Aqua-Vu Micro camera reviews?

Anyone using the new Aqua-Vu Micro camera?
Looking for feedback good or bad.

Thanks!

http://www.aquavu.com/store/shop/aqua-vu-micro-camera-system-available-8-25-2011/

I’ve been looking around…BUT haven’t had one in my hands in the water as of today.

Although there are some that have claimed the image shows up perfectly clear in 30 feet of water, I’m a bit skeptical at this point.

In the above photo (not taken by me) there’s two things that I see. One is the particles in the water reflecting back. I don’t know how deep this was, but as the water becomes deeper and there’s less light penetration, we start seeing the “snow storm effect.” The suspended particles reflect light back into the camera. As anyone that’s had a camera prior to Darkwater Technology can attest to, darkness is a camera killer whether it’s at night or darkness of down deep. It’s the single most often reason cameras end up being left at home.

As hard as I looked online, I couldn’t find a real photo of the camera screen outside. The few photos I could find were taken inside a fishhouse or the YouTube released videos that, through editing appeared to have a video “placed” on the screen.

When someone says it takes great images in “murky” water. I scratch my head. If you can’t see your jig in 1 foot of water, no camera on the market today will show the jig in two feet of water. Well actually I did find one with a $10,000.00 price tag.

Which brings up Infra-red light. IR is absorbed by the water molecules much faster than white light like a flashlight. If I recall my 9th grade science teacher correctly, blue light travels the furthest under water. There’s a reason all the high end camera are missing IR lighting.

They do certainly look convenient but I would really like to see one in the water and compared it side by side to even the low end VS-380 that retails for $299.

A fellow I had as a client last year called me yesterday and we talked about underwater cameras. He was on his way to Joe’s Sporting Goods to buy a brand of camera.

I explained to him that it doesn’t make any difference to me which brand camera he buys, but before you walk out the door, point the camera your planning on buying at an object a distance away, then do the same with a Marcum, side by side. Look at the detail in the two cameras. Then make your decision.

About an hour later he called me back as a new MarCum owner.

My point? Just like TV’s and computer monitors there is a difference. The only way to tell the difference is a side by side comparison. $299. sitting in your basement because it doesn’t do what you thought it was going to do…well…sucks.

Mine should be here in a few days. I will post some pics and let you know how it works.

I used one on LOTW this weekend. I was very impressed – but there are drawbacks as well. I could see a jig in 23fow from about 2feet away. There was definately the ‘snowstorm effect’ that BK mentioned. I was in a house – so take that into consideration. The cable is very fine and controlling the direction of the camera was not easy. The thing is very small and easy to haul around…..and that is the main reason we bought one. I am happy we did.

I had one and used it on Mille Lacs this past weekend. I was disapointed with it. Picked up a lot of particles in the water that made the snow storm effect. The screen wasn’t viewable in any sunlight. In a shack it would be better. It’s a good “searching for sturcture/fish” tool but to fish with it the screen is a little too small for that. I also didn’t like it when side viewing… it was pretty dark. I think that optic on it just cannot pull in enough light to see really far etc.

I did watch a 24″ walleye smash my jigging spoon while down viewing. That was pretty cool. Would be nice to have a video record option with it but no such luck. I also don’t like it that you cannot switch out the batteries. 5 hours of run time isn’t long if you want to fish with it all day.

In the end I ended up returning it to Cabelas on my way home. Like I said it’s a great tool for dropping it down the hole and doing a quick search of what’s down there, but if you want to watch it while you fish, I think you would want something easier to see…

I sure like my 760cz! You can’t expect too much if the conditions are not right. I believe all cameras will struggle with lots of particles in the water,low light or very stained water.
Here is a clip I took the other day.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=cK894_UlkJQ&list=UUOAHxkOsSypYTU8lex71JUQ&index=1&feature=plcp

Quote:

---

I’ve been looking around…BUT haven’t had one in my hands in the water as of today.

Although there are some that have claimed the image shows up perfectly clear in 30 feet of water, I’m a bit skeptical at this point.

In the above photo (not taken by me) there’s two things that I see. One is the particles in the water reflecting back. I don’t know how deep this was, but as the water becomes deeper and there’s less light penetration, we start seeing the “snow storm effect.” The suspended particles reflect light back into the camera. As anyone that’s had a camera prior to Darkwater Technology can attest to, darkness is a camera killer whether it’s at night or darkness of down deep. It’s the single most often reason cameras end up being left at home.

