Technaxx Birdcam TX-165 review - a basic bird feeder camera that doesn't try to be smart

The Technaxx Birdcam TX-165 was introduced some five years ago – in 2021 - well before bird feeder cameras became popular. And because of that, perhaps, it may look like it is showing its age – as it does not have the wifi-connected smartphone pizzazz of some of the more recent models on the market. But for some this will definitely have some appeal - you don't need an app to get the Technaxx to work, and takes joy in its functional simplicity.

Technaxx Birdcam: Specifications

Technaxx Birdcam: Price

The Technaxx Birdcam hasa recommended retail price of $129.99/£129.99 – but I have regularly seen in on sale under $95 / £90 – which feels a much fairer price to pay for this, so do make sure you shop around to a decent price.

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Technaxx Birdcam: Design & handling

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The bird feeder itself is made up of three separate pieces. The camera is essentially just a trail camera that provides a weather-sealed unit for the video and photo functions. The second part is the food hoppers - two separate containers for filling up with seeds, nuts, or mealworms of your choice. The third is the exterior casing, which the other twp parts fit into, which provides a roof, and the various modes of attachment that can be used to fix, hang or strap your feeder to a branch, post or wall. This also offers a reservoir for water.

The camera is best set up before you put the three parts together - but as you will have to put in the 4x AA batteries and the memory card before the unit is made watertight, this is not a huge difficulty.

The camera settings are a touch fiddly with six different buttons helping you to navigate the menu system, which is displayed on a small 2in exterior screen. You can choose between recording video, stills or both - and then you have the options for these. This means choosing the number of images taken in stills mode, and the resolution and frame rate you want for video. You can also choose to have audio recording on and off, and whether to record the time and date (and temperature) with your captures. Other settings allow you to adjust the sensitivity of the motion sensor, which starts the recording, and the times of day you want the bird feeder camera to be operational for. Fortunately, the manual that covers all of this is excellently written.

Although there is no solar panel option - unlike on many of the best bird feed cameras – there is a socket to provide DC power to the unit, if you don't want to be reliant on AA batteries.

We were very impressed with the number of mounting options that are available – with fixings for attachment to a wall or post, and one for attaching to a rail. You also get a belt, for fixing the Technaxx around the tree. In our tests, we used a piece of string attached to the eye at the top of the feeder, and tied to the branch of an old apple tree.

Technaxx Birdcam: Performance

The camera uses a wid-angle lens with a field of view of 100° - but it is set up so it only keeps subjects in a range of 6-15cm in focus – so just those on the field itself. This means that the images you get show the birds against a nicely blurred background of your garden or yard, thanks to the limited depth of field offered by the f/2 lens. This effect was particularly appealing with video clips - with the birds staying in focus as they fed, that being seen defocused as they flew away to a neighboring branch.

The resolution is only 1080P - so can't compete with the 4K and 2K video that is found on many rivals. Nonetheless the imagery was more than enough to make appealing footage - and certainly enough to identify birds, and see them close-up in a way that you can't usually enjoy.

The camera also offers a four infrared LEDs - so can capture footage at night, or just before dawn, when some species are active. This footage is recorded in black and white (and you can see a sample of this at then end of the video sample below).

Sample photos

Sample video

Above: compilation of the best video clips we captured with the Technaxx

Technaxx Birdcam Verdict

In comparison to many other bird feeder cameras, the Technaxx is a pretty basic affair. But the fact that you don't need a smartphone or an app to use this, may well be its biggest appeal. It works well, and although made of plastic, is solidly built – and comes in a color that looks at home in your garden.

Alternatives

Birdfy Rookie
We tested the all-plastic Birdfy Rookie feeder for months and found it an affordable, easy-to-clean option. You can record sharp, colourful 1080p/30fps or 1280x960/60fps video that picks up plumage well. Although it is around the same price as the Technaxx, this offers a wireless app which allows you to review your footage remotely.

Check out our full guide to the best bird feeder cameras, and also our guide to the best birdbox cameras