Go Pro Anyone?

Old Oct 27, 2014, 2:30 am
  #31  
 
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Thank you for the fast answer! I don't want to carry too many cameras so if I took the GoPro, it would be my only underwater camera. Maybe I'll meet someone on my next trip who has it and who lets me use it for a moment so I can get an idea of the pictures it takes.

Which type do you recommend? Right now, they have the GoPro Hero for just 124€ which is a lot less than all other GoPros. Is that because the quality basically sucks? Or do you think it's still enough for someone who just takes a couple of underwater shots a year? What about the Hero3 White or Hero3+ Silver?
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Old Oct 29, 2014, 3:50 pm
  #32  
 
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OK, here's one of the best uses of a GoPro I've seen yet:

http://www.slate.com/blogs/wild_thin...son_video.html
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Old Nov 4, 2014, 8:14 pm
  #33  
 
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so my first real video, EK a380 - https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=efZP...ature=youtu.be taking off from DXB, secondly the Hero 4 battery is just horrible, it only lasted 20 or so minutes, I would not recommend it being your only camera
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Old Nov 7, 2014, 11:56 am
  #34  
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You'll get much better battery life if you use the timelapse still photo option rather than video. The post-production work is greater to get to the final product but I've got a pretty good workflow now and can generally make it happen well enough.

Failing that get the skeleton case which provides access to the USB port on the side and plug in an external pack to keep the camera charged over time.


My latest: LCY to AMS in 90 seconds.


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Old Nov 8, 2014, 8:32 am
  #35  
 
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Originally Posted by sbm12
You'll get much better battery life if you use the timelapse still photo option rather than video. The post-production work is greater to get to the final product but I've got a pretty good workflow now and can generally make it happen well enough.

Failing that get the skeleton case which provides access to the USB port on the side and plug in an external pack to keep the camera charged over time.


My latest: LCY to AMS in 90 seconds.


n.b. The link above is to my blog or to one which I am a regular contributor. FT rules require that I disclose that in the post.
Tried the timelapse after the next charge, still got around 20 minutes, I wound up grabbing some new batteries and the skeleton case
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Old Nov 9, 2014, 7:41 am
  #36  
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Originally Posted by macdonaldj2
Tried the timelapse after the next charge, still got around 20 minutes,
Ouch.

FWIW, I played with mine at a Strongman competition yesterday. Lots of awesome people lifting really heavy things. I mounted the camera on to one of the lifting rigs and got some pretty cool videos out of it.

https://www.youtube.com/playlist?lis...2ttEJkRgK_77Fx
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Old Jan 6, 2015, 10:30 pm
  #37  
 
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I just picked up a GoPro Hero4 Silver today. Also bought a couple extra batteries. Does anyone recommend any other accessories?
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Old Jan 11, 2015, 4:07 pm
  #38  
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Originally Posted by sbm12
For my next dive I plan on still taking my regular camera in an u/w housing for stills, mostly because it also can trigger the strobes and because I can properly frame shots with the viewfinder, and also the GoPro in case I want the fisheye effect for something.
Self-quoting to tell the tale of my dives: The GoPro was a failure to me.

Light issues which typically affect underwater photos were the same with the GoPro but no ability to use strobes to offset means no use to me. Maybe in video mode would have been better but the super wide angle would necessitate a much bigger lighting rig. If you stay shallow - maybe ~25 feet - in clear water it could be useful but not a great dive camera IMO.

Also, the housing appeared to leak a bit on my second dive. That was enough for me to not bother with it on the second day.
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Old Jan 11, 2015, 10:06 pm
  #39  
 
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Originally Posted by sbm12
Self-quoting to tell the tale of my dives: The GoPro was a failure to me.

Light issues which typically affect underwater photos were the same with the GoPro but no ability to use strobes to offset means no use to me. Maybe in video mode would have been better but the super wide angle would necessitate a much bigger lighting rig. If you stay shallow - maybe ~25 feet - in clear water it could be useful but not a great dive camera IMO.

Also, the housing appeared to leak a bit on my second dive. That was enough for me to not bother with it on the second day.
which model did you get? I have the Hero 3+ Silver and it doesn't do well in low light. The Hero 3+ Black does a lot better, I assume the 4 will do even better.
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Old Jan 11, 2015, 10:21 pm
  #40  
 
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Originally Posted by sbm12
Self-quoting to tell the tale of my dives: The GoPro was a failure to me.

Light issues which typically affect underwater photos were the same with the GoPro but no ability to use strobes to offset means no use to me. Maybe in video mode would have been better but the super wide angle would necessitate a much bigger lighting rig. If you stay shallow - maybe ~25 feet - in clear water it could be useful but not a great dive camera IMO.

Also, the housing appeared to leak a bit on my second dive. That was enough for me to not bother with it on the second day.
By regular camera do you mean a point and shoot or a DSLR? I'm a bit curious about the best way of doing underwater photography.
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Old Jan 12, 2015, 7:39 pm
  #41  
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Originally Posted by EmptyKim
which model did you get? I have the Hero 3+ Silver and it doesn't do well in low light. The Hero 3+ Black does a lot better, I assume the 4 will do even better.
Hero 3+ Black. It is not that the pictures are too dark or too grainy; it is that they are too blue. Typically I compensate for that with strobes but that's not an option with the GoPro.

Originally Posted by CitizenWorld
By regular camera do you mean a point and shoot or a DSLR? I'm a bit curious about the best way of doing underwater photography.
Canon S110 in a Canon housing (DS-47, perhaps??) plus an Ikelite DS-50 strobe.
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Old Jan 13, 2015, 3:07 am
  #42  
 
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Originally Posted by sbm12
Canon S110 in a Canon housing (DS-47, perhaps??) plus an Ikelite DS-50 strobe.
Ah, cheers!
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Old Jan 15, 2015, 3:38 pm
  #43  
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Originally Posted by sbm12
Hero 3+ Black. It is not that the pictures are too dark or too grainy; it is that they are too blue. Typically I compensate for that with strobes but that's not an option with the GoPro.
Have you tried any of the dive filters? Both GoPro and Lee Filters have filters that fit onto the front of the housing to colour correct for the water. That plus a small underwater video light would probably do the trick I would think.
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Old Jan 15, 2015, 3:41 pm
  #44  
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Originally Posted by teese35
I just picked up a GoPro Hero4 Silver today. Also bought a couple extra batteries. Does anyone recommend any other accessories?

The suction cup mount is pretty good. Allows you to attach the GoPro to an airplane window.
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Old Jan 16, 2015, 9:47 pm
  #45  
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Originally Posted by McG
Have you tried any of the dive filters? Both GoPro and Lee Filters have filters that fit onto the front of the housing to colour correct for the water. That plus a small underwater video light would probably do the trick I would think.
The problem I foresee with a u/w light is that the angle of view is so huge on the GoPro that a small one simply won't work. You'll end up with a spot of light in the middle and that will throw off the color/lighting for the rest of the frame.
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