buddah7 Posted October 26, 2008 Share Posted October 26, 2008 I just wanted some help deciding if I should buy the Marcum vx-1p or for the same price get a showdown and fish tv camera?? I will be using it mostly on clear lakes and for walleye and panfishing. Thanks for any help!! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Eric Wettschreck Posted October 26, 2008 Share Posted October 26, 2008 If it were me, I'd go for the Marcum VX-1. Here's why....I know very little about the showdown so I can't honestly comment on that. I have a VX-1, however, it's probably the easiest to use flaser I've seen. Only a couple of buttons, user friendly, and it has the great feature called bottom zoom. It's a good unit.I've used the Fish TV, and a friend of mine has and sometimes tries to use his Fish TV. I find it a not very good camera. It's a very inexpensive unit and you definately get what you pay for. Nuff said on that. If you want a camera I'd save some pennies and go for a Marcum 380.Just my opinion, but I've used a lot of different flashers, exception being the showdown, and a lot of different camera. I'm also far from a wealthy dude so I understand the price tag vs quality aspect of ice fishing electronics. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
SP180 Posted October 26, 2008 Share Posted October 26, 2008 You will find a plethora of opinions. They both will work, buy what you like the most. I use a Marcum, so my opinion is slanted. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Iambjm Posted October 26, 2008 Share Posted October 26, 2008 I have a Aqua Vu camera and hardly use it as I am very disappointed with the picture quality. I just got a flasher and I know I will use that!Just tried to access the Aqua Vu site and their bandwidth has been exceeded, busy guys. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
robert1965 Posted October 26, 2008 Share Posted October 26, 2008 you might want to check out lowrance ice machine, multi season unit. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
WinterHaven Posted October 26, 2008 Share Posted October 26, 2008 Go with the flasher unit, you will not be disappointed. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
SP180 Posted October 26, 2008 Share Posted October 26, 2008 As Winterhaven puts it you will not be disappointed with the flasher. After thinking about this today, unless you have a strong reason to not go with the flasher then i would get the marcum. It is the what majority of ice guys use. A few stray from the norm, but not many. Its not that the other units are bad, just not what everyone else is using. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Eric Wetteland Posted October 26, 2008 Share Posted October 26, 2008 If this is your fist fish finder I would not go with a fish tv or a aqua vu. I would stay with anyone of the flashers or the showdown and or the Lowrance. I would think this would be a good starting point for anyone. I also think they are about the same. I would get one work with for some time and if you don't like it sell it and try some other brand. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Esox_Magnum Posted October 26, 2008 Share Posted October 26, 2008 If you fish low light or at night a camera does you little or no good yet a flasher works 24/7. I veiw a Flasher as a tool a camera more of a toy. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
zamboni Posted October 26, 2008 Share Posted October 26, 2008 I have heard alot of not so good stuff about that Fish TV camera, being cheap and tough on batteries are the 2 biggest complaints Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Sandmannd Posted October 26, 2008 Share Posted October 26, 2008 Get the best flasher you can. I very rarely use my camera. Flashers are a must!! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
buddah7 Posted October 26, 2008 Author Share Posted October 26, 2008 Thanks for all the input, you guys are great! I just picked up the new version of the marcum lx-1 at Reeds! Thanks again and see you on the ice!! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Eric Wettschreck Posted October 26, 2008 Share Posted October 26, 2008 I think you made a wise choice. You'll be real happy with this flasher. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
robert1965 Posted October 26, 2008 Share Posted October 26, 2008 OK now im intrigued. apples and oranges here marcum compared to vex, whats the difference. coming from a lowrance ice machine user, the flasher option on my lowrance is not up to par with a vex. im still learning the graph mode, again though whats the difference with marcum and vex. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
andrew chadwick Posted October 26, 2008 Share Posted October 26, 2008 the cabelas lines of underwater camera are very affordable and work great! look into them. I bought one last winter and hav ehad nothing but good luck with it. My only complaint is the pike seem to enjoy biting onto the camera. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Eric Wettschreck Posted October 26, 2008 Share Posted October 26, 2008 Concerning the differences, you may get a lot of different opinions on this. Some guys are very brand loyal, kind of like Ford vs Chevy vs Dodge. Myself, I'm a GM guy. The 2 major differences I, myself, in my own personal experience on the ice (which I should add is a LOT of ice time) is power, and bottom zoom functions. Now, let me make it clear that MY vex FL-8 is a flasher I bought used, a few years back so it's far from new. It does the job it was made to do and anyone who is just starting out with a flasher would find this unit a heck of a lot better than the clip on lead weighted depth finder. As for the Marcum VX-1, MY VX-1 I feel has more power than MY Vex FL-8. Plus MY VX-1 has bottom zoom which is an awesome feature and MY FL-8 does not. I feel MY VX-1 does a better job of outlining bottom features (mud, hard bottom, etc), and MY VX-1 does a better job of marking fish than MY FL-8. MY FL-8 does the job, but MY VX-1 does it better. Let's not forget we're talking about starter flasher units here. We're not talking about FL-18's, FL-20's, LX-3's, or LX-5's. We are talking about their baby brothers, aka starter units. Again, I can't give an honest opinion about the Lowrance units as, admittidly, I don't have a lick of experience with them. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
eurolarva Posted October 27, 2008 Share Posted October 27, 2008 Fishing shallow in somewhat clear water for panfish inside a dark portabe I will take the aquaview camera over my flasher any day. I can keep it pointed at my jig and actually watch the bait go into the fishes mouth and not see the bobber move at all. Any other fishing I leave it at home and have my marcum flasher out. When I am sitting on a bucket outside the camera is worthless. Too much sun and the display is miserable. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Snake River King Posted October 27, 2008 Share Posted October 27, 2008 Flasher flasher flasher flasher Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
NCLaker Posted October 27, 2008 Share Posted October 27, 2008 Fishing shallow in somewhat clear water for panfish inside a dark portabe I will take the aquaview camera over my flasher any day. I can keep it pointed at my jig and actually watch the bait go into the fishes mouth and not see the bobber move at all. Any other fishing I leave it at home and have my marcum flasher out. When I am sitting on a bucket outside the camera is worthless. Too much sun and the display is miserable. If it is clear and shallow, I will opt for "site" fishing to watch for the fish to take. Just need a shorter pole, darker protable during the daylight - easier then lugging around a camera IMO. If it is dark out, then I compensate by doing a slight lift of the rod tip - any bend on the hook will result in an immediate hook set. I don't own a one, but I would think cameras would be fun for a permanent - Used one once, hard to justify hauling the extra weight/bulk and hassel of setting up if I'm doing a lot of hole hopping. My flasher on the other hand ... I won't go fishing without it.By the way, I love my Vexilars. Boilerguy makes a good point about the bottom zoom on a FL8 vs the VX1. Not a must, but if targeting bottom huggers in deeper water it really helps. Not usually as important if you are targeting suspended fish IMO. Very happy with my FL20 flat screen/night mode not had any problems w/ interferance using around flashers from vex/marcum. FL18 is my backup or spare if my partner is flasherless - this also is a rock solid unit. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Ed Carlson Posted October 27, 2008 Share Posted October 27, 2008 The 2 best bargains in new off the shelf flashers are the Marcum VX-1, Gander GS-1, Cabela's VX-1, and the FL-8SLT Genz Pack.The Aqua Vu Scout 2 is still the biggest bargain in a camera. The Fish TV is cheaper but only a value for clear water use when ran from an external power source. The enhanced SR lighting and the rechargeable power offered by the Scout 2 makes it the best value for the $$. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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