PAGE 8 • AUTUMN 2007 THE JOURNAL OF THE AMERICAN SAILING ASSOCIATION
AMERICAN
SAILING
RASSOCIATION
ASA MEMBER PRODUCT REVIEW
by Don Mierzeski
Advantage
A
s an avid sailor and diver, I’ve
tried to find ways to share my
HUNTER
experiences with my friends
Whether racing, training, learning to sail or just having fun, the Hunter JY15 can’t be beat.
and family. However, the dilemma
we’ve all faced is that we would like
a camera that can stand up to the
rigors and abuses that come with
our form of fun, while, at the same We Go The Distance
time, delivering high quality images.
Diving off San Diego, Baja, Hawaii
and Mexico, I’ve had my share of
disappointments with underwater
386.462.3077 • Fax 386.462.4077
cameras or enclosures that have let
For Dealer/Product Information:
me down. However, when I won the
huntermarine.com
EcoShot while at the ASA SailWeek
in Antigua I was blown away. A
rugged, waterproof camera with a
six mega pixel display and large
buttons that I could push with
gloves on - life is good!
-Building Daysailers through Passagemakers-
(Above) The EcoShot’s “underwater” feature uses software that applies a reddish tinge to
What first struck me about the
compensate for the lack of light penetration at depth. (Below) The EcoShot’s durable exterior
EcoShot was the design of the allows photographers to take it into a variety of environments.
buttons. In particular, the button to
actually snap the photo is very smartly designed. You
Although I would have to slide it open, I would just feel a
push down on the plunger, and you know that your
little better not worrying about scratching that particular
picture is going to be taken, and you know that the
surface. Only time will tell if that happens.
passionate about sailing
plunger is going to come back up. It feels that good! The
other buttons are the same way - large enough to work
Like most digital cameras these days, the EcoShot has
SAILING VACATIONS
with no matter what is on your hands, yet clear in both
features available through its software that you have to
function and layout, so that you are not digging an
scratch your head as to why they are there. However, one
instruction manual out each time to use the camera.
that I particularly enjoy is the “spy” feature, which will
turn the camera on and snap an image at regularly timed
Most buttons do double duty, like the on-off button also
intervals.
being the optical zoom. Within 10 minutes of reading
the instructions, I knew how the playback, zoom, continued on page 22
thumbnails and movie features all worked.
Examining the design of the EcoShot, it appears that
SeaLife has really put together a tough package. The
camera itself appears to be literally baked into a
Discover your passion with Sunsail
hard polycarbonate-like case with tight o-rings and
At Sunsail we share your passion for sailing, and have spent over 30 years
gaskets around the openings. Then, the case itself is
working to ensure our charters are the best value available. No matter if you're
rubberized. I’ve dropped the camera, first just to test
a group on our largest yacht, or a couple on our smallest, you'll get the same
Sunsail quality and service that make us the best value in sailing vacations today.
what the manufacturer claims and then while walking
backwards and rudely running into someone. I only
Trust your vacation to Sunsail - The company that loves
had to reach down, dust it off and keep on shooting. sailing as much as you do…
If I had done that with my other camera, I would have
been crying and picking up pieces, rather than
Call 888 252 3505 or visit www.sunsail.com
smiling and shooting more images. In fact, the only
negative thing I can say about the design is that I
would personally like to have a door over the lenses to
keep both saltwater and dirt from getting on them.
SAILING VACATIONS
Visit www.sealife-cameras.com
Caribbean • Mediterranean • South Pacif_ic • South East Asia • Indian Ocean
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