Thoughts on a single light for a GoPro setup?

[Sure Squintsalot]

Extend that light with an articulated arm. Use a two by four if you have to, for God's sakes!

 

[Eric802]

Extend that light with an articulated arm. Use a two by four if you have to, for God's sakes!

I can move it up some just by moving the ball clamp; I'm also a total newb to this, so go easy - what's the advantage (especially if you only have one light) to having it offset from the camera so much? Is there a "best place" to have it?

 

[Sure Squintsalot]

If you illuminate from the front, like you have it set up now, you'll also be illuminating all of the floaties between the camera and the subject. Don't do that. Illuminate from the 3/4 side and your single-light videos won't be overwhelmed with backscatter and won't look like crap.

Also, if you plan to take this sport (and filming) seriously, get at least a gopro 9 and another light. If you're not filming in 4K, everything you project on modern screens and monitors will look like crap.

 

[Boarderguy]

If you illuminate from the front, like you have it set up now, you'll also be illuminating all of the floaties between the camera and the subject. Don't do that. Illuminate from the 3/4 side and your single-light videos won't be overwhelmed with backscatter and won't look like crap.

Also, if you plan to take this sport (and filming) seriously, get at least a gopro 9 and another light. If you're not filming in 4K, everything you project on modern screens and monitors will look like crap.

That's a great theory, but in application for compact point and shoot this setup works well. Too much crap in the water and you'll end up with video like this. When there is too much crap in the water I turn off the video light and use my primary to illuminate the area and not the subject. Taking home and sharing memories is different than getting published.

I agree with getting an updated go pro. I went from a 7 to a 10 and it was a lot better.


Video light vs no video light.

 

[Eric802]

If you illuminate from the front, like you have it set up now, you'll also be illuminating all of the floaties between the camera and the subject. Don't do that. Illuminate from the 3/4 side and your single-light videos won't be overwhelmed with backscatter and won't look like crap.

Also, if you plan to take this sport (and filming) seriously, get at least a gopro 9 and another light. If you're not filming in 4K, everything you project on modern screens and monitors will look like crap.

Fair enough. The camera is an Akaso Brave 4 my kids got me; it does record in 4k but most of what I’ve read suggests 1080 is better. The point about illuminating all the stuff between the camera and the subject makes sense. I just put the set-up together last week so I’m at the start of the learning curve.

 

[dflaher]

Fair enough. The camera is an Akaso Brave 4 my kids got me; it does record in 4k but most of what I’ve read suggests 1080 is better. The point about illuminating all the stuff between the camera and the subject makes sense. I just put the set-up together last week so I’m at the start of the learning curve.

Hey Eric...I'm in the same stage that you are. I found this video about light positioning to be pretty helpful. It's a little long (21 min) and I haven't watched the whole thing but it's a start.