Gopro mount - on mask or gun?

[peacenluv]

Hey guys, what are the advantages and disadvantages of having camera mounted on speargun vs forehead?

Also what do you think is the best low volume mask with Gopro mount?

Thanks for sharing!

 

[japppo]

I consider both necessary for catching the action. I have fitted a standard gopro pivot arm on a couple omer alien masks by drilling a hole and adding a bolt and nut. If a head strap is used, it should have an extra attachment to prevent loss of camera and alignment is very difficult. With a hood on, you might not even notice it gone. Lose a mask and you will notice it and maybe even catch it... Been there, done that.

Mask mount:
-shaky footage (unless very focused on slow head movements)
-flooding of mask (when hitting obstacles or during quick ascent)
-record on or off (difficult to check, I have record on always +extra battery pack)
-snorkeling on surface (waves splashing and shots on the surface not always visible)
-alignment (make sure lens of camera is parallel with mask lens)

+quick reactions/tracking
+you see what the camera sees
+first person feel
+film your buddy (without pointing a gun)
+film the unexpected moment

The bad stuff can the make mask mount completely useless, but when successful I think the reward is in the quality and the first person feel of the footage. I use high FPS setting on the mask because there's more action and movement. Also a non wide-screen format is good (for ex 1440p) because then you can fix some vertical misalignment during editing.

Speargun mount:
+stability (cannot be turned and shaken around like a head, the most important factor)
+camera button usability (easy access to buttons, and check the mode and recording state)
+shallow water filming (no waves splashing)
+sees what you shoot (good feedback for aiming, recoil and trigger technique correction)

-recoil (camera can flip forward due to recoil, even when properly tightened. a modified, shaped washer can prevent this)
-aiming (camera should be mounted to the side with an offset to allow aiming)
-loading (camera should not be in the way or get bent when loading speargun)
-tangles (reel line, weeds, kelp)
-slow tracking (never get footage of the shark that sneaked behind your back)
-drag, weight (affects reaction time, fatigue and buoyancy when handling the gun)
-how to get one (buy or diy, how make it fit all guns?)
-lose gun and camera (no show for the grandkids)

Speargun is perfect for darker conditions and photos because of the stability. I think the best ever filming mode for speargun is shooting video and a photo automatically every 5 seconds.

Here's a link to my channel. I try to film good footage, everything else I try to make bad...
http://www.youtube.com/salaseivastajat

 

[MAKO Spearguns]

That was a good summary. We offer a variety of mounts including mounts for wood guns, rail gun, head strap and also the Octo mask which has an integrated Go Pro mount on the mask frame.

One of the disadvantages of a gun mount is that you can't film your buddy... please don't ever point a loaded gun at anyone... Our gun mounts feature a very quick disconnect feature, which allows camera removal from gun in a second and you can ue the mounting bar to (safely) video tape your buddy (as he lands the fish you missed).

I was always having trouble knowing when my head mounted camera was recording. So I came up with a solution..
http://www.makospearguns.com/GoPro-Status-Mirror-p/msm.htm

Lets you know when the red light is on.. Tough to hear beeps with a hood and especially at the surface with splashing in your ears.

 

[japppo]

That mirror is interesting... Might double as a flasher? Just hope that a barracuda does not get too interested...

Another option is to mount the camera on the wrist with a strap and a rotating coupling. I have a setup that I'm experimenting when using a polespear.

 

[peacenluv]

@jappo, thanks for the reply, really good run down on the different options. I will try gun and mask mounts and see how they work out. I use pole spears half the time so would be interested in your setup for that as well.

@MAKO Spearguns, cool idea with the mirror, will check out your gear

Anyone have suggestions on which mask with camera mount is the most comfortable and has the lowest volume?

 

[japppo]

I have tried using the "vented helmet strap" as a wrist mount, because I have found no other use for it... Its not too streamlined, but the main idea is that its rotating and elevated above the arm so the hand is not filling the whole screen. here are a couple pics with a polespear and mask mount.

.

 

[Bokeroncillo]

Hello Peacenluv,
Having the camera in the speargun has more stability in the recording but you lose the action of the fisherman. When I put it on the head I had a problem, I could not see if I was recording ... I made a small mirror on the clock so I could see it, in the minute 3 you can see it, it is in Spanish but you can get an idea.
a greeting

 

[dcvf]

Hy every body



Please have a look at « How To Film Steady Underwater » (at 5:05 what I prefer) =>


And to reduce « pitch and roll », I prefer a wing with a good surface.


See my own last wing for Sony HDR-AS50 ( sorry it’s in french…from Belgium )

=> http://www.passion-snorkeling.com/forum/camera-hdr-as50-en-carriere-t6914.html#p19945


dcvf