Does anyone have any experience with under water cameras? I've never used one (used a buddy's flasher for ice fishing the past few years is all).

Problem - there are some things that fell off my dock that I want to retrieve. Depth is about 12', but the water is murky enough that 12" vision distance is about what I can expect. I made a bottom scope out of 4" black PVC, about 14' long. After about 6 hours of my head pressed against that pipe (with about 60lbs of counter-weight to counteract the buoyancy of the pipe down that deep) I am going to opt for technology to assist. The question is what?

My plotter is a Garmin 820xs. I have not found any way to connect a camera to it. Just sounder ports, external GPS, and NMEA 0183/NMEA 2000 connections. No video...

I am looking at some of the Aqua-Vu systems.

I'd like a wireless set up, but it does not appear that is very common with under water cameras.

If I can record with it also that would be a huge bonus. I can hopefully multi-purpose the unit for other things above the water...

What say all? What have you used? What would you stay away from? Any good comments about what you have used and for what purpose?

I want to put the camera on a rod of some kind (stiff that I can move around). If it is too murky I have a flashlight I can strap to it (same one I used on the bottom scope).

 

You might be able to use one of these Borescopes on the end of the rod..

Can use your smart phone or laptop as a display..

https://smile.amazon.com/s/ref=nb_sb...=2H1TTBCVTOVA1

There RE Many options, but may be to small for what you are looking for..

 

Hmm. That is an idea. I know what a bore scope is, but I honestly have never heard of those USB style ones before - and they are very inexpensive. A lot of them are listed as waterproof also. Good question on the size. They might be best suited to putting in to a drilled hole in a wall = close proximity viewing. Though, with the murky water I have to deal with it may be much the same.... Food for thought.

 

Ordered one of the bore scopes. Link below. I will try it first. My plan is to stop by Cabelas or Bass Pro and get a nicer system. Then if for some reason the bore scope doesn't work out I have a back up. If it does work out I can return the nicer one.

I'd still be interested in replies on the subject.

 

I bought one of the shorter ones a while ago.. It works pretty good behind walls and in a ceiling

Only issue I found was that you have to make sure the camera head stays oriented right, otherwise it is difficult to see what you are looking at.

If you think you are looking upright it may be upside down...LOL

It might work good on the lake bottom cause it is small and won't kick up the silt

 

Hijack!
How large of an area do you actually see. I'd like to get one for looking around in vehicles, but I want to be able to see a big enough image to have some idea of what I'm looking at

This one looked like it might work, maybe I'll check it out.

hj

 

They don't show a very large area, but in tight spaces it does good..

In fact I used it to see inside my nose... LOL

Last year I had an issue with bloody nose and they cauterized it about 5 different times and didn't stop it..

After an episode I video recorded the inside of my nose and showed it to the doctor the next time.. He was able to see the fresh bleeding and successfully cauterized it

HJ That one has a focal length of 1.6-2.4"

That is basically the best viewing area

 

Good info on the focal length. I didn't take that in to consideration... that may be an issue. The one I ordered shows 1.6-3.9". I'd like to see 3ft or so out, plus closer to about 5-10". I suspect the images will be awfully out of focus that far out, unless I can put some kind of lens on it to correct. The lens idea would partly defeat the purpose of being waterproof though.

As to the camera orientation - Great point. I am going to mount it on a stack of aluminum military tent poles (with a way to lock the poles together). I can make some kind of reference for that is "up" or "down" so I can orient the camera and move it correctly when it is down at the bottom of the lake.

No worries on the hijack.

 

Thanks DJ - once again

We should see if fte could start a 'reps to bitcoin' service -- you'd be a scadzillionaire

hj

 

I stopped at Cabelas on my way over here and picked up an Aqua-Vu Micro Revolution 5.0. Its supposed to have much higher resolution than the older Micro model, and has an RCA video out. The unit doesnt record internally but at least with the RCA out I can run that to a computer ect for recording. I haven't used it yet.. I had the USB bore scope sent up here but it will be a long drive down to get it plus crossing back to the US... Not sure when that will happen - today is out and then we're in to the weekend.

Bad part of it all is it was 37deg when I got here and we're looking at 20 the next day... I am going to try to get my boat in the water and put back together today, then its firewood scouting time. Looking at the bottom of the lake is going to have to wait...