Go Pro - Pros and cons

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StaceyL

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Messages
23
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Location
Mandeville, Louisiana
# of dives
50 - 99
We recently discovered the Go Pro cameras at Best Buy and have been contemplating buying one. Does anyone have input on the pros and cons of them? I did read on one blog that the basic underwater housing gives blurry focus.
 
Yep, the standard lens gives blurry focus under water. For underwater use you need a flat lens. There are various options for that. One of which is Gopro's dive housing.

Pros and cons are just too much to list all of them. If you specify what your intended use is, it it much simpeler to privide you with what you are looking for.

Just remember that a gopro will need good lighting under water. So that will set you back som more $$

I own one and am very happy with it.
 
Pros: Good wide field of view underwater. Very compact and lightweight, half the size of even the smallest housed P&S camera.
Cons: Does require the purchase of the new flat lens housing ($50) plus a filter ($40+). Also doesn't have a built-in LCD but that can be overcome for another $80. Lacks manual white balance and difficult to shift from video to stills.
Other thoughts: Does a good job underwater and is currently the best choice in the genre. Works well with available lighting at shallower depths but requires supplemental lighting at depth (like all video cameras do).
 
Thanks! I intend to use it on shallower reef dives (40'-60') to capture the pretty fish. Also on deeper dives like wrecks and hopefully oil rigs (which I already know I'll need a light source for) Currently I have a SeaLife mini, but it's a few years old and only 10mp, the pictures have been less then satisfying the last few times I've used it.
 
Thanks! I intend to use it on shallower reef dives (40'-60') to capture the pretty fish. Also on deeper dives like wrecks and hopefully oil rigs (which I already know I'll need a light source for) Currently I have a SeaLife mini, but it's a few years old and only 10mp, the pictures have been less then satisfying the last few times I've used it.

Just be sure to get the GoPro Hero2. A lot of places are selling off the standard GoPro at somewhat reduced prices, but it's a much less desirable option.
 
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This pic is me at 95' in Gilboa Stone Quarry in Ottawa, OH. Only ambient light. No additional lighting. Using the new GoPro housing.

If you want professional results, go for a setup with lighting options (btw there are GoPro lighting options out there).

Overall for a deal quarry at 100' it does the job for me.
 
I've played with one- the tray with lighting was impressive but I personally wouldn't buy one for diving. Surfing yes but there are better options IMO for diving.

Even with the tray I found it very difficult to keep a steady hand for shooting things up close. Seeing as the Canon s100 is taking some pretty incredible video quality- I'd look towards that.
 

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