GoPro Hero 7

[CuzzA]

Thanks for mentioning the Paralenz. Before I read your post, I didn't even know such a dive camera existed. So after a bit of research, I went to a dive shop, bought a Paralenz+, and tested it in the lake today. It works exactly as advertised, except for the iPhone App, which is pretty useless as far as transferring the videos are concerned.
Luckily, these can be transferred to a laptop with the supplied USB cable, but still ...

Now, if only I could find a justification to buy also one of these great GoPro Hero Black 7 video cameras that just came out a few weeks ago ...

You're welcome. I think you'll be really happy with it. Regarding the app, I haven't even bothered because I usually just pull the sd card and pop it in a usb drive so I can edit the video where ever I go without hauling the camera around. It also saves space on the computer. I usually don't keep the full video. Just edit the highlights and then scrap the original. It's nice to work directly from the sd card.

https://www.amazon.com/Anker-Portab...=2025&creative=165953&creativeASIN=B006T9B6R2

 

[Roger Hobden]

I haven't tried a Paralenz, but I love my GP6. The GP 7 looks awesome with a better mic for above shots, far better anti-shakes and it uses the same accessories as the 6. Go with the Flip6 filters from Backscatter: FLIP6 One Filter Kit with DIVE Filter for GoPro 3, 3+, 4, 5, 6, 7 I also use their Isotta housing: Isotta GoPro 6 Underwater Housing for GoPro HERO5, HERO6 & HERO7 Black Cameras. It's a bit expensive but worth it, worth it, worth it. First, it's a better quality housing. Second, it uses BackScatter's Flip Filter system (not all do). Finally, I don't have to take the lens cover off to use it. FWIW, I need the monitor to make great pics. That might mean I'm a noob or can't shoot video, but I know what I need. Here's a sample of my work with a GoPro 6 and filters:

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Very nice !

 

[Bubblesong]

So here I am with enough money to buy one of these underwater cameras, and I thought I wanted the GoPro, (sick of non-functional knockoffs, not buying chinese) but heard of the Paralenz, so need some advice without harsh evaluations of my diving and dubious character, so here are my questions:
1. Why the GoPro 7 Black at $399, not the GoPRo7Silver at $199, as the big difference I saw was "live streaming", which I can't do underwater anyway?
I dive local shallow dives for small 1-2" critters, would love to find nudibranchs, but also travel to Caribbean for larger barracuda, turtle and shark, but not likely to get to whale sharks or huge areas.
2. Would the paralenz help me see the tiny stuff, or is backscatter micromate the way to get smaller items? I don't want to invest more than $1,000 to get the awesome cameras the professional serious photographers use.
The page I am looking at is Backscatter Underwater GoPro, Lenses - Backscatter

3. I know I still need a tray and light for gopro, for night dives, does paralenz night dive at all?
I realize I am just doing completely different types of image capture, and really bringing Both on the same dives will get different views of the same dive. But I just want the small, day and night critters for now.

 

[runsongas]

i am seeing the 7 silver at 299 msrp and 199 for the 7 white.

the gopro 7 black has HDR support (more vivid colors), 4k60, and hypersmooth video over the silver. up to you to decide whether that is worth the extra 100.

the macromate works well for gopros, i don't know of an equivalent system for paralenz.

paralenz would need lights for night diving too.

 

[cmrangel]

FWIW ... with the Hero 6, I have been able to recover the red channel in post even without filters to a depth of 80+ fsw, depending on water clarity. At those depths, the video is not great due to the low light and noise. I believe the Hero 7 will be similar but have yet to test it. Note that I video my dives more to record clips rather than real videography and prefer the simplicity and ease of use of a small camera, usually without lights and don't mind spending the time in post to color correct. Usually does not take long, with the Hero 6 I usually get almost all the way there using Final Cut Pro or Davinici Resolve "Auto" correct.

Example from Coz



There are other more recent examples from Cabo on my youtube page but they are a mixture of my Hero 6 video's and others from older GoPros.

