GoPro reviews

[FishingGoalie]

Forgot to mention i have the Hero 3 Black edition

[Treebeard]

I recently purchased a GoPro Hero 4 Silver, SRP red & macro filters and SRP tray. I will dive with it for the first time in March in Bonaire and post some movies when we return. My budget ran dry so no lights this trip but next trip for sure.

In my opinion if you intend on shooting stills, you need a good dedicated point & shoot or DSLR if you have the cash.
The cost of the housing will likely cost more than the camera but the image quality will be better than those "underwate ready" cameras".
If you are shooting video you need a dedicated video camera and nothing beats a GoPro for the money. I have around $750 invested in my GoPro system and by the time I get some lights it will be at least $1,200.

In either case still or video, it is essential to use external lighting moved away from the camera lens with a tray and arms. If not, backscatter will be a problem.

If you have any doubts on the kind of video you can shoot with a GoPro, check out this divers work: Critters Of Sulawesi

Check out the GoPro forum at Scubaboard for lots of good advice.

[daplatapus]

Wow, a bunch of camera's I've never looked at yet. While video's are cool, and I'd definitely want something that can do them, if I'm totally honest with myself, my love really is macro photography. It drives my dive partner nuts when he's looking around at the big blue and I've got my face cramped in some hole looking to see what's in there. But, even to his reluctant admission, I see way more life than he does, lol.

I guess with all the suggestions so far and a bit more reading I've done here's the camera's I'm still got in the running (in time I may end up with more than one) in no particular order:

GoPro hero 4 Silver
Intova Sport HD II
Intova Edge X
Sealife DC1400 Sea Dragon Maxx Duo

Money isn't as much of an issue as my satisfaction in the end. If I can't afford what I want now, I'll wait till I can. Nothing worse than settling for something you can buy now but don't use it because it sucks.

I have a bit of experience using some under water camera gear. My dive buddy has an older Sony DSLR (can't remember what model) with an underwater housing and I'm not that impressed. Buttons are hard to deal with, impossible when I wear my dry gloves for winter diving around here. He doesn't have any strobes for it so backscatter is always present if you try and use the flash. My UK1200 light does ok as a light source, but it's very pinpoint-ish so you always see the circular light ring.

Craigdillman: Can you remember at what depths you were diving at in the video you posted? What accessories do you have for your GoPro? Any filters, lights, etc? The colours were better than I thought you'd get out of that camera.

Thanks for all the suggestions so far! Keep em coming. If you think of other factors or camera's to think of, let us know.

[Craigdillman]

Craigdillman: Can you remember at what depths you were diving at in the video you posted? What accessories do you have for your GoPro? Any filters, lights, etc? The colours were better than I thought you'd get out of that camera.

Thanks for all the suggestions so far! Keep em coming. If you think of other factors or camera's to think of, let us know.[/quote]

Sorry I missed this from a while ago the only addon we had is the red filter for it we dived from 40 up too 100 feet there I found anything too shallow the red filter would wash out but soon as you dropped down like 20 feet your golden love the camera love the editing

[Treebeard]

Nice shots!


Here is what I picked up for my GoPro:
SRP Tray
I also plan on getting these arms.
These are the filters I bought.
I am fairly certain you need the green filter for cold water diving off the BC coast. The red filters are meant for blue water.

I have one of these lights ordered. Hopefully it will arrive before we leave for Bonaire.
If the light works out OK I will likely pick up another one.
I also bought this pole.

[daplatapus]

Your tray is quite similar to what I got, here's the one I've ordered:
http://www.ebay.com/itm/SharkFin-Tra.../111603831476?

