Easy One-Button Scuba Photos with GoPro Hero4

 

Using new features of the tiny GoPro Hero4 Silver, you can take snap-shot-quality diving pictures with just one button, no lights, and with only a little steadiness. The trade off required is that after your dive, you'll need to process the pictures with free GoPro software.

  

Carl Kadie
Please send any suggestions or corrections to carlk@slugco.com

YouTube Tutorial

Background:

Last year, my wife and I learned to dive in the cold, green waters of the Seattle area. The life underwater amazed us and we wanted pictures. Full-on underwater photography -- especially in 40 or 50 feet of green water -- can require lights, batteries, and a big expensive camera in a bigger expensive case. It also requires steady handling and dexterity.

As an alternative, this GoPro set up produces adequate pictures with much, much less hassle underwater.

One-Time Set Up:

  • GoPro Hero4 Silver
  • Magenta Filter from Polar Pro
  • Floating Camera Handle
  • GoPro Anti-Fog Inserts
  • Turn on Hero4's "QuikCapture" feature and set for Video Mode
  • Set Protune, Color=Flat, Sharpness=Low, EV Comp=0
  • Set Resolution to 2.7K
  • Set Frames Per Second (fps) to 30 or 24

About Frames Per Second (fps): Choosing 24 fps instead of 30 fps will capture 20% more light, but at the cost of having to hold the camera steadier (because the shutter will be 20% longer). You might also choose 4K resolution and 15 fps. You'll capture twice as much light, but the shutter will open twice as long.

About resolution: Choose the biggest resolution that provides the fps that you want. (So, on the Hero4 Black edition, always use 4K)

Underwater:

You start with the camera off. When you want to take a picture, press the shutter button and the GoPro will start taking 2.7K video at 30 frames per second. Now, you just aim and try to hold the camera steady. (The shutter is 1/30th of a second). After a few seconds, press the shutter button again and the GoPro turns off.

After-Dive Processing:

  • Install the free GoPro Studio software on your computer.
  • At the Convert Tab, convert the MP4 video files you shot into Cineform video files.
  • At the Edit Tab
    • Find a frame of interest
    • Set the White Balance to correct the color
    • Make any other adjustments you like
    • Use the menu (File, Export, Still Image) to save the frame as a JPG still image.

Thanks:

  • David Newman (@David_Newman) of GoPro for sanity checking the suggested settings
  • Nanci for being a great dive buddy.
  • Sparky for being a tolerant simulated fish.
 Click on a picture to see full size image.

Sea Cucumber under 40 feet of green water at Seattle Seacrest Park

Near the remains of the Honey Bear (a ship), we see these Anemone.

Sparky helps demonstrate the size of set up.

A frame before correcting white balance