As hard as I looked online, I couldn’t find a real photo of the camera screen outside. The few photos I could find were taken inside a fishhouse or the YouTube released videos that, through editing appeared to have a video “placed” on the screen.

When someone says it takes great images in “murky” water. I scratch my head. If you can’t see your jig in 1 foot of water, no camera on the market today will show the jig in two feet of water. Well actually I did find one with a $10,000.00 price tag.

Which brings up Infra-red light. IR is absorbed by the water molecules much faster than white light like a flashlight. If I recall my 9th grade science teacher correctly, blue light travels the furthest under water. There’s a reason all the high end camera are missing IR lighting.

They do certainly look convenient but I would really like to see one in the water and compared it side by side to even the low end VS-380 that retails for $299.

A fellow I had as a client last year called me yesterday and we talked about underwater cameras. He was on his way to Joe’s Sporting Goods to buy a brand of camera.

I explained to him that it doesn’t make any difference to me which brand camera he buys, but before you walk out the door, point the camera your planning on buying at an object a distance away, then do the same with a Marcum, side by side. Look at the detail in the two cameras. Then make your decision.

About an hour later he called me back as a new MarCum owner.

My point? Just like TV’s and computer monitors there is a difference. The only way to tell the difference is a side by side comparison. $299. sitting in your basement because it doesn’t do what you thought it was going to do…well…sucks.

---

Hey Brian,

I took that picture with my cell phone. I was in 30 ft of Rush Lake dirty water. That was taken before I had my Aqua Vu Pro snake holder. I was free handing the camera in one hand & trying to take a picture of the fish with the camera in the other. The fish were 6″ off the bottom. When I moved to grab my cell I stirred up the bottom. The camera is actually much clear then this cell picture shows. It is a great underwater camera. With the Pro snake I set it up & my buddy & I both were watching it. It would pick his jig up 4 ft away in 30 ft of water!

Nothing like a product review from a guy who not only doesn’t own one, but has never used one? Thanks Brian your assumptions and guesses from videos and pictures are pretty much off base on everything.

I’ve had mine on the ice twice now on two different lakes. Unit worked as advertised. Yes you get a little snow storm in deeper water from the IR but it in no way affects your viewing. From what I can tell the IR lights help keep the image in color.

Seems to me from reading this is guys are expecting the micro to preform like full size cameras. While you can use them to fish with, they are more for scouting around checking holes and bottom content. The field of view is large and they sure are small and easy to bring with. If you want a camera to look at all day and fish with, a full size is a better choice.

As for screen viewing outside, like any flat screen in direct sun you have to shield it with your body which is a lot easier with a unit this small then a full size. This is no different then any flat screen camera, MarCum, Aqua or Vex I don’t care how sun view-able they claim they are.

Overall I have been very happy with mine and would recommend it for what it does. It makes a nice one-two punch with my LX-5. Now if I could only afford an LX-7 I would really be styling.

Shawn

Quote:

---

Nothing like a product review from a guy who not only doesn’t own one, but has never used one? Thanks Brian your assumptions and guesses from videos and pictures are pretty much off base on everything.

I’ve had mine on the ice twice now on two different lakes. Unit worked as advertised. Yes you get a little snow storm in deeper water from the IR but it in no way affects your viewing. From what I can tell the IR lights help keep the image in color.

Seems to me from reading this is guys are expecting the micro to preform like full size cameras. While you can use them to fish with, they are more for scouting around checking holes and bottom content. The field of view is large and they sure are small and easy to bring with. If you want a camera to look at all day and fish with, a full size is a better choice.

As for screen viewing outside, like any flat screen in direct sun you have to shield it with your body which is a lot easier with a unit this small then a full size. This is no different then any flat screen camera, MarCum, Aqua or Vex I don’t care how sun view-able they claim they are.

Overall I have been very happy with mine and would recommend it for what it does. It makes a nice one-two punch with my LX-5. Now if I could only afford an LX-7 I would really be styling.

Shawn

---

All I can say is,,, I AGREEE!!! I love mine thus far. I purchased for hole hopping to locate structure or fish. Picture was good a clear in 25fow (ice had no snow cover). The unit does exactly as advertised. Next purchase is the snake mount!

