GoPro - light and filter advice for underwater video detection

[frogmaster-riviera]

Hi all!

I want to shoot some videos when I'm scuba detecting. I just bought a Gopro 4 and a pair of Light & Motion Sola 3000 lights. I will put the Gopro on a Helmet and the lights will use loc-line arms, placed on each side of the helmt.

Do I need to use a red filter on the Gopro when I'm using the lights?

Hope someone can help me as I am a total newbie in underwater video and photography....

 

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[Jason in Enid]

You bought a pair of sola 3000's ?! Holy crap that's a lot of light! Thats professional video level of light. You will need a color correction filter if you are shooting anything more than a few feet away, I recommend a flip filter so you can use it as needed.

Edit to add- be sure to use the lights in the flood mode, not spot.

 

[frogmaster-riviera]

The lights are only flood mode 90° wide angle. I just can change the power of the led 3000 / 1500 /750 lumens I think. I bought a Red filter from SRP which can be easily flipped from the GoPro. I'll make some test with the filter and without, but it is better to have the good advice before diving

 

[Jason in Enid]

Be sure to play with it a lot. Do test films with the different power levels, different natural light conditions, with and without the filter each time. I doubt you will need the full power setting, but it's always good to have options.

I have a pair of the sola 1200 and have tried both with and without the filter. I found I could get within about 1-2 feet of the subject before the filter began to over-tint the video. so 99% of the time I just leave the filter in place now.

 

[frogmaster-riviera]

Be sure to play with it a lot. Do test films with the different power levels, different natural light conditions, with and without the filter each time. I doubt you will need the full power setting, but it's always good to have options.

I have a pair of the sola 1200 and have tried both with and without the filter. I found I could get within about 1-2 feet of the subject before the filter began to over-tint the video. so 99% of the time I just leave the filter in place now.

Thanks jason for your input. Sola 1200 have "narrow" angle compared to the Sola 3000. I haven't seen the 1200 but I've tested the 2000 with a 60° beam = 2000 lumen with a 60° beam is around 3000 lumen with 90° beam.

If I understand you, there is no need to use the filter when I'm detecting because my helmet won't be more then 2ft away from the scene (the detector coil) ?

 

[Jason in Enid]

If I understand you, there is no need to use the filter when I'm detecting because my helmet won't be more then 2ft away from the scene (the detector coil) ?

You would probably be on the edge of needed or not needed, play with it and see what you like.

I also just re-read on the 3000, I forgot that it is a flood only mode.

 

[mnruxpin]

oh man, sweet, cant wait to see the videos!! whats your utube account i wanna subscribe

 

[frogmaster-riviera]

oh man, sweet, cant wait to see the videos!! whats your utube account i wanna subscribe

No youtube account yet! Be patient!!! First I need to recover from the Flue, hope it'll be ok by next next week ;-) I will post first some photos of the material, I need to see if i don't have any problem of flotability with the helmet..... and wait for OBN to let me know if my diving earphones will be great for scuba detection

But don't worry, I will make some videos, the good season is coming fast on the Riviera and you see that I have "invest" in equipments to make videos of the hunts.

 

[Jason in Enid]

Take a tiny drill bit and drill a hole in the top and bottom sections of your loc-line. This will let both the air and water escape.

 

[frogmaster-riviera]

Take a tiny drill bit and drill a hole in the top and bottom sections of your loc-line. This will let both the air and water escape.

Thanks for the tip. They are a few holes, but I don't know if its enought. I thought they where made for a internal lanyard ;-)

Here's the pictures, I am building a lanyard for the lights with fishing monofilament. I'll will pass it inside de locline arms



I have for 4 locline arms, 2 long for the tray and 2 shorts for the helmet light mount

 

[Jason in Enid]

Just to clarify, I was refering to the locline, not the solid handles you showed. The locline is designed to be a hard/flexible hose so it will hold air and or water if it doesn't have a drain option.

Also, you have WAAAAAY too much locline! 1/4 of that would be plenty for 2 lights.

 

[frogmaster-riviera]

Just to clarify, I was refering to the locline, not the solid handles you showed. The locline is designed to be a hard/flexible hose so it will hold air and or water if it doesn't have a drain option.

Also, you have WAAAAAY too much locline! 1/4 of that would be plenty for 2 lights.

I will use 2 loclienes arms for the helmet that I don't want to remove (only the light), and 2 arms for the diving tray that I don't want to remove either. That's why I have 4 arms :-)

I will drill some extra holes on the top and base of the locline to drain air & water! Really thanks for this advice !!!!!!

