| Brand: | Liquid | ||
| Average Rating |
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Keep your hands free as you swim! This is the world’s only swim mask that has an integrated waterproof digital video camera plus photographs at 5 MP. Operates to a depth of 15ft/5m making this ideal for snorkeling and or pool play. more info
{ 7 comments… read them below or add one }
Great videos, poor pics
Rating:3 out of 5 stars
I recently purchased the Liquid Image Model 302 camera mask and used it on a recent trip to Cozumel to take pictures and videos while snorkeling. Overall, I was satisfied with the videos, but disappointed with the still pictures. After some analysis, I have realized that the pictures are not really 5MP at all but upconverted from a much lower resolution. I suspect that the actual sensor resolution is the same as what is used for the video, which is 0.3 MP (640 x 480). In addition, the camera tends to have a slow shutter speed underwater due to limited light and this causes a lot of blurred images. Of the 30 or so pictures I took, only about 5 were even worth keeping. The videos were actually quite good however, and really impart a sense of ‘being there’ that still images can’t capture anyway. There was an odd ‘warping’ effect that occured sometimes when panning on videos. The whole image just seems to shift or warp in size for a few frames and then looks OK again. I contacted Liquid Image about this, but they had no explanation.
This was my first attempt at underwater photography and I was prepared to accept the loss of color which will always occur unless you use artificial light. The camera is at its best in shallow water where more light gets through and the bluing affect is minimal anyway. So this is not too big an issue unless you are trying to shoot something that is more than 15 ft. deep.
Image quality aside, I found I struggled with three things the entire week:
1. Getting the camera into a known state (picture or video)
2. Aiming properly
3. Getting the proper angle
Because this camera can only go in shallow water, the sun will almost always overpower the tiny LED that shows the camera status. They recommend cupping your hand over the mask to block the sunlight, but I still found it difficult to see the color. In addition, I was never sure whether I had actually started ‘filming’ (indicated by a blinking LED). So I often missed getting some great shots becuase the camera was not in the mode I thought. During the first few days, I would get back to check my pictures or videos only to wonder what it was I was trying to capture. It took me a while to realize I was actually aiming too low in many cases. This surprised me since the camera is on top of the mask so you would think I would shoot too high. I eventually got it about right, but make sure to practice before using it in earnest. Finally, I found that the natural angle for snorkelers, which is looking down all the time, particularly on fish, was not very satisfying. For those shots you need to dive down to get on their level. This requires a constant process of setting up the camera, diving down, getting into position, and then coming up when your breath runs out. I ended up with lots of 30 second clips as a result.
I should also mention that the mask itself is pretty good. I had trouble getting the strap tight enough, but when I did the seal was good and comfortable and viewing from the mask was quite good. This mask may not work well if you have a smaller head. I did not have any problems with leaks on the memory or battery compartment, but it does take some effort to close them properly.
Overall, a pretty good product. If they were to put a real 5MP (or even 2MP) sensor in it, it would have liked it much more. Next time I use it, I doubt I will even bother with still images. I was about to buy an underwater camera before buying this and I think I am glad I didn’t. Being able to just ‘look’ at things and press a button sounds a lot easier to me than to aim while trying to look into a tiny LCD screen underwater – and shooting videos is of course, effortless.
Great Underwater Camera
Rating:5 out of 5 stars
This is a great little camera that works exactly as advertised. I used it last week on a vacation to Key West and the photos and the videos were outstanding. It was really great being able to have my hands free to swim and not having a separate camera to carry around or worry about getting wet. I also felt that my eyes were freed up because I was not constantly putting a camera in front of them to take a picture and possibly miss seeing the scenery in real time. I purchased a 2 GB card to add to the memory and was literally able to shoot hours of video and/or thousands of stills. After several days of use all of the electronics, etc. stayed bone dry and the materials seem to be of pretty substantial quality. I would expect this camera mask to perform for a long time into the future. I felt that this was really a great value for the purchase price.
Good for the amatur adventurer
Rating:5 out of 5 stars
This camera is an all around good buy for individuals who are new to snorkeling and scuba. In addiditon to the underwater abilities it also takes good pictures on land too. I took this camera to Panama City and did some testing for a Cozumel trip and never had a problem functionwise. In one instance I took it up with me for Parasailing and got some nice shots and even some video. Turned out great. Since there is no flash you are heavily reliant on the amount of sun outside. It works great on clear skies, partly cloudy, and light overcast. Anything beyond that and the quality degrades quickly, especialy under water. That being said I have some pointers for those considering buying one of these.