Quote:

---

Nothing like a product review from a guy who not only doesn’t own one, but has never used one? Thanks Brian your assumptions and guesses from videos and pictures are pretty much off base on everything.

I’ve had mine on the ice twice now on two different lakes. Unit worked as advertised. Yes you get a little snow storm in deeper water from the IR but it in no way affects your viewing. From what I can tell the IR lights help keep the image in color.

Seems to me from reading this is guys are expecting the micro to preform like full size cameras. While you can use them to fish with, they are more for scouting around checking holes and bottom content. The field of view is large and they sure are small and easy to bring with. If you want a camera to look at all day and fish with, a full size is a better choice.

As for screen viewing outside, like any flat screen in direct sun you have to shield it with your body which is a lot easier with a unit this small then a full size. This is no different then any flat screen camera, MarCum, Aqua or Vex I don’t care how sun view-able they claim they are.

Overall I have been very happy with mine and would recommend it for what it does. It makes a nice one-two punch with my LX-5. Now if I could only afford an LX-7 I would really be styling. Shawn

---

Shawn,

I agree, but I have an Marcum LX3. The Aqua Vu Micro with the Marcum Lx3 is a perfect combo. I should be able to mount my Micro with the Pro-snake right on my LX3 handle. Nice for when your are not fishing in a house.

Excuse me, could one of you guys tell me how to adjust the color? Or does it have to be “in” water to get a color picture?

Just picked mine up Yesterday at Reeds… great price!

I have two questions?

1- where do you attach the hand lanyard that goes around your wrist?
2- is it supposed to come with a manual? Mine did not.

Thanks!

Quote:

---

Just picked mine up Yesterday at Reeds… great price!

I have two questions?

1- where do you attach the hand lanyard that goes around your wrist?
2- is it supposed to come with a manual? Mine did not.

Thanks!

---

TTT

They do come with a manual, but there’s not much there.

Charge for 8 hours first.

Lanyard.

You know that wrench that came with it? Well, that’s what you’ll use to take off that plastic spool that you wind the cable up on. Once that spool is off you’ll see a couple holes to attach the lanyard to…then reassemble.

Be careful with the attachable “fins” that come with it. They come with two and for good reason. I lost one the first time out. Take a look at how they attach together and you’ll understand what I’m saying.

Also you might want to consider taking something along to cover the monitor in the sunlight. Unless you’re covering the monitor with something they were a disappointment to me outside in the sunlight.

Quote:

---

They do come with a manual, but there’s not much there.

Charge for 8 hours first.

Lanyard.

You know that wrench that came with it? Well, that’s what you’ll use to take off that plastic spool that you wind the cable up on. Once that spool is off you’ll see a couple holes to attach the lanyard to…then reassemble.

Be careful with the attachable “fins” that come with it. They come with two and for good reason. I lost one the first time out. Take a look at how they attach together and you’ll understand what I’m saying.

Also you might want to consider taking something along to cover the monitor in the sunlight. Unless you’re covering the monitor with something they were a disappointment to me outside in the sunlight.

---

Thanks Brian!

Quote:

---

Excuse me, could one of you guys tell me how to adjust the color? Or does it have to be “in” water to get a color picture?

---

Hey Brian,
There is a button for brightness. Mine shows color no problem in 30 ft of water & out of the water.

Mine must be broken.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=BMvxEk-lzSQ

Quote:

---

Nothing like a product review from a guy who not only doesn’t own one, but has never used one?

---

Now we should be thanking you BWA for getting Brian off his back side and showing us the diffrence in cameras

Thanks for taking the time Brian to show us a review.

I have heard more about pictures taken with the micros than what I have actually seen posted anywhere. Guess I know why now.

The first thing I would do is removed the shipping plastic wrap from the screen on the micro. If you would tilt the Micro camera down a tad you would not get any glare & that would help. From the video I could not see much of either camera. I know on my micro it look ways better then an exterior video of camera can show.

We did that after we took that video. It didn’t make any difference in the sun light and didn’t warrant reshooting the video. If you feel it will, just run outside on a sunny day and snap a photo.

I will agree the video didn’t capture the MarCum as well as it could have. I was focusing on trying to get a picture off of the Micro.

One of the reasons the Micro doesn’t pick up images as well is because of the (what I call) the fisheye type lens.

