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MarCum vS 560 Product Review
I had the pleasure of field testing the MarCum VS 560 underwater viewing system this winter. It is hard for me to remember wanting to get out fishing and test a product more than this one. I was like a kid with with a new toy and never enough time to play with it.
The MarCum VS 560 is a cross between an adult toy fantasy and a marvelous piece of engineering equipment. It encompasses the best of both worlds wrapped up in one pretty package. Unlike conventional underwater cameras, MarCum has added bells and whistles that will make any angler cry, "I want it."
The VS 560 is a very unique piece of angling equipment which demonstrates innovation and insight into underwater viewing technology. This remarkable unit has some very interesting and extremely appealing features. The VS 560 viewing system has been a long awaited arrival to the scene of underwater viewing capabilities. The unit's underwater camera rotates in a sealed, protective housing which provides an unparalleled 360 degrees viewing of the underwater world. The camera's rotation can be controlled by manual operation, through the units keypad, with the choice of three different auto pan speeds, for hands-off operation. This remarkable underwater viewing system will also provide you with on-screen displays of water depth, camera direction, water temperature, and also the battery status. These features can be enabled or disabled with the simple touch of the keypad; or for us armchair quarterbacks, yes; the concept of distance command abilities. Yes, to make this system even sweeter, it comes standard with a wireless remote transmitter that controls onboard system functions. These functions includes the position of camera rotation, auto pan speeds, and even lighting. The remote control functions also include the displaying of other on screen features. Indeed, the concept of the traditional underwater camera has been taken to lengths that I had never before imagined possible. To add even more innovation, MarCum placed the LED lighting system above the camera housing and incorporated viewing enhancements. The VS 560’s lighting system incorporates “Darkwater Technology”; eliminating the majority of particulate reflection. This increases viewing distance and enhances viewing clarity, minimizing particle light reflection. This ingenious concept made me wonder why no-one else had done it before. The VS 560 package comes standard with a padded denier soft pack, a collapsible viewing shroud, battery, DC charger, and additional weight for use in open water. It comes with 60 feet of attached cable, enabling deep water viewing. Field Test ResultsWith the lighting placed higher, there was indeed an increase in the underwater viewing capability, even in the worst conditions. While no underwater camera will allow you to peer through dense algae or floating sediments, the MarCum did perform better than I thought it would. The MarCum shined under the normal circumstances of stained water and moderate particle suspension. Facing the worst conditions of extremely stained water and heavy particulate suspension, the VS 560 averaged approximately 3 feet of discernable viewing, with the background fading quickly. The lighting concept also proved to increase viewing distance when compared to conventional underwater technology. The camera housing style also was very appealing. Unlike the the tube shapes or fish shapes, currently on the market, the camera housing has the appearance of an underwater spacecraft. This design proved to very effective and non-threatening to fish. It actually seemed to make them inquisitive and stage around the camera. I don't know if they were simply curious or using the housing as structure, but they showed no fear of the housing, nor did any fish try to attack it much to my relief. Panfish reacted curiously and confidently, and did not seem to spook when the lights were on during dark water conditions. Rainbow and Brown trout peered into the lens so closely that it made them look enormous. As finicky as trout are, I figured that they would shy away immediately, but that was not the case. The trout were nonchalant and conducted themselves as normal, like schools of miniature sharks confidently searching for prey. The trout were amazing to watch as if a member of their underwater world. Walleyes and Perch also showed no fear of the camera housing but did seem to shy away during times when the LED lights were in use during darker conditions and when used in stained waters. Much to my happiness, I had no attacks from Northern Pike or Musky. I did have a couple of encounters with large pike in the 10 to 15 pound class. Thankfully they were content just to visually inspect it out for a couple of minutes, before they slowly swam off. All in all, I was very impressed with the VS 560. Though it is a black and white camera and has a smaller screen than the VS 460, I quickly found virtue with this viewing system. If I was filming underwater footage, I'd probably want a very large screen color unit. However, the virtues of this system far outweigh the need for color viewing, which would probably hamper it's ability to see clearly under various underwater conditions. I would be lying if I didn't say that I was impressed with the remote control capability. The remote control was a very sweet touch which controlled all onscreen features of the VS 560. The panning features are definitively a plus and on screen depth and water temperature are nice. As with all high end sports products, I suggest that you balance your wants with your judgment. Underwater cameras can be used all season long and provide educational insights into the feeding behavior of your prey. They also have the ability to give you a precise view of your fishing location, relative to structure. You have the ability to distinctly see the vegetation and the ability to move according to the underwater conditions. You can fish specific structure and easily identify the structure in your area. I truly believe that the underwater camera can be a vital and essential component of your fishing strategy. Whether your 're fishing open water or an ice covered wilderness, the benefits of the underwater camera are well worth the expense. JR - Outdoor Adventures MagazineReturn to top of page
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