Liquid Image Explorer Series 5.0MP Underwater Digital Camera Mask

by Liquid Image

• Hands-free swim mask with built-in 5.0-megapixel digital camera
• Tough tempered glass lenses with integrated crosshairs for lining up shots
• Operates at depths of up to 15 feet; 16 MB of built-in memory
• MicroSD card slot with capacity of up to 2 GB (card not included)
• Includes PC-only image editing software; USB port for downloads

Product Details

• Product Dimensions: 4.3 x 5.3 x 8.4 inches ; 1.5 pounds
• Shipping Weight: 2 pounds
• Shipping: This item is also available for shipping to select countries outside the U.S.
• ASIN: B0017JQCKK
• Item model number: 302
• Average Customer Review: 4.0 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (25 customer reviews)
• Amazon Best Sellers Rank: #4,709 in Camera & Photo (See Top 100 in Camera & Photo)
  • #95 in Sports & Outdoors > Boating & Water Sports > Diving & Snorkeling > Diving Masks
• Date first available at Amazon.com: October 1, 2001

Product Description

Amazon.com

Keep your hands free as you swim. According to the manufacturer, this is the world's only swim mask that has an integrated waterproof digital-video camera and the ability to take photographs at 5MP. The mask operates to a depth of 15 feet underwater and eliminates the need to hand-carry an underwater camera. It's ideal for snorkeling or swimming pools.

The goggle lenses are made of tempered glass and have integrated crosshairs that help you line up shots. Turn the camera on and choose a mode with the upper button. Simply press the shutter button to record pictures or videos. An LED inside the mask tells you whether you are in still-image or video mode.

Downloading images is as easy as plugging the mask into your PC or Mac's UBS port. (A USB cable is included.) The included software (which works on PCs only) enables you to edit your image or video content.

The built-in 16 MB memory can store up to 27 high-resolution pictures or up to 52 seconds of video. A MicroSD card slot allows you to expand memory up to 2 GB for additional pictures or videos. The mask requires two AAA batteries, which are included, and is designed for ages 13 years and up.

What's in the Box?
Underwater digital camera mask and two AAA batteries

Product Description

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.

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

55 of 55 people found the following review helpful

5.0 out of 5 stars Great Underwater Camera April 22, 2009

By Chris

Amazon Verified Purchase

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.

55 of 57 people found the following review helpful

3.0 out of 5 stars Great videos, poor pics June 11, 2009

By Andy Rooney

Amazon Verified Purchase

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.

62 of 66 people found the following review helpful

3.0 out of 5 stars Camera mask still needs work September 9, 2008

By B. Williams

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