RapidFire™and
RapidFire™ Professional
Digital Infrared Camera
Instruction Manual
Copyright: October 2009
2 © RECONYX, INC
Table of Contents
I. Camera Overview ................................................................ 3
II. Battery & Memory Card Installation
.................................... 6
III. Initial Setup & Programming
............................................. 11
IV. Mounting & Aiming Your Camera
..................................... 17
V. General Information
.......................................................... 20
VI. Troubleshooting
................................................................ 21
VII. Warranty, FCC, and Safety Information
............................ 25
VIII. Copyright & Trademark Information
................................. 28
www.reconyx.com 3
Camera Overview
Congratulations on purchasi ng a RECONYX camera. RECONYX has been
the leader in di git al wi l dlif e cam eras since 2003. Your RapidFire™ camera
includes a state-of-the-art digital camera, an integrated Passiv e InfraRed
(PIR) motion detector, and a night time infrared il l uminator all cont ained in a
secure, rugged, and weather-res i stant case.
Whether you are using the c amera f or scout i ng deer or studying wildlife, you
will quickly find that using the RapidFire
TM
Thank you for putti ng your trust in us!
camera i n conj unction with
MapView or BuckV i ew software wi l l be one of your most valuabl e tools in
gathering and analyzing data.
Contents of this pack ag e
1. RapidFire
TM
• RM45, RC55, RC60, RC60HO, MC65 or MC65HO
Game Camera & Software
• BuckView™ Image management software
or RapidFire
TM
• PM75, PC85, PC90 or PC90HO
Professional Camera & Software
• MapView Image Management Software
2. Adjustable bungee cord for mounting camera.
3. This instruction manual.
4. RC60HO, MC65HO & PC90HO models also include AA to C-Cell
battery adapters.
4 © RECONYX, INC
Camera Comparison
Cameras &
Specifications
RM45 & PM75 RC55, MC65
& PC85
RC60, RC60HO,
PC90, PC90HO
& MC65HO
Images
Day and Night :
1.3 MP
monochrome
images
Day: 1080p H D
or 3.1 MP c olor
images
Night: 1080p H D
or 3.1 MP
monochrome
images
Day: 1080p H D or
3.1 MP color
images
Night: 1080p H D or
3.1 MP
monochrome
images
InstaOn™
Trigger Speed
1/10 second 1/5 second 1/5 second
RapidFire™
NearVideo™
Up to 2 frames
per second
Up to 1 frame
per second
Up to 1 frame
per second
Capacity with
4 GB card
15,000 to
20,000 images
10,000 to
15,000 images
10,000 to
15,000 images
Illumination/
Range at night
Infrared:
50 to 60 feet
Infrared:
50 to 60 feet
Covert I nfrared:
30 to 35 feet
standard
(* 50 feet for
HO Editions)
* HO (High Output ) edi tion cameras must be run on either NiMH rechargable
batteri es or E nergizer® 1.5V AA Ultimate Lithium batteries.
Note: CF c ards up to 32GB may be used, but under normal use 2GB and
4GB cards are more than adequat e.
www.reconyx.com 5
BUCKVIEW™
Included with your game camera (RM45, RC55, RC60 , RC60HO, MC65,
MC65HO) is BuckView m appi ng and image management software.
BuckView offers you the ability to geographical l y organize and access your
images, hel pi ng you t o patt ern and better understand anim al movements
and behaviors . Ref er to the BuckView User Guide, accessible within the
software, for more information. BuckView requires a personal computer
running either Wi ndows XP® or Windows Vista®.
MapView Professional
Incl uded with your professional camera (PM75, PC85, PC90, PC90HO) is
MapView Professional soft ware t hat of fers you the ability to geographicall y
organize and acc ess your images. It also supports data analysis with userdefined metadata and export capabilit ies and allows you to change the
advanced sett i ngs on y our Prof ess ional Camera. MapView requi res a
personal c om puter runni ng either Wi ndows XP® or Windows Vista®.
6 © RECONYX, INC
Battery & Memory Card Install ati on
Removing and Replacing the Camera’s Cover
Before i nst al l ing batteries or a memory card, you need to remove the
camera’s cover. To do this, open the clas p at the bottom of the camera using
the thum b grip in the middle of the bott om edge. Then, lift the cover from the
bottom , rot ating it upward until you can remove it from the camera.
To replace the camera’ s c over, insert the cover along the bottom edge of the
camera’s faceplate and rotat e it downward unt i l it’s f l ush with the camera.
