
scouting game or other outdoor applications, you must be sure to mount it in
place correctly and securely. We recommend mounting the Trophy Cam HD
Essential E3 on a sturdy tree with a diameter of about 6 in. (15cm). To get
the optimal picture quality, the tree should be about 16-17 ft. (5 meters) away
from the place to be monitored, with the camera placed at a height of 3.5-5 ft.
(1~1.5 m). Also, keep in mind that you will get the best results at night when
the subject is within the ideal flash range, no farther than 100’ (30m) and no
closer than 10’ (3m) from the camera.

There are two ways to mount the Trophy Cam HD Essential E3: using the
provided adjustable web belt, or the tripod socket.

Using the adjustable web belt: Fig. 5 illustrates using the web belt on
the Trophy Cam HD Essential E3. Push one end of the belt through the
two brackets on the back of the Trophy Cam HD Essential E3. Thread
the end of the strap through the buckle. Fasten the belt securely around
the tree trunk by pulling the end of the strap firmly so there is no slack left.

Fig. 5: Attaching the Belt

23

Using the tripod socket: The camera is equipped with a socket at the
bottom end to enable mounting on a tripod or other mounting accessories
with a standard1/4-20 thread.
Two optional mounting accessories, a “Bear Safe” metal camera box
(model # 119754C) and Deluxe Tree Bracket (model# 119652C) are
also available-please see your Bushnell dealer or website for more details.

Sensing Angle and Distance Test

To test whether the Trophy Cam HD Essential E3 can effectively monitor
the area you choose, this test is recommended to check the sensing angle
and monitoring distance of the Trophy Cam HD Essential E3. To perform
the test:

• Switch the Trophy Cam HD Essential E3 to the SETUP mode.

• Make movements in front of the camera at several positions within
the area where you expect the game or subjects to be. Try different
distances and angles from the camera.

• If the motion indicator LED light blinks, it indicates that position can be
sensed. If it does not blink, that position is outside of the sensing area.

The results of your testing will help you find the best placement when
mounting and aiming the Trophy Cam HD Essential E3. The height away
from the ground for placing the device should vary with the animal size
appropriately. In general, 3 to 6 feet is preferred.

You can avoid potential false triggers due to temperature and motion
disturbances in front of the camera by not aiming it at a heat source or nearby
tree branches or brush (especially on windy days).

Switching ON the Camera

Once you switch to the ON mode, the motion indicator LED (red) will blink
for about 10 seconds. This gives you time to close and lock the front cover
of the Trophy Cam HD Essential E3 and then walk away. During this time,
the motion indicator LED will blink red continuously. After it stops blinking,
the PIR is active, and any motion that is detected by it will trigger the capture
of photos or videos as programmed in the SETUP Menu. Be sure you
have read the descriptions of the Capture Number, Video Length, Interval
and Sensor Level parameters. Please note, the PIR is strongly sensitive to
ambient temperature. The greater the temperature difference between the
environment and your subject, the farther the possible sensing distance. The
average sensing distance is about 60 ft.

24

Before leaving the camera unattended, please check for the following:

• Are the batteries inserted with correct polarity and is their power level
sufficient?

• Does the SD card have sufficient available space and is its write­protection (lock) switch off?

• Is the Power switch in the ON position? (do not leave it in SETUP).

About the ARD (Anti Reflective Device)

A removable filter grid (ARD) covers the LED flash, so that light reflections
from the protective black glass panel over the LED array are greatly reduced.
This helps to prevent detection of the camera by animals (and potential
thieves). If getting maximum light output from the LED flash is a higher priority
than concealment, the ARD grid may be easily removed by inserting a small
screwdriver, key, etc. in the slot at the lower center of the ARD (above the
camera lens), and gently pulling it up away from the camera (see pg. 7).

PLAYING BACK/DELETING THE PHOTOS/
VIDEOS

After you have setup, mounted and activated your Trophy Cam HD
Essential E3, you will of course be eager to return later and review the

images it has captured for you. There are several different ways this can be
done.

Reviewing Images Directly From the SD Card

This is the most popular method of viewing images. Since unmounting the
camera and taking it to your computer isn’t very convenient, you may find it
easier to just take the card out. By removing the SD card (swapping it for a
new empty card if you like) and taking it to your home or campsite to view
the images by using an SD card “reader” (user supplied) connected to your
computer (some computers and TVs have a built in SD card slot), you can
leave the camera in place ready to capture more images. Once connected,
the card reader works the same way as described below-please read that
section if you have any problem finding your files.

