GoPro diving set up w lights
 

I'm looking to mount my GoPro (w the flat lens fix) onto a lighting set up to take scuba diving with me next month. I'm considering buying two of the Mini Q40 eLED to mount the gopro to. Does anyone have any experience with a set up like this? Is there a better option at a decent price out there? Any ideas or suggestions would be greatly appreciated.

Re: GoPro diving set up w lights
 

that looks like it would do the job fine. How are you planning on mounting the lights and the camera together?
Thinking WAAY back to my days of shooting stills U/W, I used a Nikonos system with long articulating arms for lighting ( seems to me they were 20 in. each). It was awkward on the surface, but great U/W. it let you get the lighting above the lens and angled in so that the beam patterns overlapped perfectly at about 3 feet. Probably overkill for the gopro.
I'm wondering if you couldn't cobble together a small PVC rig for it??

Re: GoPro diving set up w lights
 

Nick,

You could try making holders out of loc-line. I made flag out of it. I did get it in black from one of my suppliers. modularhose.com - Loc-Line 1/2" ID System . If you have a aquarium store by you, they can get it for you.http://aquariumcenter.net/en/plumbin...g-c-13_14.html

Dan

Re: GoPro diving set up w lights
 

Nick, in addition to Dan and Wayne's ideas, you might want to think about modifying a Gorillapod to mount your lights and the camera. There are Gorillapod knockoffs available for very little money that just might work.

Be sure to post your results as we are all interested!

Curt

Re: GoPro diving set up w lights
 

Most likely those lights are too small and will not put out the correct amount of light...

Here is a site that has some equipment for underwater shooting....

Ultralight Control Systems

Re: GoPro diving set up w lights
 

Thanks for all the great responses and suggestions, I really appreciate it.

Ray, I was afraid it wasn't going to be enough light. Maybe four instead of two Q40's would be enough?

Curt, I really like the Gorilla pod idea, I own one already so I'm going to look into these adapters to attach lights to it ... have you done a rig like this before? If so please tell me about it ... how you attached the lights etc

Dan, thanks for forwarding the links ... maybe with a combo of the gorilla pod, 4 Q40's a couple adapters from Ultralight Control Systems and/or the links you sent I might be in business ...

Wayne, I was going to try to connect the two Q40's with a something similar to the image below .... Its the set up we use with our Splash Cam: Seatrex High Definition Point of View Camera (at my day job) we've used this set up at 100ft while ice fishing and the 2 q40's seemed to give off enough light if the subject was close enough to the camera. I like your idea on the 20in arms, that seems like it would allow the lights to be farther spread out ... maybe I can accomplish this with Curt's Gorilla pod idea .... but I'm also interested in hearing about your PVC idea?

Re: GoPro diving set up w lights
 

Sorry Nick, I haven't actually built a set. Attaching the lights might be a challenge. I am sure someone has some ideas!

Re: GoPro diving set up w lights
 

Don't know if you've tried your rig yet, but my biggest concern would be that those light would put out a wide enough beam to cover the whole gopro field of view. Look like you might end up with light in the middle, and dark in the corners.

Re: GoPro diving set up w lights
 

Exactly as Ben says.

The GoPro has a very wide angle coverage. If you want the lights to illuminate the full frame of the GoPro, you will need W/A beam lights, plus they will need to be very powerful. For a given power level of light: the more the beam is spread out, the less the beam will penetrate the water. For example, a 50 watt light with a 15 degree beam angle might illuminate a fish 15 feet away at night, but a 50 watt light with a 90 degree angle might only go to 5 feet.

If you are shooting daytime, you will need even more powerful lights because it needs to overpower the sunlight.

If you are shooting during the day, I recommend a pink filter.

Re: GoPro diving set up w lights
 

Hi, which pink filter would that be?

Re: GoPro diving set up w lights
 

Lee or Roscoe gel filter. They are very inexpensive. You can get a whole 20 x 20 inch sheet for $7. Cut out a small piece the size of a penny and drop it inside the GoPro housing.

Re: GoPro diving set up w lights
 

Ron: How long ago was that? Was it the Caribbean? Seahorses are getting a lot harder to find with the insurgent lionfish cleaning them out.

Re: GoPro diving set up w lights
 

Bonaire about a month ago. To be honest, I found the diving conditions disappointing. Reef and coral did not look healthy.

Re: GoPro diving set up w lights
 

Thanks, but do you have a color number for the pink?

Re: GoPro diving set up w lights
 

I think it was 790.

I believe both Lee and Roscoe give away or sell swatchbooks. Since the GoPro is so small, the swatchbook is a great way to experiment with filter colors to match your dive conditions.

Some stores give them away with purchases, other stores will sell them to you. Think I saw them going for $2-$4.