1. When using it under water do not move after you hear the beep. The shutter snaps about 1-1.5 seconds after you press the button and hear the beep. Not doing this makes the pictures very blury.
2. Take tons of pictures.. In another review a person said that they got 5 good pics out of 30 shots. This is a valid statement. Since there is no way to immediately view the picture that was taken it is better to bank on volume and then upon review later pick the ones that need to be saved or deleted.
3. If you dont have a laptop to take with you for extended trips, consider getting a netbook so you can see the pics quicker vs. waiting till the trip is done. This is a basic enough device that you will have no problems reviewing your pictures on an Acer Netbook (about the cheapest of the netbooks). Haviong something to review a days worth of shots can help you get a better handle on the mechanics of the camera to take better pictures the next day..
4. Before you take it on vacation practice and test it in a pool.. You WILL look a little goofy, but practice makes perfect pictures.
Great Fun, OK Movies, Poor stills, no sound BUT excellent mask.
Rating:4 out of 5 stars
I Love the liquid image camera, i have taken excellent movies when snorkelling off Sicily – lots of light helps.
Still images are not great
MAKE ONE WITH SOUND, PLEASE! EVEN IF IT JUST ALL SLOSHY CRAP.
Great mask, best snorkel mask I ever owned, so to use it does not compromise your snorkelling adventures.
It takes practice to get a still, frames image, and can get a bit hit or miss, but I think for the price this is an unbelievably good product, LOVE IT!
Camera mask still needs work
Rating:3 out of 5 stars
We took new camera mask to Fiji. Some of the pictures were very good. There were many limitiations:
1) The camera quickly turns itself off, so you cannot take many pictures in a row.
2) You cannot tell on a sunny day if you are in video or picture mode. We finally waited for a beep to turn itself off, before proceeding.
3) The camera did leak water, even when using silicone.
4) There is no web support.
5) Cannot easily remove mini SD chip
A great camera for the average snorkeler
Rating:4 out of 5 stars
We purchased this camera for our trip to Fiji and the Great Barrier Reef this past summer. We’ve previously snorkeled in Hawaii several times and had always purchased those disposable underwater camera made by Kodak. They never really yielded great pictures, but I felt like we had no alternative. Well, we are SO glad that we found this camera. We are generally very, very happy with the photos we took (I’ve attached six of our photos above in the customer photo section). I captured great pictures of colorful coral, schools of fish, an octopus, and several turtles. It took a a few minutes for me to get used to the camera and what I was actually capturing when I clicked the button. While the cross hairs are somewhat helpful, it’s still difficult to keep your face still with waves lapping over you. Since the camera doesn’t have a flash, the quality of your photos is obviously going to depend on the amount of sun and the depth of the water. We were fortunate to have the opportunity to snorkel for several days in both countries, so every day I downloaded the photos onto our laptop so I could figure out what I was doing right and what I could be doing better. I would agree with the other poster who said that it’s difficult to get the memory card out–I had to use a pair of tweezers to remove ours. That’s why I relied on the USB cable uplink and didn’t mess with taking it in and out until I was done using the camera for the trip. It also sucks up battery power VERY fast; you definitely need to use high energy or rechargeable batteries with this thing. I had no problems with water leakage and the lens provided great visibility. The video option is nice, although it’s a bit surreal to watch your videos back. I was swimming along with a turtle underneath me but when my movement was coupled with the motion of the ocean and my moving subject (the turtle), it all looks like it’s on hyperspeed. Not a fault of the camera, just something to keep in mind. We would definitely recommend buying this camera for your next vacation; it will pay for itself after a single vacation! We met several people on our trip who were impressed with the ease of use and the quality of our photos.
Innovative Idea
Rating:4 out of 5 stars
This was purchased as a gift for a friend. She LOVES snorkling. What a great idea…vs. fiddling around with a water-proof camera dangling from your wrist (and trying to swim, etc.). This innovative mask/digital camera is great. It takes both stills and videos. The SD mini card is limited to 2 GB maximum. Shooting under water is for 15′ or less. Eager for her to “snorkle” away and see the results. She’s the talk of the neighborhood with her BRIGHT yellow mask…that takes pictures/videos too!