Lowrance mark4

[waynep]

Does anyone have this finder/plotter? Is it a good unit?
Thanks wayne

[thorne]

Never used it but seems to have all the good points. Mini sd capable, back track, 2 frequency transducer, split screen, small display but if this is what you are looking for should be a nice little unit. The resolution will be lacking but it will show you where you are and give you a depth and suspended fish. Don't expect great detail, but depending on what you are looking for it will provide all the basic information you need.

[waynep]

It should have better resolution than the other finder I have. http://store.humminbird.com/products/271682/PiranhaMax_240

I picked this up used and haven't used it yet but I found the mark4 on sale and it comes with the premium lake maps for Canada. It is very tempting but not sure if it would be much better than the one I already have?

[thorne]

It should have better resolution than the other finder I have. http://store.humminbird.com/products/271682/PiranhaMax_240

I picked this up used and haven't used it yet but I found the mark4 on sale and it comes with the premium lake maps for Canada. It is very tempting but not sure if it would be much better than the one I already have?

Definaateky better fir sure! If its a good deal go for it. You will have better resolution plus a bunch of updated features. You'll enjoy it. Back track is awesome!

[waynep]

I think it's a pretty good deal it's on sale for $279 and it comes with the navionics premium lakes Canada sd card. From what I can tell the card alone is over $150
Wayne

[thorne]

Have almost sounds like you buy the card and get a free display. If you do grab this unit be sure to submit a review. Ild be very curious as to how it performs. Just looking at the specs side by side, it's way more machine for the money. It's got gps and mapping, hummingbird does not, Mark 4. Has better resolution, the mark 4 does have a smaller screen, but that's the only minus. Everything is going to be crowded. In that screen, but at least it's there. You can always just display the sonar when you are where you need to be and switch to the map when you need to get somewhere...definately worth the money.

[fishnfoo]

I think it's a pretty good deal it's on sale for $279 and it comes with the navionics premium lakes Canada sd card. From what I can tell the card alone is over $150
Wayne

I just went through this upgrading from my Eagle fisheasy 245ds. I ended up buying an HDS 5. Like you I wanted the GPS and sonar. I really like the Mark4 and considered it but my problem with it was that the sonar unit is not much more powerful than what I had and you already have. Mark 4 has about 2100 Watts PTP and your old unit has 1600 Watts. If you upgrade to an elite 5 you get 4000 Watts but it costs $500-600. An HDS 5 has broadband technology with an equivalent to 30,000 Watts of power and cost $600-700. I know it is a slippery slope but if you do a series of upgrades it is much more expensive. Sometimes too many choices is a curse.

[thorne]

I just went through this upgrading from my Eagle fisheasy 245ds. I ended up buying an HDS 5. Like you I wanted the GPS and sonar. I really like the Mark4 and considered it but my problem with it was that the sonar unit is not much more powerful than what I had and you already have. Mark 4 has about 2100 Watts PTP and your old unit has 1600 Watts. If you upgrade to an elite 5 you get 4000 Watts but it costs $500-600. An HDS 5 has broadband technology with an equivalent to 30,000 Watts of power and cost $600-700. I know it is a slippery slope but if you do a series of upgrades it is much more expensive. Sometimes too many choices is a curse.

You are very correct, but sometimes a budget is a budget, and you want the best bang for the bucks, if it is possible to go the elite or even the HDS oh ya go for it, it's a whole new ball game. Was just trying to stay in the parameters of the question. I took my buddy to the show on Friday to help him pick a new unit.....when we were done he blew his budget by $1000.00. Kinda felt responsible, so i kind don't want to go there again. Just to be clear, he ( my buddy has a ton of cash and just needed a kick in the ass to spend it! So no regrets on that one!)