GoPro Hero 10 Underwater Macro

[@Wildvisuals131]

I’ve found weedy sea dragons today and the normal lens doesn’t do it justice, about to buy the macro lens , great video mate!

[@seanpe80]

Glad you liked it. Yes without the ability to focus closer only so much you can capture. Just ordered a new lens AOI A03 which Im interested to see how it goes

[@shotsbyscott6243]

Excellent video Sean, some of the best work I have seem with the GoPro and Backscatter macro lenses. I too have a similar setup as my dive rig. When you are shooting with the Macromate Mini, what field of view are you using? I think Backscatter recommends Linera with 4x zoom. I have found the zoom to be as sharp as just regular linear. Also, at the end of your video you have some photos that say Unedited - Superphoto. I am not familiar with what the Superphoto setting is. Can you share some details about this? Thanks again!

[@seanpe80]

Glad you liked it. Which FOV for macromate sort of depends on the model of gopro. The Hero 10 had a narrow FOV option still so I used that. On the 11 I have now there is no narrow option sadly so I use linear and zoom it in as the guys at Backscatter suggest. I haven't got the 12 so not sure if it has brought back narrow. Superphoto is just one of gopros generic settings. From memory there is Standard, HDR, Superphoto and RAW. Superphoto gopro decides the best settings and makes a jpeg. I tend to use RAW for wide angle and standard for macro (as you cant change FOV for RAW). Hope that helps. I have been away filming in WA so hope to have some more videos up soon.

[@shotsbyscott6243]

@@seanpe80 Thanks Sean for the information. I forgot to mention that I am using the GP Hero 10. Did review the photo settings and see the 4 options. I was not familiar with these since when I shoot photos (which if not often) I have it set to RAW. I will define a preset for Macro and give this a try. I look forward to seeing your new videos!

[@steveyeates8443]

Amazing 👍 Sean thanks for sharing

[@seanpe80]

Glad you enjoyed it

[@wormyrus]

Outstanding as always! What kind of mount and lights do you use? I've finally tried my hero 8 with a regular monopod and underwater light, but it was not stable enough and the light survived like 15 dives and then the water broke in, lol.

[@seanpe80]

Hi thanks. I use a dual handle tray. The current one is made by shoot. The dual handles help steady it better. I use 2 Chinese lights off ebay that cost about $100 to $150 each. It also helps to use float arms as it helps steady it

[@wormyrus]

@@seanpe80 I’m looking at dual handle thing too, will check the floaty arms too. Could you share some keywords to search decent Chinese lights on ebay? Quality seems vary a lot on those

[@seanpe80]

Quality is all over the place. The companies come and go so often you very rarely can find them a second time. They in themselves change suppliers constantly as well. The QH27 is a good key word to start with. Its my favourite style but currently using the COB version. Also try 'white, blue red underwater video'. That gets a few different types as must have the 3 colours not that you really need the red and blue. My advice is as follows. Look for an average priced one from a company with lots of sales and good feedback. Don't get sucked into the new company with cheap price. Always buy 2 or more at a time as it is very unlikely the lights will match if you buy them separately. Hopefully if you buy 2 at once they came from same batch. They tend in my experience to either fail on first dive or last a couple hundred dives. Its a risk but at around $100 a light the alternative is to buy real lights at $800 to $2000 each. Its also handy they run of 18650 batteries as they are way cheaper to buy spares for then say a 'real' uw video light that will normally have either a built in battery which is useless for loads of dives or a specific battery pack that will cost $150 or more.

[@scubascott4324]

Great video! Are you changing settings underwater? How? Or do you set it up top with the plan of just shooting macro? Have you ever experimented with the GoPro Labs QR codes?

