I have a few Marcums - the high end on 825?? IIRC and the 485c - both are spectacular images compared (side by side) with the high end Aqua View a fishing partner has.
The high end Marcum is better in deeper water, in low light and is definitely a little sharper (you can really see details in the scales of the fish).
For those longer days on the water - buy a spare battery ($30-$35 at Battery World) and you are set.
And yes, I agree, the Velcro and case sucks - a struggle to wind up the camera and wire after a long day out on the ice and unless you wind it perfectly - it isn't going to fit back into the tray/box ...... kind of a minor annoyance.
I just have each camera, and panner, a spare battery, in a milk crate and that's how they get transported. After they get set up the camera sits on top of the milk crate keeping the battery off the cold ice and at a better viewing angle.
I use a pine wooden plank 12"x12"x3/4" with a "keyhole" cut into it to rest the panner over and above the hole as well - keeps the panner out of the melting water, and keeps the hole from freezing over too quickly. Tried hard foam which was awesome for keeping the ice from freezing but it sucks in the wind (ask me how I learned this one ... lol).
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