Hands free BCD strap mount

[FishDiver]

I am a casual photographer looking for an unobtrusive way to carry a GoPro while diving. I have been holding the camera in my hands and I don't like it. A head mount was my first choce, this works very well when I video motorcycle rides. Most divers seem to feel that this doesn't work well for diving video.

I am considering buying a mount designed for hats oan backpack straps. Any one tried this or have any insights?

Amazon.com: 360' Rotary Backpack Hat Rec-Mounts Clip Fast Clamp Mount for GoPro Hero 2 3 3+: Camera & Photo

 

[Storker]

I have heard quite a lot more negative than positive experiences with the UW footage from a head mount. A pole or - preferably - a tray is the way to go. See also http://www.scubaboard.com/forums/gopro-video/503620-gopro-bcd-mount.html

 

[Shasta_man]

I don't think a BCD mount would be much better. The head mount would work well if you act like you are recording. Actually, that would apply to any way you hold the camera to record video. As it takes time to recognize what you are showing, you have to move a LOT slower and keep the camera recording the same thing for at least 6 seconds so people can tell what you are looking at. Not doing that would resulting in jerking all around and not being able to focus on what you are looking at, and that same problem will affect your video no matter which mount you use. We can easily discern something in a second or two when we can see the whole scene but it takes a few seconds at least to resolve what you are looking at through the camera and then more time to actually look in detail at the object. Unless you give that time, any video isn't going to be good for viewing.

 

[FishDiver]

I have heard quite a lot more negative than positive experiences with the UW footage from a head mount. A pole or - preferably - a tray is the way to go. See also http://www.scubaboard.com/forums/gopro-video/503620-gopro-bcd-mount.html

I want my video passive and simple as possible, I don't want to think about the camera at all during my dives. I did hundreds of dives before buying the camera and I am on the verge of calling it a failed experiment.

 

[Craig66]

I think given an ideal diving position is horizontal and not vertical the positioning of the gopro would be suboptimal but if you do use it I would try for 120 fps so that anything that wizzes buy can be at least spread over a larger playback interval with maybe more stability in slow motion.

 

[toozler]

I want my video passive and simple as possible, I don't want to think about the camera at all during my dives. I did hundreds of dives before buying the camera and I am on the verge of calling it a failed experiment.

Mounting the camera to you might be unobtrusive but it's also unpleasant to watch.. If you want to be able to frame shots and hold it steady - both key to record video than you will consider ever watching again in the future - a tray is the way to go.. You shouldn't be using your hands for anything else, right?

 

[Shasta_man]

<<I don't want to think about the camera at all during my dives>> I think you are right that it's not possible. Unless you have a camera mounted on an automatic gyroscope, or another person trails you to video you, you will get a few clips here and there that are worth it but you'll probably get hours of frustratingly missed shots or just unuseable shots instead.

 

[dumpsterDiver]

<<I don't want to think about the camera at all during my dives>> I think you are right that it's not possible. Unless you have a camera mounted on an automatic gyroscope, or another person trails you to video you, you will get a few clips here and there that are worth it but you'll probably get hours of frustratingly missed shots or just unuseable shots instead.

I use a head mount often. It is no where near as stable as hand held, but I am often spearfishing and the resulting video is "good enough" for my purposes. You do need to use a chin strap on the head mount, you do need to move like a zombie and try to swing your head as slow as possible and you will have to cut the video in post production to remove excessive head motion. But... if you practice diving with a head mount, your results will improve with time.

This is one video I did of a single scuba, I think it is entirely head mounted.

[video]https://youtu.be/QK7AugWOdSo[/video]

[video=youtube;QK7AugWOdSo]https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=QK7AugWOdSo[/video]