Snap the clasp, pressing firmly in the middle of the clasp, to secure the
cover.
It’s good practice to make sure the gasket and camera lenses are clean
each time you open and close y our camera.
Battery Specifications and Installation
Your RECONYX RapidFireTM camera runs on six C-cell batteries or 6 AA
batteri es (when us ed wi th AA->C Cell adapters). You can run Alkaline,
www.reconyx.com 7
Nick el Met al Hy dri de (rechargeable), or 1.5V Lithium batteries (Professional
models will also run on 3V Lithium batteries for extended run time). Batteries
load vert ic al ly (three on each side) into the two battery trays.
Note: Be s ure to load batt eri es i n the proper orientation (positive end in first).
Warning! Do not mix battery types! Damage to the camera can result and
your warranty will be voided if you mix battery types.
C-Cell Alkaline batteries are inex pensive and will run well at moderate
temperatures in most RECONYX cameras. If you purchased a High Output
(HO) RC60HO, M C6 5HO or PC90HO, alkal i ne batt eri es will NOT run well in
it. If you have an HO camera and/or want to use your camera when the
weather turns col d, y ou shoul d run with either NiMH rechargeable batteries
or AA 1.5V Lithi um batteries (using adapters). NiMH will run at temperatures
down to -20°F or colder. Lithium batteri es wil l run to -40°F.
Note: Lithium AA and NiMH rechargeable batteries provide better night time
consis tency than C-Cell Alkaline batteri es. You can purchase 1.5V Lithi um
batteri es and adapt ers as well as NiMH rechargeable batteries and chargers
at
www.reconyx.com.
8 © RECONYX, INC
Because camera settings, animal ac tivity, and temperature al l vary, t here is
no way to precisely predi ct a cam era’s run time, the total num ber of images
that can be taken, or the temperat ure at whic h the c amera will operate on
any given s et of batteries. Therefore the following table shows approximate
values to be used as a guide in determ i ni ng what type of batteries will best
suit y our needs.
Battery Typ e
Operating
Temperature Run Time
Number of
Images
C-Cell Alkaline
Do Not run Alk aline
batteries in HO
cameras!
20º F (-7º C)
and above
*6 – 10 weeks *10,000 to
15,000
C-Cell Nickel-Metal
Hydride
(rechargeable)
-20º F (-29º C)
and above
*4 – 8 w eeks *7,500 to
10,000
AA Energizer
Ultimate Lithium
(1.5V)
-40º F (-40º C)
and above
8 – 12 week s 12,500 to
17,500
C-Cell Lithium
(3V disposable)
(Professional
models only)
-40º F (-40º C)
and above
10 – 16 week s 15,000 to
30,000
*High temperatures can re duce run time wit h Alkaline and NiMH batteries by
50% or more.
TIP: AA batteries can also be used in your RapidF i re camera – provided
you use AA to C-Cell battery adapt ers (available at
www.reconyx.com).
www.reconyx.com 9
CompactFlash
®
The CompactFlash (CF) card is used to store the pictures your camera
captures. T hese images may be transferred to your computer using standard
image viewing software or RECONYX MapView or BuckView™ mapping
and image management software.
(CF) Card Specifications and Installation
Inserting and Removing the CompactFlash Card
Insert CF card as shown. Make sure the orientat ion is correct and that
the card is aligned properly. Then press gently to seat the card in the
holder.
To change CF cards in the field:
1. Press <OK> to disarm (the camera will then show status – i.e.
battery status and number of pictures since last arm ed)
2. Turn the power off.
3. Remove the card by pulling it straight out of the receiver port.
4. Insert the new CompactFlash card into the receiver slot under the
control butt ons as s hown.
5. The card must be inserted face up with the connecting ports i n
first.
Note: Always disarm (by pressing OK) and turn the power off before
removing or ins erting the CompactFlash card.
10 © RECONYX, INC
CompactFlash cards have various speeds and capac iti es. Larger capacity
cards are capable of st ori ng more im ages. The foll owi ng table shows
approximate number of images for a 4GB CF card. Your RapidFire camera
will take cards up to 32GB, but most users will find 2GB and 4GB cards to be
more than adequat e for normal use.
Camer a /
Capacity
RM45 &
PM75
RC55, M C65
& PC85
RC60 &
PC90
Capacity
with
4 GB card
15,000 to
20,000
images
10,000 to
15,000
images
10,000 to
15,000
images
TIP: We rec ommend that you purc hase two CF cards per camera so that
you can swap cards in the field. SanDisk cards have worked well for us. You
can purchase RECONYX certified CF cards at
www.reconyx.com.
