Lights /tray / setup choice for Gopro

[Degenerate]

Does anyone roughly know how negatively buoyant ( weight in water) a small aluminium tray , a gopro and a housing is?

I have a very basic aluminum tray for my Gopro with two Divepro D40F lights (DIVEPRO D40F 4200Lumens Gopro light Underwater Photo Video Lights – DIVEPRO), I weighed the setup in water and it came out about 750 grams negative.
Honestly, I have never felt that the weight of my setup had a noticeable impact on my trim no matter how I handled it.
Moved on to a bit larger setup now so gonna have to start looking at adding some buoyancy to it.

I would stay away from Bigblue lights, their claims about lumens are inflated and their batteries aren't the best.
Lots of info about this if you search the forum.

 

[Delojo]

Thanks for your advice!

 

[runsongas]

the flex arms don't hold position as well when extended further out, they aren't rigid enough and begin to sag a bit with large strobes/lights.

i would either pay a bit more for kraken/light&motion or just get the no name lights for cheap from china

the bigblue lights are not regulated well and the build quality is sketchy to mediocre, not worth the price they are charging.

 

[ja_som_tomo]

I just finished my setup with Sealife 2000 lumen lights..



I can use it without flex arms to be more compact..



Or I can use only one light with another tray.

For me 2 x 2000 lumens is enough.

 

[Blackcrusader]

I made my own DIY tray for Go Pro and lights. The handles unscrew and the fittings slide off everything can fit in a laptop bag.
Screws and fittings used things that can be easily bought online.

 

[Blackcrusader]

I would stay away from Bigblue lights, their claims about lumens are inflated and their batteries aren't the best. Lots of info about this if you search the forum.

I've been using Big Blue VL4200P lights for the last 18 months and never had any issues with them. Batteries last for hours I do 3 day dives without recharging then recharge them before a night dive. I don't leave them on all the time except on the night dive and you only need low power for that.

 

[Blackcrusader]

This was with the Big Blue lights on half power shot with the Go Pro Hero4.

 

[Blackcrusader]

This was on a day dive using full power, probably a little too much light but when the octopus was 3m away was better.
Shot with Go Pro Hero4 as I was taking photos with my Olympus TG6.

 

[Delojo]

Thank you guys for your posts

That rig looks versatile ja som tomo

Indeed i wanted to ask you guys about an alternative thing im considering in order to make the rig smaller and more compact and at the same time able to carry heavier, more powerful lights.

Im thinking of something like the one in the picture but with the lights at the sides of the handles instead of above them. Im thinking of 2x 10000, 12000 or even 18000 lights.

Is it doable without any arms at all? I mean, is there any downside of having 2 powerful lights so close to each other (without arms)?

Could i do it with just 2 clamps for both attaching the lights to the tray and using a float arm above the camera, between the handles?

Thanks for your help

 

[rhwestfall]

lights in close leads to backscatter issues