LCD back or not

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jclifton

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Getting ready to leave for Cozumel and taking my new GoPro 3+ Black setup. My local dive shop advised me that I should use the LCD back so I can better frame my shots. I'm resistant to the LCD because it is such a drain on the battery. I've never had a need for the back using the camera for my adventure motorcycling outings.

So the question is do you use the LCD back or not?

I'm just looking for some feedback on if the LCD is worth while to use while diving given its battery cost.

Thanks in advance,

Jason
 
If your shooting in wide FOV the LCD is really that useful. It's hard to not have a subject in frame with such a wide view. If your shooting really close up on subjects such as with a diopter (macro) lens then it can be helpful. I tend to use my lcd more for land based filming since using the touch screen of the LCD to operate the camera functions is much easier.
 
Never use mine


Sent from my GT-N8013 using Tapatalk
 
I don't use one myself. You will get use to it and if you shoot wide then you can't miss.
 
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Depends WHAT you are shooting and your mount. If you are putting it on a pole and just turning it on when you hit the water then off when battery goes dead, then don't bother.
If you are turning it on and off shooting video of specific things throughout your dive, then get one.

My first trip to Cozumel with mine I did not have the monitor back. Got home and looked at my footage and was sad that I had shot over so many cool things and could not use 50% of the footage.
I got the monitor back, took it on my trip to Roatan last summer.... what a difference!

Yes, it uses battery... but I found that turning the whole GoPro off for 75% of dive and only turning it on for specific shots mean that I got 2 dives or more each battery. I had another battery back in the room charging while out diving. If I was just putting it in standby, midway through the second dive the battery would go out... and that was always when we had something cool happen. By experimenting I found turning the whole unit off was best, and the GoPro powers up very quickly so really only a second difference in time and battery lasts through that second dive.

I have the GoPro 2, but it should be exactly the same for the GoPro 3.

robin
 
I use it and change out batteries in between dives. I routinely turn my camera off when I'm not shooting something and can easily get two dives on a battery charge.
 
I have a buddy that has a GoPro 2. When I was looking for a camera he stated that it does not matter. I was looking for something different. So I went with the Intova because it has the LCD back. After we starting diving it, there was no comparsion. He later stated that he felt that it would not make a difference but later retracted that statement. So in other words, if you never had it then you will not miss it but once you have used it then it is rather hard to go without it. No more half people, missing parts of fish, too high, too low etc.
 
I ended up buying the LCD back. I'll post some results in a couple of weeks after I get back from Cozumel.

Thanks for all of the input.

Jason
 
I am a bit confused on the LCD. GoPro shows backordered vs discontinued and I've read the LCD attachment requires a different housing than the one that is used with the Hero3+. Any clarifications?
 
+1 for LCD!! You get so much better footage with it. As far as battery life, worst thing you can do is shoot video the whole dive (editing nightmare). With that in mind, if I have an hour dive, may only get 15 mins (20 max) of quality video. Turn GoPro off when i'm not using so I have no problem getting in 2 dives. You can get an extra battery so you always have one ready to go. When you purchase LCD if also comes with the extra back doors (bigger) and the one to go diving with is in there.
 

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