Did I waste my money on the Backscatter Flip Up Filter?

[hellhole]

i believe that if u buy the gopro just for scuba diving.. then its really iffy to say that its more worth it compare to getting a S100 ( as quote above)

but if u buy it to do a lot of other stuff, ie action sports, etc. then its really worth it

 

[Interceptor121]

If you consider only camera and housing the cost gap between the GoPro and Canon S100 seems not so wide
It is true that that the S100 offers more options than the GoPro and superior quality video however in water the S100 has a field of view of only 60 degrees diagonal. So you need to add the cost of a wide angle lens for video which is additional $495 + $125 for the Inon mount if you have a canon housing. So you are talking about $900+ difference for the same field of view, better video quality, and custom white balance.
Buying an S100 only to take video is not a cost effective entry point choice compared to a GoPro but if you want to take video and stills then it makes sense

This right here sum's it up. You spend $300 for the camera, $50 for the red filter, and $50 for the dive housing. So that right there puts you up to $400. For that money you can buy a Canon S100 which will shoot 1080p videos and 12mp photos. Very close to the gopro.... however, and this is a big deal, you now have a zoom, AV mode, TV mode, macro mode, underwater mode, and a list of other features that the gopro only can dream of.

Now many of you will say "well you have to buy the housing for the S100." And this is true, Canon's housing is $220, which is an added expense to the rig. But, who here has just bought a gopro, dive housing, and filter?... I am willing to bet not many. I have the LCD, battery bakpak and a list that I bet you would be around the same price of the housing for the S100. And many if you have done the same.

So when it comes down to it, if you want a very easy, good quality and cheap rig, get yourself a gopro. But if your looking for that little bit better, something with better features, and a rig that can take you from beginning photo or video (just camera and housing) all they way up to a sweet rig that knocks on the doors of DSLR's (highest quality housing, strobes and video lights) then go with a REAL camera.

If you haven't thought of it by now my next rig will be the Canon S100. Not only does it do the same thing as the gopro but now you have the ability to change setting/ function/ focal length to get the photo or video that much better. However I will keep my gopro and use it as its own rig on the S100. That way if the S100 is rigged to take only photos and I see something that I want video of, the gopro will be right there.

---------- Post Merged at 09:12 PM ---------- Previous Post was at 09:06 PM ----------

Also, Im working on a video that I have taken with the gopro where I went through all the setting to see what they would do. For example, have the camera pointed up when you hit the record button to get as much light into the camera and then look at the subject with the filter up, then flip it down to see what the camera would do to compensate for the addition of the filter. This should been done in the next couple of days.

 

[krukster86]

i believe that if u buy the gopro just for scuba diving.. then its really iffy to say that its more worth it compare to getting a S100 ( as quote above)

but if u buy it to do a lot of other stuff, ie action sports, etc. then its really worth it

I agree! I use my gopro for kayaking, motorcycle rides and any cool "outdoor" experience so it has really been worth it. You really have to step back and consider what you want to do with the camera for diving. I consider it perfect for making mementos of diving experiences. The moment when I think I want to produce a "National Geographic-esque" video, I pinch myself.

 

[ronscuba]

Waste your money ? Depends on what you were expecting. Plenty of video samples on the internet showing what a filter can do to improve color. The flip filter is giving you the convenience of switching with or without the filter in seconds while underwater. The actual improvement in color is not going to be much different than a $2 drop in filter.

Same could be said for the various GoPro after market housings compared to the free flat port.

 

[Interceptor121]

ronscuba i went to your vimeo channel and for 1 minute I thought those video were shot with a gopro!

 

[ronscuba]

ronscuba i went to your vimeo channel and for 1 minute I thought those video were shot with a gopro!

That would be nice. Would have saved me a lot in luggage fees and muscle aches.

Although I kinda liked when the panga drivers called out the divers camera equipment to the crew for transfer from the main boat to the inflatables. When they got to me it was, "camera grande, camera grande, ahora, ahora"