[@seanpe80]

Hi, I make all my custom presets above water. Maybe 6 or 8 in the menu. Underwater you can't change settings but you can change presets with the buttons. The Hero8 you had to look at the front screen and all you would see was the preset names but on the 10 it also shows it on the rear screen and under the name has the main setting eg 5k60 wide so it makes it easy to know which one i want. To do it you press the button on the side and record button at same time and the preset menu comes up and you can scroll between presets with the buttons and choose which one you want. I haven't tried the QR code thing. I was going to on the 8 because it was always hard to remember what name you had used for what setting but now with 10 its easy so trying to carry a whole pile of QR codes would be a worse then just changing presets. In fact apart from the new resolutions etc the fact that i can choose my presets with extra detail off the back screen is probably the greatest upgrade for underwater. Trying to do it off front screen was a pain as you would have to look at front of camera on a tiny screen and remember what the names meant. You would have trouble seeing it with lights pointing at you and add on lenses in the way. Now I just get a nice clear list on the back that tells me the the resolution, frame rate and FOV. Hope the helps

[@martyflannery5454]

Wow impressive. Cripes now how do I stop myself getting the 10. :)

[@seanpe80]

Thanks. Its a massive quality jump. 5.3k60, 4k120 and 2.7k240 and 23.9mp photos

[@NaturalBiotopes]

Great video my friend.

[@seanpe80]

Thank you 👍

[@nicolesmith1564]

Just amazing footage! I'm buying a GoPro 10 tomorrow! Could you point me in the direction of where you bought the Backscatter Macromate please? I have a friend going to Australia soon. Thanks!

[@seanpe80]

Hi. Glad you liked it. I bought the macromate from The Scuba Doctor. They have an online shop and based in Melbourne.

[@nicolesmith1564]

@@seanpe80 great! Thanks for the info. Really really great footage. I hope mine comes out similar. 🤣🤣

[@snells-window]

Impressive work with the macro. I presume you are suing the gopro in an underwater housing?

[@seanpe80]

Thanks. Yes in a housing the macromate wont fit otherwise and you would be limited with depth

[@martintorres6069]

Great video! Where is this?? And how do you zoom? Are you able to use a digital zoom underwater or is this just editing?

[@seanpe80]

Thanks. Glad you liked it. Yes the zoom effect was done in editing on the couple of shots that state they are zooming between frame sizes. The rest is using the Backscatter lenses to get closer and moving camera itself towards subject. It comes out smooth when you use the 120 frames a second and slow it to 1/4 speed. This was filmed at Anderson Point, Portland, Victoria, Australia.

[@mountains-to-the-sea]

Great video - how do you measure distance to the object with the macro lense so that the video gets sharp?

[@seanpe80]

Thanks. Its just from practice. After awhile you just get used to knowing what works. I still miss the occasional shot. If in doubt I take 3 shots. One where I think and then one a little closer and one a little further away.

[@snells-window]

@@seanpe80 So what is the minimum focal distance with the macromate attached?

[@seanpe80]

It is about 2 inches. Depends a little on which gopro and what field of view you are using. It comes with a plastic guide when you start. After awhile you just get used to it.

[@utop84]

Impressive video ! You are using the backscatter with the flip and macromate right ? Any red filter ? Have you compared with the macro from Polar Pro ? Anyway : I have the GoPro 8, had used the backscatter and the polarPro… and never had such great and professional shot. You are really good 🤩

[@seanpe80]

Hi, Yes it is the backscatter flip 8 which also fits the 9 and 10. I used the polar pro on a 6 and an 8 but changed to backscatter when I was using the 8. I do not use the red filters very often as I prefer using lights. I pretty much always take the Macromate and the +10 macro so I have the 2 macro lenses with me. Glad you liked it. Glad you liked it. check out some of my other videos and you will see ones with the polapro I did.

[@burakkrayoglu8534]

Hi, are those videos shot with macromate mini(+15) + close-up lense(+10)? I am considering buying backscactter lenses. Your answer will lead to me to buy only macmate or the both lenses :) Also how do you zoom? Do you use editing program for the zoom effect?

[@seanpe80]

I use both. It depends on the shot you are after but the macromate mini can be to close sometimes. the close up lens is good for wide angle where you still want to get close. Besides you want the macromate anyway and the close up is not much money in comparison. I dive with both and never take any red lenses as I always use lights.

[@seanpe80]

Oh and the zoom effect is done in post.

[@gie594]

hi sean. how to get the best distance for sharp image? if the object is more than the focus distance it will get blur?

[@seanpe80]

Hi. I have spent a lot of time working out distances that work. The close up stuff I use a Backscatter Macro Mate. It also requires a lot of practice to get the distance correct. It comes with a measuring tool to help you get used to it. I will often take a few different shots also so I know one will be right.

[@gie594]

@@seanpe80 thanks

[@how2scuba]

nice

[@seanpe80]

Thanks