Atlantis camera worth buying?

[Tat2sob]

I was just wondering what all of you think of the Atlantis camera? Is it worth $180 or should I wait and get a FL-18? Let me know what you all think. Thanks

[Stormrider]

I would be lost without my Vexilar I could do without my camera but they are both nice. I have looked at alot of Atlantis cameras and I think the one you are refering to is a drop cam so you will only be able to see staight down. I have the Atlantis 555 and its has to many whistles and bells if I buy another I am going to get the Aqua-vu MC2X which is a Z series upgraded with colored lights. But like I said if I could only take one thing with me I would take my Vex 18.

Stormrider;)

[mike h]

I agree with stormrider my wife bought me the fl-18 and they are awsome. I would wait and get the Vexilar (just my opinion) hope this helps.

[gunrod]

I don't have either but want the camera. Mostly out of curiosity. I need to see what's down there.

As for the drop camera, Tattoo Mike used a piece of wire and was able to turn his into a side view when he wanted to.

[buckslayermichigan]

somebody got a come up with a camera@ flasher pretty soon i cant carry all this stuff. anyways my cousin has a zercom camera i hope i spelled it right. and i have a flasher not going to tell you what kind because i ive stayed out of the battle this far.the camera is great!!!! but the flasher will tell you if the fish are suspended and i caught a lot more fish with the flasher than i would have ever caught with a camera. do i want both hell ya but by the fl-18 you wont be disappointed. good luck buckslayermichigan

[mike h]

I agree with everyone as i also want a camera. but that is in the future.

[zman]

I have both and my opinion is that my vexillar is a "must" when I go out fishing, but the camera is just another way to pass the time.

In the optimal experience the water is clear and visibility isnt a issue, the camera is great while in the shanty. But..... when you are on the ice the glare is really irritating, and if mobile it is alot of stuff to move around.

The camera cable is a pain to move when compared to the ease of just lifting the styrofoam float and the tranducer of the vex.

Good luck
"Rather be lost in the woods than found at home.."

Zman

[zman]

I have both and my opinion is that my vexillar is a "must" when I go out fishing, but the camera is just another way to pass the time.

In the optimal experience the water is clear and visibility isnt a issue, the camera is great while in the shanty. But..... when you are on the ice the glare is really irritating, and if mobile it is alot of stuff to move around.

The camera cable is a pain to move when compared to the ease of just lifting the styrofoam float and the tranducer of the vex.

Good luck
"Rather be lost in the woods than found at home.."

Zman

[maddog]

I'll agree with everyone else as well. I have an FL-8 and the atlantis drop cam, and like tatoomike I turned it sideways to see also, but I wont go out with out my fl-8 but the cam is pretty cool as well..........Matt

[sfw1960]

SONAR , first & foremost...
camera second......you need to know depth -- both is great though....
We used 'em both today.......................

[Skeeter]

Check out the for sale form for Atlantis camera.

[catfishtom210]

I have a Vex-8 and have been experimenting with a cam. I would say for IF the Vex is a must as the others have said. I am very happy with it but it is basically a one-season instrument. I plan to use the cam all year. I'd still go with the Vex first.

As for the cam....I started with a home-made system (Radio Shack TV, e-bay cam-$87 with shipping and tax). The picture was great and I had less than $150 in it including the battery plus $15 for the ice tripod from Aqua-Vu (which is essential)......but then the cam started to fog up. It is not nitrogen filled and I don't want to mess with trying to make a housing in hopes it keeps it warm/stabilizes the temp.

I then almost bought a SM-50 Seaview cam....and still might. It is nitrogen filled and according to them "a whole different level of professionalism". Instead though I opted to stop at Meijers on my way to SANG and buy the Atlantis drop-cam. I don't know if I got a bad one or not but I was very disappointed and returned it on my way home. The picture it showed was absoultely nowhere near what the other e-bay cam showed until fogging. I used the e-bay cam on Chemung and the Atlantis on LSC so that seems a fair comparison.

The Atlantis couldn't even see my lure from the opposite (diagonally) hole in my shanty. This might be 3 or 4 feet. I could
not see the lure (a Jigging Rap, walleye size so not a small lure). The other cam showed me my tear drop and the kicking from the wiggler on it. The only way I could see the lure was to drop it in the hole next to it , about 18 inches away. This could only lead to a fish tangling my line with the camera cable (if I ever catch some!).

The Atlantis IR LEDs focused the beam way too much, making it like shining a flashlight on someones face in the dark....it obscured the surrounding areas. I could see this especially out of the water when you looked into the cam (had a circular light on your face). The e-bay one seemed to "bathe" the area with light and would light up a six foot area at ten feet.

The drop cam also only has a 75 degree viewing area despite being a 1/3 sensor/camera. The other had a full 90 or 92 degrees. It seemed to have a 1:1 ratio in that at 6 feet it showed a 6 foot area, etc. I don't know if it was the 75 degree view or not but objects also seemed smaller on the Atlantis than the e-bay cam.

I did think the drop-cam setup was nice with the tv mounted on a hinge bracket that could be adjusted for angle, the cam and battery stored underneath, a nice soft bag, and a sun shield. Howver, they use a special size (nearly square) battery which I've never seen, suggesting that you'd have tpo order a replacement from them, pay for shipping on a heavy item, etc. They bill it as second camera capable too which is a cool feature as it will shift from one to another automatically, but the connector plug was a multi propnged plug again suggesting a second cam would have to be ordered from them!

