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GARMIN 300C OR 400C

Printed From: The Fishing Website
Category: Saltwater Fishing
Forum Name: The Briny Bar
Forum Description: The place for general chat on saltwater fishing!
URL: https://www.fishing.net.nz/forum/forum_posts.asp?TID=54830
Printed Date: 10 Jun 2026 at 11:21am


Topic: GARMIN 300C OR 400C
Posted By: mackem
Subject: GARMIN 300C OR 400C
Date Posted: 24 Jun 2010 at 9:53pm

Thinking of buying one of these Garmin fish finders but can't make up my mind which one to get . I will use it mainly for snapper in depths between 4 and 40 metres , does anyone out there own any of these two finders and what is your opinion , I know the 400c has a bigger screen but in a 16ft cabin boat I'm never going to be to far away from screen anyway , is it worth paying $150.00 more for a slightly bigger screen , opinions please .




Replies:
Posted By: CanadianJohn
Date Posted: 25 Jun 2010 at 6:51am
i had the 400C. bought it to replace my B&W hummingbird 535 and it was a mistake. the garmin is not waterproof, there are vent holes in the back. when you zoom it just increases the pixel size not really a proper zoom. at full zoom it lookes like an old game of space invaders. it lost the bottom often and took forever to find it again.
 
after that experience i wouldn't be so fixated on having a colour unit. if you want GOOD colour you have to pay for it. otherwise a tried and true B&W unit might make for a better experience. my 2 cents.


Posted By: Muppet
Date Posted: 25 Jun 2010 at 7:06am
Get a high resolution B & W Humminbird or Lowrance. A couple of hundy more gets you a new Lowrance 5X Elite Color and they look good for around $800.


Posted By: mackem
Date Posted: 25 Jun 2010 at 8:34am
thanks for the comments guys now I really  don't know what to buy , I did go and speak to some of the retailers around Tauranga about b/w or colour as I was not totaly set on colour but they all say go for colour , sales talk I guess !


Posted By: Clutch
Date Posted: 25 Jun 2010 at 2:38pm
Hmmmm, not waterproof?
 
I have a 300 C and never had a problem with water.
 
Pretty to look at but with my luck I dont call it a fishfinder....just a depth sounder.
 
I've heard a few people give it ****e......but I cant see why, in fact I quite like it


Posted By: N2Y
Date Posted: 25 Jun 2010 at 2:48pm
Originally posted by mackem mackem wrote:

... I did go and speak to some of the retailers around Tauranga about b/w or colour as I was not totaly set on colour but they all say go for colour , sales talk I guess !

A bit of info here of B/W vs colour vs cost.

http://www.fishing.net.nz/asp_forums/forum_posts.asp?TID=53357&title=fishfinder-high-end-bw-or-low-end-colour - http://www.fishing.net.nz/asp_forums/forum_posts.asp?TID=53357&title=fishfinder-high-end-bw-or-low-end-colour

Good luck mate LOL


Posted By: mackem
Date Posted: 25 Jun 2010 at 2:54pm
clutch , you say you don't call it a fishfinder.. just a depth sounder , does this mean it is no good for picking up fish ? , I already have a old b/w fish finder that is hopeless  picking up fish so really it is just a depth sounder , do you suggest the 300c is the same ??


Posted By: Muppet
Date Posted: 25 Jun 2010 at 3:00pm
Yeah he hardly talked it upLOL
 
Get a decent Humminbird or Lowrance mackem.


Posted By: Clutch
Date Posted: 25 Jun 2010 at 3:05pm
Originally posted by mackem mackem wrote:

clutch , you say you don't call it a fishfinder.. just a depth sounder , does this mean it is no good for picking up fish ? , I already have a old b/w fish finder that is hopeless  picking up fish so really it is just a depth sounder , do you suggest the 300c is the same ??
 
 
I'm saying that I dont catch many fish...thats all!
 
 
Yes it does pick up fish....I arent going to argue with others about it but personally I have no problems with it other that I need the transducer to give me speed not just temp and depth.
I'll get one soon as I should have been offered one originally


Posted By: mackem
Date Posted: 25 Jun 2010 at 3:12pm
I read that link newkakker ' good thread' but I can only afford to go up to about $550 so it limits my choice of colour greatly , thats why i'm looking at  the garmins 300 / 400c also looking at Eagle cuda 300 , eagle fish easy 245 ds and the lowrance x50 ds which I have been told is the same as the cuda 300??? Wacko any body want to throw anything else into the mix ?


Posted By: Muppet
Date Posted: 25 Jun 2010 at 4:13pm
mackem Lowrance X-52 awesome unit and can take hidingCool


Posted By: Catchelot
Date Posted: 25 Jun 2010 at 4:21pm
Macken a bigger screen and more pixels will give you a better display picture but what will really help with those samller and cheaper untis is a high -performance transducer and what that means is a narrow beam (approx 8 deg) versus standard which is a round 20 degrees. This is a bit like a torch with a pencil beam versus wide and so it will penetrate further and its beam is more concentrated and will give better target resolution and return stronger echoes of fish. 
 
So something to watch out for with whatever unit you decide is worth considering...


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"The sea, once it casts its spell, holds one in its net of wonder forever." - Jacques Cousteau



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