Spydro vs Hook-Eye – Fishing Camera Comparison

Spydro vs Hook-Eye

In this post, I will compare two great known fishing cameras, this comparison will be the Spydro vs the Hook-Eye. Now, as much as these two cameras have things in common, they also differ a lot. And while on many comparisons people want to know which one is the better one. Not always this will be relevant, due to different uses and applications relevancy. And this is what I am about to check in this comparison.

What will I compare?

Like I did with the comparison between Spydro and GoFish Cam, I will compare each feature on each camera. While some features both cameras have, others only Spydro has, and some only Hook-Eye has. For the features both cameras have, I will compare their capabilities and see which one is better than the other.

Before I begin, if you are not familiar with the Spydro fishing camera, you can read our full review about it here.

Spydro vs Hook-Eye – Setting up the camera

Before I will start talking about the features of the cameras, I will begin with the way you can configure it.

Like with every camera, you can change its settings in order to maximize your needs. And setting up each camera is completely different between the Spydro and Hook-Eye.

Spydro has a very simple mobile app which allows you to connect your Spydro to your smartphone. On the mobile app, you can choose your preferred configurations. If you want to see a tutorial about how to configure Spydro you can see it on YouTube over here.

Hook-Eye, on the other hand, does not have a mobile app and to set up your camera you will need to connect the Hook-Eye camera to your computer. Once Hook-Eye is connected, you need to go to the Hook-Eye support set up page. There, you will be able to choose from a certain profile that suits your needs, or, you can create your preferred settings. Once you set everything up, you download the file and save it into the Hook-Eye camera. In order that changes will be applied, you have to disconnect the Hook-Eye camera from the computer. In case to make things easier, you can watch the Hook-Eye set up tutorial over here.

Setting up the camera thru a webpage is an old fashioned way. I do hope Hook-Eye will change it soon since that limits the way you can use Hook-Eye. For example, let’s say you decide to change a setting, but you are on the water without your laptop or tablet. Or maybe you are in a place with no internet connection. Which in other words, that means you can’t change the settings.

Spydro wins this round with a very easy and comfortable mobile app that allows you to set up the camera whenever and wherever you want.

Camera Quality

One of the most important things about a camera is its quality.

Camera quality means video modes, FOV, FPS, light correction, stability, color correction, and contrast.

• Video modes – Both Spydro and Hook-Eye support 1080p and 720p.
• FOV – Spydro has 130 degrees. Hook-Eye has 140 degrees.
• FPS – Spydro supports 30FPS in 1080p (Full HD) and 30/60FPS in 720p (HD). Hook-Eye supports 30/25FPS in 1080p and 60/50/30/25FPS in 720p. Hook-Eye supports more FPS than Spydro.
• Light correction – Both Spydro and Hook-Eye has a light correction feature.

Some other features of the camera I still need to check and compare between the two, like the stability. Once I will have that, I will update it here.

Spydro vs Hook-Eye – Night Vision

Night vision is an important feature for fishing camera. Both cameras have 2 great led lights which can be configured before using it in fishing. That means, that the lights will turn on and off according to the scene and lights conditions. None of the companies are telling us how strong the lights can be (measured in Lumens).

So, on this round, I will say it is a tie

Spydro vs Hook-Eye – Battery

Regarding batteries, both Spydro and Hook-Eye have a Lipo battery. Lipos are lightweight and have improved safety. This is a good note about both companies since the Lipo batteries are more expensive (in about 30%).

On this round, It is a tie

Spydro vs Hook-Eye – Battery Life

The battery life of the Spydro is good for 3.5 hours while Hook-Eye can run for 3 hours.

In this round, Spydro wins with longer battery life.

Spydro vs Hook-Eye – Memory Card

Spydro comes in 2 flavors, 16GB and 32GB, while Hook-Eye can store MicroSD cards up to 32GB.

Keep in mind that on purchasing Spydro you are getting the memory card along with it. But with Hook-Eye you will need to purchase it separately.

In addition, since Spydro is a smart fishing camera, Spydro, due to its smart sensors, will provide you with only relevant videos. I will explain it later on in Spydro’ unique features section.

