Help planning out GoPro setup? Pretty please?

[flybigjet]

Hi all!

I'm planning an (hopefully) epic dive trip to Palau and Chuuk/Truk next January, and am thinking about taking a GoPro with me. However, I have absolutely nothing equipment wise (I got out of the underwater photography game back when the first-gen digital cameras came out). My plan is to assemble the kit, and take it down to Roatan in August to practice with it and play around with settings.

Cost is *definitely* an issue-- especially as this will most likely be a "one-trick pony"; I'm not much for underwater photography, so I don't want to spend a mint.

Here's what I'm considering:

- GoPro Hero 4 Silver (it has the lcd screen in back, which I think would be handy)

- Underwater case. Optically correct, rated to at least 160'.

- Small aluminum tray (something like a Slingshot, but cheaper. Maybe a Chinese knockoff?)

- Articulated arms for one (or two?) lights?

- One (or two?) lights-- maybe DRIS Impact with the DRIS140 degree video light head (although they're spendy)?

- Red filter

- Anti-"You just lost your camera, you idiot" device (i.e. a strap/cable of some sort).

So..... HELP? I don't really want to invest a thousand dollars on a rig that's going to be used once or twice. But, I think I DO want pictures (mostly) and video (a little bit).

So-- suggestions? What to get/where to buy?

ANY help is appreciated. I'm looking for the best bang for the buck, and other than the GoPro (which I can use mountain biking and snowboarding), I don't really know where to start.

Between the trip, tickets and gear for my wife, this is kind of maxing me out-- hence trying to keep the costs down to a dull roar. ANY suggestions on parts that have worked well but won't break the bank are much, much appreciated. I have to have it locked and loaded in August, so I have a bit of time to get it right (although it's not looking like I'll be able to dive with it before then).

R.

Best guess gear requirement list (suggestions on brand/where to get much appreciated):

- GoPro Hero 4 Silver
- Underwater case
- Small aluminum tray
- Articulated light mount arms and clamps
- Lights
- Red filter
- Retention strap
- Anything else I've missed

So..... HELP? I don't really want to invest a thousand dollars on a rig that's going to be used once or twice. But, I think I DO want pictures (mostly) and video (a little bit).

 

[CuzzA]

Here's what I did if you want to do a little DIY. When I started research the price of trays, etc. I said you gotta be kidding me...

I picked up a scrap piece of flat 1/4" x 4" aluminum stock at the local aluminum warehouse. Cut it into a triangle. I had a spare AR15 grip laying around and I bolted that to the bottom. If you don't have one stop by a gun shop and they'll probably give you one. Otherwise they can be found for $2 online. From there I bolted the GoPro mount on top of the aluminum. I went to Loc-Line World and bought 1/2" locking and the correct fittings to attach it to the aluminum on both sides. Then a trip to homedepot for some galvanized pipe mounts and wing nuts to hold a couple lights to the locline. I drilled two holes in the end of the AR15 grip and tied a boltsnap and a lanyard. So far it's worked great and it cost me about $30 total.

If this is something you're interested in I'll be glad to give you more details. The beauty is you can use it as a single handle or double handle with the grip or locline. I also went with the Backscatter flip dive filter.

If you want to just video your dive, you can't go wrong with a GoPro mask. Lots of options and some are pretty cheap. Unfortunately the cheap one didn't fit me well (it fit my buddy) so I went with the XSfoto mask which has been great if you're not trying to take professional video.

 

[3D diver]

DIY is a good way to go. Two DRIS imacts with the video head, spare batteries and a charger are worth the money, IMHO. (I use 4 on my setup.) The LCD screen is nice for framing, but will affect your run time. The case that comes with the camera may be good enough...are you really going to 160'?

 

[3D diver]

Oh, and I use fishing line as a saftey lanyard between the camera and tray...just be sure none get's into the dive housing seal when you close it. Put your name and contact info on everything and in a text file on your memory card too.

