GoPro Accessories
Learn MoreGoPro Accessories
Essential Underwater Equipment for GoPros
To capture vivid underwater footage with a GoPro, it's crucial to have the right housing and lighting. These accessories not only protect your camera but also ensure the clarity and quality of your images.
Choosing the Right Housing
When selecting underwater housing for a GoPro, compatibility is key. Different models like the Hero5, Hero6, Hero7, Hero 8, Hero 9, and the latest Hero 10, require specific housings. For budget-conscious users, Suptig Waterproof Housing is a versatile option compatible with several GoPro models, providing waterproof protection up to 45 meters depth. On the higher end, the Subal GO5 Underwater Housing caters specifically to GoPro Hero5, Hero6, and Hero7 Black, offering robust construction and diving depth capabilities.
- Compatibility:
- Suptig: Hero5, Hero6, Hero7, Hero 8, Hero 9, Hero 10
- Subal GO5: Hero5, Hero6, Hero7 Black
- Waterproof Depth:
- Suptig: Up to 45 meters
- Subal GO5: Depths suited for professional diving
Ensure the housing provides ease of use with accessible camera controls and is made from durable, corrosion-resistant materials.
Importance of Lighting for Underwater Filming
Underwater environments often have limited natural light, making additional lighting essential. Our choice of lighting should provide a broad, even illumination to enhance colors and reduce shadows. It's crucial to opt for lights that can handle the pressure at various depths. This typically means looking for lights with a high waterproof rating, ensuring they share similar or greater depth capabilities as your housing.
- Lighting Tips:
- Use lights with a broad beam angle to avoid hot spots.
- Check the lumens rating for brightness; the higher the lumens, the brighter the light.
An action camera's underwater adventure isn't complete without the right equipment. Investing in quality housing and lighting can dramatically improve our underwater photography experience with a GoPro.
Underwater Filtration and Camera Stability
To achieve professional-grade underwater footage with your GoPro, it is essential to manage color distortion and maintain camera stability. We'll walk through the importance of employing red filters and stabilization accessories suitable for underwater use.
Red Filter Application
When filming underwater, we often encounter a color shift that makes images appear overtly blue or green. To combat this, we use red filters. These filters bring the color spectrum back into balance, especially in blue or tropical water. The Red Filter Diving Lens is a popular choice and is usually available in multiple shades to match different depths:
- Shallow Water (~5-20 feet): Use a lighter red filter
- Moderate Water (20-40 feet): Use a standard red filter
- Deep Water (40+ feet): Consider a magenta filter for green water
It's crucial to select the correct filter based on the diving depth to ensure natural coloration in your videos.
Stabilizing Accessories for Clear Footage
For crystal-clear footage, underwater stabilization is key. We consider several accessories:
Dome Port Housings enhance camera stability and field of view when submerged. Using a Dome Port, we can achieve the split-shot effect with both above and below water scenes in one frame.
A variety of grips and poles aid in maintaining steady shots:
- Floating Stick/Pole/Grip: Assists in buoyancy and prevents camera sink.
- Handler Floating Hand Grip: Offers a firm grip and floatation.
- Selfie Stick: Extends the camera reach but may require practice to stabilize.
- Camera Tray: A base platform like the Isotta Compact Camera Tray with Double Handles, which we can equip with arms, increases stability for those steady panoramic shots.
Steady trays and handles are vital for seamless motion. The Ikelite Steady Tray and Quick-Release Handles or the SeaLife Flex-Connect Dual Tray Kit add balance, control, and flexibility. Mounting the GoPro on a tripod can also stabilize stationary shots.
Using lightweight equipment is advantageous for maneuverability. Selecting the right combination of trays, arms, grips, and handles, we substantially improve underwater video stability. With the right accessories, even turbulent waters won't compromise the quality of our GoPro footage.
Advanced Underwater Photography Gear
When we venture into underwater photography, the equipment we choose is crucial for capturing high-quality images. Lenses and lighting are at the core of our photography gear. The choice between macro lenses for close-up shots and wide-angle lenses for expansive seascapes allows us to frame our underwater subjects effectively.
Lighting is equally important, as water absorbs colors and reduces light. To counteract this, we often utilize Waterproof LED lights. The Backscatter Macro Wide 4300 Underwater Video Light provides a powerful, wide beam for vibrant photos and is ideal for both macro and wide-angle shots. Similarly, the SeaLife Sea Dragon 3000SF Pro Dual Beam offers versatile lighting with both flood and spot beams in one unit.
For avid videographers, the Kraken Sports Hydra 4000 WSRU, with its wide, smooth beam, is indispensable for capturing dynamic, evenly-lit footage during dives. These lights not only enhance image quality but also aid in reducing backscatter, the reflective particles that can degrade our photos.
Our camera stability is paramount, necessitating sturdy trays such as the Vision XS Steady Tray with Quick-release Handles. Compatibility with different systems is a plus, allowing us to switch between setups with ease. Options like the Sealife Flex-Connect Dual Tray Kit and Compact Camera Tray provide a stable platform while maintaining flexibility in our underwater rig configurations.
No matter the underwater scenario, whether scuba diving amongst wrecks or capturing the minute details of marine life, our selection of underwater photography equipment caters to both novices and professionals. Manufacturers like Isotta, Subal, and Hugyfot understand the rigors of the underwater environment, delivering robust housings to protect our precious gear.
By integrating these advanced tools, we empower ourselves to create stunning aquatic imagery with clarity and precision.