I have a decision to make. I want to add a camera to my arsenal. For Ice but I’m sure I will play around with it in open water season as well. I’m currently running a LX-7 lithium. I’m torn between sending it back to Marcum to make it like the LX-9 with the camera built in. They said they can do that for $500.00 My next choice is a recon 5 or 5+.
What do you guys think. Pros and Cons. Thanks for any replies!
have you been using someones camera or have a great deal of experience with them? often I see people buy cameras, use them for a few weeks, then never touch them again. Prob wouldn’t go for the Lx-9 tbh… not many positive things to say from most about them.
Recon 5+,
Pro’s
Compact, excellent picture clarity, 2 types of lighting, directional viewing, nice carrying case. I haven’t used the a card for recording yet, so I cannot comment on that.
Con’s
Winding and unwinding the cord is a bit cumbersome for me because of the strap.
have you been using someones camera or have a great deal of experience with them? often I see people buy cameras, use them for a few weeks, then never touch them again. Prob wouldn’t go for the Lx-9 tbh… not many positive things to say from most about them.
I have a friend who brings his camera along. It’s neat to see and confirm the type of fish down below. It also helped me recover a $100 JT snare rod 20 ft below after I watched it get pulled down by a fish. LOL
Does any one have any info on the quality of the camera between the 2 units. I know the LX-9 looks like a bigger camera.
Recon 5+,
Pro’s
Compact, excellent picture clarity, 2 types of lighting, directional viewing, nice carrying case. I haven’t used the a card for recording yet, so I cannot comment on that.Con’s
Winding and unwinding the cord is a bit cumbersome for me because of the strap.
I fixed the winding “con”.
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I like the pool noodle hack for winding the cord! Those things have endless uses.
I was going to get a recon 5+ this winter but there’s a number of IDO comments about blue screens or direction not working, etc. Kinda leery now
LX-9 uses Marcum’s best camera, the large screen and DVR are worth it, plus everything is in one unit, if you don’t need the camera, simply unplug the camera pouch.
It also helped me recover a $100 JT snare rod 20 ft below after I watched it get pulled down by a fish. LOL
Did you get the fish too? 
I was going to get a recon 5+ this winter but there’s a number of IDO comments about blue screens or direction not working, etc. Kinda leery now
Not the same comparison because I wanted a bigger camera anyway, but the “blue screen” issues were a concern. I got the VS 485 and am out playing with now as I post this. And I can clearly see what I’m NOT catching. 
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I have lx9. And love it. I like the fact my electronics are all one screen. Flashers overlay over camera screen.
<div class=”d4p-bbt-quote-title”>jgss2 wrote:</div>
It also helped me recover a $100 JT snare rod 20 ft below after I watched it get pulled down by a fish. LOL
Did you get the fish too? 
Actually I did get the fish too. Lol. 14” Perch.
I have the lx-9 and I am very happy with it since the last upgrade. When it comes to the camera upgrade, here is the question you need to ask yourself, do you set in a shack or move very rarely or do you move around a lot? If you move around even avg, purchase a separate camera. If you are not as mobile, do the upgrade. The LX-9 is bulky with the camera on it and you will need to drill a separate hole a few feet away if you want to fish it while using the flasher/graph because the cord and the camera will show up on the LX-9.
Hi to the original OP.
I have a Marcum VS825 that is used extensively during open water season. I will start on one side of a flat, say 3 Mile and go all the way across. The conditions however need to be calm and boat speed under 2mph otherwise the camera is always bouncing off the rocks. I use it almost as much just to see what is down below versus actually using to locate fish.
Interesting to me though is that in using over the past 3 summers, only a couple of times have walleyes showed up, even though I know walleyes are in the area. I am not sure if walleyes get spooked. Bronze backs are curious and will nose right up to the camera.
Other persons thoughts on walleyes spooked by camera? In the winter do you see walleyes on camera much?
Other persons thoughts on walleyes spooked by camera? In the winter do you see walleyes on camera much?
I have heard from other’s that walleyes tend to be camera shy. I have rarely seen them on camera, although I did see one yesterday…swimming away from my bait. 
One of my best days ice fishing walleyes was on Mille Lacs at sunset. Saw the first one come in using an AquaView micro and watched it hammer the jigging spoon. Was cool to see that. Shortly after, it was too dark to use the camera but proceeded to catch walleyes one right after the other for the next hour and a half.
i haven’t noticed fish being scared of my camera at all, you can also buy plastic weed kits that snap to the cord and hide the camera and provide cover..works great…
I’m a run/gun guy and love the LX 9. When I knew that I was not going to use the camera, I just took it off. Lightens the load a little. But, sure is nice to have it all in one when you want it in a mobile environment.
Here is an older IDO post with a camera question. If you scroll down a little, I have 3 links in that post to the test videos I did with it for moderate to low light conditions
I have the recon 5+ and like it for ice fishing but have had absolutely no luck using it in open water.
i use my LX-9 camera in summer & winter, the heavy camera & fin (vs the Recon) really helps it stay stable in the water when moving…..
i use my LX-9 camera in summer & winter, the heavy camera & fin (vs the Recon) really helps it stay stable in the water when moving…..
X2
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