Cards with hi gher speed ratings are capable of reading and writing images
faster. This is advantageous when taking RapidFire
TM
NearVideo
TM
CompactFlash Card - File System Requirements
sequences of im ages.
If you have a CF card that does not seem to work, or you used t he card i n
another devi ce, you may have to re-format your CF Card. This can be done
with t he incl uded BuckView/MapView software or with any Windows
Operating System.
Step 1: Insert your memory card into your computer' s card reader.
Step 2: Click "Start -> My Computer" You should s ee your memory card
under the list of avail able drives. Be sure to check its contents first to make
sure t hat you have the right drive.
Step 4:
Right-cl i ck on the drive and choose 'Format'.
Step 5: Under " F ile system" select the "
FAT32" option then click on 'Start'.
Step 6: Once t he process is completed, take the memory card out and
insert it into your Camera.
Note: Y our Rapi dF i re Camera uses the
FAT32 File System. However, CF
Cards under 2GB may also be formatted using the
FAT File System.
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Initial Setup & Programming
With the CF card inserted in the camera, turn your camera on using the
On/Off switch. If this is the first time you’ve used your camera, it will
automat ically display the Date/Time setup change option, beginning with
Enter Y ear.
Press t he << and >> butt ons to set the date (year, month, and day) and time
(hour and minute); press the OK button after each part of the dat e and time
are correct.
Your RECONYX RapidFire
TM
If you wish to change your camera’s settings you can do so easily in the field
at any time. Changes are made using the control buttons and display that
are locat ed under the Removable Cover. Once you make selections, they
are retained by the camera – even when the camera is off and the batteries
are removed – so that you don’t need t o make selecti ons again unles s y ou
want to change somet hi ng.
camera comes pre-programmed with fact ory
default settings. By default the camera will take 3 pict ures per trigger with a
1 second pause between pict ures and no delay between triggers.
Addit i onal feat ures t hat are av ailabl e on the P rofess i onal Series c am eras are
available through the Configuration Software on your CD. See the
Configuration Software Help file for more i nformation.
12 © RECONYX, INC
RAPIDFIRE™ PROGRAMMING MENU
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Your cam era incl udes three maj or l evels of opt i ons: Main menus, Change
Setup menus, and Selection options. As with the date and time, you can
move through any of these menus and options by pressing the << and >>
buttons; the >> button displays menus and options in order, and t he <<
button reverses the order. When the menu or option you want to select is
displayed, press the OK button.
The displ ay area above the <<, >>, and OK buttons inc l udes two lines of
information. The top line generally dis pl ays t he menu, setti ng, or opt ion you
are currentl y acc ess ing; after you make a selection, it may also displ ay
additional information. The bottom li ne displ ays the available selecti ons for
the menu, sett i ng, or option di splayed in the top line. Selections you can
choose from are al ways displayed in highlighted text , within single brackets.
You can change your camera s ett i ngs any time you lik e, either prior to using
the camera or in the field. Likewise, you can switch CompactFlash cards as
needed, and check t he rem ai ni ng space on your CF card as well as your
remaining battery power.
Main Menu
Arm Camera – When you select this option, your camera arms in ten
seconds, unless you cancel it before the countdown is complete.
If you
forget to arm the c amera it will aut om atically arm itself after 2 minutes
WalkTest – When you s elect t his opti on, y our cam era flashes an indicator
light so that you can test its aim by walking in f ront of it. The WalkT est mode
shows you exactly where the camera’s act iv e moti on detect i on zones are
.
14 © RECONYX, INC
located. The tilt of the camera is critical, as sli ght changes are magnified at
greater dis tances from the camera.
The camera will automatically arm its elf
if left in WalkTest mode (after 2 minutes with no triggering events ).
Erase Card – When you select this option, your camera wipes your entire
CF card clean, remov i ng all images and other information from the card. You
should not select Erase Card unless you are absolutely cert ai n you want to
remove everything from the card.
This
allows you t o set the camera up, check its aim using WalkT est , and t hen just
walk away.
Check Status – When you select this option, y our cam era displ ays t he
number of pict ures i t has taken, the percent of space remaining on your CF
card, and the perc ent of battery power remaining.
Camer a Info – When you select this option, your camera displays its
firmware version number (V ) and serial number (S ). Y ou may need this
information when contacting RECONYX wit h questions about your c amera.
