Marcum LX-9 Review

[Bemoredog]

The wife and I wanted to test out our new camper and do a little winter camping. Considered staying overnight at Chain but opted for Beauvais Lake because it's a little more secluded and picturesque. Decided to bring my new Marcum LX-9 Sonar/Camera out to test out on the stockers.

LX-9 Review
First thing I noticed with the LX-9 is that very little "assembly" is required. With both my Lowrance units everything was in pieces. Second, the instructions are quite helpful and explain many of the nuances of the unit. This contrasted with my experience of using Lowrance products which so far have pretty terrible user guides/manuals and result in a trial and error kind of assembly.

The sounder feels sturdy and has numerous features, including chart sonar, vertical graph and the traditional flasher set up. Sonar/Flasher and Camera can all be on screen at once using a "heads up display" or side by side. The heads up display overlays your sonar over the camera image. I didn't find it very useful since much of the camera image is blocked. But to each their own.

The screen is large, bright and crisp. Navigation of menus is OK, but the lack of a "back" button means if you want to change multiple settings you will have to start from the main menu, drill down, select the change, and then get booted back to the main menu to rinse and repeat. There are hot buttons for common tweaks, but killing camera colour or turning on the cam lights requires you to dive into a couple layers of menus. Annoying, but meh.

I fished in 10 to 30 feet of water. Sonar got a bit sketchy in 30 feet of water and seemed to have trouble detecting my jig, but I need to head out again and test this to verify. It's a powerful unit and shouldn't have problems in 30 FOW so chalking this up to user error for the moment. Response time is nearly immediate with no noticeable delay.

The camera is OK but overall I'm disappointed. I dabble in photography so my standards are probably higher than most. This unit uses a Sony Super HAD II CCD with a 1/3 sensor. You can certainly see underwater with this unit. And I was probably able to see about 5 feet or so (not clearly, but enough to make out fish silhouettes). But given the units price tag of ~$1600 I'm disappointed that a better camera (bigger sensor, higher resolution) isn't being used. A larger sensor would be ideal to allow more light and enhance underwater viewing, and higher resolution would be nice too.

The camera resolution is quite low. I wasn't able to find specs, but going from the reported resolution of the Super HAD II, resolution is below 2.0 megapixels. The image even in full light reminds me of early webcam days. The thing is, as far as I can tell, this is pretty much the best compact camera offered for underwater fishing purposes. A GoPro is obviously better, but you can't view it in real time, only after the fact, and this makes it's less useful as an angling tool.

It looks like the Marcum LX9 has been around since 2012/13 and has used the same camera the entire time. That means this camera is 3 to 4 years old. Pretty dated by today's standards. The basic camera itself (no housing) sells for under $50 at various places online.

The camera is cool, but in perspective it's rather disappointing from a performance context. Thing is nobody else appears to offer anything better. Interestingly the camera+housing of the Marcum camera is about the size of a GoPro. The new Marcum Recon cameras also seem to use the exact same Sony Super HAD II.

The camera does provide additional info like water temp and depth which is useful and appreciated.

Would I buy this again? Probably. Do I think it's worth the price tag? Not at all. But is there anything else that even remotely compares to the unit's versatility? Nope.

Maybe I am off in criticizing this camera, so I'd appreciate input from anyone with a contrasting take.

[the local angler]

that was a great read of your experience with this unit. i still use the atlantis cam (very first underwater camera) that came out along with my lx3. i thought about the lx9 but i kept hearing issues with the software when they first released the unit and had alot of glitches. the problem i have with this unit is its all modern day electronics and wonder how it stands up to bumps and a bit of rough handling if its bouncing around in the sled and such. sometimes things shift and the unit falls over, yup happens to me alot lol. for the cost of this unit personally for that price i would like to be able to have a choice of options for it. like yourself i also dable in photography and wish they would have the option of upgrading the camera and such. i played with the display model at the wholesales sports and i did also find it really annoying with no back button. i found it hard to find things on the menu.

[RavYak]

Did you adjust your sensitivity to try and pick up your jig in deeper water? Just like mechanical flashers you have to adjust your gain/sensitivity depending on what lure you use and what depth you are fishing in.

I personally prefer having a separate camera and flasher, I use a Marcum VS625SD camera and a Humminbird Ice 55 Flasher. This comes out cheaper and allows me to set one up for someone else to use if needed.

The LX9 is the only option if you want everything in a single more compact unit though so that is what you are paying for. I really do think it should also have GPS at its price point but probably won't happen until one of these other company provides them with some competition.

[TylerThomson]

Originally Posted by the local angler

that was a great read of your experience with this unit. i still use the atlantis cam (very first underwater camera) that came out along with my lx3. i thought about the lx9 but i kept hearing issues with the software when they first released the unit and had alot of glitches. the problem i have with this unit is its all modern day electronics and wonder how it stands up to bumps and a bit of rough handling if its bouncing around in the sled and such. sometimes things shift and the unit falls over, yup happens to me alot lol. for the cost of this unit personally for that price i would like to be able to have a choice of options for it. like yourself i also dable in photography and wish they would have the option of upgrading the camera and such. i played with the display model at the wholesales sports and i did also find it really annoying with no back button. i found it hard to find things on the menu.

I got an lx6 which is similar but smaller and leaving the camera and beat the crap out of it. Only thing that's broke on me so far is the transducer and I'm pretty sure one of the falls out of the jeep did that.

[Bemoredog]

It seems most of the software issues have been resolved and they did add a few features that weren't there before (like manual color kill; used to be auto).

Menu design isn't the best, as I stated, but I'm guessing a lot of their design and programming talent is probably lower tier or outsourced (just a guess of course).