In this photo the Micro was less than 8 inches away from my HD computer monitor. Notice the fisheye view that distorts the squareness of the monitor frame? >>>8 inches!<<

The reason I was asking about adjusting the color was because I couldn’t get rid of the washed out color. I mean the colors on the monitor should be some what close to what they really are I would think.

Like I said in my first post, looking at one camera makes it look good, placing them side by side even on a showroom floor will show the differences.

Then it’s up to the consumer to make up their mind.

I own the micro. The screen and camera are great. I will say the spool for the camera is cheap as the first day I had It out I broke it and the camera just flips around which keeps me nervous about damaging it. I wish they had a way to secure it better. That being said everything else about the unit I love. The 120 degree view is great. The camera surprisingly stays balanced and still for the most part. The clarity underwater is descent as I was in 30fow at night on tonka and could see walleyes from quite a distance and was suprised by that. The particle reflection was not that bad but I can see it being an issue in very murky water because the camera light is auto only. The thing you have to consider is it is made to be a scouting camera, not one you watch all day while sitting in your house. That being said this camera is untouchable in its own catagory because it is high quality and extremely mobile!!!! This thing beats the h*ll out of lugging a heavy camera hole to hole with an auger. If you are a scouting or mobile fisherman it is a have to own item in my book.

Quote:

---

at night on tonka and could see walleyes from quite a distance and was suprised by that.

---

Frankly I’m surprised by that too. Not that the image could be seen at night, but from a distance.

In looking at this photo of the two cameras, check out the point and shoot camera charger on the wall (it’s the black square on the left side of both screens).

It’s less than three feet away from both camera. I’m not sure how big of a fish it would have to be to be seen much further away than that?

No arguing it’s easy to carry around.

I had holes drilled on top and around the outside of a big rockpile. I could see the base of the rockpile where it started when I was 7-10 ft walking distance from the holes that sat directly over the boulders. I could see walleyes coming through upto about seven ft away. can also see there eyes reflect from the camera light. Like I said it is a scouting tool. It serves it’s purpose and is way easier to carry with me to go hunting around than a normal size camera. I will always have this with me now after using it because it saves time and energy and it is less abuse on my bigger equipment that quite frankly was taking a beating from being drug around. It sits in your pocket you can leave all your gear packed up use gps mapping to narrow down structure drill some holes take this small camera out of your pocket drop it down a hole get a quick general idea if the structure is what you want and If fish are present pull up the camera put it back in your pocket and go.

Quote:

---

I will say the spool for the camera is cheap as the first day I had It out I broke it and the camera just flips around which keeps me nervous about damaging it. I wish they had a way to secure it better.

---

No arguing it’s easy to carry around.

That’s what sold me on it. I was sceptical of it when I saw it at the ice fishing show because the 120 degree view makes objects that are not directly infront of the camera hard to make out but it kind of works well under water as you have a broader view of the bottom and less rotating is required. It’s no marcum by any means as far as clearness goes but for a quick peek of what’s down there it’s pretty useful. IMO a guy should have both.

Have you guys tried flushing it down the toilet like I’ve seen in the promotional video?

Briank,

To be fair you are comparing a small portable scouting camera against a full size camera. I might be in the market someday for a full size camera. Can you compare that big Marcum camera (which model was it also?) against Aqua Vu’s AV760cz. I would like to see those cameras compared. Thanks.

Quote:

---

Briank,

To be fair you are comparing a small portable scouting camera against a full size camera. I might be in the market someday for a full size camera. Can you compare that big Marcum camera (which model was it also?) against Aqua Vu’s AV760cz. I would like to see those cameras compared. Thanks.

---

Exactly!

I was wondering how long it was going to eat at you Aqua view guys and respond.

Send me your best consumer fishing camera and I’ll be more then happy to compare.

Back to the Micro. Why can’t I find a photo any place on the net, of a Micro out in the sun (with a real time image in it)?

Now just for a moment forget about the screen size. I asked about color adjustment because I figured color is fairly important on a camera that calls it self color.

This is the best color I could get out of the Micro.

All I’m asking folks that are in the market for a camera to do is to compare them side by side in the store. They should be able to make up their own minds shouldn’t they?

Its like comparing a 1/2 pickup with a 1 ton pickup. They both have the same general function of transportation but they are designed for different functions. Not sure why you are so bent on pointing out “your perceived” flaws with a new product that will have a great use to us run & gun guys.