Change Setup – Allows you to change the way your camera functions.
Note: defaul t settings are shown in RED CAPI T AL letters. Professional
series cam eras hav e additional settings that can be programmed usi ng the
Configuration Software on your PC (see addit i onal notes bel ow).
QuickSet – When Change Setup is sel ect ed the QuickS et options are
displayed (TRAIL, Scrape, Feeder, and A dvanc ed). This allows you to
qui ckly sel ect pr e -programmed settings that are optimized for particular
situations. Selecting Advanced takes you to the settings listed below.
Pro Rec
NORMAL TRAIL 3 pict ures, 1 second i nterv al, no qui et period
Aggressive Scrape 5 pictures, RapidFire, no quiet period
Conservative Feeder 3 pict ures, 5 second i ntvl, 15 second quiet period
Trigger – Use this option to turn your camera’s moti on sensor on or off,
select the s ensiti vity level of the PIR motion detect or, set how many photos
you want your camera t o take per trigger, the i nterval between pictures, and
www.reconyx.com 15
the quiet period (the time period aft er a trigger during which the camera will
not respond to motion events).
1. Moti on S ens or – ON, off
2. Sensitivity - low, low/medium, medium, medium/high, HIGH, or
very hi gh
3. Pics Per Trigger – 1, 2, 3, 5, or 10
4. Picture Interval – RapidFire, 1 SEC, 3 sec, 5 sec, or 10 sec
5. Quiet Period – NO DELAY, 15 sec, 30 sec, 1 min, 3 mi n or 5 min
Time Lapse – Use this option to cont rol your cameras time lapse
photography, select the starti ng and ending times, and the i nterval between
pict ures t aken.
1. AM Per iod – on, OFF
2. PM Period – on, OFF
3. Time Lapse starting and ending times – one hour increments
4. Interval between pictur es – 1, 5, 15, or 30 minutes, 1 hour
Images – Use this option to adjust the night time exposure, s et the
resolution, and the temperature scale.
1. Night Mode – DEFAULT, high quality, fast shutter, max range
• Default - best com binati on to bal ance image quality, shutter
speed and fl ash range
• High Quality - higher qualit y i m ages, reduced flash range
• Fast Shutter - reduced mot i on blur, reduced flash range
• Max Range – increased range, reduced image qualit y
2. Resolution – On RC55, RC60, MC65: (1080p or 3.1 M.P.);
On RM45, PM75: (HIGH, low); On PC85, PC90 (3.1 M.P., 1080p)
3. Temperature Scale – FAHRENHEIT, Celsius
Date/Time – Used to set date and time.
16 © RECONYX, INC
CodeLoc™ – Use this opti on to add a four-digit s ecurity code to prevent
unauthoriz ed use of your camera, or change or remove an existing code.
User Lab el – Use this option to add a label (up to 16 characters) that will be
included wi th all photos taken by your camera. You can also vi ew, c hange,
or clear an exist i ng label.
Use Defaults – Use this option to remove any changes you’ve made to your
camera’s settings and restore the fact ory def ault setti ngs (shown above in
RED CAPITAL letters).
Main Menu – Use this option to switch back to the Main menu options; see
preceding page for more information.
Programming RapidF ire Professional Series Cameras
There are many more set-up options available for Prof essional Series
cameras. These opti ons are av ailabl e through the Configuration Soft ware
that is inc l uded on the CD you received with your c amera.
When you configure your S ecurity camera using your PC, the camera will
display “SAVED CONFIG” when you switch the camera on with CF card that
contains the configuration fi l e inserted. The camera will remember these
settings even when shut off, so you do not need to reconfigure the camera
unless y ou want to change its behavior.
If you have confi gured your c am era from your PC and you go into the
Change Setup opt i on usi ng the camera’ s menu, it wil l prompt you with
USING CO NF IG – your options will be GO BACK or CONTINUE. If you
conti nue, t he sett i ngs f rom your CONFIG from the P C will be overwritt en with
the settings you select on the camera.
Your new MapV i ew software is st ill full y compatible with our older Sil ent
Image PM35 and RM30 series cameras. You can program old and new
cameras as well as import, view, tag, and export image data from the new
RapidFire Professional seri es c ameras and t he older Silent Image cameras.
TIP
: Setting the date and time on the new RapidFire Professional cameras is
easier to do right on the camera than it is through the MapView software.
www.reconyx.com 17
Mounting & Aiming Your Camera
Your RECONYX RapidFireTM camera can be mounted to a RECONYX
VersaMount™ (see
www.reconyx.com for more information) or a camera
tripod by utiliz i ng the threaded ins ert on the back of the camera housing.
