Best GoPro Settings for Cenote/Deep Diving

[Dr. Love]

Hello everyone, I am going to Playa Del Carmen in a couple weeks with a new and untested(underwater at least) GoPro Hero 6 and I was wondering if anyone had any advice for me on which settings are best for conditions with low light? I am doing the Cenotes and the deep bull shark dive and would be annoyed to have my footage come out bad. I've looked online, and some people recommend 24 fps for low light conditions, and others are against it. Any help is appreciated. Thank you!!!!

 

[rongoodman]

Would it be of any use suggesting leaving the camera in your room for your first dives in an overhead environment, even if they are guided? They have a good safety record, but you will still need to pay attention to what's going on around you.

 

[dberry]

Do you use the GoPro with lights? If not, I think you'll be disappointed with the video and photo quality in the Cenotes. I got lucky back in July, because the fellow behind me had a good camera and strobes and shared his photos afterwards.

 

[Aaron Harmon]

Would it be of any use suggesting leaving the camera in your room for your first dives in an overhead environment, even if they are guided? They have a good safety record, but you will still need to pay attention to what's going on around you.

Agreed... All of my footage from my first 50 dives is garbage anyhow. My instructor once told me that he didn't think anyone should carry a camera until they had at least a hundred dives. I wish I would have listened. The camera was more trouble than it was worth, created extra concerns and headaches and took my focus off of the dive. Do yourself a favor and leave the camera at home until the diving comes as second nature.

Do you use the GoPro with lights? If not, I think you'll be disappointed with the video and photo quality in the Cenotes. I got lucky back in July, because the fellow behind me had a good camera and strobes and shared his photos afterwards.

If you do insist on taking the camera, you absolutely need a light and not just any light. You need a video light. There are some great super bright LED lights out there that are good for night dives but terrible for video. Any of those is going to leave a super big hot spot in the center of the screen that completely washes out whatever your filming. You need a good quality, wide angle light with no hot spot. Check out the Orcatorch D910. That's pretty nice for the money.

 

[Norwegian Cave Diver]

Enjoy the Cenotes!!

 

[Lorenzoid]

Would it be of any use suggesting leaving the camera in your room for your first dives in an overhead environment, even if they are guided? They have a good safety record, but you will still need to pay attention to what's going on around you.

Agree. The guided cenote dives--at least the quality ones--begin with a briefing, assuming one doesn't have overhead training, including some conservation/environmental notes, how to use the light to communicate, finning technique, how to position oneself on the line, etc. Like an abbreviated cavern course. I suppose it's common nowadays for divers who are new at this to take GoPros or cameras, but I can't imagine having done that myself--it was enough to simply keep constantly aware of everything while still allowing myself some freedom to enjoy the scenery.