UNDERWATER-CAMERA

[TIM-WIS]

I WANT TO BUY AN UNDERWATER CAMERA, I WOULD LIKE THE ADVICE FROM THE GOOD PEOPLE WHO USE THIS GREAT FORUM. I'VE LOOKED AT A COUPLE AND I'M NOT TO CRAZY ABOUT AQUA-VIEW, CATCH CAM IS TOTALY OUT, WHAT ELSE IS OUT THERE? PLEASE HELP. THANKS IN ADVANCE TIM-WIS

[Snowman]

Tim,

Even though you said that you weren't crazy about the Aqua Vue, I have one and I would highly reccomend it. The only thing I regret is that I bought it before they came out with their spool cam and that feature is a must. I would not reccomend the Infra-red model, however, as I have not found it to be useful under any circumstances. Hope you find what you need and that this reply helps some, if you want more info e-mail me anytime.

[luvtotroll]

Aqua vu just cam out with the Jr. model. Same screena dn camera just smaller package. great price at under $300.00. Hard to find right now. maybe Bass Pro. I dsaw at eh Madison show last weekend a they were gone right away.

Scott
Waunakee, WI

[Walleye2k]

If you are up for a small project I would suggest building your own. I did and it worked great for ice fishing... I think even the portable style of the aqua vu can be a pain to use from a boat....the little screen is just toooo hard to see. Email me for more details...my camera resembles the VISTA CAM...I am not selling anything, just willing to share some info...

[dlhomes]

I have Aqua Vu and love it, I also wish I had the spool. I found the infrared light helpful under the ice. Camara has really helped although I believe a top notch depth finder is more important!!

[Fishing Man]

I had a New Aqua VU JR model and have had it go up in smoke. I do not recommend them as they do not recommend turning the camera on and off if the power is on, unfortunately you cant tell when the camera is on or off by looking at the switch. Also there doesnt appear to be any protection in there for the circuits or camera. The wires are just 3 way tied together with one to the switch, monitor, camera. I talked to two others and there went up in smoke as well. The camera was fantastic though for clarity under the water. I tried the atlantis model and the camera was really out of focus as it seemed real fuzzy. Someone else that had the atlantis had the same problem and there was moisture in the camera and was replaced. Then ok they mentioned. I think IR is a must if you are after walleyes and looking for them at dusk or there prime spots. I would however recommend a model that you can turn off and on for the IR as during the day you can get to much light or glare in the water from the IR. I am looking at building my own and have found a 6IR camera from http://www.web-tronics.com and they have them listed in there for $49.00. All you have to do is put into a PVC tube with a 2-3 transition and get a 55MM lens at camera shop. You can build one for about 90.00 excluding the monitor and battery.

Have Fun

[Fishing Man]

>I had a New Aqua VU
>JR model and have had
>it go up in smoke.
> I do not recommend
>them as they do not
>recommend turning the camera on
>and off if the power
>is on, unfortunately you
>cant tell when the camera
>is on or off by
>looking at the switch.
>Also there doesnt appear to
>be any protection in there
>for the circuits or camera.
> The wires are just
>3 way tied together with
>one to the switch, monitor,
>camera. I talked to
>two others and there went
>up in smoke as well.
> The camera was fantastic
>though for clarity under the
>water. I tried the
>atlantis model and the camera
>was really out of focus
>as it seemed real fuzzy.
> Someone else that had
>the atlantis had the same
>problem and there was moisture
>in the camera and was
>replaced. Then ok they
>mentioned. I think IR
>is a must if you
>are after walleyes and looking
>for them at dusk or
>there prime spots. I
>would however recommend a model
>that you can turn off
>and on for the IR
>as during the day you
>can get to much light
>or glare in the water
>from the IR. I
>am looking at building my
>own and have found a
>6IR camera from http://www.web-tronics.com and
>they have them listed in
>there for $49.00. All
>you have to do is
>put into a PVC tube
>with a 2-3 transition and
>get a 55MM lens at
>camera shop. You can
>build one for about 90.00
>excluding the monitor and battery.
>
>
>Have Fun


Make sure you put a IN-4001 Diode or comparable circuit protection with the band toward the camera off of the + power source or you will have the same problem as the New JR models.

Fishing Man

[muskiehigh]

I recently bought the "outdoor viewing systems" underwater IR camera for ice fishing. I have had no problems with it. It comes in the same small package as the zercom color point flasher. If you plan on using it in the sun however it may be a problem.

[eye1]

I have the same OVS 300 and so far so good.I Agree on the sun thing but using the viewing tube seems to take care of it.

