Might be buying a new camera [Archive] - Alberta Outdoorsmen Forum

calgarygringo

01-07-2018, 09:16 AM

You and many others. Biggest challenge wirh Marcum is how much time many have to spend in the repair shop. If you get a good one they are great but cross your fingers if you buy one. Sent many back when I was in the biz.

I have the Marcum VS825SD and like it a lot.. Had it now for a few seasons and did have to send it in for repairs over the summer.. Repairs are costly.. Can't speak for the new Aqua Vues

RavYak

01-07-2018, 10:18 AM

I like the Marcum 825 but with the recent price increases it is getting harder to stand behind. The Marcum cameras had a bad batch a few years ago where most of them leaked at some point but I do believe that they fixed that problem and most people I know haven't had issues with the newer units. I always liked the integrated case and the separate part to wrap cable on much better then having to carry an Aqua Vu in a separate bag(which will get blown away in the wind etc if not careful) and having to hold the whole unit to wrap up your cable.

If I was buying I would probably just buy the 485. The only difference between the 485 and 825 is the height of the screen(and field of view height), depth/temperature/direction readings and the 825 comes with the panner. Even with the panner you are only talking $700 compared to 1150 though and the other differences aren't really necessary especially if you have a flasher etc for depth.

The new HDi Aqua Vu's look nice though other then the same old inferior shape/bag setup. The Aqua Vu has IR lighting(so can legally be used whereas the Marcums are not supposed to be used) and the Aqua Vu also have cameras that can be tilted up or down at a 45 deg angle. The HD7i at $770 comes with a free mopod rebate right now so is around the same price as a 485 and has same screen size, features etc when said and done. The pro series has the extra functions like depth etc and I believe a slightly better screen for glare etc.

If you go into Fishin Hole you should be able to play with them and compare cameras and see the difference in bags etc. Marcum was always my preferred unit although Aqua Vu has been making some improvements whereas Marcum just keeps increasing price so the playing field is becoming more level now.

slingshotz

01-07-2018, 11:27 PM

I've had my VS825SD for maybe 6 years now and had the camera leak on me as well in my 2nd or 3rd year but they replaced it promptly no questions asked. Since then it's been rock solid.

Picture quality is pretty good for a 6 year old camera but I'd bet the newer stuff should be a lot better.

SNAPFisher

01-08-2018, 08:23 AM

I have the Marcum VS825SD and like it a lot.. Had it now for a few seasons and did have to send it in for repairs over the summer.. Repairs are costly.. Can't speak for the new Aqua Vues

^^ I'm with this. After owning a Marcum it was wonderful until it broke. I was out of luck with getting spare parts and they were not fast even respond. So given a drop in quality that I've heard and the not so great customer service, I would go with AquaView myself. While I did have a bad experience with the Micro the customer service and attention to the issues I was having was beyond my expectations. That and if the HD line is a solid as the previous line…and I’ve not heard anything to the contrary, that is what I would recommend. My 760C has been nothing but a work horse for 3 years and no issues.

SamSteele

01-08-2018, 08:57 AM

I've had a Marcum 485C for 3 years and it has been good. Prior to that I had a cheap Cabela's "Advanced Angler" unit that did the trick. I haven't had a need to service my Marcum to date so I can't comment on that.

JohninAB

01-08-2018, 09:10 AM

When I first got back into ice fishing 4 or 5 years ago, I had one of the original Aqua View cameras. It paled in comparison to my buddies Marcum 380 so I went to Canadian Tire to get a 380 that was on sale only to be given a 385C for the same price, which was right around $285. Thing has performed flawlessly for me over the years.

Will say like the added features of the 825C but not sure if the big jump in price is worth it though.

Rememe

01-08-2018, 11:43 AM

My question over U/W camera is how do you control the camera in a way that it is facing right to your lure?

Your challenges are: position both camera and lure on the same level; and same direction. Depends on your view angle, you could easily get lose under water. Tweaking the cable to fine the lure is very challenging and not reliable.:thinking-006:

Curious to know how you guys manage this before making the decision to buy one.

SamSteele

01-08-2018, 12:09 PM

I use a Aqua-Vu Mo-Pod3 with my camera to set the height and rotate the camera underwater. If I have a couple holes that I want to see I will drill my holes in a triangle shape with the camera far enough away to have lures in both of the other holes visible at the same time on the screen. I will also drill them in a hockey stick shape with the camera hole offset slightly so one lure doesn't block the view of the other.

