GoPro HD underwater blur fix

[UCFKnightDiver]

I have been using the Mako lens for some time now with great results, but have also been disappointed with the vignetting and tendency to scratch. I looked into another as a backup and it looks like their prices have gone up:

MAKO Flat GoPro Housing Lens

I'll have to check out the Blurfix option. Anyway, heres some good goPro HD footage I shot earlier this year while swimming with Blue Sharks off the coast of San Diego. I was out there with Michael Kazma and Ocean Explorers, edited with iMovie:

[video]https://www.facebook.com/video/video.php?v=1869325766422[/video]

Is that chum in the buckets of your video? A bit risky id say if it is, I rather see the sharks in their natural setting!

 

[ProLobster]

Is that chum in the buckets of your video? A bit risky id say if it is, I rather see the sharks in their natural setting!

Yes they are chum buckets. We headed out about 4 miles out to the open ocean, and used chum to attract them. We were careful to not put too much blood or meat in the water to get them feeding, just enough to keep them interested. Once we had a few Blue's show up, they acted like curious puppies; inquisitive, non-aggressive and almost social. The smaller female took a bit of a liking to me, kept approaching and insisted on rubbing against me. You can see in the end of the video, shes rubbing her back up against my hand like a cat would.

Nerve racking at first, but the experience was awesome, and we were careful the whole time to keep our eyes open to their presence, and hands out of their mouths.

 

[ProLobster]

Speaking of all this, anyone have any suggestions for a flood-light that could be used with a GoPro that won't produce the center-spot effect if the cam is mounted to the light?

 

[Lenaxia]

You can use pretty much any high powered light and fashion a diffuser out of semi opaque plastic, kind of like the stuff the white nalgene water bottles are made out of.

Doing that should pretty easily reduce the hot spotting of the lights.

From a design perspective, having the light pass through a larger piece of opaque plastic will diffuse the light more evenly. the smaller the piece and the closer it is to the light, the more hotspot it will retain.

 

[ProLobster]

I was thinking incandescent or xenon instead of LED at first, but didn't feel like buying a whole new light...

 

[ProLobster]

You can use pretty much any high powered light and fashion a diffuser out of semi opaque plastic, kind of like the stuff the white nalgene water bottles are made out of.

Doing that should pretty easily reduce the hot spotting of the lights.

From a design perspective, having the light pass through a larger piece of opaque plastic will diffuse the light more evenly. the smaller the piece and the closer it is to the light, the more hotspot it will retain.

Hadn't thought of that, good idea. I already have a Princeton LED light as a primary that the GoPro mounts nicely to, perhaps I just need to make a DIY diffuser for it. I'll try it and report back, thanks for the tip!

 

[Lenaxia]

Awesome

Let us know how it turns out. I'll probably be making one at some point as well after I get back from hawaii

 

[UCFKnightDiver]

I wonder if one could make a diffuser for their can light and use that.

 

[Sortsol]

Milk Jug plastic would work great as a diffuser, easy to cut and shape as desired too.

 

[Lenaxia]

I wonder if one could make a diffuser for their can light and use that.

That would probably be even better, but I am looking for something to attach to my PVC rig handles kinda like how normal arms are on camera rigs.

This is what I built. Its actually really negative (PVC doesn't float well at all).

Underwater/Stability Rig For GoPro Camera

I'm just trying to decide on lights now, or atleast consider if its worth it.