Do I really need a tray or pole for my GoPro?

[ddprocter]

I tried the standard gopro wrist mount but didn't like it for a few reasons:

1 ) the camera attaches to the wrist mount with a hinge on the bottom and a clip on top. For some reason the clip on top always comes lose and the camera is flapping around on the hinge. If you're big wristed you might not have this problem.

2 ) it's a mandatory two hand operation, because you need to use your free hand to turn on and off the cam. Compare with just keeping the camera on a lanyard attached to bcd: you can remove from pocket and record all with one hand. Not a huge deal unless you're night diving with a light in your other hand

3 ) It's awkward to point it, especially if you want to move your arm across your body to the far side, or point up and around and pan, or point behind you, or take a selfie. So, basically harder to point and keep steady: try it at home - walk around with it on your wrist and keep steady , then try just holding in your hand, you'll see what I mean

So, I just use a regular housing on a lanyard made with 3mm climbing cord on a carabiner attached to my bcd. I shoot 60fps 1080p so that I can half speed in post production which reduces the shakiness considerably.

Next I wanna try a proper tray.

 

[jphehe]

Pole +1 (extendable pole)

What Barrod said, you can also buy a torch clamp (one side to the pole, one side with a spread-out torch). That's my setup.

 

[ranchonodinero]

Slick set up!

Sent from my Nexus 7 using Tapatalk

 

[lamarpaulski]

Telescoping pole.

Sent from my SCH-I545 using Tapatalk

 

[hyperbaric_1]

Pole +1 (extendable pole)

What Barrod said, you can also buy a torch clamp (one side to the pole, one side with a spread-out torch). That's my setup.

Very nice! Do you mind sharing the details of your rig? I'd like to try and recreate it.

 

[jphehe]

You will be able to find these parts on ebay for very cheap:
- pole (monopod, selfie pole): $10
- GoPro monopod mount: non-branded $3 (I bought several of these; they do break)
- Torch clamp: $5 (make sure it will fit your torch size)
-1/4" screw adapter (or D-ring): $1~$2 (at the end of the pole there usually is a screw hole, so that you can fit a strap)
I use this:
1 4" Screw Connecting Adapter for Camera Camcorder Shoulder Quick Sling Strap | eBay

As for the pole metal material, you'll just have to try them out. Salt water is very nasty. Eventually the pole will rust.

Anyhow, that's my one-hand solution. Planning to use a coil lanyard instead of the strap so that I can drop it when needed to.

 

[fromoutwest]

Pole +1 (extendable pole)

What Barrod said, you can also buy a torch clamp (one side to the pole, one side with a spread-out torch). That's my setup.

View attachment 391003

Please let me know where you found this torch clamp - I need the exact same thing.

 

[jphehe]

It's been awhile. Not sure if I've posted my upgraded version, but here it is again with addtional info:

- Pole: Fotopro QP903L $10 (this is the pole I would only use nowadays. The whole thing is still amazingly invincible after 100 dives in salt water. There's only slight corrosion inside the white plastic section. Extendable and lightweight and very cheap. And the ball sitting that can rorate all angles is still solid and easy to adjust with one hand while diving. There's a shorter version (QP903).

- Torch clamp: pretty sure you can find it easily on ebay "torch clamp". Some metal parts that came with it will rust after just one dive (metal O-ring, screw), so I replaced it with tin-plated ones that you can find in hardware stores.

- Boltsnaps at bottom & neck: These two boltsnaps are important so that the whole thing will stay near your body when you want to put it away and not dangling.

- Coil lanyard: the metal carabiner (and must be metal) is attached to the BCD at all times. I've never dropped/lost my gopro once after some 150 dives with it.

The whole thing is very small and portable and very cheap to make and still with good quality and functionality.
When I'm done using it underwater, I tuck it away at the left side of my body and it does not interfere with anything else (my equipment or the environment).

 

[Mervin T Thomas]

I used the Gopole and Flip 4 with the DIVE FIlter and worked fine. Max depth was 22metres

 

[bradmond]

This is rather expensive but the trigger system is really cool. I really liked being able to use the shutter without having to let go of the handle.

Beneath the Surface GPT-4 Trigger System for GoPro