As the photo/video-grapher in the family, I'm NEVER in any of the clips, so with my new GoPro2, I made a 2-piece polecam that works AWESOME, portable and packable in luggage, and delivers GREAT self video and allows skimming over a reef not scaring the fish, as me the evil intrusive diver is ~5-6 feet away yet the camera is in the fish/coras face just inches away.
PVC fittings = ~$5-6bucks.
Major Sweet UltraLightControlSystem ball head/clamps = $100 (ouch $$$, but it's worth it, as it provides multi-angle cam position angles) On my still camera rig, I also run the ULCS ball system, so I can add the gopro2 in-between arms, via a 3 ball clamp.
All 3/4" pvc pipe parts:
POLE CAM PARTS/COMPONENTS, starting from left to right in attached photo
Screw on extension arm:
1) glue-on Female cap
2) ~20" of thick wall PVC pipe3
3) glue-on female to 3/4" thread female
Main Pole Cam arm:
1) Threaded Female Cap
2) Male thread to Female glue-on
3) ~20" thick wall pvc pipe
4) Glue-on female/female coupling.
5) Male flat head glued plug.
ULCS Male Stud mount ball fitting.
ULCS clamp
ULCS GoPro Mount.
Drill a 1/4" hole in the Flat head Male Plug PVC fitting, affix ULCS ball mount with nut on the inside of the Male Plug, then glue in place.
If you want to use just the one main section, thread on the female cap, and a wrist strap cord fits perfect in between the cap and male thread.
to add the section section, remove the female cap, and thread the second arm onto the first arm.
I found this total ~48" length section to be great to capture 2-3 divers side by side by holding out at extended arms length. Careful to not shake your hand or the PVC arm too much, as even at 720x60fps you can introduce a little wiggle.
But as a diver, swimming 5 foot off the bottom, you can have the camera 2-3" off the coral or stick it under rocks / ledges to capture normally skitterish fish, as you're far enough away to not spook them.
the one or two sections of PVC pipe make for GREAT self portrait giant stride entry videos too. (I don't have a YouTube account yet, but if someone who does wants to PM me an email addy, I can send you a short 12 second 8 meg file of a polecam giant stride entry to post on youtube for everyone to view.
Go to the GoPro Section here for ULCS parts:
http://www.ulcs.com/
Pics shot in Hawaii, so it's a fitting dive post!!!
PVC fittings = ~$5-6bucks.
Major Sweet UltraLightControlSystem ball head/clamps = $100 (ouch $$$, but it's worth it, as it provides multi-angle cam position angles) On my still camera rig, I also run the ULCS ball system, so I can add the gopro2 in-between arms, via a 3 ball clamp.
All 3/4" pvc pipe parts:
POLE CAM PARTS/COMPONENTS, starting from left to right in attached photo
Screw on extension arm:
1) glue-on Female cap
2) ~20" of thick wall PVC pipe3
3) glue-on female to 3/4" thread female
Main Pole Cam arm:
1) Threaded Female Cap
2) Male thread to Female glue-on
3) ~20" thick wall pvc pipe
4) Glue-on female/female coupling.
5) Male flat head glued plug.
ULCS Male Stud mount ball fitting.
ULCS clamp
ULCS GoPro Mount.
Drill a 1/4" hole in the Flat head Male Plug PVC fitting, affix ULCS ball mount with nut on the inside of the Male Plug, then glue in place.
If you want to use just the one main section, thread on the female cap, and a wrist strap cord fits perfect in between the cap and male thread.
to add the section section, remove the female cap, and thread the second arm onto the first arm.
I found this total ~48" length section to be great to capture 2-3 divers side by side by holding out at extended arms length. Careful to not shake your hand or the PVC arm too much, as even at 720x60fps you can introduce a little wiggle.
But as a diver, swimming 5 foot off the bottom, you can have the camera 2-3" off the coral or stick it under rocks / ledges to capture normally skitterish fish, as you're far enough away to not spook them.
the one or two sections of PVC pipe make for GREAT self portrait giant stride entry videos too. (I don't have a YouTube account yet, but if someone who does wants to PM me an email addy, I can send you a short 12 second 8 meg file of a polecam giant stride entry to post on youtube for everyone to view.
Go to the GoPro Section here for ULCS parts:
http://www.ulcs.com/
Pics shot in Hawaii, so it's a fitting dive post!!!