 

[The Chairman]

The worst problem with most underwater video is the shake. Image stabilization is the driving force behind me wanting a 7 black. It's OK in the 6, but side by side comparisons with the 7 black is amazing. After that, for above water shots, it's the horrible microphone. They seemed to have improved that a lot as well. Again, I need a monitor to frame my shots, so it's GoPro for me. Can my mind change? It has in the past, but I love to compose and have often reviewed a shot underwater to see if I need a retake.

 

[cmrangel]

To add/clarify my previous post. I get good results when using the auto white balance. I tested using filters (no lights) I had from an older GoPro and the results were not as good. I don't know for sure but it seems the GoPro 6 auto white balance can detect when it is underwater and boost the red channel before encoding the video. When I used the filter, it seemed to not do this and the red channel was almost completely wiped out and I could not recover it very well.

I tested this several times, even testing by taking on and off the red filter during a dive (and waiting a few min for the auto white balance to adjust) and always came to the same conclusions, it was easier and I achieved much better results if I used auto white balance and no filter than if I used filters. I used GoPro red and magenta filters in both blue and green water. Maybe other filters would work better.

I have recently shot & edited some videos (Cabo videos on my youtube channel) that contained a mixture of GoPro 4 (no filters), 5 (with and without filters), and my 6 (no filters). None taken with lights. I really could not recover the red channels from the 4 and 5 (with or without filters) from video taken below about 30 ft and had to fake it (mixing some of the green and blue channels into the red) but it was a snap with the 6 (and I assume 7), I just used the auto-correction on my editor. Even then, you can see which ones were taken with the 6. This was obvious to the point where after seeing the raw video clips and trying to color balance them, my dive buddy just bought the new 7 and is not going to use his 5.

I would encourage you to try it both with and without filters for the diving you do and judge the results. For my testing, it is clear, I don't even bring filters anymore.

I agree with The Chairman, stability is a real issue and can't wait to try the 7. I have heard the stabilization is not as as good in low light but I hope it is a good improvement over the 6

 

[CuzzA]

Interesting to hear about a potential automatic underwater correction like the Paralenz. Obviously the GoPro doesn't have a depth sensor like the Paralenz so the GoPro is simply detecting it from the raw video?

For what it's worth, the Paralenz does have what they call EIS. Electronic Image Stabilization. My videos are pretty smooth considering I mask mount, and when I'm using a tray, I'm often enjoying the dive more than being a videographer, so it helps a lot.

As far as the Paralenz working at night. Here's a video I uploaded for you @Bubblesong. Might have to give YouTube a moment to process it to 4k. The surface clips were just my cell phone. The video is raw. No enhancing or color editing. I can't speak to the GoPro at night, I'm sure like any modern camera, if you have enough of the right type of lighting it will look good. In this video I was back and fourth from lights on and off because I brought a UV light on the dive, so my lighting gets a little bit off by the end of the dive.


If you want to take macro pictures I don't think either camera is ideal, but a GP with the macro mate is probably the best solution among the action cameras out there. There was an article on Deeper Blue about Paralenz creating a macro lens for their camera. Paralenz Back At DEMA Show, Highlighting Action Camera – DeeperBlue.com

Regarding your diving and character. I don't know. You don't seem to be following me around on the board questioning my opinions, but perhaps I overreacted.

 

[Bubblesong]

Ok, awesome paralenz video @CuzzA and I wonder if you needed a yellow filter for the uv? I am interested in the macro, so I am getting the backscatter micromate mini for my gopro, and possibly updating the gopro3 to the gopro7black. The backscatter folks say their adapter will fit either the gopro3 dive hosing, or the gopro 7dive housing, and these are two different dive housings, I plan to snorkel shallow at this awesome location for clear water and lots of critters in Rhode Island, (yes, I am wracked with envy of your warm water diving, but grateful to God that I can dive these gorgeous shores as well.)
If I seem like I am following anyone around the ScubaBoard, it is only because I am wake up and go to bed reading and writing on scubaboard, it is my refuge from the main stream media stream of tragic news, aka, my "happy place"

 

[runsongas]

backscatter also has a spacer for the flip filter to fit the hero5/6/7 without the dive housing if you are just snorkeling or staying shallower than 10m/33ft.