 

[Jason in Enid]

I will use 2 loclienes arms for the helmet that I don't want to remove (only the light), and 2 arms for the diving tray that I don't want to remove either. That's why I have 4 arms :-)

I will drill some extra holes on the top and base of the locline to drain air & water! Really thanks for this advice !!!!!!

OH, OK... That makes more sense, but I bet after playing with your setup you end up shortening the helmet mounts. It's hard to tell from the photos, but to give you perspective, I use 12" of locline for each light from my camera housing. You are basically pointing them forward with just a little inward direction so you only need enough length to get them a little bit away from the camera.

If the lights are too close to your lens (pointing straight forward), you get backscatter (snow) in the video. If you move the lights too far away you lose light power and coverage for shots that are too close or too far from the camera. It's a lot more "art" than "science" so it will take some practice and play. You might see if any local dive shops or clubs are giving any classes in UW videography. It could shorten your learning curve.

 

[frogmaster-riviera]

OH, OK... That makes more sense, but I bet after playing with your setup you end up shortening the helmet mounts. It's hard to tell from the photos, but to give you perspective, I use 12" of locline for each light from my camera housing. You are basically pointing them forward with just a little inward direction so you only need enough length to get them a little bit away from the camera.

If the lights are too close to your lens (pointing straight forward), you get backscatter (snow) in the video. If you move the lights too far away you lose light power and coverage for shots that are too close or too far from the camera. It's a lot more "art" than "science" so it will take some practice and play. You might see if any local dive shops or clubs are giving any classes in UW videography. It could shorten your learning curve.

I dive a lot with photographers but they are not "Gopro" at all.... I have plan a dive in 2 weeks with a friend of me who is an UW photographer, he is coming for lunch this week end, I'll show him the material.

Fisrt of all I want to make a video on the CTX 3030 @ 30-40ft deep to show how it can be sealed, so my friend will be in charge of the shooting...

 

[frogmaster-riviera]

I have just finished the diving tray: it will be used by my diving mate or I'll use it to make some videos of him.

The video & light helmet is under construction, will be finished by the end of this week...

The tray configuration :

GoPro 4 Black, 64Gb sd card for 4K, diving housing, lcd screen
1x GoPro aluminium arm extender from GoMountz
2x Sola Video lights 3000 - 90° light angle (wide) and 3000 lumens per light.
1x SRP aluminium tray
2x Loca line arms
1x SRP red filter, easily removable.

 

[frogmaster-riviera]

Made a first shot with this system for a friend PADI school....

Enjoy in 4k or HD if you can!

 

[Jason in Enid]

Great video! Beautiful dive site you have.

If I can offer one small bit of advice, I noticed you had a small amount of camera shadow in some shots. Adjust your lights forward just a bit more to eliminate it. Otherwise, it looked great. Good overlap of lighting without a hotspot. Good framing and editing of the shots too!

 

[frogmaster-riviera]

Thanks Jason for your input and your time

When I was underwater with the gopro I was remembering this thread and your post: "it's much more artistic related then technical"

I did a few test with and without the red filter.. colors are really different.

- I've noticed the Gopro changes the white balance with the lighting system (in automatic) and I will prefer to use a manual setting; do you know which one can be taken?
- Do I need to use Protune or not?

I will try now my scuba video detection helmet on a good underwater spot and see if I can make a pleasant detection vid...

 

[Jason in Enid]

I don't have enough experience with the gopros to advise on settings. I just use mine for filming my metal detecting. I have a dedicated UW camera rig I use for scuba (and I'm no expert on that either).

One thing you might try with your camera, make multiple dives on the same site, change your settings and film the same spot over and over. Then see which one you like best.

 

[frogmaster-riviera]

Thanks Jason,

I've notice a serious change in color with the GoPro when underwater the yellow coil cover of the excalibur pass near the gopro lens, there is a dramitic change in colour capture during the follong minutes. Not sure it is related to Protune or white balance...

I ill make some tests, but as a diver you know that if someone can gives you the solutiono before, you won't "loose" a few dives just to find the good set up.

Again thanks for your time &precious inputs.

PS: for the lights, most of the time on ne following video I use 1 light a 100% and the other at 50%. With the Superview mode of the gopro which avoi the "tunnel" effect, you need to go very very slow. I thought I was going slowly but I'm still too fast ;-)

I did some tiny holes on the locline arms and I don't have any air/water problems : thanks or this advice!