Anyone using the GoPro LCD Bacpac?

[driftin' by]

Got my GoPro HD a couple months ago and I'm in the process of readying it for an upcoming trip to Cozumel with BlurFix, filter, tray and handle and possibly a Sola. My first notion was to go for the Battery Bacpac but after watching various videos around the net, I'm wondering if the LDC Bacpac wouldn't be a better choice to not only help frame the subjects more accurately but possibly give instant feedback on how unstable you are filming.

Anyone using the LCD Bacpac with good results? What is it's drain on the battery when on all the time?

 

[TSwain]

Yes I use the LCD and it helps alot. It does drain the battery more. I still get a hour of shooting video with the LCD on. You can turn the LCD on and off by itself so you can save some battery life by doing this. I recomend it.

 

[HollywoodiversImaging]

Just got done shooting with the GoPro and an LCD back for a few days. Having the back certainly made shooting the camera much easier...however with both new batteries, I found I could only get about 30-40 minutes out of the camera and LCD combined. As TSwain said, you can turn it on and off...but once you shoot with it on, you will never want to shoot without it again...even with the short run time.

 

[Marty Cerven]

How is the screen visibility underwater? I sure would miss the battery life I get atm where I can easily film 3 full dives on 1 battery so I haven't ever needed to change batteries during the day.

But would make it much easier to see what is working and whats not when your actually down there.

 

[driftin' by]

Ouch! 30-40 minutes... So it's sounding like an extra battery and required change between dives is a must with the LCD? But the benefit of LCD is well worth it. I wonder if GoPro has considered making the battery Bacpac so that it could accommodate the LCD Bacpac? It wouldn't take much to reconfigure the current Battery Bacpac, perhaps removing the stand-alone charger feature of it and allowing the connection interface to pass thru, so to speak.

Thanks for the feedback guys!

 

[TSwain]

Yes I have a extra battery and change it after the first dive. With the wide angle lens it is not needed, but sure makes it nice to see what you are shooting.

WOW Driftin only 30-40 minutes out of you battery with the LCD? I have shot for just about an hour with mine on the whole time and it still shoed battery life, but I changed it for the next dive.

 

[sharksdelight]

The only issue I have found with it is that depending upon where the sun is, it can be difficult to see. Never the less, glad it came out so composition is not impossible anymore
steve

 

[jcclink]

With the LCD back I've had minor to mild condensation in the housing, due to the extra heat generated when the LCD is on. Suggest using the GoPro antifog strips. As mentioned, turn off LCD when not in use. Extra battery & separate charger are needed if going to shoot much. LCD is sort of a battery hog. LCD is much easier to view u/w with some type of external hood/shade attached to the housing.
Ultralight has a "cage" mount for the LCD housing which provides a much more secure method of attaching the housing to other systems.

 

[TSwain]

I have never had a issue with mine fogging. If you have a old shammy (I used one from DAN) and cut 3 small strips off of it and place on either side of the camera and below it. Works good and was free.

 

[fdarden]

I definitely have issues properly framing subjects, but I have decided to go the low-tech route first. I had already been thinking about setting up a crosshair system to line up targets. This would be exceptional as should net the same framing assistance without draining the battery.