Dive Tray - Video and Stills, GoPro Advice?

[SgtKashim]

I've been a photographer for a while, but only recently started diving. I've been wanting to combine the two... but just don't have the budget to get a DSLR housing. On the other hand, I have a ContourRoam action cam I've been strapping to my right hand. On a recent dive, I also found a perfect, working GoPro Hero 3 dropped by a white-water rafter. I've been unable to find the owner, having tried Facebook, local forums, and GoPro's support. So I guess I own a GoPro now.

While this has produced *occasionally* useful footage, it's pretty shakey. I need something more stable. I've bought a cheap GoPro compatible tray, and some adapters to mount the GoPro, my ContourRoam, and at least one of my (video) dive lights to the tray.

My current plan is to leave the Contour in video mode, and set up the GoPro for stills.

A couple of questions, especially if you have experience with similar setups: 1 - Do I need a retractor, or will a simple cord loop be sufficient? Do I need to add any kind of bouncy to the tray? (I have a friend who dives similarly but has her tray covered in foam.) Any other advice?

Thanks!

 

[EvilOtter]

GoPro setups are generally pretty light so you don't really need to add buoyancy. I use a coil lanyard to secure all of my camera setups, including my GoPro. Something like this should do the trick: Innovative Stainless Steel Carabiner Coil Lanyard

The problem is that they have low mass which makes it much harder to maintain stability than with a heavier setup. When shooting video, try keeping your arms and wrists locked, avoid panning or tilting the camera and try not to make any sudden movements. Maintain neutral buoyancy with a slight breath hold and try maintain your position for as long as possible to obtain a smooth, continuous shot.

For both photos and video, you need to get up close, due to the extra wide lens on the GoPro. Macro is not possible without a diopter since the GoPro requires at least 12 inches of working distance to focus. GoPros are great for video but you will find that there are much better options available for stills at a reasonable cost.

Have fun!

 

[ReefHound]

Gopro isn't known for it's great stills.

Good to hear you bought a cheap tray. These things are so overpriced. It's a piece of flat aluminum with handles. I bought a name brand for big bucks when I started. My partner bought a $35 one on Amazon. I actually like heres better. Lights? Quality is very important. Tray? Not so much.

I hate retractors as a rule. Sometimes they rust out inside and your first clue is when it breaks. I always use a SS bolt snap to clip off my rig when not in use. When using it, I just unclip and hold it. Except when there is no bottom, like diving the oil rigs in 400' of water, I have it attached with 3/16" bungee cord which is long enough and flexible enough to hold in front of me and still be securely attached. It's unobtrusive so I may just leave that attachment on all the time now.

I'd recommend adding pvc closed cell foam blocks to offset the negative buoyancy of the camera rig, which can be 3 or more pounds negative with lights. It's frustrating to be horizontal and in perfect trim, lift the camera in front of you to take video, and find yourself starting to invert. You could weight yourself to be in trim with the camera extended but that's a sloppy solution. Open cell foam like pool noodles will offset some of the negative buoyancy but will lose buoyancy with depth. Some people just try to get it within ballpark neutral and some really get into total precision. This page will show you just how to do it.

 

[SgtKashim]

hate retractors as a rule. Sometimes they rust out inside and your first clue is when it breaks. I always use a SS bolt snap to clip off my rig when not in use. When using it, I just unclip and hold it.

Yeah - I cross-posted this some other places, and got similar advice. I'm going with a short cord wrist loop and a bolt snap for when I need to set it down. Thanks for the advice!

Some people just try to get it within ballpark neutral and some really get into total precision. This page will show you just how to do it.

That looks like a fantastic resource. I'll play with that a bit! Thanks!

GoPros are great for video but you will find that there are much better options available for stills at a reasonable cost.

Have an example? So far I've found the next real step up seems to be something like the Olympus TG-4/TG-5 ... and that's still a big budget hit. Not as bad as trying to get my DSLR working in a housing, but still not an easy pill right now. Thanks!

