Light mounting suggestions

[mike_bayer]

I could use some advice. I have the SRP tray which I normally mount a point and shoot Sony on top and a GoPro underneath. Recently picked up a couple of qudos action lights (about 400 lumens each) What do you think some good mounting options would be? Mostly for night diving / macro - I know probably not enough light to make a big difference during the day. They are nice and compact. I don't want to use the included bracket as I'm sure I'll have issues with backscatter.

 

[tbone1004]

I'd return the Qudos lights and get standard lights. The way they have them mounted puts them far too close to the camera and you'll have wicked backscatter issues.
Cave Adventurers - Explorer back-up lights - Marianna, Florida USA - Never Undersold!
These in wide throw 2x the light, cost the same, are more useful, and have a comparable burn time. Much better life decision. They are identical to the Hog Morph 1000 lights btw and 2 of them are considered the minimum light you need for a gopro. Mount it on a tray of your choice and get them as far out as possible.

 

[mike_bayer]

I'd return the Qudos lights and get standard lights. The way they have them mounted puts them far too close to the camera and you'll have wicked backscatter issues.
Cave Adventurers - Explorer back-up lights - Marianna, Florida USA - Never Undersold!
These in wide throw 2x the light, cost the same, are more useful, and have a comparable burn time. Much better life decision. They are identical to the Hog Morph 1000 lights btw and 2 of them are considered the minimum light you need for a gopro. Mount it on a tray of your choice and get them as far out as possible.

Thanks tbone - I got the qudos for about $70 each so a pair of these would be $100 plus tax more. Can't find the specs showing lumen output on explorer backup.

 

[victorzamora]

Thanks tbone - I got the qudos for about $70 each so a pair of these would be $100 plus tax more. Can't find the specs showing lumen output on explorer backup.

It's a true 1000lm on high.

 

[tbone1004]

They are 1000lm at the emitter, about 800 out the front. While I understand it is a bit more money, you are getting a much better light... I saw those lights at $120 USD.

https://www.divegearexpress.com/dgx-max-video-handheld-light
this is another alternative. Not quite as nice, but much cheaper.

 

[LowDrag]

I have the Dive Gear Express light and like it. I dove Up north last weekend with one of the two I have and it lit up my subjects nicely. I am planning on putting my GoPro on a tray of some kind and adding arms to it to get the lights out a ways. Unfortunately my GoPro went into snapshot mode and I only got two pic's throughout the dive so I can't talk about how good the light worked for video. Like I said previously though everything was lit up real nice from behind the camera. I hit 80' on one dive and found a GPO under an old car frame. The light lit up the GPO real nice in the green water, that would have been a cool video. :depressed:

 

[mike_bayer]

They are 1000lm at the emitter, about 800 out the front. While I understand it is a bit more money, you are getting a much better light... I saw those lights at $120 USD.

https://www.divegearexpress.com/dgx-max-video-handheld-light
this is another alternative. Not quite as nice, but much cheaper.

qudos has lots of options - I got them with a $50 instant rebate so about $70US Canada Computers & Electronics | Digital Photography/Video | Qudos Action Waterproof Video Light for GoPro HERO by Knog (Black) | Waterproof to 131' | Brightness of up to 400 Lumens | High and Low Output Settings | Action Sports, Spot, and Ambient Mo

[video=youtube;OdxzmgyD9QY]https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=OdxzmgyD9QY[/video]

This was shot with a single light so a pair should be better - i also think he is using spot mode for one of the shots
[video=youtube;MpkmyPBe3XE]https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=MpkmyPBe3XE[/video]

 

[tbone1004]

even then, it just isn't enough light, and isn't far enough away for dive use. It works fine on land I'm sure or in crystal clear water at night, but you'd need at least 3 or 4 of them to provide sufficient lumen output for the gopro and you have to mount them quite a ways from the sensor in order to minimize backscatter. They are also essentially useless during the day because of the lack of light output.

Great deal if you were using it on the surface most of the time, but they aren't a dive light.

 

[ukulele]

How did you go Mike_bayer?

I posted this in another thread also. This is my solution for mounting them
This is my semi DIY tray I put together. Its very similar to DIY Gopro Tray & Arms for scuba diving. I was also taking design cues from the sea life quick release system which I was actually going to buy.

If anyone is interested:
- The tray is Delrin/acetal that was machined by a friend.
- The handles are cheap mountain bike handles from eBay that my mate gave me, approx au10 bucks.
- The "Locline" is not genuine locline its chinese gopro gooseneck from ebay au9.18 delivered (for both, what a steal). It is just as rigid as genuine locline IMO.
- 3x quickrelease tripod mount adapter base, ebay approx au5
- 3x quickrelease buckles au3
- 1x 1/4" all thread au 5 bucks

total is 32.18AUD, plus the delrin part, I paid au99 for each of the knogs. So total set up was less than 300 bucks? Could have made it even cheaper by not using the quick release buckles but this way I can disassemble the arms from the handles

 

[mike_bayer]

Hey ukulele,

I got lucky and found a glass Polar Pro Macro lens on sale for $10. I guess they had old inventory for the dive housing that was not selling. Picked up the Joby Gorillapod SLR Zoom tripod as you can not really get good macro footage without a tripod. The plastic tripod adaptors that came with the qudos are not strong enough so I ordered a couple of aluminum adaptors. The qudos throws more than enough light for macro or under 3-4 feet which is probably good enough for me. I will have to let you know once I get more opportunities to dive with the setup.

cheers,

Mike