GoPro For Diving Tips

Please register or login

Welcome to ScubaBoard, the world's largest scuba diving community. Registration is not required to read the forums, but we encourage you to join. Joining has its benefits and enables you to participate in the discussions.

Benefits of registering include

  • Ability to post and comment on topics and discussions.
  • A Free photo gallery to share your dive photos with the world.
  • You can make this box go away

Joining is quick and easy. Log in or Register now!

flyboy107@gmail.com

Contributor
Messages
78
Reaction score
3
Location
Muskego, Wisconsin, United States
# of dives
I'm a Fish!
Hey Everyone,

I just wanted to share some tips on using a GoPro camera for diving.
First off, a flat lens, or GoPros new dive housing is recommended to fix a blur issue, red filter is optional
Then, if you want to use the head mount, i reccommend getting a bungie tether so if the camera comes off, its still straped to your BC
Or, if you dont like the head mount (as i dont, because i dont know what im shooting) you can make a hand mount very simply. Take a GoPro Tripod mount, and a small pocket tripod as shown in the picture, then, along one of the legs, make two open zip ties, already looped, but not tightened, and make a slip know through both (two are used to just be extra cautious) with a cord with with a rubber piece and a tighening thingy (not sure what they are called, lol) this is the same thing most dive lights come with. finally, tighten the two zip ties towards the bottom of the leg, making a wrist strap so you dont lose the camera with your new mount. a LCD backpack may be added so you can see what you are shooting
photo.jpg
Hope this helps all of you fellow GoPro-ers out there!
 
I made my hand mount with the handle of an old dive light, a piece of plastic from my old compass reel, and the surf mount that came with my GoPro. It helps steady the camera when shooting video.
 
Do any of you guys use the gopro for stills, or just for shooting video? I would love to see some stills you have shot with the gopro. I myself am deciding on whether or not to get one, the problem is I mostly want to shoot stills, and it seems the gopro is made mostly for video. Just curious on your thoughts.
 
I use mine mostly for video, check out Appomattox five on YouTube, by "nighthawkzero" it turne out great, but when I go on vacation, I plan on picking up the LCD backpack so I can take video an stills better on reefs. I currently don't have any stills to upload, but I can in a few weeks after my vacation, I have taken them before, and as long as you have a flat lens, they turn out great. I love my gopro, and would definitely get one if you plan on doing video or stills, as you can easily go from video to stills on the same dive
 
I love my GoPro - I use the Snake River Prototyping with the SWCY red filter - seems to work pretty good down to 40' or so in clear water. I made my own "poke it with a stick" pole. Let's me get the camera right in their face.

Pic of the pole:
IMG_1964.jpg

A simple hiking pole, a rubber expansion nut and some 1/4-20 SS hardware from Home Depot, and a tripod adapter from GoPro. I can send pictures and directions if anyone wants.

GoPro vid -please be kind - this was taken during our OW check out dives and the dives we did right after that. Have used the camera a lot fo snorkeling, free diving, but this is my first shot at scuba video. No color correction - a little bit of contrast in post and edited each clip for length -that's it.

[video=youtube_share;Tu3WjEXDXqk]http://youtu.be/Tu3WjEXDXqk[/video]
 
Do any of you guys use the gopro for stills, or just for shooting video? I would love to see some stills you have shot with the gopro. I myself am deciding on whether or not to get one, the problem is I mostly want to shoot stills, and it seems the gopro is made mostly for video. Just curious on your thoughts.
Stills are just ok.

It's definitely made for video.

Once you use it enough times you know how to 'aim' to get the desired framing. This does mean though that any new mounting scheme will need a few test shots/clips first, which is how the LCD back comes in handy. I have been considering making one of those box 'gunsites' and attaching it to the gopro.

Another tip is to charge it up and then close it in an air conditioned or at least dry environment. Do NOT open it on the boat/outside/whatever. The introduction of humidity will fog things up.

A single battery, no attachments, lasts about 110 minutes. Twin battery set up about 3.5 hrs.
That's in a hero 2 using 1080p Wide mode.
 
Sony Vegas Movie Studio 11 Platinum - I've been using the Pro version of Vegas for years, but this version is great for editing down simple clips. The GoPro doesn't come with this software, not sure what it comes with now.
 
White Spotted Filefish.jpgGOPR0968.jpg

Sinclair 9, I use my GoPro for video and stills. Here are some photos I took without a red filter. I have recently ordered one. I have the Blurfix flat port attached to my housing and use a monopod that I made. I also have the LCD back which i find useful.

I originally got the GoPro to carry along and take photos of fish or coral I haven't been able to identify. I wanted a photo to compare to fish ID books. I have found owning a GoPro is a little bit like crack, you just want to do more, more!! It is a versatile camera.
 
https://www.shearwater.com/products/peregrine/

Back
Top Bottom