Question What should I get: GoPro or TG7 for Beginner with no Video experience
- Thread starter BoltSnap
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Tippytoes12
Contributor
You would be crazy to get rid of your TG, I have seen people using them for years. I have a TG6, a GoPro 11 attached to the cold shoe mount and a SeaLife 3000 video light all on a SeaLife tray. I am thrilled with the results !
Blackcrusader
Contributor
Probably similar to my setup photo above except I use two Big Blue VL4200p video lights.
OP, i am in a similar situation as you. Long time u/w photographer (started in 2001, with an Olympus C-3030 and then switched to a housed DSLR in 2006), and trying to shoot some video as well these days.
Recently, I decided to add video functionality to my rig. I have mounted video lights on my arms, and GoPro on the cold shoe mount of the Nauticam housing. The lights are inexpensive 3000L jobbies for now, but if i find the results worth it, I’ll likely get upgrade both the lights and the video camera (likely a newer ILC that does good video as well).
Earlier this month was the first time i actually tried taking this dual rig out (well, i tried the GoPro on a separate tray with just video lights, and then combined the two systems in the monstrosity shown above).
Functionally, it works. The rig is almost neutral and fairly well balanced in the water.
But the hard part is that it is very hard to be in the correct mindset to shooting video and stills at the same time. When you are shooting stills, you are looking for the decisive moment. When you are shooting videos, you are looking for an interesting sequence of actions. Personally, i find it pretty hard to switch equally between the two (my brain prioritizes photography more).
All of us, myself included, tend to obsess a lot about the equipment part of things, but when you come down to it, photography and/or videography are creative arts and require focus. When you are trying to decide whether to take stills or videos, you are distracted. When i was using just the GoPro, i got decent video clips (atleast for a first timer). When i switched to a dual setup, I got mediocre photos AND mediocre videos.
At this point, i am glad I didn’t upgrade to a GH7 and 10,000 lumen video lights right away, as i was initially considering. I know this isnt particularly related to the specific question you were asking, but it is something worth thinking about when deciding how far down the rabbit hole you want to go,
Recently, I decided to add video functionality to my rig. I have mounted video lights on my arms, and GoPro on the cold shoe mount of the Nauticam housing. The lights are inexpensive 3000L jobbies for now, but if i find the results worth it, I’ll likely get upgrade both the lights and the video camera (likely a newer ILC that does good video as well).
Earlier this month was the first time i actually tried taking this dual rig out (well, i tried the GoPro on a separate tray with just video lights, and then combined the two systems in the monstrosity shown above).
Functionally, it works. The rig is almost neutral and fairly well balanced in the water.
But the hard part is that it is very hard to be in the correct mindset to shooting video and stills at the same time. When you are shooting stills, you are looking for the decisive moment. When you are shooting videos, you are looking for an interesting sequence of actions. Personally, i find it pretty hard to switch equally between the two (my brain prioritizes photography more).
All of us, myself included, tend to obsess a lot about the equipment part of things, but when you come down to it, photography and/or videography are creative arts and require focus. When you are trying to decide whether to take stills or videos, you are distracted. When i was using just the GoPro, i got decent video clips (atleast for a first timer). When i switched to a dual setup, I got mediocre photos AND mediocre videos.
At this point, i am glad I didn’t upgrade to a GH7 and 10,000 lumen video lights right away, as i was initially considering. I know this isnt particularly related to the specific question you were asking, but it is something worth thinking about when deciding how far down the rabbit hole you want to go,
runsongas
Contributor
just get a gopro 11 on sale for 300 or less and mount it on your current camera. backscatter +15 macromate lense if you want some flexibility. the TG only makes sense if you are unhappy with your stills using current camera. when you upgrade the olympus look at a panasonic or sony aps-c/full frame that will do double duty.
Sure Squintsalot
Contributor
This might overwhelm a beginner with no video experience. Fiddling underwater with GoPro video settings between macro and wide angle using the macromate is a giant PITA.
For basic video, you can't get much simpler than a GoPro and its single on/off one-button operation. Image stabilized 4K at 60fps yields pretty impressive results, but can't compare to the TG-6 macro capabilities.
runsongas
Contributor
there really isn't a need for fiddling once underwater. linear FOV works well enough if you don't go nuts with the hypersmooth settings. trying to max the fov with fiddling means you'll be doing a bunch of fisheye correction in post anyways.
Backscatter has a nice walkthrough on how to get these settings put into the quick menus where you can move between them quickly and somewhat seamlessly.
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