Getting Closer - Macro Lens?

[FTD 83]

I've just changed from a Go Pole to Ikelite tray, did my first dive with it yesterday and pleased at the steadier footage. However, I'm now looking to improve on the GP's natural wide lens. This was shot yesterday and I was quite close up to the cuttlefish, a lot closer than the footage suggests. I know macro photography is about getting up real close, but would a macro GP lens help with bringing a shot like this a little "nearer" ?

Shot on 1080, 60fps, Medium, using a Polar Pro red filter. Sorry about the quality, the vis was a bit lacking.

Cuttlefish, Musandam - YouTube

 

[kerrycorcoran]

Looks good!

 

[Incident]

So the way to get even closer and retain detail/sharpness/focus is with either a macro lens (the BackScatter Macromate) which is probably not really the right solution for a subject like that Cuttlefish, or with a +10 diopter, which is a better fit for a subject of that size.

Keep in mind that any of the lens attachments do not really bring the subject closer (like a zoom lens would), it simply allows the GoPro to achieve focus at a closer distance, meaning you need to get closer to the subject.

The Macromate is for getting really close (as in a few inches). The +10 is good for getting the focus distance down to 8-12 inches on a GoPro.

 

[Z Gear]

I've just changed from a Go Pole to Ikelite tray, did my first dive with it yesterday and pleased at the steadier footage. However, I'm now looking to improve on the GP's natural wide lens. This was shot yesterday and I was quite close up to the cuttlefish, a lot closer than the footage suggests. I know macro photography is about getting up real close, but would a macro GP lens help with bringing a shot like this a little "nearer" ?

Shot on 1080, 60fps, Medium, using a Polar Pro red filter. Sorry about the quality, the vis was a bit lacking.

Cuttlefish, Musandam - YouTube

Have you tried the narrow setting on the Go Pro for closer shots?

 

[FTD 83]

Thanks all for replying. This is the first time I've tried it on Medium setting as shaky footage has been an issue from the start of using my GP. With traditional cameras, the more you zoom in or narrow the lens the more shaking it will pick up. So I've just been working on that premise. Next dive I will try on narrow.

 

[RockyHeap]

Macro is just that, getting 3-4 inches away with Macromate (you're filming grains of sand), or the SRP mount with +10 diopter for a 12-15" range............looks like you were way further away for those cuttlefish.


another trick for steady video on a pole cam (you can get the camera way closer to the larger fishy subjects this way on a pole) is to invert the camera upside down on the pole and invert image in the software........pendulum effect, hanging down is steadier than holding upright on pole.