What are the "must haves" versus the "nice to haves?"

[skearse]

We're heading to Bonaire at the end of November for a week and are looking at picking up a GP H2 Outdoor Edition. Guessing anywhere from 3-5 dives per day, maybe a couple more on some days. Plan for now is to use the headmount for most (all?) of the shooting. We've settled on the BlurFix & cyan filter (and red if it's available by then). What else are the MUST have accessories, and what are the nice to haves? Planning on shooting in 720-60, and will be picking frames from the videos for stills.

Musts(?):
Extra batteries-how many? Battery Bacpac in lieu of LCD?
SD Cards-32 GB Class 10 (for stills, yes?)-how many &any particular recommendations? Laptop will be in tow; I would expect we'll transfer video daily?

Nice-to-haves
LCD Bacpac-looks like it's nice for functionality/tuning but not sure if it'd be worth it using headmount?
Tray-Again, I put this one in the future category when we add strobes/lights and are doing more hand held.

Anything missing (I'm sure there is...)

Thanks!

 

[RockyHeap]

LCD backpack screen for sure, set to auto off after 1 minute.

I'd still fab up a quick tray for hand shots, easy as a short 12" long 1/8 thick 1" wide piece of aluminum with 2 bike grips screwed on either end,

Gopro Brand moisture muncher pads, buy 2 bags.

I'm not a fan of headmount video, you'll get wayyyyyyyyyy too long of shots which will make editing later a PITA. Short bursts of 30seconds - 1 minute work best for me.

YES 720 - 60 FPS is the only way I shoot.

Spare battery is nice to have, as the GoPro's get warm shooting and charging, putting in a charged up battery = a cooler rig.

These wall mount chargers that don't need to use the camera to charge are nice so you always have a peaked battery.

2 Battery + Charger For GoPro Hero Hero2 HD Surf HERO Camera AHDBT-002 AHDBT-001 | eBay

 

[skearse]

Awesome, thanks!

 

[RockyHeap]

I'd also fab up a quick PVC pipe pole cam, it's WAY TOO FUN to film yourself during a dive or doing a giant stride entry off a boat.


Also allows you to get closer to fish, as your body is 2 foot further away and they don't get as scared, but the camera is right there in their face or gliding just inches over the reef and corals.

PVC pole cam, super cheap and easy. 2 feet of 3/4" Schedule 40 (the thicker wall) PVC Pipe, Glue on a female cap on one end, then a female/female fitting on the other end, and a flat face male plug goes into that. Drill a hole in the flat face male plug, and use a 1/4-20 short stainless bolt to thread through into a Gopro tripod mount. Maybe $6-8 bucks into the whole pole cam, and they're AWESOME to use underwater. Put a wrist strap on your holding end if you want, I did.

 

[flareside]

I have to agree with RockyHeap on no to the headmount. If you can't get a tray or pole system put together, at least consider one of these: Amazon.com: BestDealUSA Self-portrait Camera Tripod Telescopic Monopod for Digital Camera Camcorder: Electronics Works best using it inverted with the camera in upside down mode.

As far as batteries consider: Amazon.com: Wasabi Power Battery and Charger Kit for GoPro AHDBT-001, AHDBT-002 and GoPro HD HERO, HERO2 Camera: Camera & Photo These batteries have had very positive reviews in the forums.

And the biggest must have of all: A tether system so your camera doesn't disappear into the deep.