I got these filters with the added green water filter and the +10 macro:

http://www.backscatter.com/sku/bs-fl...ftn=youbetcha&

And I got an absolutely smoking deal (IMHO) on 2 of these :
http://tovatec.com/gvlgalaxy-video-light/

[daplatapus]

Here's a portion of a video I took on our dive yesterday. We're only about 35' deep at this point. My aim was to see the difference in my old light (a UK1200 Halogen) to my new Tovatek Galaxy 2500 video light.
A few years ago a dropped my UK1200 and broke the ceramic retainer for the Halogen bulb. I was able to fix it - sort of - but it turns out the bulb is now maybe a few millimetres farther out in the reflector than it used to be and now it creates a bit of a donut/halo effect. That's the first light I try out on the interior of the hull of the sunken tug. IF you look really close, you can see where I turn the Tovatek light from low, med and high.

http://youtu.be/a6A-CJx8sx8

[EarthEaterBob]

Originally Posted by Treebeard

I also plan on getting these arms.
These are the filters I bought.
I am fairly certain you need the green filter for cold water diving off the BC coast. The red filters are meant for blue water.

Don't get conned on one of those arms, they are just loc-line tubing you can get from J&L for a fraction of the price. With some playing around with connecters and adapters you can save a pretty penny.

You need a red filter because the red spectrum of light is the first to disappear when light goes through water (anywhere). However, if you have a video light, a red filter is redundant because you are providing a full spectrum light source.

Great video and pictures daplatapus Water looks really clear on the island! Over here we are just getting over some 1' viz, keeping track of students is a nightmare when you can barely see your own hands Getting a tray definitely helps with stabilizing footage. I really like my Archon D11v video lights, they are cheap too, only $40~50 a pop.

I'll show off my video of a stubby squid eating a shrimp I caught recently during a night dive

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=2Iez...ature=youtu.be

edit: That sony cam looks sweet! I think it'd be great to rig onto the side of your head for a constant running head cam without having a block sitting on top of your head. I wonder if the stabilization software works for divers with unsteady hands?

[daplatapus]

Yup, those arms are all just loc-line. I'm glad I went with the 3/4" though, I'm pretty sure the 1/2" wouldn't have held up my lights.

The vis isn't too bad right now, Treebeard, been out a few times lately. Unfortunately my DUI packed 'er in and I've sent it off to get a new zipper and get some of the seams re-done. When I left Alberta, for some reason I sold my Viking Pro (regretted it ever since) but I found a guy in Ottawa that was selling his for $250 so I bought it and just got it in the mail. Now I won't have to wait 3 months before getting wet again.

I saw those Archon lights but read a few reviews on them and they weren't very flattering. SO I went with the Tovatek's.
Great video of the stubby squid! It's been ages since I've dove over there. I did part of my wreck diving course in Porteau Cove.

I bought a couple LED head lamps for having in the car and stuff so I thought I'd remove the lamp and try and mount the GoPro to it. Lol, it didn't work. The headband was far to elasticky and the camera just bobbed around back and forth. No amount of stabilization software was going to make up for it.
I've gotten my tray but haven't been out yet with it. Hopefully soon....

[EarthEaterBob]

Originally Posted by Treebeard

I have around $750 invested in my GoPro system and by the time I get some lights it will be at least $1,200.

This is why I don't like GoPros...too expensive for what you get. My Intova, two videos lights, macro lens, and rig (the latter two DiY) cost me....$400. Yup, the same cost as a base GoPro.

For the same price as your fully outfitted go pro you could get this:

http://www.scubaboard.com/forums/wes...r-housing.html

With faaaaaaar better picture quality, housing, light, strobe, camera, and true macro capability. It can also take higher quality video as well. People may say "But look! This guy is taking macro with a GoPro." Sure, its possible, but extremely difficult and stretching the limits of what the GoPro can do. Why go through all that trouble when you could just use a DLSR+housing?

If you do plan to really go into Macro photography I highly suggest a DLSR+macro lens+housing+strobes and practice practice practice. Yes, its a big investment and difficult in cold water but you'll just run into frustration trying to take macro with these video cameras.

I mean compare mine...


to my friend with a DLSR...


No contest. Also, you'll definitely need a flood light for video and strobe for pictures. Spot lights don't work at all...

I love macro life and photography as well and plan to upgrade to a DLSR when I have the spare cash Just my $0.02