A panner of some kind is imperative to being happy with an underwater camera.

PerchBuster

01-08-2018, 12:26 PM

RavYak

01-08-2018, 09:15 PM

I have both the Marcum 825 and the Aqua Vu HD 700i. Have had the Marcum now about 6 years, the 700i for one full season. Really like both of them and hard to pick a favourite. Never had any issues touch wood with either so far. Marcum picture can at times be a little grainy, would say Aqua Vu picture is a little better compared to my 6 yr old model. Marcum features for water temp, camera direction etc are great to have. Marcum camera panner is much better than aqua Vu mopod I think. My buddy has the Aqua Vu 715c and it is a great camera as well for the money, in comparison the HD 700i may be a little overrated, the 715c is about just as good under most conditions. Neither of mine work very well in murky water unless fishing the shallows. Prefer the Marcum for use in the boat over the 700i.

The 715c is hard to beat value wise especially with the recent price increases on other units. I still like the 485 due to the case and a bit better camera quality but it is a tougher choice then it used to be.

No camera is good in low light/murky conditions. That is something everyone thinking of buying a camera should know. Cameras require light so only are really effective roughly a half hour after sunrise to half hour before sunset. Murky conditions make it so less light gets to depth and also blocks images further away. Some lakes you might only have 2-3 feet of visibility while others you might be able to see 20. 6 or so is probably the average for here in AB fishing for pike/walleye.

petecatch

01-10-2018, 10:36 AM

If you're serious about ice fishing, there's nothing new/current from Marcum and Aqua-Vu that's a good reliable product, including the Revolution, HD Pro 10i and the last 2 revision's of Micro and Recon’s / VS’s. Both Marcuum and AV have had systemic design issues / reliability issues for the last few years, you'll find older models of AV (4-5 years old perform better).

Want something that's cheaper, more reliable and comparable / better image quality: Sure may not look as great and will be a few things you don't like, but they're cosmetic, easy to work around and not much invested, amazon/ebay is your friend. It's built in China too, but the price is right. This is one that is equal to the top of the range Marcuums/Aqua-Vu's in most aspects you care about, good value for money:
https://www.ebay.ca/itm/1EYOYO-7-TFT-Color-Monitor-Underwater-50M-Fish-Finder-Fishing-Camera-1000TVL-HD/281949211799?hash=item41a57b8c97:g:7gcAAOSw3utY7zt f

Bottom line: Marcuum/AV and cheaper Chinese suppliers are all designing/building in China in the same factories and the same image sensors. If it's your first camera, or you buy cos of the color of the product you gonna like whatever you buy.

The features you think you care about, aren't relevant in use:
1. IR: Plankton in the water column reflects and destroys image at night
2. Water temperature. Sensors are 2-3C inaccurate
3. Direction, mostly inaccurate
4. HD. Water clarity blurs everything at any distance
5. Low light performance

Features that are relevant in practice:
1. Weight/size
2. Battery life
3. Water resistance
4. Operational reliability
5. Image settings under water
6. DVR
7. Cold weather performance
8. Screen size
9. Field of View (higher resolution means seeing less fish on screen with AV/Marcuum)

Still like Red or Yellow/Black? Make sure you buy it from somewhere that has a good return policy in store and isn't relying on manufacturer return (TFH), as there's a high chance you'll need it.

Kim473

01-14-2018, 02:51 AM

I bought the Aqua-vu 715C from Cabela's in Edmonton. They price matched Bass pro. $ 299.00 , savings of $80.00. Very impressed taking it out of the box, can't wait to try it out on the lake.

Only one left in the south side location yesterday afternoon, none in the north side store.

Calgaryguy1977

01-14-2018, 04:24 AM

I have an aqua vu with the 100 ft cable and I can see in a 100 ft down if the water is clear, like in mountain lakes. I'm not sure if the current models have that. I got mine last year and I think it was discontinued. That said, the new models seem to have a lot of the same options/benefits.

The tri pod with the remote is very nice to have too as it has a remote control so you can adjust it as it moves throughout the day and makes setup easier. It's an extra 80 bucks I think. Sometimes you can find them for 40 on sale around christmas. I went a whole year without one and just adjusted the wire by hand and it was a nuisance but still worked fine.

