GoPro first purchase gear selection what do you think?

[Dauntless]

So after reading the forums for a couple days and watching youtube videos I have decided to purchase the following as my first GoPro gear.
I will be diving in Thailand no deeper than 18m. If anyone has any final input that might help me or change my mind I would appreciate your comments before pulling the trigger on the purchase.

GoPro Hero 3+ Black Edition

BlurFix3+ 55 adapater
BlurFix3+ 55

URPro CY Filter (For diving)
URPRO CY FIlter

55 mm SRP Circular Polarizer - MC (For non diving videos)
55 mm SRP Circular Polarizer - MC

Either the GoPole Reach or GoPole EVO (still undecided here)
https://shop.gopole.com/

Thanks again for any comments.

SRP will get you what you need to fit your GoPro email them. I'm not sure about a pole, works well out of the water but I use a ~3" length of PVC pipe and some couplers, plugs, 1/4" ss screw to a tripod mount. Some use a telescoping window washing pole and tripod adapter or some a boat hook. I have the polarizing filter for the 3 black and have not used it in 2 years.

What the hidden worm in the apple (so to speak) is the computer that you will need to edit and produce video from your clips. The cheapest alternative is DIY i5 gaming build running Ubuntu Linux with Kdenlive software (OS& Software free) your best bet may be a computer advertized as a "gaming" computer and the Mac folks will tell you that Mac is the best, I have all of them and disagree. If you have ~3K + go to CPU solutions and get their next to best i7 video custom built Win 7 computer and the there are several high end software 64 bit editors that will do the trick.

Another trick if you have a beafy computer already, would be get a hot swap bay and a 10000 rpm HDD, and install Ubuntu Linux & Kdenlive (or cinlerra if you want a truly professional editing program) and swap out your windows boot drive and the Linux boot drive. Swap your current boot drive back in and you are back to your old computer. Make sure you have adequate cooling as video rendering works your CPU at 90+%

 

[Z Gear]

So after reading the forums for a couple days and watching youtube videos I have decided to purchase the following as my first GoPro gear.
I will be diving in Thailand no deeper than 18m. If anyone has any final input that might help me or change my mind I would appreciate your comments before pulling the trigger on the purchase.

GoPro Hero 3+ Black Edition

BlurFix3+ 55 adapater
BlurFix3+ 55

URPro CY Filter (For diving)
URPRO CY FIlter

55 mm SRP Circular Polarizer - MC (For non diving videos)
55 mm SRP Circular Polarizer - MC

Either the GoPole Reach or GoPole EVO (still undecided here)
https://shop.gopole.com/

Thanks again for any comments.

I wanted to ask when would you be diving, I wanted to offer you some free product for your trip, perhaps you can post your experience using some of our mounts. For your camera pole when filming in dim areas, such as holes or in crevices the adjustable light mount will come in handy. I use an Archon 11, has 110 degree beam and is perfect for your camera pole! It is reasonably priced just make sure you get the rechargeable batteries.

Also when using a pole try not to extend it or at least not to far. It becomes harder to get a stable shot. If using the light mount you can also use the mount to hold it with one hand and use the other hand on the pole handle.I find that when I really want to make sure that I get a stable shot it works better when I use both hands.

Here is a couple of pics of two of our mounts. I will also show you another mount it is the long arm BCD mount you can use try this on your trip as well. It is a hands free mount, positioned in front of you. Comes with a leash for your camera.

https://www.zgearinc.com/