Sealife Micro HD vs Gopro Hero 4

[Mikeguyver]

As many others have suggested, learn to dive and be comfortable in the water first. I decided on a GoPro and really like it. It's so simple to use and as everyone else has stated, if you keep it properly maintained, it will perform. I find myself not taking it on my first dive. This helps me focus on everything but a camera. Once I have that first dive in, then I take the GoPro. I suggest that you have it tethered to you in some fashion (not just around your wrist). I was getting out of the water at a quarry and had the strap looped around my arm. As I was taking off a fin, my arm extended and there went my camera. We found it on the next dive thank goodness and from that point on, it remains clipped to a D-ring from the minute I am geared up. Good luck with your certification. Mike

 

[Phil_C]

At what point do you guys think it wouldn't be a bad idea to strap a Gopro to my head, not playing with it during dives, but just having it film for the entirety of the dive. Maybe dive 20? Dive 35? Possibly 12?

Matt - if you are genuinely going to strap it on and leave it alone you can take one along whenever you want. BUT you must be religious about not trying to fiddle with it or check it or anything else. Carrying a camera is not the issue. It is the task loading associated with concentrating or focusing (sorry could;t resist it )on the camera and not your diving that is the risk. - Phil.

 

[RandomGuy1]

At what point do you guys think it wouldn't be a bad idea to strap a Gopro to my head, not playing with it during dives, but just having it film for the entirety of the dive. Maybe dive 20? Dive 35? Possibly 12?

Don't try to use a head strap unless you want to say goodbye to your gopro. I have seen 2 people lose theirs that way. Jump in off the boat and there it goes drifting to the bottom.

 

[Phantom Menace]

Don't try to use a head strap unless you want to say goodbye to your gopro. I have seen 2 people lose theirs that way. Jump in off the boat and there it goes drifting to the bottom.

If I head mount my GoPro I put the head strap under my wetsuit hood - this significantly reduces the likelihood of losing the camera. It also means you need to adjust the camera angle so that it captures your field of view (not too high or too low) - I take my smart phone out on my boat and use the GoPro wifi app to see where the camera is pointing before I get in the water.

When I am using it handheld I have it on a "floaty" handle and this is tethered to my wrist. I don't have d-rings to clip things to as I am freediving.

 

[Texanguy]

As others have mentioned the Gopro is a fire and forget camera. Still not recommended on first dive. Diver competence varies a lot so you may not have a problem . My friends and I that got OW where all competitive swimmers, life guards, freedivers and surfers the next group where people that could hardly swim. I have done a ton with my Gopro ranging from taking it skiing to kayaking to climbing and diving and shooting. I love it would never trade it. Never had a problem. Two big advantages are that the wide FOV more than compensates for the lack of a screen and that here are a TON of accessories from housings rated to 8000ft to lens filters.

 

[scubadada]

Don't try to use a head strap unless you want to say goodbye to your gopro. I have seen 2 people lose theirs that way. Jump in off the boat and there it goes drifting to the bottom.

I have found 2 GoPros on headbands in Boynton Beach and one on a pole. One was returned to the owner, the other 2 went unclaimed. Keep them coming.

 

[scottwilson1]

I have a sealife Micro hd + - I do love it , get plenty of compliments on my pics - and i just got into underwater photography. it's very very easy to use and not worrying about the housing is a plus
also has HD video that I'm always impressed with. However the go Pro's are really good too - I don't think you can go wrong with either go pro does have a head strap and body strap if you just want to dive and get video
without looking at the back screen.

 

[Lead_carrier]

I've used both the Sealife and GoPros while diving. I prefer the Sealife simply because the tend to make better underwater photos and video for me. For other activities, the GoPro can be used easier than the Sealife. From my experiences, the Sealife has more manual control than GoPro so I tend to lean in that direction. Now a third option is buying a land camera and then buying a housing to fit the camera. Ikelite and Canon both make some good entry level cameras and housing at a reasonable price.

 

[rickd63]

I have found 2 GoPros on headbands in Boynton Beach and one on a pole. One was returned to the owner, the other 2 went unclaimed. Keep them coming.

Funny one of them might be mine. Lost one diving off the coast.

To the OP, I agree with many of the divers on this. Even though I have lots of dives under my belt, I lost my GoPro because there was a lot of going on and was not aware I unclipped my stick.

When I first started using a GoPro, I did not realize the added complexity in the dive. (ie bouyancy control, proper weight, fin control, speed, and most of all lighting.) If things get complex and stressful, you will not enjoy the dive.

Lastly, don't use a headstrap, they tend to get lost, attach it to something and leave it attached.

 

[KEdiver]

Flooding only happens when a person opens the case underwater it is operator error. You can also open the sea life underwater and flood it. Silly reason.