# Lowrance resolution



## eightwt (May 11, 2017)

Was told at a BPS that Lowrance units lag far behind Garmin and Humminbird in screen resolution. Your opinion please. He hadn't heard of FMT either, just sayin....


----------



## firecat1981 (Nov 27, 2007)

Never listen to an "expert" from the big box stores. Just compare the specs on each unit.


----------



## Egrets Landing (Feb 11, 2016)

If they could not advise exactly what the differences really are in terms the actual specs of the different units the salesperson was not demonstrating much expertise. It is so simple to look up and compare. The truth is for each price point all of the machines in the market are approximately equally capable and there are not substantive differences in resolution etc. It's all minor differences. If you spend $700 on a lowrance and compare it to any other mfg. that sells a machine for about $700 there is no difference worth mentioning in terms of the unit specs. The same could be said for a $5,000 GPS from any two mfgs. That salesperson at BPS was poorly informed and provided misleading comments. That is not an uncommon experience at many larger retailers.


----------



## lemaymiami (Feb 9, 2007)

If that friendly clerk in the big box store hasn't heard of FMT... you've just learned all you need to know about any advice he (or she) has to give... I long ago learned to evaluate folks in stores pretty quickly - without asking them anything - just listening to what their spiel was - then asking myself were they buying or selling? My next question was usually answered before I could voice it as well... and that is very simply - do they know their products (and are they familiar with any alternatives to whatever you're needing...). Never seems to take long to figure out either.

Some years ago folks began voicing concerns that "big box stores" were killing smaller operations and that all of us would suffer since the smaller outfits are where a business category's knowledge is held..... All of that hand wringing got us nowhere since everyone was cheerfully willing to soak up any knowledge they needed from small shops - then go to the big box to buy it cheaper (and the internet only supercharged that process...). I first heard concerns about this more than forty years ago now - and since some of my income came from those smaller shops I paid attention. But guys like that clerk you dealt with show just how bad things have gotten and I don't see anything in sight to reverse the process. I'm no longer making things for shops (more or less) and must say - "Wish it weren't so..."


----------



## mmccull5 (Nov 15, 2012)

In terms of bottom machine resolution? Humminbird has the best imaging. Lowrance, simrad and garmin seem equal in my opinion. 

Too bad the humminbird unit wouldn't fit in my console. The "flush" mount isn't quite flush either.


----------



## Egrets Landing (Feb 11, 2016)

I agree the Hbird sidescan is a little better than the other options. They have a slight edge there but it is not an enormous difference. If bottom scanning is your thing, that is the best choice. However, they run Garmin controlled maps and their own Lakeside maps so if Navigation is your thing, its not the best option and there is an enormous difference in their supported charts and Lowrance. If radar was your thing, they would not be the best option either. Also, the sonar technology is not the same as the resolution of the screens. You won't find a big difference in the number of pixels of resolution on similar priced units across mfg. lines.


----------



## formerWAflyfisher (Sep 5, 2008)

Egrets Landing said:


> I agree the Hbird sidescan is a little better than the other options. They have a slight edge there but it is not an enormous difference. If bottom scanning is your thing, that is the best choice. However, they run Garmin controlled maps and their own Lakeside maps so if Navigation is your thing, its not the best option and there is an enormous difference in their supported charts and Lowrance. If radar was your thing, they would not be the best option either. Also, the sonar technology is not the same as the resolution of the screens. You won't find a big difference in the number of pixels of resolution on similar priced units across mfg. lines.


What he said!!!!


----------



## eightwt (May 11, 2017)

Thanks for the replys. We fish an area where underwater obstacles, specifically rocks, are prevelant. Being able to identify them, after some study, would be very handy. FMT appears to have the best chance of doing that and having a machine capable of utilizing the clarity is a must. Some of the rather large ones are marked even on my handheld gps chart, but there are many, many more. Our method now is to mark them as we visually see them while puttin' or poling along. And as BB says, they move at night so we run slow no matter what.


----------

