Successful Use of the GoPro Video Camera in the Overhead Environment ;NACD Tech Bultn

[stickydeco]

Well, as promised over a year ago (all y’all know how that works, right?), I finally finished up the Go-By for the GoPro; as in a step-by-step on how to put together both:
1. A GoPro Camera Helmet and lighting platform; and
2. A DPV/Hand Harry Video Light.
This is the URL to the Technical Bulletin, Successful Use of the GoPro Video Camera in the Overhead Environment, which appears on the NACD website: http://www.safecavediving.com/equipment.shtml. It is best viewed in PDF format (you have a choice between Word and Adobe). The document contains a bunch of individual .jpg images, URL’s for sources of supply, and 3 videos. A 4th, and final video will be added later this week.
THANKS TO ALL WHO ASSISTED and HELPED!
Crazy Jack

[Sly-vester]

Good stuff, Thanks.

[CrawDaddy]

Sweet! I just got my GoPro last week and I've been scouring the net for exactly this info! Thank you.

[amphipod06]

You sir, are the ultimate enabler!!

I am now on the path to perdition...

Dive safe,

Celia

[TONY CHANEY]

Very good work and thanks. My buddy has the camera and camera / light mounting bar but I am working on a different light bar (plate). The reason the new bar (plate) is needed is to mount the lights and can. directly to the bar vice having the can. attached to our kits. This way we can hand off the entire setup. Currently we establish who is doing the filming for each dive. The only hard part I am trying to get past are the light arms. I want the ability to use the lights when we're just diving without the camera, so the light mounts have to be setup in a manner that will not interfer with their current attached hand mounts. Taking the screws out several times enlongates the holes, which I am trying to avoid. Thanks for the setup advice. Take care. OBTW did you have a small dive shop near Dobbins AFB in 1994? If so it was a pleasure for this then young Marine to have met you.

[tomhauburn]

Jack thanks for your write up. I am sure its would save folks a lot of money since you tend to go through a lot of parts before you find out what works. Not trying to HiJack this thread but have you seen the spec's of a Sony camera similar to the GoPro. Supposed to do 1080 with IS and about the same degree of view. I not sure how it will do in low light but it appears in their blog that is using one of their low light sensors. Its in Beta right now but you can find it with Google. It will be interesting to see if it is a complete of package. Also had a friend from West send me some links to one like the Go Pro but that does focus a 3cm, includes a back and 4G card for the same price as a GO PRO. Competition is a good thing but right now Go Pro is the best deal as it has developed so many add on pieces and has a lot of third party support.

[stickydeco]

Folks, THANKS for your very positive comments, e-mails and phone calls. I have just posted the long awaited final "Example 4" video. All I can say is that if you want to put together something like that, the freekin editing is going to take some time. So here are the specifics:

Example Video #4 is a high definition 57 minute long, 108 Scene (with 27 different music tracks) “tour” of the Devil’s System at Ginnie Springs, FL. It was created using the AVS4YOU Video Editor available right now for a whopping $49. The video showcases different combinations of the Helmet and DPV/ Hand Carry Light. Locations visited include Little Devil’s Spring Run, The Ear and Eye, Gallery, Lips, Cornflakes-Junction Room, Roller Coaster, Double Domes, Stage Bottle Rock, Insulation Room Domes, Sweet Surprise Line, Mainland Line, Berman Room Bypass Line, Berman Room, Henkle Line, Henkle Restriction, Rouse Memorial Marker, Angels Fear Line, Scraper Restriction, Hill 400 Line, Double Lines, and the Ice Room Line. Just like a DVD, it is set to different chapters on YouTube, so a user can go to a scene without having to fast forward through the entire video. Go to “Show More” in the Description for these Chapters. And unlike the other three videos, all y’all won’t have to listen to one obnoxious peep out of me for its entire duration! Enjoy instead the outstanding musical creations of Jason Shaw: http://www.audionautix.com/index.html

Video # 4: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=4CLR4...ature=youtu.be

Are there “cleaner” and higher quality cave diving videos out there? You bet. Lots of ‘em. But the point here is that all of the video footage in Examples 1-4 was shot by a very non-professional cameraman/producer on active swimming dives; i.e. no set up shots, no Storyboards, no F-Stops, no filters, and no pre-arranged lighting. In other words, the edited videos are a by-product of just going diving and using the light combinations as discussed.

[mer]

How well would it do with only the Itorches (no 35W video lights)?

Thank you for the write up... amazing information there!

[stickydeco]

How well would it do with only the Itorches (no 35W video lights)?

GREAT in the smaller tunnels like Roller Coaster, Berman Room By-Pass, Hillyer, that sort of thing. BUT you will need more lighting for any DPV stuff or the larger passages and rooms.