The Atlantis cam, like the e-bay one requires you to adapt it for side or angled views. This wasn't a big deal with either. I had the e-bay mounted on a block of wood tied into a metal stand which could sit on the bottom. It cam with a pan/tilt bracket and this worked fine to adjust easily for any angle. With the Atlantis I temporarily wrapped a twist tie around the cam, looped another to this and taped the second tie up the cable to give me the right angle. This also takes the weight off the cable where it meets the cam which is important.

I plan on ordering the Seaview ($115) and going back to my original set-up. I'll post my opinion when I do so others might decide if they want to go that route. It should all fit in a dry-box, cable mount bracket on the side, or a soft cooler with plastic liner so that'll cover the case for my set-up. The TV also has a radio and TV tuner (not the best but ok) which allows me to use it elsewhere or check the ballgame, weather, etc.

I don't mean to tick anyone with this cam off and may have got a bad cam but I won't give Atlantis a second chance. I'd like to hear if anyone with one has had a better experience with theirs. Otherwise I'll go with the next option , the Seaview and hope this is as good as the e-bay cam. If I have to I''ll return that if not satisfied and figure out a pvc or other material housing and reacquire the e-bay cam. BTW, I saw this cam on e-bay but ordered it directly from a brick and mortasr store in Cincinatti. They have alread said they'll take it back.

If the Seaview works the price breakdown should be:

-camera- $125 (115 plus est. shipping)

-monitor 30 (I've seen these as chap as $15 since)

-battery 25 (I already had a charger)

-drybox/cooler 15
Total: $195

The total is actually higher than the $180 plus tax I paid for the Atlantis ($199-10% at Meijer's Saturday sale) but I hope this set-up works better, is able to be maintained by me and replaced more cheaply if a component fails. If I had a housing for the e-bay cam that worked and bought a $15 monitor

Sorry this post is so long, I guess I never know when to shut up!

Tom

[jpollman]

Tom,

have you ever seen the housing I built for my Lunkercam ?

It's simple, waterproof, and EASY to make. Here's a link to the Lunkercam site which has a picture of the housing.

http://www.mninter.net/%7Eboardman/index.html

If this looks like something you might want to try, drop me a line.
I can describe it to you.

Good luck.

[catfishtom210]

Jpollman,

Yes I considered this one or a similar housing for the cam I bought. That would ne my next option if the Seaview doesn't meet my needs. I would have had to adapt it or make changes though because I'd already bought a cam and would have to house the whole bullet housing. The option after that would be this or the Basscam.

BTW, do you have the IR LEDS or the bright white ones? Any feedback out there on which is better?

Thanks,

Tom

[Tattoo Mike]

I love the Atlantis camera. Learned much more about fishing from it than using a flasher. Plus its fun.

[jpollman]

Tom,

My LEDs are IR. The camera can see in TOTAL darkness when the IR circuit is turned on. I wired it so that I can turn the IR on or off depending on conditions. Sometimes the IR makes it look "washed out" and the picture is MUCH better with them off.

[patcheroo]

Has anyone had trouble with the Atlantis camera leaking? Heard that was a problem with them. Thought about getting one, don't know now...Patch

[Skeeter]

I have had several Atlantis Cameras. One leaked only because I had somehow shut the lid on a cable thus after time it did leak. My fauld only and they even covered it. Great customer service. In my opinion they are the best camera out there.

[mihunter]

I also bought the Atlantis from Meijers this weekend and was somewhat disapointed. I used it on the Sagianw River just N of the Z bridge. The thing the most irritating was the constant stream of bubbles going by the camera, I know they're particles in the water but it seems the IR really lights them up, almost like being in a whiteout snowstorm. I wonder if the multi-lights setups are better under those conditions? I wondered for a long time if I'd even know it if a fish swam under my camera but when one finally did there was no doubt. One question I have is if the cameras that look horizontal instead of vertical have less interference from particles than the drop cam and if they allow you to see more area, I don't feel I could see much of the bottom at all. My cam looked like a lava lamp!

[catfishtom210]

I agree that the Atlantis washed out terribly (drop cam not the more expensive ones). However I think this is due to the lights on that camera....too focused and bright as opposed to dispersing the light (I refer to the better lights I had with an e-bay cam as bathing an area with light.) Point the cam up to your face once and you'll see the beam is too focused.

Also you don't need multi color lights necessarily. Jpollman said he wired his home-made to be able to turn off the lights. As I posted earlier the lights on the e-bay cam I had were excellent but the cam fogged up due to the heat generated I guess! Gonna try another add-on cam tfor my home-made set-up....will post how it does and where to get it if it works well. Otherwise I'll go back to the e-bay/intellicam model and insulate it with a housing!

BTW, this e-bay cam should have no problem in warm water and I would recommend it for that use!

BTW-2 You can use a wire.line, etc on that cam and make it shoot vertically or at an angle! I'd also recommend spending $15 on the Aqua-Vu ice tripod....simple but excellent idea!

Tom

[mihunter]

Yeah, i definitely agree that the IR caused the "lava effect". The drop cam would be a pretty good deal if you could turn the IR off. I think I'm going to end up getting an Aqua-Vu for that reason, the ability to shut the lights on or off. I'm looking at the sv60. Has anyone compared the multi-colored lights to the IR under low light conditions? Before I drop that kind of cash I'd like to know if the extra $ for the multi-colered lights is worth it. One things for sure, they sure are fun to watch!