The aqua vu was the only Camera I could find that goes down that deep. Once it gets to a certain depth it changes to a black and white picture but its very clear as long as the water clarity is super good.
I have no complaints about mine, its very durable and makes ice fishing a blast. I get ice and snow on it all the time and it keeps going just fine. It has a pretty strong thicker guage wire that can be abused quite a bit. The Camera unit it self is very heavy and made of metal so its durable and it sinks fast in deep lakes which is nice.

Everyone that fishes with me loves it!

RavYak

01-14-2018, 12:21 PM

calgarygringo

01-14-2018, 12:30 PM

Funny thing is same company price matching themselves.

You should go give them their 80 bucks back...

Bass Pro website is USD... Cabelas should have known that...

Bemoredog

01-14-2018, 01:49 PM

Some things to consider:

The new Aqua Vu HD units have issues with battery life and numerous software issues. Wait until next season after the latest development cycle before considering purchasing them. Customer support for AV is good, but their QA isn't and it will take another cycle before the cameras are close to meriting their price.

The older series (700 non-HD series) of aqua vus are good cameras. Reliable and priced fairly now. Definitely consider these.

The HD business is mostly marketing yip yap. You're highly unlikely to actually get HD quality video underwater because there isn't enough light to support that kind of resolution. Also, ask yourself, do you really need the best visual quality or merely something good enough that you know a fish is around/about to take your hook? If the latter, you don't need HD.

I own a Marcum V825. It's a nice little package and comes with a panner. But be aware this unit is almost 6 years old. It's ancient tech and uses a very tiny image sensor for a camera that will be operating in low light conditions. On the plus side it is pretty reliable and image quality is more than good enough in most conditions IMO.

I have had issues with the screen leaking and the cord at the back being cut over time by the plastic housing it goes into. Customer service isn't great and the warranty is only 1 yr on a $1,000 to $1,200 item. Either get a better warranty in store or do the old "switcheroo" when the unit does crap out on you. Oh yea, my panner also fell apart. This is all with a little less than 1 season of use.

I honestly believe the camera game is the biggest joke in fishing gear right now. We're paying a good chunk of cash for yesteryear's tech backed by shoddy QA and poor customer service. Be very careful what you buy and don't have high expectations.

I second buying the Marcum VS485 or the ebay camera linked by a previous member. The Marcum 800 is a nice purpose built fishing cam, but it's far too expensive for a 6 year old product.

EZM

01-14-2018, 02:55 PM

I have both the 825 and 485 Marcum series cameras. I know a few people here mentioned that the only difference is a slightly larger screen on the far more expensive 825 ........ well .........WRONG .......... have a look at them side by side. The HD picture clarity on the "not worth the huge increase in $" for 825 series is significant compared to anything else I've seen including a few fishing partners high end Aqua View. The 825, is clearly the best you can get.

If seeing the detail of "a dark shadow what is that?" thing something just a bit further lurking just beyond the range of your normal camera is important to you - then get the 825. That's where it really shines and nobody in our group of guys will argue that - it's obvious and significant. I bet between the 10-12 of us who fish together regularly - we probably have most of the brands and price points of the cameras covered.

Sure, the more crisp details watching the 825 pick out details on the fish's scales up close is pretty awesome, but the less expensive 485 or Aqua view show more than enough detail up close. This is "nice" to have a crisper image - but the other cameras - to be honest are pretty darn good too. To me - that's not a huge enough advantage by itself to justify the increased price.

But there are a few more advantages ....

So - using REAL LIFE ACTUAL SIDE BY SIDE COMPARISON is simply ... what does the "high end" and "expensive" camera give you?

a) measurably better low light performance

b) significantly better range when picking out details far in the background (like incoming fish)

c) a crisper image up close

Is it worth it for you? That's up to you.

Bemoredog

01-14-2018, 04:33 PM

I have both the 825 and 485 Marcum series cameras. The HD picture clarity on the "not worth the huge increase in $" for 825 series is significant compared to anything else I've seen including a few fishing partners high end Aqua View. The 825, is clearly the best you can get.

