Cosmographer
Contributor
- Messages
- 149
- Reaction score
- 28
- # of dives
- 200 - 499
Ok, so this computer has been out for a while now, but seeing as how I just got it, I thought I would share my thoughts on it for those who, like me, have been considering it but were hesitant due to the lack of reviews out there.
This is not a real review. I'm too new of a diver to judge it's abilities and characteristics. Besides, I haven't even taken it out on a dive yet. That said, the interface seems easier to use than that of the Oceanic Atom 3.0, and if you're familiar with other Oceanic computers, navigating this one shouldn't prove too difficult - in fact, it was somewhat intuitive for me. And after reading all the horror stories of failing transmitters, I was worried about using an AI, but now that I've seen one in action, there's no going back. The Atom 3.0's AI worked flawlessly and I would expect similar results with the OC1.
The real draw for me, however, was the appearance of the computer. I know this board seems inundated with "function-over-form" types which, while sensible, is still no excuse for looking silly. So I expect some may dismiss this as a reason for buying the OC1, but it was an important consideration for me. While I've worn my watch all around the world, I always have lingering concerns in the back of my mind regarding potential loss. So I wanted a dive computer that would look good enough to replace my cosmograph as a "travel watch". The OC1 Pioneer was one of the very few dive computers that could pull this off. (The Suunto line looked pretty good too).
But after watching the "Unboxing the OC1" video on YouTube by eDiving, I almost canceled my order. The watch did not look as good in the video as it did in the pictures for some reason. But I decided to give it a chance, and I'm glad I did. It looked great in person and on my wrist. So good, in fact, that I'm tempted to wear it as my daily watch at home rather than my other horologically more impressive watches. I never thought I'd see the day when a digital watch would even come close to tempting me away from a mechanical movement, haha.
I do, however, have a few observations and comments:
Anyway, until I actually take it for a dive (in a few weeks), these superficial observations are all I have to offer. But for those considering the OC1, perhaps this post might be helpful.
This is not a real review. I'm too new of a diver to judge it's abilities and characteristics. Besides, I haven't even taken it out on a dive yet. That said, the interface seems easier to use than that of the Oceanic Atom 3.0, and if you're familiar with other Oceanic computers, navigating this one shouldn't prove too difficult - in fact, it was somewhat intuitive for me. And after reading all the horror stories of failing transmitters, I was worried about using an AI, but now that I've seen one in action, there's no going back. The Atom 3.0's AI worked flawlessly and I would expect similar results with the OC1.
The real draw for me, however, was the appearance of the computer. I know this board seems inundated with "function-over-form" types which, while sensible, is still no excuse for looking silly. So I expect some may dismiss this as a reason for buying the OC1, but it was an important consideration for me. While I've worn my watch all around the world, I always have lingering concerns in the back of my mind regarding potential loss. So I wanted a dive computer that would look good enough to replace my cosmograph as a "travel watch". The OC1 Pioneer was one of the very few dive computers that could pull this off. (The Suunto line looked pretty good too).
But after watching the "Unboxing the OC1" video on YouTube by eDiving, I almost canceled my order. The watch did not look as good in the video as it did in the pictures for some reason. But I decided to give it a chance, and I'm glad I did. It looked great in person and on my wrist. So good, in fact, that I'm tempted to wear it as my daily watch at home rather than my other horologically more impressive watches. I never thought I'd see the day when a digital watch would even come close to tempting me away from a mechanical movement, haha.
I do, however, have a few observations and comments:
- The attached titanium bracelet feels kind of cheap and tinny compared to top quality stainless steel bands, so SS wearers, be aware of this.
- The titanium bracelet is user-adjustable via pins on the clasp, but not by much. I suppose you could take it to a professional to get some links removed, but then you'd need them replaced again to make it big enough for a wetsuit. My conclusion is that if you want the OC1 to double as a surface watch and a dive computer, you need to switch to the rubber straps that are included. (Unless your wrist size happens to be just the right size so that adjusting the clasp will allow you to wear it over a wetsuit).
- I actually think the rubber straps look better anyway. And one nice feature of the straps is that the buckle/loop (into which you slide the extra length that extends beyond the clasp) is notched on the inside. This means it can hook into the strap's holes so the buckle/loop doesn't move around. This has always been a major hassle for me, so I'm very happy to see this simple feature. (did anyone actually understand what I just wrote? lol)
- My unit was #803 out of 1000. It also arrived somewhat defective. A few pixels on the screen were not working and one of the buttons seemed to be stuck on the pushed-in position. I'll chalk this up to bad luck and exchange it for another one.
- One feature that I usually prefer but seems absent on this watch: user-replaceable batteries. The Atom 3.0 was user-replaceable, so I made the same assumption about the OC1. But if its batteries are user-replaceable, I haven't figured out how yet. However, after reading about another poster's experience with flooding computers after changing the batteries, maybe this feature is not such a big deal after all, hehe.
Anyway, until I actually take it for a dive (in a few weeks), these superficial observations are all I have to offer. But for those considering the OC1, perhaps this post might be helpful.