So, Spydro wins on this round as well.

Spydro vs Hook-Eye – Depth

Regarding the depth, Hook-Eye can go deep up to 180 meters. Spydro, on the other hand, can go deep up to 150 meters.

So on this round, Hook-Eye is the winner.

Spydro vs Hook-Eye – Waterproof

In this section, I will explain how much vulnerable each camera is for water. Yes, I know what you think, and I will say that upfront. Both cameras are 100% waterproof. After all, they are both underwater cameras. But, since the way Spydro was designed and built, I realized that there is another parameter which can be compared between these two cameras. Well, as you know, Spydro was designed to be waterproof – marine-grade by design. So, that means you cannot open it. You cannot access the battery and you can’t access the SD card. assuring that water won’t get inside the camera. However, Hook-Eye will require you to open and close it whenever it is needed. For example to charge it, to get your SD Card, to configure it, and etc.

So, since Spydro is completely sealed, it is better protected against water. Hence Spydro wins in this round as well.

Spydro vs Hook-Eye – Available Kits

Each fishing camera can be purchased with different accessories which basically defines the purpose of using the camera. Spydro has 2 kits which are Basic and Premium. The basic kit includes the camera, its charger and carrying pouch for it. And the Spydro premium kit will have in addition: a floater, 2 weights, weight holder and a weight holder key. The premium kit does not come with the carrying pouch.

Spydro also offers a boat mount which allows you to mount the camera to a device which has a standard international clip (like the one is used for GoPro). That allows you to attach the camera to your boat or even to a spearfishing pole.

Hook-Eye has 2 kits as well. There is the Hook-Eye Fishing Kit and there is also the Hook-Eye Diving Kit.

The Hook-Eye Fishing Kit has all the accessories which allow the camera to sink and get attached to your fishing line. The diving kit, on the other hand, comes with a diving mount attachment, which allows you to dive while holding the camera with a very comfortable handle.

Spydro vs Hook-Eye – Price Wise

The price tag of the Spydro is 239$ which includes the microSD card and a free express worldwide shipping. However, the Hook-Eye fishing camera will cost you 399$, shipping included as well. Even though a microSD card won’t cost you much, keep in mind that when purchasing the Hook-Eye you will need to buy yourself a microSD card which can cost you between 10$ to 30$.

The Hook-Eye is pricy in my opinion (almost double than the Spydro). Spydro, on the other hand, has reduced its price by 15% without compromising any of its features. Moreover, Spydro is running specials from time to time, and you can find it sometimes for even 199$ as well.

So, Spydro wins on this round as well.

Spydro vs Hook-Eye – Spydro Unique Features

Since Spydro is the first smart fishing camera in the world, being smart allows Spydro to do things no other fishing camera can. Here are the most important ones, which Hook-Eye does not have.

Spydro – Mobile App

One of the great things about Spydro is the ability to control, set and use the camera thru its mobile app. Spydro’s mobile app is nice and easy. And you can configure Spydro to different types of fishing thru your journey, from trolling to float fishing or any other desired fishing type.

In addition to setting the camera, using the mobile app allows you to view the videos Spydro captured, access your fishing log (I will talk about that in the next section), see all the water details, like temperature, depth, salinity and more.

Spydro – Live Video Streaming

One of the unique features Spydro has is live video streaming while the camera floats over water. Using a WiFi connection, you can see live what is happening under the water.

Having that gives you a huge advantage over other anglers. In addition, it lets you learn how the fish react to your baits, so you can improve it all the time.

Spydro – Fishing Log

One of the most important features the Spydro has is the fishing log. The importance of the fishing log exists thanks to other unique features the Spydro has, like the sensors and the bite detector, which I will talk about them in the following sections.

The fishing log will summarize for you all the important events that happened during fishing. That means all the catches and attacks on your bait. On every event, you can know the date, time, speed, water details, and the location. These are highly important details which are impossible to remember or log manually by yourself.

