Want to buy the right GP4 light/tray setup - please help

[ReadyTo Dive]

Hello (and TYIA for all help),

I want to buy THE RIGHT tray and light setup for my GoPro 4 Silver (with dive housing). Budget is not $5k but is not $150 either. With Black Friday being tomorrow I thought I'd give it a shot.

Buddy and I are mostly blue water Caribbean divers with most dives being between 80'-130'. We enjoy wreck and lake diving also occasionally. We want a setup that will not be a huge ordeal to work with/handle on each dive. We do video mostly but also some stills (80/20). Small and powerful and extremely manageable and low maintenance is what I'd say our goals are.

First, the tray. IMO the price of this tray is outrageous but is almost exactly what I think we want:

https://rover.ebay.com/rover/0/0/0?mpre=https://www.ebay.com/ulk/itm/381609588694

For lights I thought about 2x SOLA 800's or 1200's since they are on sale but from what I understand the beam degree/angle is not wide enough (we use "medium" mode fyi) plus if we want more usable distance we will likely need more lumens. Our backup lights (2x DGX 600 push button) now use 18650's so if we bought lights with the same battery type that would be nice too/probably even preferred.

I also know we need cell foam/whatever to make it neutral. We currently use a snap-on GP red filter now so most likely we will need to buy a backscatter (switchblade?) with macro lens I'm guessing. So the questions are:

1) Is there a better/cheaper boomerang tray with a trigger on the handle? Seems like shifting back and forth to the middle of the tray to start/stop video would be a PITA that we'd like to avoid if at all possible.

2) Which lights? We'd like no shadows and at least a 45+ minute burntime (of useable/good enough for video output). The ability to use them as primary's would be nice also.

3) Which foam and how much of it?

4) Snappy coil or retractor?

5) Which Backscatter or filter setup?

Thank you again and Happy Thanksgiving!

 

[ReadyTo Dive]

Edit: I know lights eliminate the need for a red filter when they are in use. Also I apologize for asking then same questions so many others have already asked but I honestly was left more confused than when I first started researching so that's why I created this thread. Thank you again!

 

[ReefHound]

That price is nuts. You can do this for under $600 and under $300 if you sacrifice a bit on the lights.

A tray is simply a flat piece of metal with two handles with ball mounts. I bought my partner this one for $36 and it works great. Able to attach a tripod, too. Trays used to be a scam because they are for such a niche market but many clones are now on the market. It is easy to make and costs them about $10 to make.

Pressing the shutter button on the camera to start and stop is not a pita. That's the height of laziness. How you plan to turn the lights on and off?

Lights are where the money is. Still, I think the $1000 Sola lights are overkill for the non-professional. I have the Aqualite Pro 100. Costs under $200, 4 power settings, easy to mount, lightweight, solid reputation, long burntime (depends on power setting), 100 degree wide angle beam, and easy to use rotary control. The twist-on lights, especially when they are tight, are a pita. You could go really cheap and get some Archon D11v lights for $50 each that would do in most cases although they are twist-on and just two power settings. No light is useful beyond a few feet.

18650's lithiums are the standard now. Some devices accept the 26650's that are higher capacity. You can typically run a 18650 in a 26650 but not the other way around.

I'd go with the Backscatter Flip system. Add the macromate if you want to video the small stuff. Easy to switch filters and a solid track record. Avoid the cheap plastic filters. Many are not the right material and make things worse. The Switchblade is PolarPro which I would avoid. Nice filter, hinged glass macro lens, but I had two fall apart underwater and many similar such complaints.

The floats should be PVC closed cell foam not your typical "pool noodle" foam. You can use the latter and it will help but it will lose buoyancy with depth similar to a wetsuit. Here's a link to a guide on making your own.

Definitely use a coiled lanyard with a quick snap that you can release and extend the coil while taking video and snap closed to keep it close up to you when not. Check the snaps before every dive. There are thousands of gopros covering the ocean bottoms. Don't contribute to it.

