Aqua Vu or atlantis

[TNFL]

Taking the Deep Water advice i'm considering purchasing an underwater camera. I've noticed several different available features, such as infra-red vs. lights which claim to have double the viewing distance.

What type of clarity does a lake need to have for a camera to be useful?

Do you need more than the infra-red to see at a depth below twice the clarity?

[Deitz Dittrich]

Welcome to FishingMinnesota.com.. i see this is only your 8th post.. congrats and welcome!!!

You can see with a camera about as far as you can see with your eye, and then maybe a little further.. so if you drop a white spinnerbait in the water and it disapears after 5 feet, you will be able to see about 5 feet out with the camera.. YOU CAN GAIN A TON OF INFORMATION IN 5 FEET!!!

In my opinion, unless you plan on using your camear at night, the lights are a waste of money... I have a camera with the lights and can honestly say, I have used the lights less than 5 times.. daytime viewing is not a problem with these cameras... Get the Aqua Vu and start taking learning a ton of information!.

[Dan Wood]

"Aqua Vu or atlantis"

I'd give MarCum a hard look - the new 560's are awesome cameras!

http://www.marcum.com/products/ovs/ovs_main.aspx

[TNFL]

It appears alot of people are giving them a hard look. I followed your link and when I tried to check the prices all three models are sold out.

I also, tend to buy from cabela's (rewards visa) and they don't have the Marcum in the catalog.

Also, Deitz, if the clarity is say 5 ft, light will reach down to 10 ft. Would I be able to see 5 ft from the camera in 15-20 feet of water, where there is no light, when using just infra-red?

[Dan Wood]

The infra red lights are next to useless from my experience. Infra red doesn't transmit well in water. The problem with other light systems is water clarity - the light beams will deflect off particles in the water. If your buying it for open water, you likely won't use lights much if at all... Even if your fishing at night, scout and mark the spots during daylight.

[Dan Wood]

oh, and Cabelas does carry both the 460 and 560 MarCum cameras. 2-3 week back order at the moment though... These have been selling very fast and not many places are able to keep them in stock for long.

[danny berg]

I have the Atlantis 502, in clear water on a good sunny day I can see 12-15+ feet. I usually set it up in one hole about 8 feet away from my bait and I just watch what is happening down there. I also use it to see what the bottom looks like, if there is weeds, what,if any, structure is down there. I pull it out of the water just before sundown as it is worthless in the dark. I know a few guys who have the Aquavue scout, I think the clarity of the picture is better than the Atlantis, but they also complain of the uselessness (is this a word?) of using it at night.

[Deitz Dittrich]

TNFL- I have been on lakes where visibility stops at 5 feet on a lure... but light is reaching down much further than 10 feet. If you are in stained water like that, no lights are any good!.. just too many particles in the water. With that being said.. the clearer the water the better!

[TNFL]

Thanks for all the info. I will be using the camera mainly in the summer, so I have a few more questions.

DB, I noticed the 502 doesn't have a sun shield. Do you have any problems with glare.

Aqua vu users, The scout has a small zip out sunshield while the other models have bigger black hoods. Anyone have problems with glare using these?

[danny berg]

You can get the sunshield on the atlantis HSOforum, I mainly use mine in the fishhouse. I plan on bringing it along it this spring and summer. I am going to get the sunshield before walleye opener.

[Deitz Dittrich]

TNFL- I can only speak for the Aqua-Vu units.. they can be difficult to see in bright sun light.. The Scout is actually a bit easier to see in that it uses a T.V. monitor.. its only draw back is that its only water resistant then.. the regular Aqua-vus are water proof in that they use a projections screen and seal the units! However, both shields work quite well yet only one person can use it at a time.