Evolved HD optics, water-clearing video software and more upgrades highlight Aqua-Vu® HDi Gen 2 Underwater Viewing Systems
At first ice, guide Brian “Bro” Brosdahl likes to go for a little swim. Call him crazy, but Bro chalks it up as research.
The most remarkable part of Brosdahl’s underwater exploration isn’t that he’s able to take the plunge without getting wet. Rather, it’s that this particular ‘trick’ reveals hidden fish and other enigmatic underwater details . . . right from the comforts of his ice shelter. In other words, Bro’s little trick puts him steps ahead of other anglers in a game defined by one’s ability to sniff out untapped pods of fish.
“That’s the genius of an Aqua-Vu,” says Brosdahl, a pioneering Northern Minnesota ice angler. “The optics of the new HDi Gen-2 cameras are so precise and tuned-in they can vividly display leaf colors on aquatic vegetation and the bugs living on them. My HD10i Pro shows me individual rocks so clearly that I should probably take up underwater agate hunting,” he laughs.
“More important, the Aqua-Vu displays big fish that try to hide in heavy cover. I can now see things like a swarm of zooplankton in the foreground, or a single crappie hiding behind stalks of coontail. Never before has a camera been capable of focusing in on such minute underwater details; no other piece of electronics can do that, including sonar.”
To deliver unparalleled underwater performance, Aqua-Vu engineers implemented numerous system upgrades. “We went the extra mile with our four gen-two HD cameras,” says Aqua-Vu vice president, Tom Maschhoff. “Everything from the quality of lens material and the physical optics to our internal software is next-level. We think anglers will benefit greatly by seeing the underwater world in unprecedented clarity and color.”
All new 1080p full-HD optics capture the tiniest underwater details. “The new 1080p HD camera greatly enhances details and image sharpness under varying light conditions,” says Maschhoff.
For a more accurate, vivid depiction of the underwater terrain, Aqua-Vu added special video software. “Essentially, our TrueColor Technology auto-adjusts the camera’s white-balance and adds natural colors back into the image,” he says. “The result is a picture that often looks as if the water’s been totally removed, as if you’re looking into an aquarium. The software helps project a truer image by removing heavy color casts, such as red or green hues that often highlight algae and other suspended particulate—and even clarifies the image in stained or tannic water.”
Maschhoff further adds that the new HDi Gen2 cameras use an enhanced multipoint exposure, which makes suspended and backlit targets—such as distant fish or your lure—easier to see.
“The new multi-exposure optics detect and display background images such as fish and vegetation in much greater detail,” he explains. “Instead of seeing just the silhouette of a bass or a walleye, you’ll discern the greens and the dark lateral bars along a largemouth’s body. Or the greens and reds on a stalk of submerged vegetation. The lens differentiates color contrasts between fish and cover, so anglers will easily spot fish hiding in grass or timber, even in stained water or imbalanced light conditions.”
To help deliver a sharper, crisper focus on underwater objects, Aqua-Vu upgraded the optics with a new, prescription-grade OptiRX lens “The OptiRX lens has a smoother surface and much clearer prismatic finish,” notes Maschhoff. “This premium-quality lens provides the purest picture of what the optics detect, with near-zero distorting or obscuring.”
From lens to LCD, Aqua-Vu HDi Gen 2 systems project a super-bright on-screen image, utilizing up to 2,200-nits for maximum visibility in sunlight. A new Power Saver feature allows the user to add up to 40-percent more run-time, particularly when viewing the LCD in lower sun conditions, including inside an ice fishing shelter.
The first to engineer a high-definition underwater viewing system, Aqua-Vu HDi Gen 2 models include HD10i Pro, HD10i, HD7i Pro and HD7i. All four HDI Gen 2 Series cameras include Aqua-Vu’s patented XD™ Camera Housing, compatible with all Aqua-Vu XD accessories. Each system comes complete with a Super-Bright 7” or 10” LCD, 75- to 125-feet of camera cable, built-in adjustable infrared (IR) lighting, and a 12-volt battery with charger. All HDi Gen 2 Camera Systems are ice fishing ready as well as RAM Mount compatible for direct in-boat wiring. MSRP ranges from $599.99 to $999.99.