My new cavern helmet..

[Doby45]

Took your advice @tbone1004 and inverted the camera and removed the bungee and attached with cave line. @NetDoc I understand the camera isn't part of my "life support" but if it DOES happen to fall off, I wanna keep it. I need to go look at getting some more of the little arm links for the GoPro so I can remove the one that has the sideways knuckle in it and it will raise the camera some more, but I tried it on with hood and mask and it sits nice.

I am sure there will be a lot of changes and additions to this helmet (I already do not really like the liner I got) but it is a good start.

 

[kensuf]

I'm not into helmets, but I've been thinking about ways to mount the GoPro on the dome. Personally, I'd ditch those bungees with the hooks on the ends of them -- I can just see one of them giving way and going thwack right in your face.

Zip ties, bolts, or even hose clamps, may be better.

 

[Doby45]

Thanks @kensuf , after @tbone1004 had mentioned ed it was not the best route I removed the bungee and just secured with a bit of cave line.

 

[catone]

I'll add my 2 cents. The way the camera is mounted in your last pic poses several issues. It seems to be aimed too low, to the floor of the cave, there will be no usable footage that way. I guess you could angle it up a bit but it also appears to be hanging too low and possibly blocking your view. It seems the mounting hardware sticks out a bit, higher likelihood to bang it on the walls and to block some of your light if mounted on the side of the helmet.
I mounted mine with bungee and it is low profile, aimed the right way and secure. There is no rigid connection to the helmet, so it will move a bit and return to its position without breaking anything if bumped.

 

[DevonDiver]

tied around the mount. If for whatever reason the mount disconnects from the helmet, the bungee should hold it. Not my preferred method, since the bungee is stretchy, I prefer a piece of cave line with a bolt snap, but the intent is right

I appreciate why you'd want the extra security. I've used a GoPro mount on my helmet for several years - they're very reliable adhesive. It's taken a few wacks... and a lot of dives... and no indications it'd ever come off.

I even broke one of the connecting pieces recently - but the adhesive on the mount was still rock solid.

 

[Doby45]

Well I got another mount link ordered so I can take the link with the knuckle out and it will both raise the camera and remove the little unicorn knob that is in the last pic.. If you look at the first pic I posted with the side profile of the helmet on my head you will see that the front lip of the helmet actually sits proud of the mask by a good bit. I tried the whole shebang on last night and used my phone to "monitor" the image and it actually looked really good and framed up what I was seeing very well. Thanks for you input as it is greatly appreciated.

 

[catone]

I suspect your helmet will slowly settle on your mask during the dive, pulled down by the weight of the camera, unless cinched tight. Also remember you'd be almost horizontal under water, the camera needs to point up a little while checking it on land, standing.
Check it out like this: put your helmet with camera on, lay on the floor and check the live view. Then shake your head several times sideways and up and down and recheck live view. If still aiming where you want it to aim without straining your neck, then you're set, no more input or adjustments needed

 

[Doby45]

I suspect your helmet will slowly settle on your mask during the dive, pulled down by the weight of the camera, unless cinched tight. Also remember you'd be almost horizontal under water, the camera needs to point up a little while checking it on land, standing.
Check it out like this: put your helmet with camera on, lay on the floor and check the live view. Then shake your head several times sideways and up and down and recheck live view. If still aiming where you want it to aim without straining your neck, then you're set, no more input or adjustments needed

THAT is a great idea and just to be clear my wife will be cursing your name a bit later this afternoon when I am laying in the floor looking like a fool, BUT I will post a snippet of the footage. Having a 9 week old puppy should make it even more fun!

 

[DevonDiver]

I put a few extra 'links' to extend the GoPro further forwards. This gets it out beyond the exhaled bubbles.

 

[catone]

The only times I get bubbles on video is when looking up or not horizontal and head up due to cave profile. For me there are several downsides to extending the camera even further forward. Increased risk of bumping it (and either damaging it or getting it out of proper position), potentially in the way when donating long hose or, way more difficult to film your computer (if wrist mounted) or line work, creating shadows from my helmet mounted lights, increased fulcrum and pulling down on the helmet, possible entanglement. I don't see any benefit in cave diving. Maybe open water where there's ambient light with no need for helmet lights, minimal risk of bumping it, console computers, less entanglement risk.
I guess if bubbles showed on my videos regularly, I would check my position rather than extend the camera forward.