What's a good step-up from GoPro?

[ronscuba]

For securing your camera tray and lights, get a coiled lanyard.

Vegas is a good editing program. There are limitations to how much you can color correct with any editing program due to the original video file. Editing will not turn bad coloring to good. More like improving good color to look better. I usually use the sand as my color reference for manual white balance in the camera and in editing.

Getting quality lights is a good 1st step. 2 lights are better than 1, but factor in costs and light power. If cost was an issue, I would rather have a single 3000 lumen light than two 1500 lights. You could buy the 2nd 3000 lumen light later.

The Hugyfot housings look real good. But I would not spend that kind of money to house a Gopro.

 

[Arneu]

Thanks for all the advice here, really appreciated. I basically dive in two types of locations, one is the video in first post (Thailand), second type of location (and more difficult with light/visibility) is like this video (Madeira). And as you can see/hear in both these two videos I love matching video editing to music Anyone have any opinions/advice on the difference in requirements/setup (if any) between these ("Southern Europe" locations vs Asia locations)? Also, all criticism of the videos highly appreciated (and I'm really thick-skinned

 

[ronscuba]

Everyone has their own editing style based on their personal tastes.

Here are a few things I would change. I won't call them improvements. Just changes I would do to fit my style.

Are you zooming in editing ? If so, I would use less footage of the actual zoom and use separate clips with transitions. If you are cropping in editing, I would use the wider angle footage as an establishing shot, then transition into the cropped closeup.

Experiment with increasing contrast in editing. I like to do that to most clips before doing the color correction.

Watch other peoples videos. Pay attention to what you like and what is different from your own.

 

[seeker242]

Editing tools are equally important. I'm biased and like using Final Cut Pro X, it's powerful and simple to use. GoPro's software is very good too, but won't get you where Final Cut Pro X will.

What would you recommend for a PC?

 

[Ricardo V.]

Seeker242,
For PC, I suggest using Adobe Premiere Pro.

Ronscuba,
As far as investing in Hugyfot, you get what you pay for. It's not for every budget nor for every diver; however, these are top notch housings that can't be beat.
The screens and hours of battery life place them well beyond everything else.

Arenu,
Happy you have a thick skin, and that you've taken all in as positive input.
One more thing, I see you dive out in Asia and Europe. We have great diving in the Caribbean. Consider Florida, specifically the Palm Beach area and the Florida Keys. We have great diving over here with lots of big animals. Near by, we have Cozumel with excellent visibility and lots of critters. Bonaire is a favorite too- where you can shore dive to your hearts content.

Cheers,
Ricardo

 

[ronscuba]

Hugyfot definitely make quality products. I use Gates and Nauticam, so I know quality costs money.

My objection is spending a lot of money to house a Gopro. It already has a housing rated for scuba depths. The only reason I can see to get the Hugyfot housing for a Gopro is the external monitor. Since the Gopro is for wide angle, you don't need an external monitor. The housing and monitor cost around $2,000. At that point it makes more sense to get a better camera.

You could get a brand new Panasonic LX10, Nauticam housing,tray and lights for that kind of money.

 

[Arneu]

Everyone has their own editing style based on their personal tastes.

Here are a few things I would change. I won't call them improvements. Just changes I would do to fit my style.

Are you zooming in editing ? If so, I would use less footage of the actual zoom and use separate clips with transitions. If you are cropping in editing, I would use the wider angle footage as an establishing shot, then transition into the cropped closeup.

Experiment with increasing contrast in editing. I like to do that to most clips before doing the color correction.

Watch other peoples videos. Pay attention to what you like and what is different from your own.

Yes, I am zooming in editing, and agree on your point. I definitely overdid showing the zoom in the oldest of the two videos and had already changed this a bit in the newer one (Thailand).

And yes to cropping in editing too. This I actually did more of in the newest of the videos, so will have a think about how to better frame the shot first. Good point.

Contrast I haven't played much with, been focused on trying to improve the color correction, so thanks for the tip.

 

[_Ralph]

GoPro's I find are hit and miss for quality.

I recently had 3 of them in my possession. With one of them, the image quality was utter garbage. The other two were really quite impressive (one was slightly 'better' than the other IMO)

I sold off one of the good ones, and then shortly after, lost the other popping out of a wreck (mount broke grrr!!!!), so I'm left with the 'crappy' one ...



_R

 

[Arneu]

One more thing, I see you dive out in Asia and Europe. We have great diving in the Caribbean. Consider Florida, specifically the Palm Beach area and the Florida Keys. We have great diving over here with lots of big animals. Near by, we have Cozumel with excellent visibility and lots of critters. Bonaire is a favorite too- where you can shore dive to your hearts content.

Cheers,
Ricardo

Thx Ricardo,
With all the various Asian country visits I have in my passport (because of work mostly), it would be an interesting exercise trying to pass US immigration these days But joking aside, I know there is good diving there, and hope I can find the time to go for a diving trip. Most of my Asia and Southern Europe diving is in combination with vacation trips, including travelling with non-divers, and we just love those locations. Going to US/Florida would have to be a solo, diving only trip, fx live-aboard. Risking going a little bit off topic here, any advice on location/live-aboard route/season to experience some of the best of this area in one trip?

 

[tsuyoshi]

Be sure to pay attention to weights when selecting lights. Metal body w strong creed led lights along w li-on batteries ended up being a weight penalty for me. I baught a bunch of buoy to make the rig neutral; my setup ended up looking ridiculously big that people think im a pro.

There are some alternative plastic body video lights but they can cost more and you may not be able to change the battery.

Just like all compromises in life.