It may als o be mounted to a tree by using the included adjust able bungee
cord (shown below). It is highly recommended that you use a theft
deterr en t device such as a cable and lock to help secure your camera
against pos sibl e theft when it is in the field. Theft det errent cables and locks
are available from RECONYX (see
www.reconyx.com to order).
Mounting Camera with Adjustable Bungee Cord (included)
TIP: We recommend that you mount your camera about ches t height and
angle it s l i ghtly downward. T his is opti m al for detect i ng animal s i n the f i eld
of view of the camera as well as for accessing the camera’s card, batteri es,
and controls. If you are concerned about the slight red glow of the non-covert
illum i nator spooking animals, you can mount the camera a bit higher and
angle it down a littl e more. Most animals do not often look up and theref ore
are less likel y to notice the camera if it is mounted a few feet higher.
18 © RECONYX, INC
Aiming the Camera
Walk test Mode
Learning to us e the Walktest mode is critical to being as successf ul as
possible with your RECONYX camera. The Walktest mode allows you to
precis ely determine your camera’s active moti on detect i on zones – insuring
your camera is aim ed exact ly where you want to capture ani m al activi ty.
All RECONYX cameras will self-arm from Walktest m ode aft er a two minute
period during which they do not detect motion.
www.reconyx.com 19
Locking & Secu ring your Camera (Accessories not included)
Python™ style lock R apidFire Security Enclosure
Heavy Duty Bear Box RapidFire Utility Box
RECONYX sells an array of access ori es for securing your camera and
protecting your investment. From Heavy Duty bear boxes to Python locks.
Please see
www.reconyx.com for more on security accessories.
20 © RECONYX, INC
General Information
Image Data
Your RECONYX RapidFireTM camera stores Image Data along with ev ery
picture it takes. Som e of this information is displayed in Image Data bands
above and below t he image.
An M or T in the top data band indicates a “motion” or “time-lapse” event.
“1/3” i ndicates the first in a sequence of three pictures f or that event.
Moon Phas es displ ayed include:
(new moon), (waxing crescent ),
(first quarter),
(waxing gibbous), (full moon), (waning gibbous),
(last quarter), and
(waning cresc ent).
A “flash”
indicator appears in the Image Data bands, when t he inf rared
illuminator is used.
There is additional image data accessibl e usi ng eit her M apView or
BuckV i ew; including serial number, f i rm ware vers i on, battery voltage, etc.
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Troubleshooting
For answers to quest i ons about your RECONYX RapidFireTM camera that
you c annot find i n this I nstruction Manual, pl e ase check the RECONYX web
site (
www.reconyx.com).
Firm w are Updates
You shoul d also periodically check the RECONYX web site for firmware
updates for your camera. We periodically release firmware updates with
new features and/or performance enhancements. Updating firm ware on the
RapidFire s eri es c ameras tak es j ust a few seconds, and is wel l worth the
effor t to ensure your camera is performing at the highest level possible.
Troubleshooting your camera
Limited Night Time Range
If your night t ime range is l ess t han expect ed, the first thing to do is change
your camera’s night mode image setting to Max Range. Our specified night
range values are based on the Max Range setting. If thi s does n’t resol ve the
problem, then try running either NiMH rechargeable batteries, or Energizer
1.5V AA Ultimat e Lithium batteries. Alkaline batteri es cannot deliver enough
amperage to power the ill um i nator consistently at night.
The physical camera setup is also important in getti ng good night ti m e
images. If you aim the camera out over an open field where there is nothing
within range to ref l ect the I nfraRed energy back toward the camera, the
images will appear very dark (like shining a flashlight into outer space). The
best night time images will be captured when you have a backdrop of some
sort that wi ll ref l ect energy back toward the camera (e.g. trees, ta l l gr a ss,
fence, buil ding, hillside, et c).
Focus Problems
If your images appear cloudy or out of foc us, f i rst consi der whet her there
was snow or frost on the camera lens; y ou may wis h to check your camera
after a fres h snowf al l to be sure the lenses are not covered wit h snow. Next,
check the l enses for dirt and water spots, and gently clean your lenses with a
clean soft cloth and lens cleaner. Image clarity can also be adversely
22 © RECONYX, INC
affect ed by very hi gh temperatures, so it is a good idea to mount your
camera where it wil l not be gett i ng direct sunlight during the heat of the day.
