The best go pro session 5 dive acessories

[nuts4corals]

I have a go pro session 5 camera and need to purchase some dive accessories for it to take it along on some upcoming dives.

I am looking for the following:

1. underwater case
2. red filter
3. selfie stick
4. light

I have been watching alot of You Tube vids of dive footage using different mounting systems and I don't like stationary mounts like ones on a BC strap or tank mounts as the footage orientation is not pleasing. The best footage I have found is some sort of telescoping selfie stick which allows some reach and can be retracted. if doing macro shots some sort of hand held mount seems best. I wont be doing true macro on dives at least not anytime soon.

a. can anyone suggest and recommend equipment/brand for the above
b. any personal experience would be greatly appreciated.
c. links to web sites that offer fair pricing for the above would be appreciated.

Yes, this is my first time taking go pro vids. since i am the only one in my family that dives they would appreciate seeing what I see on my dives and the main reason I would like to do this. Thanks in advance.

 

[nuts4corals]

anyone have any input on the above?

 

[nuts4corals]

No one uses go pro session 5 for diving that can help?

 

[Hoag]

The one thing that I would say WRT your list is that you would likely find that a tray would be far more stable and ultimately give you better results than a selfie stick. If cost is a factor, there are lots of DIY videos on Youtube on it.

 

[nuts4corals]

Thanks hoag... but isnt a tray more cumberome to use in the water? i agree it might be more stable but cant be streatched out to your subject like a selfie stick... one handed operation vs two... and not nearly as costly. honestly, i like the trays and still considering it but seems a bit daunting to use. The session 5 is super small compared to other cams and is one huge reason i am considering selfie. having said this i am just getting into pics and vids in water so...

 

[Hoag]

I primarily shoot stills underwater, so I am used to a tray. I took my GoPro (a GoPro3) to Grand Turk last year and got a small tray for it (IIRC I think it was a Big Blue). By the end of the week, I was using the GoPro with a red filter and the small tray. (I even left the video lights back in the hotel room.) It made for a compact easy to use system that I did not find cumbersome at all.

Everything is a compromise. I honestly don't know if you will find a tray cumbersome or daunting. My guess is that you might on the first dive, but after that I don't think you will. I am confident, however, that your results will be a lot better with a tray than they would be with a selfie stick. Ideally, you would use the tray with both hands, but if you need to, you can use it with one hand and free up the other for short periods of time. Ultimately, the choice of whether to go with a selfie stick or a tray will be yours and yours alone. I caution you though that if you are trying to balance convenience with video stability don't just think short term but think long term. Think of the reaction that you hope to get when you show your video to your friends.

I see that the Session 5 is only water resistant to 33ft, so you would definitely need the waterproof housing if you plan to take it diving with you.

 

[nuts4corals]

I can see a tray being superior for stills... you offer some really good insight that I can appreciate. please take a look at this guy
;
I feel the video is pretty good and pretty stable. but I am confused is a light is needed for most of the shoot here. the under cave and crevice is a must but out in the open wouldn't a red filter be enough? you can see that he has a go pro mounted on his mask with a red filter.

 

[nuts4corals]

here is a review of the go pole I am currently looking at.

 

[npole]

You can do good videos with a pole, and you can do the selfies as well (you need to have a good hand, better if your cam has an integrated stabilization), using a frame is recommended (you can even think to add a polo to a frame if you wish! ...and if it isn't too negative).
The major cons of the pole is about the light, you have no other option of attaching it right next to the cam, so when you use it you will have a lot of back scattering light (proportional to the suspension in the water); as opposite this is one of the major pro's of using a frame with arms: you can move the lights apart and orient them in a different direction so you want have the light reflecting directly in the cam, mitigating the "dirt water" effect.

 

[MAKO Spearguns]

You can do good videos with a pole, and you can do the selfies as well (you need to have a good hand, better if your cam has an integrated stabilization), using a frame is recommended (you can even think to add a polo to a frame if you wish! ...and if it isn't too negative).
The major cons of the pole is about the light, you have no other option of attaching it right next to the cam, so when you use it you will have a lot of back scattering light (proportional to the suspension in the water); as opposite this is one of the major pro's of using a frame with arms: you can move the lights apart and orient them in a different direction so you want have the light reflecting directly in the cam, mitigating the "dirt water" effect.

I agree. A "stick" or pole is great for an actual selfie shot and it can allow the diver to get the camera up much closer to maybe an eel or even a turtle face. You might appreciate having a few feet of buffer between your hand and some subjects. In addition, a fish, turtle etc. might be much more relaxed if there is a small camera and stick near them, compared to a large bubble blower or even a freediver "in their face".

However, there was a comment made about a preference for single hand operation. A pole can easily be held with one hand and it will deliver some video. But, if you want to take good and stable video that has any duration, then most people will find that they need two hands on the pole to get the most stability. One hand on the end, one further up the pole.

Certainly not a reason to avoid using a pole, but a tray (with optional lights) also has some advantages that a pole does not.

This is an older video - made by a hearing impaired guy who shoots a lot of Go-Pro... I think he provides some useful tips.