Want to Piece Best Hero3+ Diving Rig for Under $1k?

[fbk]

I want a fun starter package and the GoPro as a base gives me tons of other uses. Always dive warm blue water if that helps with any advice or recommendations

Having been down this same path I also echo the previous comments. You would be better off skipping the LCD (it will kill your battery) and getting a battery backpac instead, plus some spare batteries. I would still get a tray with handles, plus a filter. You don't want to spend your vacation staring at a tiny screen or playing around with lights which you don't need for daytime dives in clear water anyway. Enjoy your trip.

 

[SlvrDragon50]

I disagree, 2 lights only just cover the gopro wide FOV. Without much overlap you are continually repositioning them as you get closer or further from subjects. I don't think you can go too wide (beam) when you are talking about ultra wide fov cameras like gopro, unless you shoot in medium.

Interceptor explains it much better than I can in the thread I posted. In water, your FOV is about 140 or 110*, I can't remember. You run into issues with having to have massive light arms when your beam angle is too large causing shadowing due to excessive light overlap.

 

[EL Pistoffo]

Interceptor explains it much better than I can in the thread I posted. In water, your FOV is about 140 or 110*, I can't remember. You run into issues with having to have massive light arms when your beam angle is too large causing shadowing due to excessive light overlap.

I can say I've experienced something to that effect. When very close to subjects I find myself playing with the position of both lights quite a bit to avoid shadows. I wasn't expecting that with two lights. I have longer than normal locline arms so it helps.

 

[Interceptor121]

Ron has got it covered. Unless you do studio production most of the footage you see around is based on ambient light and color correction

Lights in underwater video are really useful for macro and somewhat useful for close up. Unfortunately the lack of zoom of the gopro means no macro (putting a close up lens and being close does not qualify as macro). Even with a good set of Keldan or the new Light and Motion 90 degrees lights you can only go decently to 3 feet and that requires fairly long arms (2.5 feet each if your tray is one foot)
A cheaper super wide light with a 120 angle is even less effective with short arms as it illuminates the water before the subject, this why when you compare gopro footage shot with 10000 lumens archon or similar super wide cheap lights looks like a sand desert and when you look at 60-85 degrees light at proper distance the water is clear

There are a lot of commercial interests in lights because of the gopro but the reality is that if you want better footage you have to invest in a better camera that can make the most of available light as there are not enough lumens to lit the gopro frame

 

[fbk]

Interceptor explains it much better than I can in the thread I posted. In water, your FOV is about 140 or 110*, I can't remember. You run into issues with having to have massive light arms when your beam angle is too large causing shadowing due to excessive light overlap.

I use 2 Sola video lights which I thought were pretty wide but apparently not as wide as 110° it would seem. When I had a gopro they only just filled the frame, as you moved closer to something, eg a wall, you have to re-aim the lights closer together. The info regarding beam angle and separation is helpful.

 

[SlvrDragon50]

I use 2 Sola video lights which I thought were pretty wide but apparently not as wide as 110° it would seem. When I had a gopro they only just filled the frame, as you moved closer to something, eg a wall, you have to re-aim the lights closer together. The info regarding beam angle and separation is helpful.

Yup. I believe the SOLA are only about 65*? Which is pretty much perfect depending on how long you want the arms to be.

If you read the last couple of posts in that thread, there are some perfect video lights for the GoPro (IMO).