If you find that you are having issues with condensation inside the camera,
you can use desiccant packs to absorb any moisture that is in the air that
gets trapped inside the camera. Rechargeable desiccant packs are
available on our web site (
www.reconyx.com).
False Triggers
If you seem to be getting false triggers, the first thing to do is put your
camera back to def ault setti ngs and try your camera again. This will ensure
that you are running with known settings – with the motion detect or ON at
HIGH sensitivity and with Time-Lapse turned OFF.
If, after goin g back to default setting, you stil l seem t o be getting false
triggers, check the physical setup of your camera: the sun should not be
shining direc tly on the face of the camera, and the camera’s field of view
should be cleared of as much vegetat i on as poss i ble. False triggers mos t
often occ ur on sunny, breezy days. Vegetation will soak up the sun’s energy
and it will become warmer than the ambient ai r temperature. Then, when
the wind moves the vegetat i on, the camera sees this and cannot di st i nguis h
it from a warm-blooded ani m al moving in t he scene. For this reason, c areful
placement and setup of your camera hel ps prevent fa lse triggers.
Only as a LAST res ort should you turn down your camera’s motion
sensitivity; this reduces your ability t o detect movem ent of warm-blooded
animals, especially during the summer.
Camera Not Triggering on Animals
The first thing to do is put the camera back to Def ault setti ngs and try your
camera again. This will ensure t hat you are running with known settings – it
will t urn the motion detector ON at HIGH sensitivity . This is important,
especi ally in the warmer months, because as the background temperature
approaches the temperature of the animals, the strength of the signal
decreases and the range goes down accordingly.
If, after going back to default settings, you are still having trouble, pl ease
refer to pages 15 and 16 for detai l ed inf orm ation on Mounti ng and Aiming
Your Camera, as well as usi ng the WalkTest mode. Keep in mind that most
animals are not 6ft tall, so when you us e the WalkTest mode, do not just
www.reconyx.com 23
walk by the camera in a full upright stance. The camera may be triggering
on your upper torso or head and not on your legs (where most ani m als are
likely to be). There is an inactive zone (see side-view photo on page 16) that
you need to be aware of so that you don’t aim the inactive zone prec is ely on
a trail – if you do, you wil l not pick up animal activity on the trail.
It is important to keep in mind that there are other factors that can also affect
the abili ty of your camera t o detect moti on. Wind can have a detrimental
effect . Body heat from an animal can be quickly di spersed away from the
animal on a breezy day, maki ng it more diffic ul t f or the c amera t o detect the
animal. Also movement directly toward and away from the camera is less
likely to trigger the camera than side-to-side movement. And, finally, if an
animal is moving very slowly, it will sometimes not produce a strong enough
signal within t he sensor to trigger the camera.
CF Card Problems
If your camera won’t start up properly and/or dis pl ays a CF card error, try a
different CF card. If the problem persists, you may have to try a different
brand of CF card. We have found that some of the cheap CF cards are very
slow (ev en if they say they are fast ) and do not always run well in our
camera. SanDisk
®
CF cards are the RECONYX recommended brand for
use wit h your camera.
Note: Al l CF cards should be f ormatted with the
FAT32
Cold Weather Problems
File System for use
in your RapidFire camera. (See “CompactFlash Card File System
Requirements” for further information.)
If your camera shuts down in the cold, it may be too cold f or the batteri es.
Refer to the battery chart on page 6 of this manual for recommended
operating temperat ures for various batt ery types. Alkaline batteries do not
run well in t he cold.
Batteries Life Less than Expected
Alk aline and NiM H batt eri es have dec reased life in hot weather. They will
run the camera, but t hey wil l hav e decreas ed run time. It is not unusual t o
see battery life drop off 50% or more when daytime temperatures are in the
90s or higher. This will not damage your NiM H batt eri es, thei r charge just
runs down fast er.
24 © RECONYX, INC
Other Battery Questi o ns
If you charged your NiMH batteries and they only read in the 83% - 88%
range, it is because rechargeable batteries do not reac h a full 1.5 volts -
even when ful ly charged. This is norm al. NiMH batteri es hav e a very flat
disc harge curve. What this means is they run a long time without dropping
much in voltage until they reach a point, around the fifty to sixty percent
level, where t hey wil l drop off very quickly. For this reason it is good to
recharge your NiMH batteries when they get down into the sixty percent
range.
If you have a High Output (HO) camera, even brand new AA Ultimat e
Lithium batt eries may only read in the 90%-95% range. This is normal.
