Looking at getting a GoPro, need help on finding the right setup?

[Hostage]

So I see they are coming out with the GoPro3. I have been using a hand-me-down sea-life camera and I was really impressed by the quality of video from the GoPro that a fellow diver was using. Granted he had about $1200 in lights, though it was still amazing none the less.

I have been reading a couple of things about cameras, but am still a newb. I read there is some distortion on some of the GoPro's and you need a flat lense to improve distortion when you go diving. I read the info on goPro's website for the GP3, "Add the totally updated flat-lens waterproof housing that delivers..", does this mean it is incoluded or do you have to pay extra for this?

Also I am wondering if the I should go with the Black Edition as it has better low light as well as more FPS and Megapixels?

I also see suggestions on using a red filter, to improve your images?

Do you guys suggest adding the LCD backpack?

Lastly, I use Intova lights when I dive. They seemed the best bang for your buck. I am looking at getting a 2 wide angled higher Lumen lights. Any other suggestions?

Thanks in advance,

Hostage

 

[avigulf]

Hello, the Hero3 has a flatlens on the standard housing so you can use it out of the box for scubadiving.
For filming in low light you will like the black edition best, and best filming is with wideangle lights like Sola and likewise. Not cheap, but quality.
To get colour correction you still need a filter, but there is also more possibilities to correct in postproduction as H3 Black has manual white balance.
As for the LCD backpak it can be nice to have to _excatly_ see what you are filming, but it will lower the usertime as it uses battery.

 

[Hostage]

The guy who I was diving with had Sola 1200 lights, two of them. Someone else had a gopro w/o lights and the images looked very good.

My next dives will take place in Belize, so i don't know if a light will help all that much, compared to the darker deeper waters of 1000 islands.

 

[RockyHeap]

The seach feature in this forum is your friend.....most of your questions are even addressed in the first page or two.

 

[Hostage]

I found out a bit about what todo, and I am going to answer my own questions:

1) The gopro 3 comes with a dive ready lense
2) Will get black edition, to bad I can't sub the remote for the lcd back pack
3) I will get a green and red filter as my next purchase after I buy the Camera
4) I might forego the backpack for now. I might get it when I get a light as I see the LCD as a must to help you adjust your lights.
5) From what I read lights have come a long way in the past few years and will still progress. This includes brightness, battery use, price point, and smaller size. For day time I saw a lot of people suggest 1200 total lumens of light to start, double is even better. I also noticed that people suggested going double lights to reduce shadowing. Lighting gets even more complicated than this by considering the angle of your camera and having lights that can provide light for the entire angle. Then there is the placement of the lights in relation to the camera. Also you want a light that provides even light with no hot spot and then there is the drop off, which I need to look into again. The prices of these systems can not only vary on name, but also features on the light, included lithium ion batteries, and charger.

For lights right now I am going to hold off and see hwo things go with GPH3 black. I might not need lights when I go diving in Belize, though I would like to see how the camera would do in the 1000 islands. My old sealife had some grainy portions when I was about 60ft on a wreck. I would like to see how the gopro does on the same wreck w/o lights. It will also help me spread the cost of any addons over a year+ period.

I hope this helps spent a few hours looking into this yesterday and please corrected me if I got any points wrong and feel free to add to anything.

 

[3D diver]

Lights are mostly for near distance color, in the 1000 to 1200 lumen range at least.

I've been tinkering with diffusers on DRIS 1000 lumen lights here:

http://www.scubaboard.com/forums/gopro-video/425784-my-gopro-3d-setup.html

If you're heading to Belize you really oughta get some lights, IMHO. A couple of DRIS lights with simple white diffuser at least.

Also, I'd prioritize the backpack. It takes the guesswork out of aiming the camera.

---------- Post Merged at 10:13 AM ---------- Previous Post was at 10:08 AM ----------

Oh...and just noticed this thread:

http://www.scubaboard.com/forums/classifieds-photography/437241-gopro-hd-hero-2-accesories.html