Longevity

For obvious reasons we don't setup trail cameras that face directly toward the sun. Falsing and a memory card filled with useless images in addition to quickly depleted batteries are not considered a good outcome. But for those who have played around with trail cameras, such as yours truly, no doubt have come across a time when the setup was not perfect and you had tons of pictures of "nothing".

Well, in some situations, your camera may be exposed to the sun, but not necessarily looking right at it. That's half the battle. Unfortunately, there is now another component to consider. Weathering.
The camera shown below has been quite faithful. Albeit, it does get some sun exposure, the results of weather are obvious. The latch above the lock loop has broken right off. The plastic is pretty brittle.
The latch just below the lock loop is ready to go. Once it does, I will have to use the lock loop with a nylon tie wrap or twist tie.

Mind you, this camera has been out since January 2011. If you notice the cord at the bottom, this thing is being fed by a solar panel and gel cell battery, which have not required maintenance since it was first turned on. (Yes, it's still running).
I figure the camo tape job I did on it is acting like a sunscreen for the rest of the camera. Had I left this camera where it was initially deployed, just outside of Parry Sound, the condition of it might be a lot better, for the location was shaded by a healthy canopy of trees. I only removed it because I was planning on a trip to a potential area of interest and I wanted all the equipment I could get my hands on. The trip never happened, but during the waiting period I decided to put camo tape on the camera to help it blend in. This is when I started to experiment with the solar panel. I am impressed.

When it comes to longevity, think about your setup. If you have the intention to leave a camera out for an extended period of time, consider its exposure to the elements. I recall a fellow who left a camera out for a very long period of time, to find that tree sap had made it's way down the front of the camera, obscuring it's view. A shame, really, but you might not think about things like that. The "birdhouse" roof is a neat idea, covering the top of the camera, with a slight overhang of the roof to shield the front. Small leaves, branches glued to the roof. Anything to make it blend in as best as possible, while offering protection.