Reconyx RapidFire User manual

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

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Camera Overview
Congratulations on purchasing a RECONYX camera. RECONYX has been
the leader in digital wildlife cameras since 2003. Your RapidFire™ camera
includes a state-of-the-art digital camera, an integrated Passive InfraRed
(PIR) motion detector, and a night time infrared illuminator all contained ina
secure, rugged, and weather-resistant case.
Whether you are using the camera for scouting deer or studying wildlife, you
will quickly findthat using the RapidFireTM
Thank you for putting your trust in us!
camera in conjunction with
MapView orBuckView software will be one of yourmost valuable tools in
gathering and analyzing data.
Contents of this package
1. RapidFireTM
•RM45, RC55, RC60, RC60HO, MC65 or MC65HO
Game Camera & Software
•BuckView™ Image management software
or RapidFireTM
•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 HD
or 3.1 MP color
images
Night: 1080p HD
or 3.1 MP
monochrome
images
Day: 1080p HD or
3.1 MP color
images
Night: 1080p HD or
3.1 MP
monochrome
images
InstaOn™
Trigger Speed 1/10 second 1/5 second 1/5 second
RapidFire™
NearVideo™ Up to 2frames 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 60feet Infrared: 50 to 60feet Covert Infrared:
30 to 35feet
standard
(* 50 feet for
HO Editions)
* HO (High Output) edition cameras must be run on either NiMH rechargable
batteries or Energizer® 1.5V AA Ultimate Lithium batteries.
Note: CF cards up to 32GB may be used, but under normal use2GB and
4GB cards are more than adequate.

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BUCKVIEW™
Included with your game camera (RM45, RC55, RC60, RC60HO, MC65,
MC65HO) is BuckView mappingand image management software.
BuckView offers you the ability to geographically organize and access your
images, helping you to pattern and better understand animal movements
and behaviors. Refer to the BuckView User Guide, accessible withinthe
software, for more information. BuckView requires a personal computer
runningeither Windows XP® or Windows Vista®.
MapViewProfessional
Included with your professional camera (PM75, PC85, PC90, PC90HO) is
MapView Professional software that offers you the ability to geographically
organize and access your images. It alsosupports data analysis with user-
defined metadata and export capabilities and allows you to change the
advanced settings on your Professional Camera.MapView requires a
personal computer running either Windows XP® or Windows Vista®.

6 © RECONYX, INC
Battery & Memory Card Installation
Removing and Replacing the Camera’s Cover
Before installing batteries or a memory card, you need to removethe
camera’s cover. To dothis, open the clasp at the bottom of thecamera using
the thumb grip in the middle of the bottom edge. Then, lift the cover from the
bottom, rotating it upward until you can remove it from the camera.
To replace the camera’s cover, insert the cover alongthe bottom edge of the
camera’s faceplate and rotate it downward until it’s flush with the camera.
Snap the clasp, pressing firmly in the middle of the clasp, to secure the
cover.
It’s good practice to makesure the gasket and camera lenses areclean
each timeyou open and close your camera.
Battery Specifications and Installation
Your RECONYX RapidFireTM camera runs on six C-cell batteries or 6 AA
batteries (when used with AA->C Cell adapters). You can run Alkaline,

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Nickel Metal Hydride (rechargeable), or 1.5V Lithium batteries (Professional
models will also run on 3V Lithium batteries for extended run time).Batteries
load vertically (three on each side) into thetwo battery trays.
Note:Be sure to load batteries in the proper orientation(positive end infirst).
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 inexpensive and will run well at moderate
temperatures in most RECONYX cameras. If you purchased a High Output
(HO) RC60HO, MC65HO or PC90HO, alkaline batteries will NOT run well in
it. If you have an HO camera and/or want to useyour camera when the
weather turns cold, you should run with either NiMH rechargeable batteries
or AA 1.5V Lithium batteries (using adapters). NiMH will run at temperatures
down to -20°F orcolder. Lithium batteries will run to -40°F.
Note: Lithium AA and NiMH rechargeable batteries provide better night time
consistency than C-Cell Alkaline batteries. You can purchase 1.5V Lithium
batteries and adapters as well as NiMH rechargeable batteries and chargers
at www.reconyx.com.

8 © RECONYX, INC
Because camera settings, animal activity, and temperature allvary, there is
no way to precisely predict acamera’s runtime, the total number of images
that can be taken, or the temperature at which the camera will operate on
any given set of batteries. Therefore the following table shows approximate
values to be used as a guide in determining what type of batteries will best
suit your needs.
Battery Type Operating Temperature Run Time Number of Images
C-Cell Alkaline
Do Not run Alkaline
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 weeks *7,500 to
10,000
AA Energizer
Ultimate Lithium
(1.5V)
-40º F (-40º C)
and above
8 – 12 weeks 12,500 to
17,500
C-Cell Lithium
(3V disposable)
(Professional
models only)
-40º F (-40º C)
and above
10 – 16 weeks 15,000 to
30,000
*High temperatures can reduce run time with Alkaline and NiMH batteries by
50% or more.
TIP: AA batteries can also be used in your RapidFirecamera – provided
you use AA to C-Cell battery adapters (available at www.reconyx.com).

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CompactFlash®
The CompactFlash (CF) card is usedto store the pictures yourcamera
captures. These 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 orientation 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 (thecamera will then show status – i.e.
battery status and number of pictures since last armed)
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 buttons as shown.
5. The card must be inserted face up with the connecting ports in
first.
Note: Always disarm (by pressing OK) and turn the power off before
removing or inserting the CompactFlash card.

10 © RECONYX, INC
CompactFlash cards have various speeds andcapacities. Larger capacity
cards are capable of storingmore images. The followingtable shows
approximate number of images for a 4GB CFcard. Your RapidFire camera
will takecards upto 32GB, but most users will find 2GB and 4GB cards to be
more than adequate for normal use.
Camera /
Capacity RM45 & PM75 RC55, MC65 & 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 recommend that you purchase 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 higher speed ratings arecapable of reading and writing images
faster. This is advantageous when takingRapidFireTM NearVideoTM
CompactFlash Card - File System Requirements
sequences of images.
If you have a CF card that does not seem to work, oryou used the card in
another device, you may have to re-format your CF Card. This can be done
with the included BuckView/MapView software or with any Windows
Operating System.
Step 1: Insert your memory card intoyour computer's card reader.
Step 2: Click "Start -> My Computer" You should see your memory card
under the list of available drives. Be sure to check its contents first to make
sure that you have the right drive.
Step 4: Right-click on the drive and choose 'Format'.
Step 5: Under "File system"select the "FAT32"option thenclick on 'Start'.
Step 6: Once the process is completed, take the memory card out and
insert it into your Camera.
Note: Your RapidFire Camera uses the FAT32FileSystem. However, CF
Cards under 2GB may also be formatted usingthe FATFile System.