I asked before, but no longer can find the thread about it.

I basically want to see about videoing the wildlife in my back garden at night, as well as Jacks (The Gecko) tank (He sometimes makes a racket and I want to know why/how!)

My options from what I have found out so far are either IR CCTV stuff, a video camera with IR mode, or a trail camera.

Obviously a trail camera is the most ideal, as they are designed as weatherproof, camouflaged units FOR doing just this. The only problem being they tend to only take pictures, and quality seems to be a bit poor on the night vision side of things on those units that do video. Plus the units are fairly large and so may not be that suitable for wedging in a small space to video mice running around etc.

The next option is a handheld video camera with IR mode, but I think these are the least suitable as I doubt theyll be weatherproof, are highly pinchable, and most likely wont have a motion sensor etc, meaning itd have to be set up and left to record, and so the chances are the film would run out before anything happens.

This leaves the CCTV option. Price wise they seem comparable to trail cameras (£100-300 ish for what I need), except Ill need to figure out a way of providing external power in the form of battery packs etc.

Just wondering if anyone has any advice or experience in this kind of stuff. Ever used any IR equipment etc?

True.

Id just hope that if someone stumbles across a little green box that says "survey equipment, do not remove" they might take heed, whilst if they find a digital camcorder, even with the above on, they might not... I think i kinda made my mind up that a trail cam is the way to go whilst writing the above, but Im not sure whether one exists that does what I want it to do!

Now looking at the Scoutguard 550. In true UK import fashion it costs as much in £ here as it does in $ in America. Annoying. £200 or $200 :/

Hmmm...

Aye, problem is I need it to be IR for night-time stuff. This then means needing either IR lighting units or a camera with IR attached. Combined with wanting to probably use the device away from home, I need a self contained unit or units that can record overnight and be collected in the morning

Yeah. But not much more than the equivalent CCTV stuff. The second you start looking at the DVR units for them the price jumps to £100-£150, and then add on the power supplies and wham, same price as a small hassle free self contained unit.

I need to try to force myself not to buy this, as I am "saving" for a new car ><