How cool would it be if your eyeballs had the ability to "zoom in?" Imagine never having to move in for a closer look. Surveillance could be done in super-stealth mode-like a built-in pair of binoculars. Just stand, scan and mete out superman justice.
Magnifying things-a deer in a distant field, a football team from the nosebleed section, even the planet Venus in its remotest orbit-is what we do with microscopes and telescopes. We do the same thing with digital cameras, zooming in to snap a striking image of a dragonfly on a rod tip or bikini-clad friend.
For ice operatives Brian "Bro" Brosdahl and Tom Neustrom, the ability to zoom in on the underwater terrain is no less thrilling. Bro's early fish surveillance with Aqua-Vu cameras once invigorated ice fishing. More than a decade and countless viewing breakthroughs later, the original underwater camera company has released their new best-in-class system. Beyond its muscular, fishing-friendly design, the Aqua-Vu 760cz features a true industry-first- 3X Digital Zoom. This sweet technology lets Bro magnify the landscape, revealing hidden underwater gems-cover-concealed fish and the tiny critters they feed upon-all in remarkable color and clarity.
"The 3X Digital Zoom function on my 760cz is a critical tool for hunting fish through the ice or in a boat," says Neustrom, who some call a 'walking fish-finder' all on his own. "Zoom lets me enlarge those underwater secrets. It reveals fish in heavy cover, and magnifies specific prey species that cling to vegetation and the bottom, such as mayfly larvae and bloodworms.
"This sweet camera feature also increases my stealth on ice. Rather than drilling more holes, I can simply zoom in and bring a distant section of underwater real estate closer. When I find fish, I note the position and direction of the area as indicated on the Aqua-Vu screen, and beeline right to it. It's a major time saver that translates to more fish on the ice."
For Bro and other original adopters of Aqua-Vu technology, features such as zoom, advanced underwater lighting systems and on-screen display technology have been awesome value added functions that sweeten the game of underwater viewing. Yet driving Aqua-Vu's essential 760cz system are optics and display technology hot off the military declassified list.
The 760cz camera spies on hidden fish, structure and cover, displaying it all on a 7-inch high-resolution IP67 rated waterproof color LCD screen. Conducting the surveillance is Aqua-Vu's ingenious Fish-Cam-low-key as another fish in the school. Housed within is a dynamic Sony 1/3" CCD HD (.01 Lux) Image Sensor, which boasts image clarity and low-light detection that's tops among consumer grade systems.
Also unmatched is the design, convenience and durability of these powerful Aqua-Vu systems. The 760cz, as well as the economical 760c and 740c, are built with recessed cable connections, an integrated cable-keeper and a rugged sun-shield that doubles as a protective LCD cover. The entire system folds up into a compact, easy to carry package that slides nicely into a standard 5-gallon bucket.
Moreover, unlike other products with external fabric covers, which sponge moisture and cause corrosion of internal components, Aqua-Vu systems are both vented and fully sealed for years of hardcore use.
"Aqua-Vu invented and has now reinvented the underwater camera category," says Bro.
"These are the best-built, angler-friendly cameras I've ever used-and since the first Aqua-Vu in 1997, I have used a few."
Now through January 15, 2013, Aqua-Vu is giving away a FREE Mo-Pod 3 Camera Rotating Unit ($60 value), when you buy any 700-series Aqua-Vu product.
