Cuddeback F2 - Worst Camera EVER! Keep Walking.

I recently purchased a cuddeback F2 camera from a local archery shop. I have never owned a cuddeback camera, the price was right so I figured I would try it out. Here is what I have found. I have tried with Lithium batteries as I thought that might be the problem.

Images - Terrible! I got better pics out of the first trailcams that came out. Day or Night, both are horrible.

Trigger Speed - Excellent - You can get perfectly timed, horrible pictures.

Support - Camera is not even listed anywhere in the Cuddeback website

Firmware - Can't update because Cuddeback acts like the camera doesn't exist.

Parameters - Supposedly you can change the parameters for higher image quality (According to the Manual) However upon further digging, that is not an option on the model based on a comment from cuddeback support in one of their forums.

Packaging - Cuddeback does a great job with packaging. I can assure you the pictures on the box were not taken with this camera.

I paid $100 for this camera. When compared to the Browning Strike Force $129, there is no comparison. I have owned all the major brands, Moultrie, Wildgame, Stealth, Browning and now Cuddeback. There is no way in hades that I would ever spend another $ on a cuddeback camera. The camera is so bad that Cuddeback will hardly acknowledge they even make it. Worst purchase I have made in 10 years. Beware.

The Browning Strike force in my opinion is one of the best cameras on the market.

Attached are some of the better images I got from this camera.

You seem surprised? I've owned 2 of them, and I will never own another one. Don't care if they are giving them away, I have no idea how this company is in business.

And the sad thing is, several years ago Cuddeback was the cool camera that everybody wanted but couldn't afford. Kinda like Reconyx is today, I guess.

One of the reviews on this site says there is a new firmware update for that camera. Might be worth checking into.
http://www.gandermountain.com/modperl/product/details.cgi?i=868859

Have you guys ever tried the Spypoint trail cameras? I have one and it works perfectly and gets super sharp pictures day or night.

Me and Cuddeback parted ways many years ago. Sorry to hear you got took. Just file this experience in your memory. Will come in handy when you decide to make another camera purchase.

Last post on here about these cameras, I replied do not buy and they are junk. No one cared. They said at that price they were going to get a couple of them. I tried....

Hairtrigger said:

Last post on here about these cameras, I replied do not buy and they are junk. No one cared. They said at that price they were going to get a couple of them. I tried....

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Trigger, you can bet your bottom dollar that I was NOT one of those that bought any of them !!!!

Wish I would have seen that post

It was an impulse buy gone wrong. Lesson learned.

Hairtrigger said:

Last post on here about these cameras, I replied do not buy and they are junk. No one cared. They said at that price they were going to get a couple of them. I tried....

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Their older cameras were not bad cameras. I still have an Expert that works. It's nothing compared to the new cameras on the market in regards to battery life, videos, and ease of use, but the pictures are fantastic. I put it up when I want some nice white flash night shots.

I've heard their new cameras are junk...

Bucky T said:

Their older cameras were not bad cameras. I still have an Expert that works. It's nothing compared to the new cameras on the market in regards to battery life, videos, and ease of use, but the pictures are fantastic. I put it up when I want some nice white flash night shots.

I've heard their new cameras are junk...

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I had the original 35 mm Cuddeback and it was terrible! Leaked from day one and was ruined........it made for a better target than a trail cam.

humdandy said:

I had the original 35 mm Cuddeback and it was terrible! Leaked from day one and was ruined........it made for a better target than a trail cam.

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I had the original 35mm too. It was called a Non Typical. I never had waterproof problems. The old DC100 I had worked great for a long time. Matter of fact, I simply quit using it when digital cams came out. Nothing like running up to the 1hr photo to find out you had 24 pictures of raccoons.......................................

I had 2 Cuddeback 3.0's that stayed out for 10 years straight with no down time and they never missed a lick. The quality of their cameras started going downhill fast about 5 years ago. They aren't even useful as boat anchors now.

Bucky T said:

I had the original 35mm too. It was called a Non Typical. I never had waterproof problems. The old DC100 I had worked great for a long time. Matter of fact, I simply quit using it when digital cams came out. Nothing like running up to the 1hr photo to find out you had 24 pictures of raccoons.......................................

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Haha been there done that!

I have several different kinds of cameras that I run. I hate my Cuddeback. By far the worst camera that I have ever had.

BraveEagle said:

I have several different kinds of cameras that I run. I hate my Cuddeback. By far the worst camera that I have ever had.

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I agree, I took mine back to Dick's

BraveEagle said:

I have several different kinds of cameras that I run. I hate my Cuddeback. By far the worst camera that I have ever had.

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Amazing how fast this company went down. Years ago they made good cameras and then something went terribly wrong...Hard to believe that as trail camera technology improved this company went just the opposite direction. Trail cam pro doesn't even sell these cameras anymore because they are so bad now.