Preferred Mount for GoPro

[hhjames]

What is the preferred mount for diving with a GoPro Camera?

I have held it with a wrist strap, mounted it to a can light. I have seen the wrist mounts and mask mounts. My preference is to have it available when the dive is going as planned, then not have it be in the way if I need to focus on something else. So far it has not interfered with watching pressure, buoyancy control, etc because I focus more on the dive then the video part.

What your preferred way to dive with the camera and why?

Henry

 

[DaleC]

On some dives I like a stick with a boltsnap on the handle and a wrist loop. You can video forward backwards and clip it off when you want. You can see it at 6:30 of this video:

[video=youtube;dI3u99FsPVI]https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=dI3u99FsPVI[/video]


I also DIY'd a PVC camera mount for two gopros fashioned after those used by land hand-cam operators. I mount one camera forward and one back (for selfies) or one macro and one regular. I can hold it with one or two hands and set it down for selfie swim-bys. You can see it briefly at 0:10 of this video:

[video=youtube;Vkc9Qp3SA1U]https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Vkc9Qp3SA1U[/video]

I would not trust a gopro head mount (people lose them and don't feel it happening through the hood). Also, the smaller the handle, the more wobble you will get. You need a mount that will stabilize the image. I tried mounting a gopro to a UK light cannon but the focused beam created a hot spot which I then tried to tone down with difusers. Not so good. Things got better when I bought a dedicated video light. You can see hotspotting at 1:40 onward in this video:

[video=youtube;2eOOGEOWKrY]https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=2eOOGEOWKrY[/video]

 

[g1138]

For dedicated Videoing, I prefer a tray with lights.
My friend actually made one out of bicycle handles and a rigid kitchen cutting board which he hacksawed into shape.
Much cheaper that way.

For passive non-video dives, I use a Light Monkey Goodman Handle which has the exact perfect spacing for the adhesive mount.
Very easy to use it as an action cam that you can forget about. Even easier to point and look away in a different direction.

But like DaleC said, you get a lot of wobble with the narrow base. Not too hard to focus and steady, but when you're on the move it's very very wobbly.
Usually can solve this with post editing using a standard stabilize feature, even Youtube has it now. You do lose out on format size doing that however.

 

[Doc]

After the first 4 hours of dive video, I think my preferred mount became hanging it from my dog's collar.

just me.

 

[bradells]

For a video dive (the intent is video), I have a home made tray, that has the handles wide (shoulder width apart).

For other dives where the goal isn't coming away with video, a smaller tray with a light usually suffices.


BRad

 

[RJP]

For dedicated Videoing, I prefer a tray with lights.

Same here.

This is the FrankenPro rig I put together for my recent trip to Truk Lagoon.

- Ikelite tray
- Two Sola 1200's on 1/2" Locline arms on top
- Two Mako 890's on 3/4" Locline arms on bottom
- Boltsnap on a 4" loop of line to clip it off

Here it is in use:

I also added an SP Gadgets Buoy handle (instead of the over-designed Ikelite pistol grip) to the bottom of the tray for one-hand use:

Because it has a standard GoPro mount (unlike the Ikelite handle) the SP Gadgets Buoy Handle allows not only for adjustment of the angle of attachement to the tray... but of course it also serves it's originally intended purpose of being a nice handle to use with the GoPro alone...

The balance of the whole thing is perfect with four lights almost making it a gyroscope. The overall weight is fine as the SP Gadgets handle adds a little positive buoyancy

Best thing about LocLine arms - beyond positioning flexibility - is that they can be "coiled up" when you want to stow the rig by clipping it off when you're not shooting. Seen here bolt-snapped to a D-ring...

 

[highdesert]

http://www.scubaboard.com/forums/gopro-video/

 

[3D diver]

Tray & lights: