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Go pro and scuba diving
- Thread starter zyr123
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I'm new to gopro but I can tell you to use a lower frame rate. This will allow more light to hit the sensor. if possible use an external light.
The housing it comes with should be adequate. How deep do you plan to dive? Also look into getting filters. This will cut the blue/green tint out and make the colors more natural. Depending on how far you plan to dive you'll need certain colors. I believe the most common are red and magenta.
Also look into some type of extension pole and or hand grip. Some use for lack of better terms a tray with two handles to grip with both hands.
Hope this helps.
The housing it comes with should be adequate. How deep do you plan to dive? Also look into getting filters. This will cut the blue/green tint out and make the colors more natural. Depending on how far you plan to dive you'll need certain colors. I believe the most common are red and magenta.
Also look into some type of extension pole and or hand grip. Some use for lack of better terms a tray with two handles to grip with both hands.
Hope this helps.
Yes it does thank you. I'll use 24 1080 p. and connect it to my go pole which I was planning on using anyhow. I Highly recommend that pole it's definitely worth 50$.
we're doing it in Eilat it's all of our first time so probably not that deep.
we're doing it in Eilat it's all of our first time so probably not that deep.
For reference. This is what you are looking for.
I learned the hard way after a family holiday to Menorca! All the underwater shots were out of focus!
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PADI certified diver here. For the record I can tell you that I have a white edition Go pro and I have had no problem with the chasis it brings for underwater. Have taken it as far as 30 meters (about 100 feet) underwater without any problem!
Just to be clear. The issue is that the OP has a Hero 2 which comes with a curved lens underwater housing.
The white edition is much newer and comes with a flat lens underwater housing right out of the box.
There are also add on/conversion kits that attach to the case that comes with the go pro. Of course, availability of these add on kits might be as sparse as the availability of aftermarket cases that have the flat lens cover.
You really have to have the flat lens case/conversion kit to make it worth your while to shoot video with a go pro underwater. Absent one, it is pretty much pointless as everything will be out of focus.
Also, while a low framerate setting will yield the best results (due to the inherent lack of light underwater), unless you are diving in clear, tropical, shallow water, bring some artificial light.
You really have to have the flat lens case/conversion kit to make it worth your while to shoot video with a go pro underwater. Absent one, it is pretty much pointless as everything will be out of focus.
Also, while a low framerate setting will yield the best results (due to the inherent lack of light underwater), unless you are diving in clear, tropical, shallow water, bring some artificial light.
I'd recommend shooting in the 'superview' mode if you have the newer hero 3+ black model. super wide!
I would recommend no filter. A filter will only reduce the amount of light that can get to the sensor reducing low light sensitivity.
You also might want to check which housing they are buying as by default the Go Pro Hero 2 dive housing doesnt accept filters.
While a filter might cut down some light - my experience of shooting underwater video would suggests it's pretty essential to have a colour correcting filter (orange/red for blue water - eg Eilat and magenta for green water eg Europe). You'll get much, much better results. Stay shallow - it's where the light is (and most of the life!). Deeper than 15m you'll need lights rather than filters anyway.
There are plenty of after market clip on filters for the Go Pro - google around a bit. It depends on the housing. Also if filming watch the coral - it's easy to get carried away and have buoyancy issues. Listen to your ears (if that makes sense) - they're one of the best 'gadgets' going to tell you about small depth changes if concentrating on gauges or a camera.
One other tip - don't attach to your head - your audience will get seasick watching.
A filter can't compensate for low lighting. A filter will only further reduce the amount of light that the camera can see.
Some people use red filters (misnomer) to correct for underwater videos looking too blue or too bluish/green. Reds tend to disappear pretty quickly underwater so using a red filter tends to "adjust" the video so that the end results seems more natural. I personally only use red filters when diving in tropical locations (hawaii for example) and only when diving shallower than 20 meters/66 feet. At those depths, there is typically abundant ambient light so the color correcting filter works pretty well.
The approach that yields the best video results, particularly in non tropical water/deeper diving is to bring artificial lighting. Artificial lighting will make subjects that are close up look more natural in color. Again, that is if you are looking for the best video results.
Note: Now that I think about it, I advocate keeping it simple. Sounds like you might be new to underwater videography and perhaps somewhat new to scuba diving. If one thing is for sure in scuba diving, keeping things as simple as possible is the way to go. So I would suggest, take a few videos on land to learn how to use the camera. Then take the camera diving (no lights and no filter). My guess is that your first few videos, looking too blue is going to be a minor issue only.
I agree that the GoPro will need as much light as possible to look the best, so don't use a filter on-camera... fix the color balance in post instead. Even a GoPro Hero3 Black looks like garbage without enough light, and it gets dark underwater.
What depth is the case rated for. My guess is that you don't ant to go down more than 15 feet at the most.
As for how to shoot. The main problem (other then the case failing at depth) is going to be light. There are two things (1) there s less of it at depth and (2) is is very much RED filtered. White balance is nearly impossible to get right unless you use a filter. They do make some nice underwater color correction filters and you can duct tape them over the lens.
If you keep to the very shallow depth you fix the light and color problem.
Soak the entire rig in fresh water every time you come up. Just drop the camera and filter in a bucket of fresh water NEVER let seawater air dry or you will never get the salt off.
The other solution is lights. A dive light is not wide enough you need one made for phototogrphy. I've seen converters that are just a lens that goes over the light to make the beam really wide. But you need a BIG light
The other thing to "get close" then get closer. DOn't try to shoot subjects that are to far way to fill the frame.
The big thing is the case. What is it rated for.
I've used little conn point and shoot inside a case even at 60feet at night
I don't know your dive experience but before you try photography make sure bouncy control is nearly perfect and you can move up down back and forward with hands stuffed into the BC straps
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Can you do that? Is there enough ability in post to correct the extreme red filter effect. I guess it depends on the depth. Above maybe 30 feet the red filter effect in not so bad.
What happens with not filter is that the camera exposes and some color channels clip. Once you have clipping there is nothing you can do in post.
It's going to be all of the people on my israel programs first time scuba diving. Besides this one kid who has a license. I can't imagine that we go deeper then 18-20 feet.
I'm going to use a go pole. Any experience with making that perfectly bouncy controlled.
I'm going to use a go pole. Any experience with making that perfectly bouncy controlled.