This review is for the Fisher CZ-5. I got turned on to this machine when a friend let me borrow his for a few weeks. This machine is a great deep seeking machine with a okay price range.
MSRP for this machine is around the $800 range. It price is on the upper end for a mid line model. But I think the performance out weighs the cost. ( some dealers will offer discounts) There are 3 choices for loops. A 5 inch, 8 inch, and 12 inch. The 5 and 8 inch loops work great in peoples yards. But it will take some time to cover ground with the 5 inch loop. The 5 inch loop has very good depth. If you want to purchase extra shafts for this machine. They are about $18 a piece.
You have to ground balance the CZ-5. It is done manually. Which can be a pain sometimes. I tend to check mine every once in a while. Once you get use to balancing the machine. It is second nature. I think the bobbing method is the best. With some practice. You can do it with one hand.
There are not to many controls on this machine. And what controls there are. They are very self explanatory. This is a meter machine. So it will tell you roughly what the item is that was found. It is a analog meter. Which I like. This way you know what kind of metal it is. But it is not telling you exactly what it is. This makes you dig. For example. Most people don't like to dig the penny signals. Also known as the zinc reading. But one day when I dug a zinc reading. I found a 1/2 reale. I have found two of these coins. And both of them have read zinc. This machine breaks down in 3 pieces. I am able to carry my whole detector in a backpack. The machine weighs about 4 to 5 pounds. It does get a little heavy with the 12 inch loop on. You can take the box off And either chest or hip mount it if you like. If you chest mount the machine. You can wade in the water with it. Just don't get the box wet. And for you ocean beach people. The CZ-5 has a switch for a salt mode. This helps with the mineralization at the ocean. I have never had a problem with this machine not being able to handle some type of soil. It is very stable. If you have a hunting buddy. And they are using a different machine than you. The CZ-5 will make there machine go crazy. I have never had a problem with a different machine next to me.
People say this machine is not a metal detector. But a piece of lab equipment. That is because of the sensitivity. And I agree. Every year. Farmers till this one field. I found a 22 bullet casing in the dirt. Below where the tillers could not reach. That is about 15 inches. The CZ-5 has to frequencies. One for shallow items and one for deep item. The 3 tone ID helps you roughly figure out what you have found. You will have to turn the discrimination way down to find those gold rings. But it picks up gold and silver with no problem. Fisher recently added a limited life time warranty. So you might pay a little more than some machines. But with the depth and the warranty you get with this machine. It is well worth it.
I don't know the details. But Fisher has been reorganizing at there plant. To my understanding. They have done away with the CZ-5. But there are some dealers who still have them. And when they run out. Here are some relatives of the CZ-5 you should look for. They are the CZ-6. Which is the same as the CZ-5 for the most part. Except the CZ-6 doesn't have a speaker. But is weather proof. This is my machine. And for a awesome water machine. Look for the CZ-20. I guess the CZ-20 has been discontinued too. But is works just the the CZ-5. Happy hunting.
