Hey Folks, the GoPro HD is a great little cam. It shoots stills but not of high quality. The addition of a back monitor plus either the Sartek or Eye of Mine housing will help eliminate the soft focus but the cam still retains the fisheye lens look as a result of the lens itself. And you still need video lights, not your UK uw hand held light. No matter what, do not deceive yourselves that this is suitable for producing great films. It just is no where near that level for filming underwater. It is like comparing a point and shoot in a housing to a Sony EX1 or Red one, they are in a whole different class.
Steve
I think most people that are going for the GoPro are aware of this...
There are really a few reasons I like the GoPro:
I'm not a film producer.
I have many hobbies including Mountain Biking, Rock Climbing, Surfing, Kayaking and Diving (obviously). The Go Pro is excellent for capturing video of these.
I want something Hands-Free.
Something Rugged.
Something Waterproof to depth.
Something that is super lightweight and small.
Something that gives the viewer a sense of First person point of view.
Something that won't break the bank!
The GoPro has all of this. There are not many (if any) top end cameras that can satisfy all of these requirements in a single camera (I won't be mounting a Sony EX1 to my surfboard anytime soon). Obviously if I had someone else to film me whilst surfing, or rock climbing, or following me in a HumVee whilst Mountain Biking, I would suggest they use a high end camera. But as I am doing the filmaking, I will gladly sacrifice a bit of quality for unique footage.
Ultimately, this thread is about GoPro accessories that could be useful in certain situations as per others experiences with them. Thank you for the feedback on the housings and the back monitor and while I appreciate your concern about the quality of GoPro videos, respectfully, this really isn't the place for that discussion.
