Best Side Imaging / StructureScan Sonar to Buy?!

I am wanting to purchase a new side imaging unit from Hummingbird or structure scan unit from Lowrance and wanted to get people's perspective on which is better. I will be using it in lakes 10-40 ft deep. Looking to find underwater structure and contours. Budget is up to $1000. I currently have a Lowrance Elite 4 DSI but need a unit for trolling. I am leaning toward Hummingbird but wanted to find out if Lowrance has better quality or imaging.
Thanks to all that reply!

I am biased since I have never owned anything but birds, flashers to current 998/788 combo.
easy to use, updates are simple, great detail with a navionics platinum chip (in my 998), plenty of options in the menu to set up like you want (both probably equal here).
one thing that you might find usefull for trolling is the switchfire screen, clear gives a real good shot of what is under you, normal can look cluttered but shows literally everything.
be aware that trolling faster than 4-5 mph you will lose signal, going 1-3 (what I normally do) you should get good shots of what is going on.

pm shutupandfish on here and get whichever you buy from him, great guy to do business with (go check the classified reports).
this is right on your budget but an excellent unit for what you want to do.. had one on the bow and still would if I had the room, was just too big on my old champion.

http://www.shut-up-and-fish.com/humminbird-899ci-combo-side-imaging-transducer-p-19217.html

My opinion is Hummingbird is a lot more user friendly, right know you can find super deals on the 998si combo, just installed one on a boat at my shop and he paid a grand for it brand new

Humminbird. But I'm bias as well. I don't know about the new Lowrance units but one of the deciding factors for me was not having to wire in a separate module for side scan and now with the addition of 360 as a possible add on it makes even more sense to have a Bird.

That's easy. To my knowledge Humminbird is the only one making a side imager for less than $1200.

Thanks for all the inputs...looks like I'm going with a hummingbird!

Lowrance has a better picture. IF im not mistaken the lowrance has 2 transducers, one for sidescan and one for regular downscan. The hummingbird incorporates both into one transducer. Most people will tell you lowrance has the better picture. I have the HDS8 and i can tell you its Very user friendly.

I use Humminbird units and have helped some with their Lowrance HDS units-installation and operation. The Lowrance menus are a nighmare in comparison to the Humminbird menus.
They may be fine for those already used to all the levels of menus, but for someone with no experience with either, the Humminbirds are easier to learn.

if you buy the bird be sure to register it on the website and start an acct. then check it monthly for updates. since I have had my 998 I have updated it 2-3 times.
not sure if lowrance does this.

He's not asking which unit is the easiest to use or user friendly, he wants to know which one has the best side and down scan. I had humminbirds since the very first boat I ever bought and never really spent the time or effort to learn how to use them to their full capabilities because they are so user friendly. I was always afraid to try the Lowrance unit because everyone said they are so hard to work with. Well I started checking and looking around at the fishermen who uses their electronics to earn a living and I also talked to quite a few of them and the majority use Lowrance. I decided that I was going to switch to Lowrance and do whatever it took to become proficient with the units. I had to do a lot of research and studying on the Lowrance units than I ever did on the Hunninbirds, but I am learning how to use the electronic on the Lowrance to the fullest which I never did with the Humminbirds. It is my belief and opinion that the Lowrance has the best side/down and sonar and I am glad that I switched.

I don't care what you buy because i an not biased but if you have ever used Lowrance graphs before then the menus aren't that complicated. The new Touch graphs are so easy even a monkey could work them but I'm not sure they are in your price range.
I find talk cheap and pictures worth a lot more.... Proof



Here's something Hbird can't do, a 4 screen split.



Some more pics.

Grout-scout, thanks for posting those images.

Here is something that Lowrance Structure Scan can't do that Humminbird Side Imaging can do. Here is 200' of bottom coverage all the way to the outside edge of the view in less than 4' of water.



If you want to see what the lake bottom looks like and not have a blurry faded out view, Side Imaging is your choice:

Actually both products do very well within their capabilities when adjusted and used properly.
There are positivies and negatives for both. How you plan on using them should determine which suits your needs.
Some have both products so they have the best capabilities of each.

All a person has to do is read on the Lowrance pages how many people left bird because they couldn't get good images like Wayne's. You have to constantly adjust for boat speed, enhance this or that, yada yada yada. Lots of fiddling with settings unlike with the Lowrance, it's automatic.


And Wayne, although your pic is prettier, mine is in 1' of water. The trolling motor was digging in the mud, unlike the 4' you were in.

Wayne do tell how awesome the customer service with the update issues are with Humminbird? They are getting right on fixing some of the issues, correct? You do know about the issue I'm referring too, yes?

Both are great and it's all about preferences. No technology is perfect. Enjoy what you got and good luck.

Yes, I do and that particular issue is of no concern to me since I use Side Imaging all the time. The OP's topic was about the imaging technology. Thanks for asking though.

I don't have any examples in less than 1' of water and at 100' range setting.
This one is where I was following a creek channel and staying away from it in case there were bass moving to the cooler thunderstorm run-off. There was and I caught some.

I will have to compliment you on your unit setting of 455 kHz for Structure Scan. I see so many loose the horizontal coverage by choosing 800 kHz. Good Job.

Just messing with you Wayne, you take this pretty serious sometimes. I'd be happy with either brand and I now await what Garmin has to offer, just don't see much of it yet. I get bored with the same thing if I have it very long.

Actually bird has 3-4 that will do quad screen.

Really? I haven't ever seen anybody post a 4 screen split image. Do you have any saved Hop? Wayne and Doug are about the only 2 I've ever seen post any images here, kinda sad because I like looking at any brands images. Now Garmin has a SI graph and I hope we get some of their images posted too.

I am not aware of a 4 way view with any Humminbird units except the preview images of the ION blue water sonar unit.

Not sure if you guys are aware of this, but Lowrance's HDS8 isn't in the $1000 range. Furthermore, the lowrance products in the $1,000 range can only view 2 windows whereas HB's in that budget can view 3 windows.

Hey Wayne,

Can you tell us newbies what some of the positives and negatives of each unit are?

This ought to be good, lol.

Is this like the "Ford VS Chevy VS Toyota" debate?

I switched from lowrance to birds in the last year and a half and I can tell you it is the worse mistake I've ever made...

Lol, I've read that several times before.

Same here. I started with Lowrance and due to all the hype switched to top end HB's, bow and console. Huge mistake for me. Went back to Lowrance and could not be more happy.
Not sure about the comments on 2 or 3 or more splits, the Elite 7 is $700 and you get 3 splits.
And the comments about extra boxes, the Touch doesn't need an extra box and you can get a bow mount transducer for the new Spotlight feature for $500 as opposed to the $2000 for HB's 360. And if you haven't used one of the new Touch units you don't know what ease of use is! Unless maybe the new HB Onix is better? Havn't even looked at them.

Lowrance Elite 7 doesn't have side imaging.

Lowrance man here, but also drive Ford Powerstroke, and Nitro is the boat!