Sure, the more crisp details watching the 825 pick out details on the fish's scales up close is pretty awesome, but the less expensive 485 or Aqua view show more than enough detail up close. This is "nice" to have a crisper image - but the other cameras - to be honest are pretty darn good too. To me - that's not a huge enough advantage by itself to justify the increased price.

But there are a few more advantages ....

So - using REAL LIFE ACTUAL SIDE BY SIDE COMPARISON is simply ... what does the "high end" and "expensive" camera give you?

a) measurably better low light performance

b) significantly better range when picking out details far in the background (like incoming fish)

c) a crisper image up close

If you can see things better on the Marcum 800 vs the 400 it has to be due to screen size and screen size only. The camera sensor and max resolution on each of the Marcum 825 and 485 is exactly the same. Honestly not trying to be rude here by pointing this out. Both provide a max resolution of 800 x 400 (a far cry from HD) and use the Sony Super HAD II 1/3 inch image sensor.

Not debating the merits of either of those cameras as I own the 800 myself and have been more or less happy despite some legitimate issues and the overall price for stone age tech. It is a good unit, relatively speaking. It is odd that you find the low light performance and crisper image in the Marcum 800 vs the 400 since it's the same hardware as the 400, but i've never had the chance to do a side by side.

EZM

01-14-2018, 05:30 PM

If you can see things better on the Marcum 800 vs the 400 it has to be due to screen size and screen size only. The camera sensor and max resolution on each of the Marcum 825 and 485 is exactly the same. Honestly not trying to be rude here by pointing this out. Both provide a max resolution of 800 x 400 (a far cry from HD) and use the Sony Super HAD II 1/3 inch image sensor.

Not debating the merits of either of those cameras as I own the 800 myself and have been more or less happy despite some legitimate issues and the overall price for stone age tech. It is a good unit, relatively speaking. It is odd that you find the low light performance and crisper image in the Marcum 800 vs the 400 since it's the same hardware as the 400, but i've never had the chance to do a side by side.

I think you are correct .....

I looked at the website - the new 485 series, do, in fact, use the HAD II camera - this is not what the last generation 385, early 400 series or 625 series cameras (now discontinued) as they all used the HAD I camera previously.

I (probably like most consumers) was not aware there were so many changes made and re-marketed. It even looks like they offered certain camera's and cable lengths exclusively to certain retailers and distributors .... seemed to have discontinued others, etc...

Looks to me like they are changing over the product lines.

My smaller series camera is a couple years old and employs the HAD I camera which is not as clear and crisp as the bigger camera's HAD II camera.

so - to be clear - I have not compared the new 7" HAD II in the 485 against the 8" HAD II in my 800 series.

I do, however, stand behind my original comments in terms of the quality of the Marcum camera - it's superior to anything I've compared it against.

Bemoredog

01-14-2018, 06:14 PM

I think you are correct .....

I looked at the website - the new 485 series, do, in fact, use the HAD II camera - this is not what the last generation 385, early 400 series or 625 series cameras (now discontinued) as they all used the HAD I camera previously.

Looks to me like they are changing over the product lines.

My smaller series camera is a couple years old and employs the HAD I camera which is not as clear and crisp as the bigger camera's HAD II camera.

I do, however, stand behind my original comments in terms of the quality of the Marcum camera - it's superior to anything I've compared it against.

Very fair points. I had no idea they upgraded the sensors in these cameras. But it makes sense. Why redesign everything if it works well enough, and you can just upgrade the electronics.

Gators

01-15-2018, 08:13 PM

I have a Marcum 825 that I got for Xmas 3 years ago and an old Aquaview scout that's probably 15 years old. I'll admit I barely use the Marcum. The big color screen is a nice feature but if the water is stained it switches to b/w automatically and I find the Scout has a clearer picture in b/w. I also enjoy recording under water video and not being able to easily record on the Marcum 825 is a feature I really miss so it usually stays in the truck. I did pick up the Aquaview connect wifi on sale at Cabelas and set it up with the Marcum and it has worked well in my living room but haven't tried it on the lake yet. The Aquaview pvr has been convenient and reliable for many years. Not so sure the 825 is worth the steep premium. Seems like a bit of hassle having to use a tablet or phone to record but I'll give it a try. Worst case the Marcum will go back in the truck. Here's the link to the Aquaview connect.

https://www.cabelas.ca/product/102221/aqua-vu-av-connect-universal-wifi-adapter