Can't speak to durability but the unit at least feels quite solid and has some heft. I have seen some reports of the camera lenses breaking or getting fogged up online though. Can't really speak to anything of this since I haven't tested long enough.

I did adjust the sensitivity up to 25 (the max) and was only picking up my jig when it was jigging. I was getting beaten up by the wind pretty badly so I didn't have the patience to try and resolve the issue (hence user error). I may simply need to increase the target enhance so the sonar return is larger on screen. Or maybe it was caused by the camera being down the hole at the same time as the transducer (was just testing different holes, normally I wouldn't set up like this). Sonar readily picked the camera up however.

And I'd agree there really should be GPS on this unit for the price tag. The new Marcum RT-9 does combine camera, GPS and sonar/flasher functions but it is UNGODLY expensive. It only comes with sonar and GPS and costs around $2,200. You have to buy the "camera module" afterwards and this runs around $800. So $3,000. Jesus.

I'll wind up keeping this unit simply because it's versatile. It's almost the best thing out there in this regard, but from an absolute perspective I think the product is extremely overpriced and the camera is way behind technologically. Not much you can do except pay up, wait for a competitor to release something similar or design your own system.

I'd probably prefer a straight up GPS/Sonar combo and an Aqua-Vu, but the Aqua-Vu cameras lack nice touches like depth and temp that I find really useful. The Recon 5s do have this feature but have to be ordered direct from the manufacturer, and I'm impatient.

[PlatinumBarMan]

Are you still using your LX-9? I’ve had mine since 2015 and still hard to find anything much better on the market. It still works decent but a higher res camera would be nice. I wonder how hard it would be to modify. That being said it’s still far superior to others my friends have like the aqua vu. I’m on my third battery but aside from that haven’t had any real issues. Like you said the menu navigation could be improved. To me the most annoying thing is recording because have to go into the menu and find the record button then the screen goes black for several seconds while it begins recording - so if you have fish come into view you need to tell it to record (vs other units that record automatically) and then the screen goes black so you can’t see the fish or your hook again until the screen decides to turn on again. But overall it’s still a great camera and not a bad sonar, definitely nice to drill holes and scout with camera before committing to setting up the tent. And saves a lot of back ache associated with looking down a hole all day it’s so much nicer to just look at the camera and so much better field of view compared to looking down the hole.

[HuyFishin]

Originally Posted by PlatinumBarMan

Are you still using your LX-9? I’ve had mine since 2015 and still hard to find anything much better on the market. It still works decent but a higher res camera would be nice. I wonder how hard it would be to modify. That being said it’s still far superior to others my friends have like the aqua vu. I’m on my third battery but aside from that haven’t had any real issues. Like you said the menu navigation could be improved. To me the most annoying thing is recording because have to go into the menu and find the record button then the screen goes black for several seconds while it begins recording - so if you have fish come into view you need to tell it to record (vs other units that record automatically) and then the screen goes black so you can’t see the fish or your hook again until the screen decides to turn on again. But overall it’s still a great camera and not a bad sonar, definitely nice to drill holes and scout with camera before committing to setting up the tent. And saves a lot of back ache associated with looking down a hole all day it’s so much nicer to just look at the camera and so much better field of view compared to looking down the hole.

The LX9 has hotkeys to turn you camera on and you dont have to go into the menu. I believe its the Arrow down button. Make sure your unit is updated to have this feature.

[WinefredCommander]

Great review. Happy I opted for the LX7.

[Egymcara]

I have had this unit since 2013 and I only paid $1200 for it brand new. Prices are ridiculous on any sonar or camera units and the technology hasn't gotten any better.

Would I buy this unit again? No! My reasons are not the same as yours though... Under water cameras are great for learning about fish behaviour but beyond that, they are pointless. Sonars are great for a lot of things but I don't feel they are "necessary" unless you are lake trout fishing.

Marcum has been terrible for updating the LX-9! I do really enjoy having both sonar/camera together as one unit. The battery has been great in my unit as well, still going strong. Not a single issue with my unit in 7 years either!

If you want just a straight sonar unit, the Vexilar flx-28 is a better unit overall. Marcum does beat a vex for above ice reading though.

These are strictly my opinions baring in mind I have used my unit 500+ times.

[PlatinumBarMan]

Originally Posted by HuyFishin

The LX9 has hotkeys to turn you camera on and you dont have to go into the menu. I believe its the Arrow down button. Make sure your unit is updated to have this feature.

Thanks for the tip about hot keys and updates, I’ll try and do that today if I can figure it out. Planning on heading out ice fishing tomorrow.

[PlatinumBarMan]

Originally Posted by Egymcara

I have had this unit since 2013 and I only paid $1200 for it brand new. Prices are ridiculous on any sonar or camera units and the technology hasn't gotten any better.

Would I buy this unit again? No! My reasons are not the same as yours though... Under water cameras are great for learning about fish behaviour but beyond that, they are pointless. Sonars are great for a lot of things but I don't feel they are "necessary" unless you are lake trout fishing.

Marcum has been terrible for updating the LX-9! I do really enjoy having both sonar/camera together as one unit. The battery has been great in my unit as well, still going strong. Not a single issue with my unit in 7 years either!

If you want just a straight sonar unit, the Vexilar flx-28 is a better unit overall. Marcum does beat a vex for above ice reading though.

These are strictly my opinions baring in mind I have used my unit 500+ times.

Agree the vexilar is a nice unit. Regarding my batteries I should clarify I was using them in a kids electric quad as well so that is likely the reason I’m on my third one now.