[tim]

thanks everyone for your help, i greatly appreciate the feed back. tim

[RAINMAN]

THEY HAVE A NEW VISA CAM I GOT ONE LAST MONTH I LIKE IT IF YOU E -MAIL ME ILL SEND YOU THER WEB PAGE THEN YOU CAN LOOK AT IT

[Fish Hunter]

Was wondering why you do not want a Catch Cam. I just bought one two weeks ago and it seems to be woriking fine, but your comment makes me wonder if I made a mistake.
Your response is highly anticipated.

Fish Hunter

[tim]

I order a catchcam back in the middle of january direct from the company (axial tecnolonies) it took a month and a half to get one they kept saying they were going to send one right out and they were having problems with production. Well when I finely got one it didn't work no picture at all! I was highly disapointed. Call them up they didn't know what was wrong so they had me send it back. Ohter week goes by now its march 1st I finely get another camera (same box as I the one I sent back to them, could tell by the tape I put on the box to send it back so I asume it was the same catchcam but maybe fixed) Hooked it all up and guess what? It didn't work!!!!! Called them up they sent me another camera (just a camera, cause that what they thought was wrong) well guess again yup your right it didn't work!!! So I called them again and they are going to give me my money back (send cerdit card cerdit back). I saw the catchcam at milwaukee walleye expo and liked what i saw, to bad I couldn't get one that worked!! I must say the guys at the company were very nice and treated fine on the phone and I think they really tryed to get me a good unit. So Hunter I wish you well with it and a whole lot better luck than I. Tim P.S... This is to axial if they read this I'm sorry if it sounds like I'm bashing your company, but you have to admit that I was bending over backwards to buy your product, alot of guys I work with and fish with would not have been as understanding as I, I know they told me a hundred times. So axial I wish you good luck in getting your product bugs worked out.

[Don]

Has anybody used the value cam that Reed's sells?If so how does it compare to Aqua-Vu?

[twogun]

Is the value view heavy? do the use the bigger battery? I have the aqua vu jr. works good can't wait for the ice to go off the lakes so i can check out the bottoms. you never know what's down there.(treasure?)

[Fish Hunter]

Tim,
Thanks for the reply. I waited along time to get mine, but luckly it worked fine. Trying to get a 100' cable, and having the same problems you described. With so many other units out there hope they can improve their customer service in the very near future, or they will not have a very long stay in the industry.

THANKS AGAIN

[I_FISH]

>Is the value view heavy? do
>the use the bigger battery?
>I have the aqua vu
>jr. works good can't wait
>for the ice to go
>off the lakes so i
>can check out the bottoms.
>you never know what's down
>there.(treasure?)


The value cam according to reeds was just a promotion that they had with nature vision to make so many cameras at that price for 199.99. They dont have them in stock any longer I was told. THis was the first prototype of what came about later to the ice vu that nature vision made and then to the now Aqua VU JR that is out now.

Anyway the value cam and ice vu where also made by nature vision(Aqua VU).

[I_FISH]

>I had a New Aqua VU
>JR model and have had
>it go up in smoke.
> I do not recommend
>them as they do not
>recommend turning the camera on
>and off if the power
>is on, unfortunately you
>cant tell when the camera
>is on or off by
>looking at the switch.
>Also there doesnt appear to
>be any protection in there
>for the circuits or camera.
> The wires are just
>3 way tied together with
>one to the switch, monitor,
>camera. I talked to
>two others and there went
>up in smoke as well.
> The camera was fantastic
>though for clarity under the
>water. I tried the
>atlantis model and the camera
>was really out of focus
>as it seemed real fuzzy.
> Someone else that had
>the atlantis had the same
>problem and there was moisture
>in the camera and was
>replaced. Then ok they
>mentioned. I think IR
>is a must if you
>are after walleyes and looking
>for them at dusk or
>there prime spots. I
>would however recommend a model
>that you can turn off
>and on for the IR
>as during the day you
>can get to much light
>or glare in the water
>from the IR. I
>am looking at building my
>own and have found a
>6IR camera from http://www.web-tronics.com and
>they have them listed in
>there for $49.00. All
>you have to do is
>put into a PVC tube
>with a 2-3 transition and
>get a 55MM lens at
>camera shop. You can
>build one for about 90.00
>excluding the monitor and battery.
>
>
>Have Fun


I was just told from Nature Vision regarding the Aqua VU JR that the shorting problem has been fixed on the new version that is being shipped. They stated that they can fix easily any unit out there to prevent the accidental shorting. And that this problem is unique only to the JR model and none of the others.