GoPro BCD Mount?

[NightFox]

I've been looking for a solution for hands-free passive videoing of my whole dives with my GoPro so I can just press the start button at the beginning of my dives and leave my hands free for photography and other stuff. At first I was thinking of a head or mask mount, but most people's feedback seems to be the footage is all over the place. So what I'm thinking now is a BCD mount, and I'm looking for something where my GoPro can be mounted from a free-swinging hinge attached to the BCD strap with a small weight on the bottom of the GoPro which would mean it would hopefully always point forward, whether I was horizontal or vertical in the water (just clipping it to my BCD wouldn't work as it would swing from side to side). I can't see that anything like this already exists (there's a Z-gear one, but like the other DIY ones on YouTube it seems to be a rigid mount). I might have a go at making something myself, but I don't want to if there's something like this already available, or there's a good reason that I'd just be wasting my time & money (my initial concern is that the weight needed to stop the camera swinging down when I'm swimming or in even low current might be too much).

Any thoughts/comments?

 

[tbone1004]

free hanging like that would be an incredible entanglement hazard as well as dangerous during boat entries. Z-gear works very well, just stay horizontal...

 

[Storker]

If you're carrying a camera rig, why not mount an extra armball to your rig and get a clamp and a GoPro ball mount? That's the way I've done it. No extra gadgets to carry and improved stability to your video footage due to the inertia of your camera rig.


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[NightFox]

free hanging like that would be an incredible entanglement hazard as well as dangerous during boat entries. Z-gear works very well, just stay horizontal...

Sorry, maybe I didn't explain very well, I didn't mean free-hanging, I meant that the top of the GoPro would be connected on a hinge to the BCD allowing it to swing on that pivot, so no more of an entanglement hazard than the D-ring it would sit above; I didn't mean it would hang down on a line or anything. Think in terms of the flap on a shirt pocket.

---------- Post added March 25th, 2015 at 04:01 PM ----------

If you're carrying a camera rig, why not mount an extra armball to your rig and get a clamp and a GoPro ball mount? That's the way I've done it. No extra gadgets to carry and improved stability to your video footage due to the inertia of your camera rig.

I'm trying to passively capture my entire dives (a bit like a car dashboard cam), and I don't want to be holding my stills camera in front of me for the whole dive.

Hey, I'm up in Trondheim a few times a year from the UK with work - is there any diving to be done there?

 

[Storker]

I'm trying to passively capture my entire dives (a bit like a car dashboard cam), and I don't want to be holding my stills camera in front of me for the whole dive.

I guess it depends how you carry your rig. I like to hold it in front of me during most of the dive. Somewhat like the DIR "clasped hands" stance. Gives me a place to put my hands.

Hey, I'm up in Trondheim a few times a year from the UK with work - is there any diving to be done there?

Sure. Not as good as the coast, but better than a quarry.


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[tbone1004]

why not mount it on your head? that way it is taking video of where you're looking instead of where your body is facing

 

[Storker]

why not mount it on your head? that way it is taking video of where you're looking instead of where your body is facing

May very well give rather squirrely footage. I haven't heard a single diver being happy that way with a head mount.


--
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Typos are a feature, not a bug

 

[NightFox]

why not mount it on your head? that way it is taking video of where you're looking instead of where your body is facing

Those were my original thoughts, but everyone who's tried it seems to say you just get dizzy watching the footage.

 

[tbone1004]

which is fair, but if it is on a freehanging swivel, then it will be jostled around every time you kick. Unfortunately the only solution to steadying cameras is mass which is inconvenient. It is possible to get good head mounted video footage, we get it regularly in the cave community, but it does take a bit more finesse. My suggestion would be to either try the Z-Gear, or go to active shooting on a pole or tray.

 

[Z Gear]

Hi this is Frank With Z Gear, I wanted to post some options as well some pics and videos for the different hands free mount options available from us.

The BCD Go Pro mount: this mount should be attached to the left side of BCD. The mount can also be angled up or down depending on horizontal or vertical position you want to film in. You just simply tilt the camera forward or back with your left hand. This mount is primarily used to just capture your dive with the option of adjusting when swimming forward or filming more vertical. It avoids the dizzy side to side movements that you get from the head mount and lets you film by moving the torso which moves much slower and steadier. It does have an elbo arm that extends away from the head of the diver. It also has an extension option (sold seperately) which allows you extend the mount and swivel the mount so that it is front of you allowing you to see what your are filming to better frame your shot.

The BCD long arm mount is just like the BCD mount with extension except it is a better value and saves you the time of modification as well as cost.
With the mount extended you can also bend it down and have it completely out of the way when desired.

[video=youtube;OqKFC5e1XYk]https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=OqKFC5e1XYk[/video]
[video=vimeo;91477834]https://vimeo.com/91477834[/video]
lion fish hunt using hands free mount

Second is the newer B3 strap mount this mount is like BCD mount except it does not have an elbo arm and the mount is half the price. It also should also be worn on the left side of the BC. It can be rotated and lets you rotate and position forward or back for more horizontal or vertical filming. The will be an extension available for this mount soon.

https://www.zgearinc.com/uploads/1/7/8/6/17861617/s780561385371224093_p39_i2_w160.jpeg

There are a lot of people who don't want to hold on to a camera while diving having a hands free mount can give you the freedom to turn on your camera and pretty much forget that its there and enjoy your dive. Its just another option for you.

Frank G
Z GEAR - Z Gear