 

[rek_diver]

I just did the pool noodle camera tray neutral buoyancy thing during a recent trip to Key Largo. Found an unused pool noodle right by the pool, cut off about a 6" piece which I then cut in half, I removed the video lights and slid the pool noodle pieces right onto each of the two light arms, they fit nice and snug. I kept removing bits of the noodle until the camera and tray were a bit negative, since the pool is freshwater. Got it so that it's neutral in ocean water unless I go pretty deep. Much better than having it hang down from my BCD and less effort to maneuver it.

 

[ReefHound]

Have an example? So far I've found the next real step up seems to be something like the Olympus TG-4/TG-5 ... and that's still a big budget hit. Not as bad as trying to get my DSLR working in a housing, but still not an easy pill right now. Thanks!

Are you planning to mount the Contour and Gopro on the same tray? The act of releasing a handle and pressing a shutter button is likely going to create shakiness in the video. You could set the Gopro to take stills on an interval, if the Hero 3 has that feature (i know it's in the Hero 4).

Another thought, while the still might capture higher resolution many people find it better to grab a frame capture from video than taking a still. The still has to adjust and focus whereas the video has already focused and offers many frames to choose from to get that best shot.

 

[MAKO Spearguns]

Please take a look at our Tray system. It is modular, but you can purchase the entire system with tray, lights arms, sand spikes for a very reasonable price. The video explains it pretty well.

Also as mentioned, the GoPro and our mounting system are actually pretty compact. Striving for neutral buoyancy of the rig may not be beneficial. Having a compact and slightly negative rig helps add stability and allows the system to be set down and film and still remain stable.

Thanks!
Dano

Two Handle Camera Tray | MAKO Spearguns

 

[ReefHound]

Please take a look at our Tray system. It is modular, but you can purchase the entire system with tray, lights arms, sand spikes for a very reasonable price. The video explains it pretty well.

Also as mentioned, the GoPro and our mounting system are actually pretty compact. Striving for neutral buoyancy of the rig may not be beneficial. Having a compact and slightly negative rig helps add stability and allows the system to be set down and film and still remain stable.

Thanks!
Dano

He said he already bought a tray, and it would suck if every time we discussed trays every manufacturer jumped in to promote their product, but that's a good point about being slightly negative to allow for stationary use, whether sand spikes or tripods.

 

[SgtKashim]

I just did the pool noodle camera tray neutral buoyancy thing during a recent trip to Key Largo. Found an unused pool noodle right by the pool, cut off about a 6" piece which I then cut in half, I removed the video lights and slid the pool noodle pieces right onto each of the two light arms, they fit nice and snug. I kept removing bits of the noodle until the camera and tray were a bit negative, since the pool is freshwater. Got it so that it's neutral in ocean water unless I go pretty deep. Much better than having it hang down from my BCD and less effort to maneuver it.

I'll find a pool and mess with it, see what feels right. Close to neutral is a good place.

Are you planning to mount the Contour and Gopro on the same tray? The act of releasing a handle and pressing a shutter button is likely going to create shakiness in the video. You could set the Gopro to take stills on an interval, if the Hero 3 has that feature (i know it's in the Hero 4).

Another thought, while the still might capture higher resolution many people find it better to grab a frame capture from video than taking a still. The still has to adjust and focus whereas the video has already focused and offers many frames to choose from to get that best shot.

I've had bad luck pulling stills. You're right, they're both going on the same tray, and it's possible the wobble from the press will shake the video... hadn't thought of that. Going to interval shooting may be a better "set and forget" option... Hmmm.

Please take a look at our Tray system. It is modular, but you can purchase the entire system with tray, lights arms, sand spikes for a very reasonable price. The video explains it pretty well.

Also as mentioned, the GoPro and our mounting system are actually pretty compact. Striving for neutral buoyancy of the rig may not be beneficial. Having a compact and slightly negative rig helps add stability and allows the system to be set down and film and still remain stable.

Intersting point about the negative... and there's some good ideas there for when I build V2. Thanks!

 

[MAKO Spearguns]

Those are all highly protected, technologically advanced design features which shouldn't be emulated by a lay person.

LOL. Glad the video was useful.