 

[ReefHound]

Looking closer at that trigger device in your link. I don't think I've ever seen anyone with such a thing. I work on a liveaboard and see dozens of camera rigs each trip. Of all the complaints and wishlists I've heard from videographers, a trigger to start/stop the camera has never been mentioned. Personally, I wouldn't have that thing if you paid me. It adds weight and I'm always looking to shave ounces. Lots of parts. It looks like something else to go wrong.

 

[ReadyTo Dive]

Thank you @ReefHound for all of that information! Very helpful!

I definitely agree that the less weight and fewer moving parts the better the rig. My thoughts on the trigger tray were A) quick on/off giving better odds of catching fast moving/disappearing critters/moments and B) easier ability to stay steady/in the diver position while starting/stopping the camera. No big deal and the tray you linked looks just fine. 2 questions - wouldn't a tray with adjustable (loc-line?) arms be better than one with stationary arms like the one you linked? Maybe the stationary arms are better because once the lights are set correctly then no more adjustments are needed? Second, would you "upgrade" to any brighter/wider beam lights if possible or are the Aqualites all the brightness I'll ever need. Just trying to learn - Thanks again!

 

[ReefHound]

The Aqualites are 1000 lumens I think. Pretty bright and with 2 it covers the full field as bright as I want it to be.

The trigger might be what, a quarter second faster? I've learned that anything that fast moving or changing is not going to yield a good clip anyway. It may be helpful in steadiness and avoiding a brief jitter when pressing shutter but that hasn't been an issue for me. Maybe due to the way I shoot. I'll start the video rolling and let it roll several seconds after my intended shot, then afterwards clip the video. That yields a better scene imo. If I'm filming a damsel guarding her nest, I don't want to start the scene with her butt in retreat but with her facing the camera. Since I'm trimming from the front and end of the video I'm not at all concerned with a momentary jitter as I start or stop.

As for the arms, I use butterfly clamps (and sometimes extender arms) that allow the lights to be readjusted and reoriented as needed. Just loosen the clamp and move as desired. I typically keep mine tight enough to hold position but loose enough that I can move with slightly more effort but without loosening. And no incessant squeaking crunching noise as locline is readjusted.
See this image for reference.
http://www.uwphotographyguide.com/images/NEX7-camera.jpg

 

[ReefHound]

Also forgot to mention with regards to the floats, if you plan to use a tripod you will want the rig to be slightly negative not completely neutral.

 

[outofofficebrb]

I had a GoPro on the tray below with 2 lights on arms and flex arms on each side similar to the picture below.

Sea Life makes it. It’s a package with the tray and handles. Buy two extra flex arms to get extra distance and adjustability. (That’s what is shown in photo.) It also comes with 2 lights - 2 sea dragons at 1500 lumens each and 3 power settings for a total of 3000 lumens. Excellent value and for the price of the tray you linked to on eBay - actually, probably less.

You can also pay a little more and get 2 2500 lumen lights instead. If you can afford it, get as much light as you can.

I’ve since moved to a camera rig and don’t use the GoPro anymore but if you go to my Instagram, you can see examples of this setup. I sometimes used a red filter and/or macro lens with and without the lights depending on conditions. Everything that is older than the tiger sharks photo are all GoPro. The most recent photos are with a camera rig so those are not relevant.

Let me know if you have any questions and update us on what you decide!

@outofofficebrb • Instagram photos and videos

 

[ReadyTo Dive]

@outofofficebrb Very helpful info - Thank you!!! Would love to see some more GoPro pictures from you/anyone with a similar GP4 setup.

What do you (& @ReefHound) think about this $699 SOLA package vs. this Sealife 5000 package ($999 with 2 flex arms)? Seems like there should be some decent deals Robb's had tomorrow... Thanks again!!!

7 SMOKING HOT HOLIDAY DEALS FOR UNDERWATER PHOTOGRAPHERS - Underwater Photography - Backscatter

Sealife Sea Dragon Duo 5000 L.E.D. Light Set

 

[ReadyTo Dive]

Oh also @ReefHound do you happen to have any pictures I could see that you've taken with the Aqualite setup? Thank you again, you've been very helpful and I do appreciate everything.