Interesting I didn't realize they made changes to their line up.
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Originally Posted by Sledhead71
Big question now, is the Quest HD worth the money or should a guy just go with the 485 ?
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This is what I understand to be the differences between the current models.
485c: Same as before. Basic unit that gives a decent video. Best used inside a shack or tent.
Mission SD: Same camera and screen resolution as the 485c. Different screen that is brighter and probably has less glare but also probably uses more power. Comes with a 9 ah battery (vs 7 ah for 485c). Also has screen display for camera direction, camera depth, water temperature and battery level.
Quest HD: Has the same screen as the Mission SD. Uses a different camera capable of higher resolution but since the screen is the same I doubt you will see a huge difference on the unit itself. Where this unit would shine is if you hook the video out to a larger screen with better resolution say in a shack with a tv monitor. The Mission SD also has video out but the quality will be significantly better using the Quest HD. Like the Mission SD it comes with a 9 ah battery and on screen displays.
All the above units still use LED lighting which you are not supposed to use in AB. In low light situations the cameras don't work that great so if you want to do lots of low light/night fishing you are better off with a flasher.
It will be interesting to see the new screens in action. My gut feel is that the 485c will still be good enough for most people. If you don't have a flasher then the depth display on the Mission SD is nice to have and the brighter screen would also be nice especially if you use it outside at times. I would probably only buy the Quest HD if you plan on using it with a secondary high resolution screen.
Compared to the old 825 I would say the new Mission is as good if not a better buy. It uses the same camera and has the same horizontal resolution and screen width. The 825 had a slightly taller screen and larger vertical field of view but that is a minor trade off compared to the new brighter screen. The biggest difference is that the old 825 came with a panner whereas none of the new models appear to have the panner included. A Mission + panner is roughly $180 cheaper then the old 825 so I would probably only buy an 825 if you can find one at a good clearance price.