A Crash Course in Filming Underwater with Your Action Camera

Taking video footage underwater is probably one of the hardest and most complicated things to do in videography. It doesn’t matter if you have a killer camera to boot. If you don’t have an inkling of idea about the accessories to bring and how to shoot, you will just end up with bad videos all the same.

Contrary to popular belief, however, you don’t need to be a professional or take lessons just to take decent underwater footages. Here, we’ll give you a crash course on how to get great videos using your handy action camera.

All about Accessories:

Lens

Unlike in other sports where accessories don’t really matter much, using the right extras can make a world of difference when you are filming underwater. When filming submerged, for example, it is recommended to use the standard or flat lens because it makes the pictures come out in livelier colors. Using a lens cover can also help since it makes the footage more in focus and sharper in resolution.

Filters

Take note that when you are underwater, the colors are more skewed and unbalanced than when you’re filming above ground. To correct this, you can use a red filter to balance out the green and blue bias in the color scheme. This will make the normal water color lighter and help the objects being filmed appear truer in hue. These extra filters are normally placed on the standard housing.

Housing

Though most action cameras already come with a waterproof feature, it is still wise to add an extra underwater housing just in case. Different action cameras can accommodate different depths like the GoPro whose housing can last up to 200 feet without leaking and Contour Roam 2 which is a whole lot tamer with its 3 feet maximum. Depending on how deep you are planning to go, go for a housing that can protect your camera from leaks and pressure.

Tips to Get Killer Underwater Videos:

• Bringing an artificial light source while filming underwater is not really recommended. Instead, make sure that the sun is behind you when taking footages unless you want to get silhouette shots.
• Use the manual focus for long and medium shots and use auto focus for close-ups.
• If your subject is a little too far from you, focus on it while using corals as foregrounds. This will make the colors of your subject livelier and stronger.
• Stay steady as much as possible. There is a term in filming underwater called “jogging” which is a result of too much camera movement due to the person swimming. Instead of doing this, try to float and stay still while you are recording.

With the help of these basic tips, you can now take underwater footages like a pro. So what are you waiting for? Grab your camera and try your luck in the waters. There’s a whole new world waiting for you to be filmed there.

Should I Go for Action Cameras with Wi-Fi?

When I found myself choosing a new action camera in the store one day, there was a particular dilemma that I really had trouble deciding on as I tried to finally choose one model over the other. Sure, I already had all the specifications and hardware assessed and compared but the question on whether I should get one with Wi-Fi or not really kept me hanging there in front of the glass shelf for a couple of minutes.

See, I had been choosing between the GoPro HERO3 and the Contour +2 at first. Both models are household names in the industry of action cameras, are around the same price, and have improved their shooting and filming features. One difference that they have is that GoPro has a built-in Wi-Fi while Contour has a GPS feature instead. And so this left me with the question that many buyers of action cameras nowadays find themselves asking: Yes Wi-Fi or No Wi-Fi?

My answer? Yes Wi-Fi!

Just let me count the ways on why going for an action camera with Wi-Fi is a super idea:

Easy Access- by using a connected mobile device or a wireless Wi-Fi remote, the user can control the camera settings even if he doesn’t touch the gadget itself. This is very useful especially if you are caught filming a scene that doesn’t exactly give you the liberty to manually adjust your camera’s modes.

Easy streaming- wouldn’t it be so cool to stream live footage to a computer, tablet, or even a smartphone? Sharing the videos you are shooting is one thing, letting your friends watch it while the real action happens is another.

Sharing- why else are we even getting an action camera in the first place? Because we want to share all those high-energy fun we have with others! An action camera with a Wi-Fi connection lets you connect easily to social network sites such as Twitter, Youtube, and Facebook. Uploading your videos and photos on the internet also helps you save memory!

Extras- different camera models come with nice extras connected to their Wi-Fi feature. Take for example the Wi-fi remote and GoPro mobile application. These elements actually let you control up to 50 GoPro cameras simultaneously! This is very useful especially when it comes to shooting scenes that needs multiple angles. And then there was even GoPro’s feature of letting you use its built-in Wi-Fi as a hotspot during those times that you need an emergency internet connection. With it, you can now both have an extra cool action camera and a gadget that can keep you connected 24/7.

The Wi-Fi feature is generally considered now as the next big thing in the world of action cameras. It elevates one’s experience with their gadget by making it easier to use and by expanding its functions through its connectivity. So if you want to go get yourself one in the near future, I highly suggest you go for those that come with Wi-Fi. It will definitely bring your action shooting experience one notch higher.