Orienting GoPro on Headband

[lsutiger607]

Hey, new GoPro2 user here. I'm having trouble adjusting the included headband/underwater housing to the correct angle to capture the field of view directly in front of me. Been doing some practice above and below the surface coordinating my eye line with the center of the camera's field of view. Is seems all my shot have been aimed too high. The obvious answer it to angle it down. To remove the camera you have to 'undo' the angle of the housing with the headband and start over. Just wondering how other ensure that each time they go diving with the headband, they are sure that the angle of the housing is correct to capture video directly in front of the user.

 

[toozler]

Most people that used it mounted on their heads while diving reached the conclusion that it's better NOT to head mount it. Video turns out too shaky, too many bubbles in front of you, hard to reach the camera in case you want to switch modes, etc.

Try using a tray or a pole.

 

[dumpsterDiver]

You have to learn what looks right by feel and experience. I also try to remember to have my buddy confrirm that it is point straight before I splash. Then feel the angle with your fingers to learn it. Also, if you want to film things close up and show your hands, you have to angle it down.

The following is what happens when it gets knocked down and you don't check it or correct it for the whole dive...LOL

[video=youtube;7r8K2r2cY6Y]http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=7r8K2r2cY6Y&feature=share&list=UU1utDku8vJ RJYgBZImLyLJQ[/video]

 

[Byrdie]

I use the headband with it angled slightly downward and find that using a hood over the headband keeps the gopro solidly in place. The trick is that you need to be able to fold the front of the hood up so that it sits very high up on your forehead.

 

[dumpsterDiver]

Most people that used it mounted on their heads while diving reached the conclusion that it's better NOT to head mount it. Video turns out too shaky, too many bubbles in front of you, hard to reach the camera in case you want to switch modes, etc.

Try using a tray or a pole.

Wearing a head mounted camera definitely has some disadvantages, To get decent video, you need to constantly remind your self to move your head slowly, to stare at a subject etc. Even then it is tough to get a stable shot for more than 10-12 seconds. However, if you are doing some other activity with your hands (like spearfishing) then the head camera can be very beneficial and does not present hardly any task loading.

I have not had a whole lot of trouble with bubbles on my go-pro head mount camera rig.


If your primary goal is to capture video when diving, then a hand held mount will get you better video.

 

[lsutiger607]

I'm sure that I want to head mount it. Just want a simple, un-obtrusive, low maintenance way to share the dive with others. Just wondering how others deal with the framing of the shot each time they dive.

 

[dumpsterDiver]

If you set the camera on medium width setting think it may be 127 degrees? that is a wide enough field of view to capture everything you are looking at if the camera is align properly. Remember that you must wear the head mount under a hood or rig a chin strap or you will lose the camera,

 

[lsutiger607]

I've got a small carabiner hooked to both the GoPro head strap and my mask strap. If it falls off, it will just hang from the side of my mask

 

[Marty Cerven]

Back when I was doing more headband videos I found that a good way to set the angle was to stand upright and hold my hands out directly infront parallel to the ground. Then try and find the correct angle to have my hands in the middle of the frame, record this angle with a protractor or some other method so you will be able to quickly set the correct angle prior to a dive. You can also try lying down on a bed or end of a sofa with your arms stretched out in front and this should be a fairly similar angle, this will be fine for all your general dives but if your going to be on a cray dive or wanting to film your hands picking up things off the ground you will need to adjust the angle down some more. You can simulate this at home by lying at the end of your bed and touch the ground with your hands trying to get them in frame, but this angle will not be as good for you normal diving position and may miss things if they are above your head during a dive.

Its best to find these angles and then find some way of taking note of them so you can quickly and accurately set this prior to a dive. Something you can also do is set the camera to 960p mode which is 1280x960 res and is pretty much the same as 720p other then having an extra 240 pixel linels which are 120 pixels above and below the 720P frame. This can give you a bit of margin for error and you can move the video up or down in post inside a 1280x720p frame to help with framing.

Here are some of my older headcam videos

This first one shot with the first method with arms mid frame set with a protractor on the boat. Bubbles were a bit of an issue this dive whilst upright and not moving but if your swimming along they arent as big an issue.



This one is with the angle set lower to get my hands in frame whilst scalloping, I tried this dive once before with my original angle but it didnt show me picking up any scallops so the video was useless.



I use a chin strap for the head mounts for safety or the under the hood method. You can also completely eliminate the bubble issue by simply using the extended mounts to make sure the camera is ahead of you regulator and ahead of most of your bubbles.

Headmounting wont give you the best video but there are dives such as when going for crays or scallops that you need both hands free and its the best method for these type of videos.

 

[Bestshooter]

Ya I used the headstrap the first dive with the camera and lost it somewhere during the safety stop ..... Use a chinstrap or tie it to bc ... !!!!!!