It’s a mad mad video world; a YouTube nation; a virtual way of life. See something weird or wild? You capture it with your phone or your camera. Upload. Share. View. Go viral. Within minutes, the whole world’s seen it, while legions of would-be documentations stand ready to record the next wow moment.
Even as wireless devices help us observe what happens on land, the other 71-percent of the earth—the water world— is often overseen by Aqua-Vu cameras. Beneath the surface of lakes, rivers and oceans, Aqua-Vu has been in the business of discovering cool stuff underwater since long before social media was born. Today, a simple YouTube “Aqua Vu” search yields no fewer than ten pages of hits, and hundreds, maybe thousands of immersive videos captured by the company’s underwater cameras.
With a vision to broaden the underwater viewing experience for its legion of fishing fans, Aqua-Vu engineered and recently unveiled the sleek new XD™ Camera—a stealthy, nearly bulletproof underwater lens housing built for functionality and mega versatility. Sold as standard equipment with several Aqua-Vu models, the XD Camera employs HD (HD700i) or SD (760CZi) optics and integrated infrared LEDs.
But what’s stirring particular excitement among users is the XD Camera’s patent pending Quick Attachment™ System. Compatible with an expanded line of Aqua-Vu XD Accessories, the modular video system adds thrilling new applications to the underwater viewing experience.
(1) XD Trolling Fin – For live viewing while trolling or drifting in a boat, the new Aqua-Vu Trolling Fin slides and snaps seamlessly into the Quick Attachment rail, stabilizing the camera to at least 5-mph. The Trolling Fin is reversible, too, allowing the camera to face forward for viewing fish and structure ahead of your boat, or backward.
(2) Live Strike™ Lure Monitoring – Back or reverse viewing is another exclusive XD Camera feature, enabling anglers to monitor trolled or drifted lures. Live Strike Lure Monitoring is a first-of-its-kind real-time underwater sight fishing system. But rather than attaching a separate recording unit ahead of trolled lures and watching the footage later, Aqua-Vu’s Live Strike accessory lets anglers view their lures in real-time, as they sight fish at any depth on the Aqua-Vu LCD screen.
(2) XD Dorsal Position Fin – For individuals more apt to use an Aqua-Vu from a stationary position—from shore, boat dock, pier or on the ice—the XD Camera sports an integrated dorsal positioning fin that delivers four different lens angles. By inserting the camera’s cable into one of the fin’s three slots, users can to view in a stationary, horizontal position or at a 45-degree angle, up or down. Vertical or “bird’s eye” down-viewing is achieved by simply removing the cable from the position fin.
(3) XD Pole Cam Adaptor (available in July) – The ultimate way to probe and silently peek below boat docks, brush piles or other cover, the XD Pole Cam Adaptor connects an XD Camera to the end of the Aqua-Vu Telescopic Viewing Pole or any telescopic painters pole. Inspired by bass and crappie tournament anglers, pole cam viewing helps anglers find big fish living in heavy cover, which can’t be identified by sonar alone.
(4) XD Flood Light (available in July) – At night, the underwater world comes alive, and the XD Underwater Flood Light connects quickly to any XD Camera, illuminating large areas of the aquatic world. Armed with an array of angle-adjustable LEDs, the XD Flood Light helps light up the fishing area while greatly reducing particulate and plankton reflection.
“In designing the new XD Camera, we wanted to give our customers a truly versatile underwater viewing product, one that gives people the freedom to explore the underwater world in their own individual way,” says Aqua-Vu Vice President, Thomas Maschhoff. “Whether you want to watch your Aqua-Vu while trolling, to witness fish bite your lure, to investigate under docks and brushpiles, to figure out what fish do at night, and more. This user-friendly system is all about flexibility, discovery and ultimately, fun.”
VIDEO LINKS: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=gP7nNHjDpuU
About Aqua-Vu
The Original Underwater Viewing System, Aqua-Vu is manufactured by Outdoors Insight, Inc., and has led the underwater camera category in design, innovation and quality since 1997. The Central Minnesota based company builds many popular outdoors products, such as the iBall Trailer Hitch Camera (iballhitchcam.com) and Odor Check Moisture and Odor Control System (odorcheck.com) featuring Scent-Lok Technology. For more information on Aqua-Vu, visit www.aquavu.com.