5" screen for sidescan

[joruzzi]

Hi guys, looking for some advice regarding some fishfinder I am looking into. I really want sidescan and mapping but I have a tight budget of about $350. Been looking at used lowrance hook 5 tripleshot and humminbird g2 5 si. Are the screens big enough to read sidescan with good eyes or is it really difficult to see anything at all?

Thanks for the help in advance

[12poundbass]

You’ll get an image but it’ll be very small. Take a pop can and turn it sideways, that’s about the size of screen you’ll get. 

[Russ E]

i had a helix 5 with side imaging. the screen was so small the side imaging was near useless. 

if you want side imaging 7 inch would be my bare minimum.

[12poundbass]

21 minutes ago, Russ E said:

i had a helix 5 with side imaging. the screen was so small the side imaging was near useless. 

if you want side imaging 7 inch would be my bare minimum.

You’re right. I have a Helix 7 SI G2N and I wish I had a 9 or bigger. 

[Jleebesaw]

I had a hook2 5 and it was junk.i was always fighting with it. It just didn't always work. I would try to buy a different unit. Save up if you have to. I wasted a lot of money on budget units before finally buying a better one that works well.

     I wouldn't recommend a small screen for side imaging. It's just trying to put too much coverage area on a small screen. There just isn't enough pixels to show what the sonar returns are actually picking up. I have a 9" now and feel that even that's not ideal. The small screen isn't bad on di and is fine for 2d, but not si.

[OperationEagle]

I also had a 7 and now have a 10. 

 

You will kick yourself for getting a 5 SI.  Spend a little more and also look used?

 

there are some people that just have to have the latest version each year and sell their old stuff. 

[Dogface]

Go bigger!

 

I have a 7" and a 9". I wish I had bought the 11" rather than the 9" but it was twice as much $ at the time. I can see fish and other detail on both but a bigger screen would be better.

[J Francho]

I have a Helix 5 and 7.  The 5 is fine to me in the kayak, but My viewing distance is 3' or less.

[jaimeastin]

Screensize is important... I have a couple 9" for my side usage... But I wish the resolution was higher and just expanded.  The better the resolution, shoot, the screen size would not matter as much.