The fishing log is such a powerful tool, that it will increase your catches by hundreds of percents. Knowing all the details about a catch will teach you more than you can possibly learn from anyone or even from the internet.

All the other features I will be talking about from now on, are features that the fishing log is processing in order to properly do all the work for you.

Spydro – Built-in GPS

Everyone knows what is a GPS, right? And since Spydro wants to provide you with the location of every single catch that you had, and show you the route that you had with your boat, for that Spydro is using a GPS.

You caught a great fish – Do you want to return to the exact place next year? With Spydro it is not a problem.

Spydro – Environmental Sensors

One of the main things that make Spydro smart and powerful is its sensors. Spydro is using several sensors in the water to collect its salinity, temperature and trolling speed.

Salinity – Not too many anglers know the importance of the water’s salinity for fish. There are some fish who lives on a specific salinity level, and for you as an angler, you have no way to measure it. Spydro, on the other hand, will do it for you.

Temperature – Spydro will measure the water temperature all the time, so you can see along your entire route what was the temperature that triggered the fish to attack.

Trolling Speed – Experienced angler knows that different fish attacks on different trolling speed. That is exactly the reason why Spydro records on each catch what was your trolling speed.  So no more guessing what was your exact trolling speed for Tuna or Barracuda.

Spydro – Bite Detector

The bite detector lives up to its name, is a group of sensors which detect when a fish bites your bait. Whenever a fish bites your bait, Spydro saves your video for you, 15 seconds before the bite happened, so when you finished your fishing and takes your camera back, you are left with only relevant videos showing all the bites that occurred. So, no more having hours of videos with non-relevant videos.  No more spending hours in front of your computer in order to decide which video to delete. The bite detector will save you a lot of time and a lot of free space on your memory card.

Basically, since 32GB can hold 1.5 hours of high-quality video, so even if a camera can work almost 4 hours on each battery cycle, that means that if something important happened after, let’s say 2 hours, you won’t be able to know it since your memory card is full. But with Spydro, since it only records whenever there is a bite, that promise you that your memory card won’t be full after 4 hours of work.

Spydro – Energy Saver

Last import feature that I would like to talk about is the water sensor.

The water sensor simply detects when the camera is in the water and when it is out of the water. The water sensor allows Spydro to decide when to be turned on and off.

Since Spydro does not have any buttons on it, entering the water simply turns on the camera, and once Spydro detects that it is out of the water it is turned off after 3 minutes. This manages and saves your battery life in the best way. So you can’t forget the camera on and go out fishing without enough battery.

Spydro vs Hook-Eye – What Other People Think

Prior to writing this article, I started a poll on our Facebook page, asking our readers what they think about Spydro and GoFish Cam, and we also asked which camera they prefer.

What do you think people chose?

91% of the calls were on Spydro’s favor. So, as for the final round, Spydro wins as well

Spydro VS Hook-Eye – The Results

On this Spydro vs Hook-Eye comparison, it isn’t that hard to say that Spydro is a much better deal than the Hook-Eye. It seems that Spydro thought about everything on their camera. After all, you need to remember that the Spydro is a smart fishing camera, while the Hook-Eye is a “regular” fishing camera.

With Spydro’s unique features like a mobile app, a fishing log, special sensors, smart battery saver and many other great features, no doubt it was an easy call for Spydro.

But, Hook-Eye fishing camera, the besides their price, is a good fishing camera, which gave Spydro a good fight in this comparison. And if for some reason, you didn’t like the Spydro, you won’t go wrong with the Hook-Eye fishing camera, you won’t get disappointed.

But, if I was you, I wouldn’t think twice and get myself the Spydro camera and have those extra “smart” features, which other fishing cameras out there do not have. And save me with 200$.

Spydro is a fresh new player in town, and I can definitely say that Spydro changed the rules by raising the expectations from a fishing camera. No other fishing cameras like Spydro is currently available in the market. And choosing Spydro will be your best fishing choice and the best value for your money.

So, what you think about Spydro and Hook-Eye? Which fishing camera do you prefer? Did I change your mind by reading this article? Let me know your thoughts in the comments section below.