 

[flybigjet]

I don't plan to go below 130-140', but the 160" was simply a number with at least a 10% buffer. Realistically, I don't know how deep I'll use the camera-- I imagine shallow most of the time, but at Truk, I don't want to zorch the camera if I end up going deep and seeing something I want to take a pic/video of.

I'll have to research the DRIS lights vs. the Mako 890's, price vs. performance.

Oh-- on an unrelated note, is it difficult to get screen captures from a GoPro video? And how does their quality compare to the still setting? I realize I'm dealing with fixe aperture and focal length (look guys, it's an Underwater Brownie!), but I'm trying to justify cost vs. performance. I can't afford a dedicated dive camera, and I can use the GoPro for other events when I'm being stupid.

 

[dumpsterDiver]

go pro has free editing software for down load. You can press a button and it will export a screen grab of where you stopped the video...It is pretty simple and seems to work ok. If you want to export underwater video into pictures, you are going to need to be holding the camera pretty still and you want enough light... but it works fine...

 

[3D diver]

Max photo resolution is 4000 x 3000.

Max (4k) video resolution: 3840x2160

Read more here, or in your manual if you already own one.

http://shop.gopro.com/hero4/hero4-s...TRoCu4Pw_wcB&dclid=CKm70KfP4soCFYUdRQoddxANVA

You may be able to take a photo while you are shooting video by hitting the power/mode button. My H3+B has this feature---I don't know if the H4S has it---check your manual. The photo resolution depends on the video resolution. I've never tried this myself because it doesn't function in the 3D configuration.

 

[sashkello]

Hi, mate! GoPro is awesome, wish you have fun with it. I've been using one for a bit now, it does take time and experimentation to get used to it... Here are some notes.

The standard housing which comes with GoPro camera is OK to 40m, it's intentionally designed so that recreational divers could be fine with it. If you aren't going to go deeper, I don't see why would you want to buy another case, especially as money is an issue. I myself am a beginner, but have a friend who's been using it up to 40m and a bit deeper for about a year with no issues. If you are going to push the boundaries, then buy the case, if you are only going to around 40 plus-minus couple of meters, there's no need to stretch your budget...

Filters is a pretty tricky part. I've got that expensive Backscatter kit with three filters, but to be honest can't say if it's really that different from buying some cheap filter on eBay... I've got some old one from China, and there is not much difference to my eye. Ah, one important thing is to make sure you have all the parts you need to attach the filter to the housing. For GoPro3+, you need a special frame to attach filter to. Not sure if it's included with 4 or not.
Unfortunately, the back screen isn't bright enough, and with refraction under water, you can't really see in it that well. As a result, you have to get used to remembering at what depths you use which filters (or no filter at all). Depends on light and if you are shooting close or a wide panorama, as well. Sometimes it screws up all the colors and while pictures start to look brighter, they get overloaded and go crazy reddish and unnatural. When the bottom is sandy, it's the hardest because you know what colour it's supposed to be and when it's not in the picture all seems good and colorful, but when you shoot something on sand, it gets freaky red and weird. Well... anyway, just do lots of experimenting: do some photos with and without the filter, and then take notes when it works good and when not.

Some other tips:
1. Don't be afraid to put camera as close as you can to whatever you are shooting. Its capture is VERY wide, and as a result sometimes you think you are getting a good nice fish pic, but when you look at it at home you see a tiny fish in the middle of huge expanse of background. Get it close, like centimeters from the object close. Again, do some experimenting and you'll get the idea.

2. Switching between video and photo is with a front button, you'll figure it out and will do it with ease. You can shoot everything on the video and then capture frames from it later, instead of taking photos. Quality is a bit worse (usually not much, but depends on light), but you've got more options to choose a good frame.

3. Get the manual and find out how to switch off the sound notifications and blinking. First of all, it's annoying, and second of all you would probably want to extend battery charge as long as possible.

Hope it helps. I'm a noob in it, so take it with a grain of salt.