One or two lights? Looking for advice

[pariah99]

Hey everybody,

I was wondering just how much of an advantage two lights offer over one light. I am considering purchasing a video light for a trip to St Croix. I've been scouring the classifieds, ebay, and craigslist for different dive lights. The conclusion I've come to is that I'd really love to have a quality dive light, so I'm probably going to go with one of the L&M variants. Unfortunately, my budget is somewhat limited, so if I go that route, I can probably only get one.

I'm probably going to just buy one with the intention of buying another in the future, but I'm wondering exactly what problems people might encounter when using only a single 60degree light vice two of them.

Just a bit of background on my setup: I have a Canon S100 and a hero3 black. I have a tray and also designed a plate which allows me to mount the gopro on the same tray as the canon, so they'd be sharing a light. I use the SRP blurfix3 with a couple of macro filters as well as the CY filter installed. I'd like to use the S100 for wide shots and the hero3 for closeups.

Thanks in advance!

 

[diversteve]

Does the Hero close focus? Somewhere it was mentioned they're not much good for macro. I don't know a lot about them.

If you're only going to get one light, I'd get something wider. The Hero has about a 170^o? wide angle lens so you'll see a pool of light lighting up the object with a dark shadow ring around it unless you intentionally film in a narrower mode. I think you can only do that at 1080/720P - all the higher res. modes only shoot in Ultrawide according to the chart on their website.

 

[pariah99]

Does the Hero close focus? Somewhere it was mentioned they're not much good for macro. I don't know a lot about them.

If you're only going to get one light, I'd get something wider. The Hero has about a 170^o? wide angle lens so you'll see a pool of light lighting up the object with a dark shadow ring around it unless you intentionally film in a narrower mode. I think you can only do that at 1080/720P - all the higher res. modes only shoot in Ultrawide according to the chart on their website.

I'd be shooting at 1080p/narrow. With the macro filters I've heard a lot of good things about the hero3's ability to take closeup shots.

Here's a video (not mine) of somebody with a setup similar to mine:

GoPro Hero3 Black at Flinders pier with some Macro filters. on Vimeo

 

[avigulf]

I'd like to use the S100 for wide shots and the hero3 for closeups.

I'd say quite the opposite is best. Gopro is farly best on wideangle video, not on closeups( no zoom). S100 is ok on closeups\ macro (best on stillshots), it can zoom.
For wideangle shoots you wil need 2x60 deg. lights to fill all the wideangle.
For macro one light is OK.
There is a new (chinese) manufacturer Archon. They have a photo\video light with max. 1400 lumen, 120deg. angle. mod. D32VR. Worth checking out.

 

[ronscuba]

... I'd like to use the S100 for wide shots and the hero3 for closeups.
....

I'd consider doing the opposite. I believe the S100 has a 24mm lens with a 5x optical zoom. The GoPro lens field of view is roughly 14mm, no zoom.

For lights, if the cost were the same, I would buy a single 1000+ lumen light vs. 2 weaker lights. When your funds allow, you can get the second 1000+ light.

 

[Interceptor121]

You should use the gopro for natural light wide shots with a filter and use the sola as focus light for close ups with the canon that actually has a good close range performance
Or you could have got yourself a nauticam wet mate and used the S100 for both wide and close up, 24mm for video is plenty for most situations, the video quality of the S100 is excellent

 

[pariah99]

Thanks for all the advice. The archon light looks interesting and the price is certainly attractive!

Honestly, the main reason why I thought to use the gopro for closeups is that I was going to carry around a gopole and remount as necessary to get under ledges/whatnot.

 

[Interceptor121]

I have shot quite a bit of macro and with a camera with zoom you can see what you are doing if you throw a pole you don't really know may be interesting for a little while but long term is not that exciting

 

[3D diver]

Wrong guy to ask...I'm up to 4 modified DRIS 1000 lumen lights!

The higher ones were fine for subjects 2-3feet away but did't get near subjects and could be shadowed by rock overhangs. I aim the lower ones at near subjects.

 

[EL Pistoffo]

I'm thinking of doing some macro videography myself and will need lights. I'm currently looking for a LOW cost solution for the time being. If I really get into it I will most likely go with some good lights soon after. I still need to get my SRP tray and torch arms but so far lighting that has been the most difficult.

Being that I will be trying this out, I'm basically looking for fill in lighting for close macro shots or in dark crevices or even under a bridge to at least provide a little forefront lighting.
I've come down to the selection of either a couple of Tovatec by Intova IFL WA ZOOM 300 Lumens Video Light/Flashlight they can do 140 degrees wide angle each or one or maybe two of the Archon D32vr.

The price is especially right with the Intovas. Not that I'm cheap but I start simple and then upgrade when I'm more comfortable with what I'm doing plus I can later use these as regular dive lights if I replace them.
I'm weary with the quality of Archon Chinese stuff. If I get the itch I will eventually go with Sola lights.

Well that's were I'm at with lights. Now to better understand how my filter/lens arrangement will be.