iSteady Mark III mount w/ single light, or alternative....

[edgrimley]

I've enjoyed the previous threads on GoPro mounts and lighting.

I dive most often in Monterey/Carmel area with often low visibility and dark conditions.

The "best" setup people seem to recommend most often is a camera mount with two lights, such as the Backscatter package with two Solas. This seems to be a good value within the range of options out there. Albeit expensive when considered on its own.

The iSteady Mark III (bigger grips for divers, a glove-friendly button) looks like a great, well-designed mount. But it can only support one light. Would one light be adequate, good, great but not as great as 2?

If just one light, would a "traditional" camera mount with a loc-line style arm be preferable to the iSteady where the light is mounted above the camera.

The Hero3 Black supposedly has a better low-light sensor. How does that impact this decision? One light sufficient in that case?

Thanks!

 

[avigulf]

You will need two lights to cover the wideangle of the Gopro. New lights have up to 120 deg. angle (flood, no reflector) but there will be some vignetting (dark edges) with only one light.
Ideally the two lights should be at equal power and angle not to get shadows or highligts.
Its better to have 2 equal medium power lights than 1 large power light, to spread the light more. Gopro love lights
For close ups one light is enough, but Gopro is not good for macro. You can mount close-up lenses, but there are no zoom.
The Hero3 black has better low-light sensor than H2, but that is only better when filming without lights at all.