Side Imaging Question

[Matt Janes]

I'm looking at getting a new finder. I found a Humminbird 598ci HD SI for $600 at a local tackle shop. I have also been looking at the 899 HD SI for $999, cheapest I could find it for at Sail.

 

My question is: Does anyone have experience using side imaging on a 5" screen? Is it worth the extra $400 to upgrade to a 7" unit?

 

Would I be hindering myself in anyway with the 5" screen?

 

Thanks.

 

Matt

[Tayzak15]

I bought a 598 last June and already upgrade to a 998 by the beginning of this season so if that helps at all?

[Matt Janes]

Possibly...what were your main reasons for upgrading? Screen size?

 

Thanks

 

Matt

[Tayzak15]

screen size, better transducer on the 998, easier to see in the sun, more visible when running split screen and now it also has the autochart support!

[wormdunker]

Tayzak

I have the 798. I find the visibility in the bright sunlight is very good. What is autochart support? Thanx

[aplumma]

on a 5 inch screen you are going to compress the data on a 40 ft side view to 2.5 inches. your detail will be tough to read. I use the lowrance 7 inch and even that is compressed more than I like.

 

 

 

Art

[grimsbylander]

No one has ever regretted having a larger screen but tons of people upgrade all the time. I'm a Lowrance user but the idea is the same...when using side scan or downscan you want a larger viewing area. Mainly because you want to do a split screen so you can see where you are on you map and/or you want to see your 2D sonar. I will commonly split my screen 3 ways for this reason. Following a contour line, marking fish, and using sidescan to isolate structure would be tough on a 5", but not impossible.

[MrSimon]

I have the HB 898. I like to split the screen and have the SI display on about 3/4 of the screen and two other smaller readouts on the rest. Its just barely big enough.

 

I think you'll be OK with the SI on the 598, but you won't be able to do any sort of split screen view. And split screen views is crucial in my opinion. I hate having to push buttons to flip between screens. Seeing three at a time is the bees knees.