Underwater Cameras

[pikechaser]

My Old Aqua View is pretty much shot. Have been looking at the newer smaller aqua vu cameras. Want something more compact. My question is, has anyone here had any experience with the similar versions coming out of china. They are a fraction of the price, and have very similar features. and for 200 and under with the ability to record things/take photos as I understand it.

[hydro]

Any brands, models or other info to compare to? Sounds like an interesting discussion topic.

[pikechaser]

Do a little looking on the e. Bay.... they are very similar to an aqua vu micro. 3.5" screen. 50 foot cable. Lid for the screen.. can record or take snap shots. Has a sd card slot. Color camera. Built in rechargeable battery. I don't really see a specific brand.

[RiverDewey]

I have looked at those as well. Now I have purchased quite a few other items from China and Hong Kong both. In some cases they are the exact same thing you would get here. So far, every item has worked and held up well. However, my only concern would be a DOA item and the return shipping. That could be very expensive and time consuming. For an item like that you still might be better off buying local.

[h8go4s]

So the Communist Chinese steal an American design, build it in a sweatshop where the workers are virtually slaves, sell it to you at a fraction of the price of a genuine item and you're ok with that? I'm not.

[B-man715]

So the Communist Chinese steal an American design, build it in a sweatshop where the workers are virtually slaves, sell it to you at a fraction of the price of a genuine item and you're ok with that? I'm not.

Do you really think Aqua Vu's are built right here in Minnesota??? A bunch of twenty something dollar an hour guys hanging around in Cross Lake with soldering irons and transistors???? LOL!

If that were the case an underwater camera would cost thousands, not hundreds.

Virtually every consumer electronic is made in Asia......

My buddy's Dad retired from a local U.S. company that used to manufacture the cable for them, but even that was outsourced years ago.

I just picked up a new Marcum vs485c camera yesterday (a Minneapolis company)..... Has a shiny Made in China sticker right on it

[pikechaser]

It's sad to say, but I knew they aren't built here, by American workers. I'm more concerned about how it will work.

[h8go4s]

Do you really think Aqua Vu's are built right here in Minnesota??? A bunch of twenty something dollar an hour guys hanging around in Cross Lake with soldering irons and transistors???? LOL!

If that were the case an underwater camera would cost thousands, not hundreds.

Virtually every consumer electronic is made in Asia......

My buddy's Dad retired from a local U.S. company that used to manufacture the cable for them, but even that was outsourced years ago.

I just picked up a new Marcum vs485c camera yesterday (a Minneapolis company)..... Has a shiny Made in China sticker right on it

I was forced to retire earlier than planned because the company I worked for moved our factory to Mexico, so I understand what is going on here.

There's a difference between buying an authentic Aqua-Vu or Marcum (or any other item) made in China and buying an obvious knockoff. Knockoffs don't pay the inventor/developer/patent holder for the labor, effort and ingenuity required to bring a product to market. They are just thefts from the company that did all that work. If it doesn't have a Marcum or Aqua-Vu label on it, it's a theft and you are aiding and abetting the theft if you buy it.

[pikechaser]

LOL...I'll go to confession.

[hitthebricks]

The last thing I bought of that type that was not a name brand product, it was delivered, I tried it out for a few days, then threw it in the trash. $35 down the drain.

HTB