I've been using this for quite a while. Folks have asked about it so here it is. The results have been spectacular so far.
Parts list:
The camera is a standard GoPro HD.
The port has been replaced with the Mako Flat Port, which has performed flawlessly for me.
The mounting plate I got from Dive-Xtras. I don't think it's in their catalog, so call them and talk to Ray. The Tank cam band I had laying around.
The connections are all UltraLight Control Systems balls and clamps:
Mounting ball UL-AD-8mm
Clamp AC-CSF. I tried one of the new clamps for bouyancy arms and it was a wee bit too long.
The ball on the camera is a UL-AD-GO, which as far as I can tell is an Ultralight BA-HB ball (with a SS 1/4-20 bolt), spun into a GoPro tripod adapter.
So far this has endured 200 fsw without leaking. The camera controls still worked at that depth. I've been shooting in R5, which has handled the motion from scootering just fine, and doesn't vignette. It's not hard to estimate the field of view from the camera, so I have declined the LCD back and it's voracious appetite. Right now I'm using a Sandisk Ultra 16 GB card, a 15 MB/sec C4 card, and it works fine for the GoProHD. Data rates: I estimate 1 GB per 10 minutes shooting, so 40 minutes of data is 4 GB. The battery seems to last either two short 40 minute dives, or one nice long deep dive (100 minutes RT), in 48-50 degree water.
My tendancy is to just start recording at the begining of the dive and let it run. If there's something long and boring I'll shut it off (like during deco) but otherwise it's always recording. I trim the raw files later with VLC if there are long portions that are useless.
The balance on the scooter is changed by the camera assembly. I take about 5 ounces out of the nose weight of my Cuda. It does definitely make the scooter want to roll over inverted when you let go of the scooter, which I thought was a PITA at first. This has been a blessing, however, during deco. When I clip up the scooter to the right chest ring it very nicely rotates the caamera down out of harm's way. (unless you are very close to the bottom, where it may drag in the silt a little bit with you being unaware...! Very embarrasing.)
Low light performance is not the same as video cameras in the $3,000 range but what do you expect? in the 0' - 120' range the results are excellent, tack sharp actually and nicely exposed with good detail in the shadows. 120'- 150' it gets grainy but is still sharp, and in the 180' - 200' range when vis was about 15', it is definitely grainy, and not quite as sharp (but still, usable video).
Hope this helps someone!
All the best, James
Parts list:
The camera is a standard GoPro HD.
The port has been replaced with the Mako Flat Port, which has performed flawlessly for me.
The mounting plate I got from Dive-Xtras. I don't think it's in their catalog, so call them and talk to Ray. The Tank cam band I had laying around.
The connections are all UltraLight Control Systems balls and clamps:
Mounting ball UL-AD-8mm
Clamp AC-CSF. I tried one of the new clamps for bouyancy arms and it was a wee bit too long.
The ball on the camera is a UL-AD-GO, which as far as I can tell is an Ultralight BA-HB ball (with a SS 1/4-20 bolt), spun into a GoPro tripod adapter.
So far this has endured 200 fsw without leaking. The camera controls still worked at that depth. I've been shooting in R5, which has handled the motion from scootering just fine, and doesn't vignette. It's not hard to estimate the field of view from the camera, so I have declined the LCD back and it's voracious appetite. Right now I'm using a Sandisk Ultra 16 GB card, a 15 MB/sec C4 card, and it works fine for the GoProHD. Data rates: I estimate 1 GB per 10 minutes shooting, so 40 minutes of data is 4 GB. The battery seems to last either two short 40 minute dives, or one nice long deep dive (100 minutes RT), in 48-50 degree water.
My tendancy is to just start recording at the begining of the dive and let it run. If there's something long and boring I'll shut it off (like during deco) but otherwise it's always recording. I trim the raw files later with VLC if there are long portions that are useless.
The balance on the scooter is changed by the camera assembly. I take about 5 ounces out of the nose weight of my Cuda. It does definitely make the scooter want to roll over inverted when you let go of the scooter, which I thought was a PITA at first. This has been a blessing, however, during deco. When I clip up the scooter to the right chest ring it very nicely rotates the caamera down out of harm's way. (unless you are very close to the bottom, where it may drag in the silt a little bit with you being unaware...! Very embarrasing.)
Low light performance is not the same as video cameras in the $3,000 range but what do you expect? in the 0' - 120' range the results are excellent, tack sharp actually and nicely exposed with good detail in the shadows. 120'- 150' it gets grainy but is still sharp, and in the 180' - 200' range when vis was about 15', it is definitely grainy, and not quite as sharp (but still, usable video).
Hope this helps someone!
All the best, James
