Most basic GoPro setup (yes another thread)

[dpspaceman]

I think I've come to a good, economical solution. Toozler has provided some links to a simple tray system for $22. I can use the bobber when I want certain shots above land, etc. Assume I'll be able to still self film a bit with the tray as it's flat (not at an angle), though not the best, it's not often I will need these shots I guess and for $22 can't go wrong.

Toozler, can you connect any lights to this tray if I wanted to?

 

[toozler]

I don't think lights are a "must" have right away, you can get great results with a filter only. The 3rd link on my post has the filter I use.

Lights are tricky: they must be wide to cover the whole frame (otherwise you get a brigth circle), have a limited range to only a couple feet from you and are expensive.

Anyway, an affordable light is the chinese Archon d11v for around $50-60 USD. You can go crazy and get SOLAS or other for a couple hundred dollars too, it's up to your budget. They can cost more than the camera itself.

Personally, I only recommend lights if you are shooting on narrow/medium modes with a macro diopter for closeups, and if diving at night, of course.

 

[dpspaceman]

Cool, thanks. I suppose I'll hold off for now on the lights. I currently have a red filter, it's a little banged up - do you think this really impacts the videos?
I'm using..
Amazon.com : Polar Pro Red Filter-GoPro Hero3 Version-Acrylic Edition Accessory : Camera Lens Color Correction And Compensation Filters : Camera & Photo

 

[toozler]

The Polar Pro is the worse quality color correction out there. It does not correct the colors, just makes everything red. Here is a screenshot from an YouTube video:

The two better results I've seen are from EelVision (around $10, I own one for the HERO3) and SRP Blurfix3+ (around $77, I own an older version for the HERO2 Dive Housing).

I haven't seem any of the GoPro's official filter footage yet. There are a bunch of generic chinese filters around $15-20 but they are made by people that never dove, just like PolarPro's.

 

[3D diver]

With respect to other posters, I think a pair of lights should be a priority. They won't do much for grand vistas, but when you get close to your subject they will help a lot.

 

[dpspaceman]

I'm surprised that my filter is such a poor one, it has the highest positive reviews and the EelVision has mediocre results. I do find myself always adding blue to my footage in post-editing correction using iMovie, but I figured that everyone does a bit of this color correction.

The other considerations is that I am suing a GoPro 3 White, which i'm starting to think is really not capturing quality too well even though it is 1080?

I would like to add some lights (archon) to the rig i'm building, just need to know how to attach them to the setup toozler has suggested.

 

[toozler]

You could buy "Locline" arms to attach the lights to the top of the grips (they have a hole on top that allows things to be attached to it). Do a quick search for "locline" on the forum for more instructions. The small diameter one would do the job, these lights are small and light.

PolarPro has lots of reviews, but best to judge by yourself, watch some videos on youtube.

Here is one I shot and combined clips together with an app on an Android tablet. No lights, no color correction needed:

[video=youtube;Dev7ldxcBoI]https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Dev7ldxcBoI[/video]

 

[dpspaceman]

Toozler, appreciate it. Can you confirm which items I would need from their site. It's a little hard to guess which diameter is correct that i can attach to the handles you provided. Appreciate it and sorry for the hundred questions.

 

[toozler]

Toozler, appreciate it. Can you confirm which items I would need from their site. It's a little hard to guess which diameter is correct that i can attach to the handles you provided. Appreciate it and sorry for the hundred questions.

Get the "BG" filter. It's not a "lens" per say, it goes inside the housing.

I'm confused about the diameter vs handles question. They have nothing to do with the filter.

If you meant the "locline" stuff, you will need to buy some screws at a hardware store. Both the tray and the handles have 1/4" screw heads and sockets. That's the standard diameter for camera stuff.

 

[dpspaceman]

Yes I meant the locline stuff.

Okay, thanks for the tips. Assume all I need is the following part 60513.

The Original Modular Hose System | Loc-Line - Three Quarter Inch