25

Reviewing Images by Connecting the Camera to a Computer

You can always unmount the entire camera from the tree and connect its
USB port to a computer-it will be recognized as a “removable disk”, without
the need to install any drivers or software. When using a PC (or Mac*) to
view photos (or video clips*), first connect the device to the computer with a
USB cable (not included, available at most electronics/computer retailers)
that has a “Mini-B” USB plug on one end (camera) and a “Standard-A”
USB plug at the other end (computer). Then use commercial software
with an image browser feature, or an image browser included with the
PC’s operating system to view images saved on the SD card in the folder \
DCIM\100EK113. Each new image or video will be numbered incrementally
in order of the time it was captured (first four digits indicate month/day). For
example, you will see file names such as “09030001.JPG” or “09030001.
MP4”. Through the file format suffix you can distinguish whether the file is a
still photo (with suffix .jpg) or a video (with suffix .mp4).

*“.mp4” video files may require additional software for viewing on a Mac.

The Trophy Cam HD Essential E3 supports 3 kinds of file system formats,
FAT12, FAT16, and FAT32. The default value is FAT16 to save photos and
videos. Here are some related notes:

• You don’t need to be concerned about the file system format of the
Trophy Cam HD Essential E3 unless your equipment has problems
reading the SD card. If this happens, please format the SD card with
the Trophy Cam HD Essential E3 or in your computer first and then
insert the card into your Trophy Cam HD Essential E3 and try again.

• The default file system format of the Trophy Cam HD Essential E3
is FAT16, which most computers can read. If you format an SD card
for the Trophy Cam HD Essential E3 in your computer, you should
choose the file system format FAT16. Normally FAT16 is recommended
unless you have another image viewer that uses FAT12 or FAT32
format.

Deleting Photos or Videos

All files may be deleted from the card by using the Format parameter. (see pg. 21)

NOTE: after formatting the card, the deleted files can’t be restored!

26

DOWNLOADING THE PHOTOS/VIDEOS

To download your photos/videos to a PC or Mac*, first make sure the Trophy
Cam HD Essential E3 power switch is in the OFF position. Connect a

USB cable to the camera’s USB port, then directly to a main USB port on
your computer-do not use front panel/keyboard USB ports or unpowered
“hubs”.

The Trophy Cam HD Essential E3 will be recognized as a standard “USB
Mass Storage” device (this may take several seconds the first time you
connect it). If you would rather leave your camera in the woods and just pull
its SD card out, an SD card reader works the same way as described in
this section once the card is inserted and the reader is
connected to your computer.

With Windows XP or later, you can then simply use the
options in the pop-up window to copy, view, or print
your photos (right).

On all Windows OS, the Trophy Cam HD Essential
E3 will also be listed as a “Removable Disk” if you
open the “My Computer” window (on Macs, an icon will appear on your
desktop). The Trophy Cam HD Essential E3’s photo files are named
“09030001.JPG” etc, and are located in the “DCIM\100EK113” folder on
this “Removable Disk”. Video file names will end with “.mp4”. You may copy
the photos/videos to your hard drive as you would any file-just copy/paste or
drag the file names or icons to your drive or desktop.

After the photos are copied to your hard drive, you can disconnect the
Trophy Cam HD Essential E3. (On Mac computers, drag the “disk” that
appeared on your desktop when the camera was connected into your Trash
to “eject” it before disconnecting.) The .jpg standard files from the Trophy
Cam HD Essential E3 may be viewed and edited with any photo software
you choose to use. The .mp4 video files may be viewed with Windows Media
Player (version 7 or later) as well as other video playback programs that may
have been supplied with your computer, or are available online.

Windows® Copyright © 2013 Microsoft. Windows® is a registered trademark of Microsoft Corporation
in the United States and other countries. All rights reserved.
Mac® iOS®, Copyright © 2013 Apple Inc. Mac® is a registered trademark of Apple Inc. in the United
States and other countries. All rights reserved.

27

TROUBLESHOOTING / FAQ

Camera takes continuous images of no subject

A camera has what is known as a “false trigger” if the PIR sensor thinks
that there is motion and heat in front of the camera lens when there is
no subject in the image. These “False Triggers” are the result of placing
the camera in an environment where there is motion associated with tree
branches creating motion in front of the camera or an area where there
is high heat in the foreground and any motion from wind could set off the
camera. Setting a camera up over water is also a potential cause for this
issue. To remedy this situation:

1. Try moving the camera to an area that does not have any of these is-

sues or try changing the sensor level on the menu settings.

2. If the camera continues to take images when there is no subject in

them, try placing the camera in an inside environment and aiming at a
location where there is no motion.

