I'm starting to research getting a GoPro Hero 3 sometime in the next few months and wanted to get some input and advice from the knowledge base this forum offers to help with the decision process.
Is buying the standard GoPro Hero 3 good enough to dive with? Is the "Black" that much better than the "White" and "Silver"?
I have not used a GoPro but wonder if the basic kit offers the functions you would want when taking underwater video.
I'm not looking at making Laura James quality video, just something to show friends and family what we see while diving. However, I do not want to waste money on something that will get poor quality video and I do not want to need to buy an excessive amount of additional equipement to get video that is recognizable. From what I have heard, the camera is the least expensive part of getting into underwater photography so I would make the assumption the same pertains to video.
Any comments, advice or recommendations are more than welcome. Thank you all in advance.
GoPro
Re: GoPro
I have the hero 3 black, and based on most of my research, you want the black for underwater filming due to low light performance.
Personally, I had a lot of frustration with mine from the start with freezing issues. I've since got a warranty unit, Nd they've updated the software such that the issue isn't as bad. However, Bdub has used his much more than I and found a good way to prevent te freeze ups by holding the lens in front of your light while powering on, and so far that has done the trick.
Check out bdub's cave videos, they take some pretty awesome quality footage, but he also has a much nicer video light setup. I use a dusty light with a diffuser, an same as you, just get video to show friends and family what's down there and I'm happy with it. I use it for mtn biking as well and it's awesome.
I do eventually want to get a nicer lighting setup for it as I think the quality of the video is much better, but that's an investment worth more than the camera itself!
Good luck!
Personally, I had a lot of frustration with mine from the start with freezing issues. I've since got a warranty unit, Nd they've updated the software such that the issue isn't as bad. However, Bdub has used his much more than I and found a good way to prevent te freeze ups by holding the lens in front of your light while powering on, and so far that has done the trick.
Check out bdub's cave videos, they take some pretty awesome quality footage, but he also has a much nicer video light setup. I use a dusty light with a diffuser, an same as you, just get video to show friends and family what's down there and I'm happy with it. I use it for mtn biking as well and it's awesome.
I do eventually want to get a nicer lighting setup for it as I think the quality of the video is much better, but that's an investment worth more than the camera itself!
Good luck!
I think you've figured out the root cause of your problems. Even sea lions get annoyed by splitfin divers silting out their dive sites. Switch back to your jets and you'll be safe from the sea lion silt prevention patrol from now on. - NWbrewer
Re: GoPro
I haven't had any issues after the April firmware update.
Lighting is key for sure around here and in caves. I got some great video in Bonaire in early April with it but had the freeze issue happen several times. So I carried the hero 2 as a back up and swapped it over when the 3 failed.
I wouldn't expect a Hero 4 for quite some time.
Lighting is key for sure around here and in caves. I got some great video in Bonaire in early April with it but had the freeze issue happen several times. So I carried the hero 2 as a back up and swapped it over when the 3 failed.
I wouldn't expect a Hero 4 for quite some time.
Re: GoPro
NWDC Rule #2 Pictures Or it didn't Happen
Re: GoPro
I have a gopro 3 black and actually its never done any freezing up on me or anything weird. I did do the firmware update right out of the box tho... I think they are great little cameras! As with any camera (and as H2Odoc's vid shows) getting some lights with wide beam - 90 degrees is nice (AKA Video lights) is how to get good footage with minimal hotspot. Put the lights on little arms (not just attaching the gopro to top of your handheld lights goodman handle) for best results and less backscatter, and use two lights to keep wonky shadows down. The arms don't have to be long, just get the lights away from the camera a bit 
pretty much same as every camera The other nice thing about the lights _on_ camera is that if you don't have a dedicated off axis dive buddy to swim ahead and shine light in right spot for the shot, you don't get the disco ball light stuff going on quite so much as you and everyone else looks different directions from the camera.
My suspicion that it is the LCD back that has been causing the buggy-ness. The other Blacks that I know of personally all had the LCD back on them and supposedly had some issues. I guess sometimes it pays to be cheap
JUST KIDDING! The LCD helps with framing and stuff for sure, although the wide angle is so wide that I've found I just point it in mostly the right general direction and can get some fun footage. One thing that people do pretty regularly is accidentally press the wifi button when putting it in the case which then gobbles up battery before they get to the divesite. This can be remedied by a) being careful and checking twice and b) for 22 bucks getting the spare aftermarket non-brand 2 spare battery/charger set from amazon.
This is some gopro 3 black footage, it was just a mooring block and buoy re-attachment dive so could show the nice lady what her anchor looked like, apologies for the motion etc..
http://vimeo.com/68513583
pretty much same as every camera The other nice thing about the lights _on_ camera is that if you don't have a dedicated off axis dive buddy to swim ahead and shine light in right spot for the shot, you don't get the disco ball light stuff going on quite so much as you and everyone else looks different directions from the camera. My suspicion that it is the LCD back that has been causing the buggy-ness. The other Blacks that I know of personally all had the LCD back on them and supposedly had some issues. I guess sometimes it pays to be cheap
JUST KIDDING! The LCD helps with framing and stuff for sure, although the wide angle is so wide that I've found I just point it in mostly the right general direction and can get some fun footage. One thing that people do pretty regularly is accidentally press the wifi button when putting it in the case which then gobbles up battery before they get to the divesite. This can be remedied by a) being careful and checking twice and b) for 22 bucks getting the spare aftermarket non-brand 2 spare battery/charger set from amazon. This is some gopro 3 black footage, it was just a mooring block and buoy re-attachment dive so could show the nice lady what her anchor looked like, apologies for the motion etc..
http://vimeo.com/68513583
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"I survived the Brittandrea Dorikulla, where's my T-shirt!"
"I survived the Brittandrea Dorikulla, where's my T-shirt!"
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Paladin4Christ
- Aquaphile
- Posts: 120
- Joined: Sat May 04, 2013 11:08 am
Re: GoPro
Thanks for all the input.
I already had a Dusty Light on my list to buy. I was going to get it sooner but ... life.
And I'll definitely go for the "Black" Edition when I finally decided to make the purchase.
Nice videos by the way...especially the Anchor one.
Seriously, the warm water video gets me wanting to head south again.
I already had a Dusty Light on my list to buy. I was going to get it sooner but ... life.
And I'll definitely go for the "Black" Edition when I finally decided to make the purchase.
Nice videos by the way...especially the Anchor one.
Seriously, the warm water video gets me wanting to head south again.