Fresh Alkaline batteri es wil l read 95% - 99% when new and will run down to
mid teens or so – except when cold. When alkali ne batteries ge t cold, their
% will drop dramatically, even if they are brand new. Remember; do not run
Alk aline bat teries in an HO camera.
You will also not ic e that, as your Alkaline batteries run down, your night time
range will dec rease. If you notice this happening, y ou can either change your
batteries sooner, or run with AA Lithi um or NiMH rechargeable batt eri es.
Both Lithi um and NiMH tend to run bright through nearly their entire
disc harge cyc l e.
Other
If you have read this manual and check ed our web site, and you still need
assis tance, please contact us at 866-493-6064 or e-mail at
support@reconyx.com.
www.reconyx.com 25
Warranty, FCC, and Safe ty Informa tion
Limited Warranty
RECONYX hardware product s are w arrant ed f or one (1) year. If during this period,
through normal use, a hardw are produc t bec om es def ec tive due to defects in
materials or w orkmanship, RECONYX will either repair or replace the product . Thi s
warranty is void if a pr oduct fail ure res ult s from accident , abus e, improper us e by
Buyer, disas s em bly, or unauthorized maintenanc e and repair.
Software produc t s are li c ens ed to Buyer under the t erms of the applicable RECONYX
softw are li c ens e (contained wi t hin ins t allat ion program s ). If Buy er wishes to review the
software license agreement bef ore purc has i ng produc t s from RECONYX, a copy of
the software lic ens e m ay be obtained by reques t .
Buyer must obt ain a Return M at erial Aut horiz at ion (R M A) num ber from RECONYX
before returning any produc t (s) for repair or replacem ent . I f RECONYX concludes that
a returned product is not def ectiv e, Buyer w i ll be not if ied, the produc t will be returned
to Buyer at Buy er’s expense, and Buy er m ay be charged for RECONYX’s examination
and testing of the product .
This limited warranty is the sole warran t y for hardw are and s of tware produc t s offered
by RECONYX and RECONYX shall not be liable f or any amount s for said produc t s
except in c om pli anc e w ith this warrant y .
FCC Certifica tion
This devic e c omplies with part 15 of the FCC Rules. Operation i s subject to the
following condit ions : (1) This dev ic e may not caus e harm f ul int erf erenc e, and (2) this
device mus t acc ept any interf erenc e rec eiv ed, i nc luding int erf erenc e t hat may cause
undesired operat ion.
Safety Precautions
Before using the c am era, pl eas e ens ure t hat you read and underst and t he f ollow ing
safety prec aut ions. Always ensure that the cam era is operated c orrec t ly.
The safet y precaut ions not ed in t his guide are intended to instruc t you in the saf e and
correct operat ion of t he camera and its accessor ies to prev ent injuries or dam age t o
yourself, ot her persons, and equipment.
26 © RECONYX, INC
Preventing Malfunction
Avoid Strong Magnetic Fields
Never place t he c am era in close prox im ity to electric motors or other equipment
generating strong elec t rom agnet ic f i elds . Ex pos ure t o strong m agnet ic fields m ay
cause malf unc t ions or corrupt image data.
Avoid Condensation
Moving the camera rapidly bet w een hot and c old temperat ures m ay caus e
condensation (w at er droplet s) to form on its external and int ernal surfaces. You can
avoid this by plac i ng the camera in an airtight, resealable plas t ic bag and let t ing it
adjust to t em perat ure c hanges slowl y bef ore rem ov ing it from the bag.
If Condensation Forms Inside the Camera
Stop using the c am era im m ediately if you detect condensation ins i de t he c am era.
Continued use m ay dam age t he camera. Rem ov e the CF card and bat t eries from the
camera and wait unt il the moisture evaporates complet ely bef ore res um i ng us e.
Warnings
• Store this equipm ent out of the reac h of children and inf ant s . Acc ident al d am age t o
the camera or bat t er ies by a child could result in s erious injury .
• Be particularly c areful to keep the date (coin) bat t ery used in the cam era aw ay from
children. Seek m edic al assistance imm ediately if a child swallows a battery.
• Do not allow w at er or other liquids t o ent er the interior of the cam era. The interior
has not been wat erproof ed. I f the exterior c om es into cont act w ith liquids or s alt air,
wipe it dry with a soft, abs orbent c l ot h. In the event that water or ot her foreign
substanc es ent er the int erior, i m m ediat ely turn the camera’s pow er of f and remov e
the camera bat t eries . Cont i nued use of the equipment may res ult in fire or electric al
shock. Pleas e consult y our camera dis tributor or the closest RECONYX Customer
Support Help Des k .