3. If the camera continues to show issues, then there is probably an

electronic component issue. If this is the case, please contact our
customer service to send the camera back for repair.

Battery life is shorter than expected

1. Battery life will vary with operating temperature and the number of

images taken over time. Typically, the Trophy Cam HD Essential E3
will be able to capture several thousand images before the batteries
die.

2. Check to make sure you have used new alkaline or lithium batteries.

Bushnell recommends using 8 Energizer® Lithium AA batteries in
all Trophy Cam HD Essential E3s to obtain maximum battery life.

3. Make sure that the power switch was turned to the “On” position and

that the camera was not left in “Setup” mode while in the field.

4. Make sure that you are using a good quality name brand SD card in

your camera. Bushnell recommends SanDisk® brand SD Cards up
to 32GB. Our experience indicates that poor quality SD cards can
sometimes reduce your Trophy Cam HD Essential E3 battery life.

Camera stops taking images or won’t take images

1. Please make sure that the SD card is not full. If the card is full, the

camera will stop taking images.

28

2. Check the batteries to make sure that they are new alkaline or lithium

AA batteries. See note above about short battery life.

3. Make sure that the camera power switch is in the “On” position and

not in the “Off” or “Setup” modes.

4. Make sure that you are using a good quality SD card in your camera.

Bushnell recommends SanDisk® SD Cards up to 32GB.

5. If the SD card has its write protect switch in the lock position, the

camera will not take images.

6. If you have used an SD card in another device before inserting it in your

Trophy Cam HD Essential E3, you might want to try formatting the
card using the “Format” parameter in Setup mode (make sure you have
backed up any important files first, as formatting will erase all previous
files). In some cases, other devices may change the formatting of the
SD card so that it will not work properly with the Trophy Cam HD
Essential E3.

Camera won’t power up

1. Make sure that you have installed all eight batteries in the battery

compartment, filling battery spaces 1-8 with no “gaps”.

Bushnell recommends using 8 Energizer® Lithium AA batteries in

all Trophy Cam HD Essential E3s.

2. Make sure that the batteries are installed correctly, observing proper

polarity. Always place the negative (flat) end of each battery in contact
with the spring side of its slot inside the camera.

3. After moving the switch from “Off” to “Setup” or “On”, make sure

that the switch is correctly in position to ensure the proper mode
(avoid positions “between” two modes).

4. Do not move the switch directly from “On” to “Setup”-always move

the switch all the way down to “Off” first, then back up to “Setup”.

Still Photo and/or Video Quality Problems

1. Night photos or videos appear too dark

a. Check the battery indicator icon to see if battery power is full.

The flash will stop operating near the end of the battery life.

b. You will get the best results when the subject is within the

ideal flash range, no farther than 100’ (30m) from the camera.
Subjects may appear too dark at greater distances.

c. Please note that when the Capture Number parameter is

set higher than “1 Photo”, or with very short Interval settings,

29

some images may appear darker than others due to the quick
response and rapid retriggering of the camera, allowing less time
for the flash to fully recharge before firing again.

d. The ARD (anti-reflective device) shield can be removed to

maximize flash output. See page 25 for more details.

2. Daytime photos or videos appear too dark

a. Make sure that the camera is not aimed at the sun or other

light sources during the day, as this may cause the auto exposure
to produce darker results.

3. Night photos or videos appear too bright

a. You will get the best results when the subject is within the ideal

flash range, no closer than 10’ (3m) from the camera. Subjects
may appear too light at closer distances.

b. Change the Interval setting from 1S to 3S or higher. The camera

will be in auto exposure mode to avoid "whiteout" photos.

4. Daytime photos or videos appear too bright

a. Make sure that the light sensor will not be in the shade (from

tree leaves/branches) while the camera lens is aimed into a bright
area.

5. Photos with streaked subject

a. In some cases with low lighting conditions and fast moving

subjects, the 4K or 16MP resolution settings may not perform
as well as the HD setting.

b. If you have multiple images where fast moving subjects produce

streaks on the photo, try the HD setting instead.

c. Change the Interval setting from 1S to 3S or higher to minimize

motion blur.

6. Red, green or blue color cast

a. Under certain lighting conditions, the sensor can become

confused resulting in poor color images.

b. If this is seen on a consistent basis, then the sensor may need

servicing. Please contact Bushnell customer service.

7. Short video clips—not recording to the length set

a. Check to make sure that the SD card is not full.
b. Make sure that the camera has good batteries in it. Near the

end of the battery life, the camera may choose to record shorter
video clips to conserve power.

c. Maximum length of videos captured at night is 15 seconds per clip.

30