recently certified, got lots of random questions

[gcarter]

Honestly in many of the comparison videos I can't really see a difference. Could be my old eyes, don't know, but the filters are the only comparisons that really jump out to me.

I know that for my own, it is sufficiently clear that I haven't yet felt compelled to justify the price of the lens swap. I use mine on the head strap (with an added chin strap for security) and no light other than natural.

 

[Deep South Divers]

Ah, yes... I had to go look on YouTube to see some examples of "before" and "after" flat-lens replacement.

In my video above, I feel that there's so much haze in the water already I probably hadn't noticed it.

For what it's worth, there's a lot of YouTube videos out there with "domed stock GoPro" vs. "our brand of flat lens replacement" comparison videos. I am cautious of these kinds of results, as the poster is clearly motivated to favor his product.

I am also seeing some replacement housings that retain the domed port but apparently use better optics or something, because they are getting the crisper images out of their product without losing the dome's wide-angle field of view - or compensating for the magnification of being underwater.

Personally, and from working with the camera up-close in lower visibility waters, I think I would choose to keep the "wide angle' domed port, but I can see how, in really clear, shallow water with daylight lighting, the flat lens' crisper appearance is apparent.

Thanks for helping me to "get it." I kept hearing GoPro owners talk about this "blur," and I was like... Whaaaaa?

 

[DivemasterDennis]

Our friends who have already posted have covered the questions well. I want to add a comment on why not to breath hold underwater even if you are not ascending. An additional reason is buoyancy gets jacked up. Breathing for buoyancy control and body control is an important component of mastering those things. Also, there is no reason to hold your breath- you have an ample supply of air, and as you gain experience and competence in the water, breathing is not something you need to think about (even in buoyancy control.)
Great questions to share here on scuba board, and good input from all posters!
DivemasterDennis

 

[EVOIXMR]

Are you watching them in 720 or 1080p?
Or just the standard 360 / 480 that YouTube is on default?
I've used almost every flat lens they make for those since they came out and some are way better than others.
In clear daylight water it makes a huge difference in clarity.

 

[gcarter]

Are you watching them in 720 or 1080p?
Or just the standard 360 / 480 that YouTube is on default?

That's a good point. I NEVER switch to HD in YouTube :doh:

 

[Deep South Divers]

Yeah it is... I didn't think about that.

Embedded above, that video defaults to 380p, but is user configurable slightly higher. If I go to my YouTube page to watch it, it defaults to 720p on my computer, and 1080p on my phone. Go figure that out! I must have set settings on each device differently at some point.

I guess I'd be more sensitive to the quality if I was watching 1080p HD on a large screen, like my 57" HDTV or my 24" 16:9 computer monitor. Right now, I'm just so happy to be able to shoot UW video in normal lighting and fairly poor vis (<10 feet - poor for the shooting video). That's the magic of the domed port... And a good CCD. Hopefully they'll clear up the "less than perfect focus" issue, which until now I never noticed.

Damn you.

 

[kimbalabala]

Regarding holding your breath (you more experienced divers must get sick of answering this question I'm sure) - I have held my breath for a few seconds to pose for a picture with my buddy or to stay still enough to take a picture of a critter (generally after I have exhaled, not when I have full lungs). Is this frowned upon as well? Also, if I really want to experience "silence" in the water how can I possibly do so while listening to my breathing and bubbles?

To the OP, the mesh bags make it much easier to get your weights into and out of the pockets - they have handles/straps attached.

 

[Deep South Divers]

Lol... Good question.

Well, the only real way to enjoy silence down there is with a rebreather, I guess would be the true answer... But then, there's still some noise of breathing - just not bubbles... Or maybe bubbles every so-many breaths, it depends on the design of the rebreather.

There's a difference between a pause of breathing and holding your breath. Pausing isn't frowned upon... In fact, I pause briefly all the time to control my buoyancy. If someone is taking your picture, pause so you don't have bubbles in the way... Or do a long, slow inhale.

Holding your breath involved closing the glottis in your throat - which is much more powerful than lung tissue, which has very few nerve endings in it. The bottom line is that if you close the glottis and ascend, you could burst lung tissue and cause an internal injury called barotrauma, and never even know it because there is little or no pain. Lung tissue is surprisingly fragile stuff, and it doesn't take much.

The agencies simply tell you to "not hold your breath," which is true. But a pause for buoyancy control or to listen to the ocean or to avoid bubbles for a photo opportunity is just fine.

 

[TMHeimer]

Re AOW-- I did it after post-cert. dive #2. It's discussed a lot here. Maybe it varies a little per person, but I don't think it really matters much when you do it. It is important that you are pretty comfortable with the basics and very important that you are properly weighted--therefore your buoyancy skills will most likely be OK to learn stuff from AOW. For folks like me, taking a course is determined by when it's available. In the case of my AOW it was "now (IF there are enough students), or maybe next year". I could've used a few more than 26 dives before doing Rescue, but it was either that October or the following summer when the season opens again.

 

[chris4355]

Thanks a lot for the responses. Looks like there's a bit of a disagreement on whether or not its safe to workout after a dive.. I think I'll just always make sure to give it 6-7 hours. As for the GoPro... guess it just means I'll have to buy 2 casings, one for scuba and one for activities out of the water.

Thanks a lot again, heading to Catalina in 4 hours so I better get some sleep...