• Use of power sources not expressly rec ommended f or t his equipment m ay lead t o
overheating, dis t ortion of the equipment , fire, elect ric al s hock, or other hazards . Use
only the recom m ended pow er ac c es sories. Any use of non-RECONYX power
sources w il l v oid the warranty on your camera.
• Do not mix batt ery ty pes. You may run your camera on Alkaline, Lithium (Pro m odel
only!), or Nickel Metal Hydride (NiMH), but you should NEVER MIX BAT T ER Y
TYPES! D am age t o t he camera c an res ult and your warranty will be voided if you
do so.
www.reconyx.com 27
• Do not place t he batteries near a heat s ourc e, expos e t hem to direc t flam e or heat,
or immerse them in water. Such exposure m ay dam age t he batteries and lead t o
the leakage of c orros ive liquids, fire, electric al s hoc k, ex plos ion, or serious injury .
• Do not att empt to disas s em ble, alter, or apply heat to the batt eries . There is serious
risk of injur y due to an explos i on. Imm ediat ely flush w ith wat er any area of t he body
or clothing that c om es into contac t wi t h the inner cont ent s of a battery. If the ey es or
mouth cont ac t thes e subst anc es , imm ediat ely flush with water and seek medic al
assistance.
• Avoid dropping or subject ing t he bat t eries to severe impact s that could damage t he
casings. It could lead to leak age and injury .
• Do not short -c ircuit the battery terminals w it h metallic objec ts, suc h as key holders.
It could lead to overheat ing, burns , and ot her injuries .
• Use of batteries not express ly r ec ommended for t his equipment may caus e
explosions or leak s , resulting in fire, injury, and dam age t o t he surroundings. U s e
only recomm ended bat t eries and access ories .
• Avoid using, plac ing, or stori ng t he equipm ent in plac es s ubjec t to strong s unlight or
high temperatures , s uch as the dashboard or trunk (boot ) of a car. Expos ure t o
intense sunlight and heat m ay cause t he bat t eri es to leak, ov erheat or ex plode,
resulting in fi re, burns or ot her injuries . High t em perat ures m ay also c aus e
deformation of t he c asing.
• Be careful not t o bang t he camera or s ubjec t it to strong impac t s or shoc ks t hat
could lead to injury or damage the equipment .
• When using desic c ant , the following precautions s hould be f ollowed: Keep out of
reach of children, do not eat, and do not inhale des ic c ant dust . If the desiccant
packet t ears or breaks, wash y our hands if they com e in direc t cont act w ith the
desiccant . Desic cant may cause eye, skin, and muc ous membrane irrit at ion.
Prolonged inhalation m ay c aus e lung dam age. As t hm a c an be aggrav at ed by
exposure to des ic c ant .
• If you know or suspec t des iccant has been ingest ed, s eek medical as s i stanc e f or
further treat m ent , observ ation, and support if neces s ary. For ey e c ont act, flus h with
water for at least 15 minutes . For skin c ont act, wash affec t ed area w it h soap and
water. F or inhalat ion of des iccant dust, move affec ted person into an environm ent
with fres h air. For accidental ingest ion, drink at least two glasses of water.
• Check your state/local laws concerning t he us e of this produc t .
28 © RECONYX, INC
Copyright & Trademark Information
RapidFire
TM
RapidFire™ is a tradem ar k of RECONYX.
In st ru ct ion Manual Copyright October 2009
Other t r ademarks and r egister ed t r adem ar k s r ef er r ed to in this d oc um ent:
• BuckView™, CodeLoc ™, InstaOn™, NearVideo™, LFT™, and VersaMount™are trademarks of
RECONYX.
• CompactFlash® is a register ed trademark of t he Com pac t Flash Associ ation.
• Energizer® is a reg is tered trademark of Ener gizer Corp.
• SanDisk® is a regis tered t r ademark of S anDisk C orpor ation.
• Windows XP ® and Windows Vist a® are registered trademar k s of M icr os oft Corporat ion.
• Python® locks are a pr oduct of M as ter Lock
All other t r ademarks and copyrights refer red to are the property of t heir r es pec t ive owners.
RECONYX, INC
3828 Creeksi de Lane, S uite 2
Holmen, WI 54636
866-493-6064
www.reconyx.com
Versi on: 20091007v1
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