Liquid Image Explorer Series 5.0MP Underwater Digital Camera Mask

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.

It was broken when we opened the package. I cant find the part to replace. It was a xmas present

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 properly3. Getting the proper angleBecause 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.

This seems like such a great idea, doesn't it? Unfortunately it takes terrible photos in all levels of light. You take cool pictures (you think), get back home to download the photos, and there is nothing there, just black screen after black screen. And if you buy it from adorama cameras, good luck returning it. You're going to hear about their 14 day return policy which they apply to you even for broken defective merchandize. Run, run, run before you lay your money down on this camera.

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!

The video quality is a little bit 'stop motion animation' meaning the frame rate is a little slow, but for the money, I have no complaint whatsoever about this product. Takes good stills too. I found this very easy to use. One complaint I would have is for whatever reason the manufacturer thought it was necessary to put those stupid crosshairs right in the middle of the viewing goggles, they are embedded on the glass and I couldnt remove them with a razor blade. However that is a minor annoyance that I can live with. For the money, I think this is a great product and a good value and I would recommend it.

We have used it for several years and I gave it to a friend, he didn't close the seal properly. So salt water got into the memory card area. It destroyed the whole product. But it was our fault. It needs to be tightened properly as instructed. When we followed the instructions properly, there was no problem with the product. The way it works is just smart. I was able to take excellent pictures, record videos without the need of a screen. Best part is you don't need to hold a camera in hand.