Hero9 Underwater Accessories

June 26th, 2017

Must-Have GoPro Underwater Accessories

The GoPro Hero9 Black is the latest addition to the GoPro Hero Series action camera. There is also the GoPro Her08 and GoPro Hero7, which comes in 3 variants, Black, Silver and White. All variants of the camera camera is packed with lots of great features and is awesome for both topside and underwater application. The Hero9, Hero7, & Hero8 cameras sets a new bar of standards for stabilization to produce butter-smooth videos with GoPro's Hypersmooth stabilization. You almost don't need a gimble! Combined with 4K @ 60 fps video capability, the GorPro is the perfect action camera for underwater video.

That being said, an underwater video shooter can utilize certain accessories to make sure thir underwater video is top quality with accurate colors and lighting. Here are the best GoPro underwater accessories:

Protective Case or Super Suit Dive Housing

The GoPro Hero8 and Hero7 Black do not come with an underwater housing housing and it is essential for scuba divers and freedivers to have this in order to bring their GoPro deeper than 10m (33ft). In fact, if you're going deeper than a tidepool, we recommend a protective housing just to keep your camera safe. The GoPro Hero 8 needs a separate dive housing from the Hero 5, 6, and 7. The GoPro Hero 8 protective case and the Super Suit Dive housing both have a depth rating of 60m (196 ft) when using the waterproof backdoor.

Spare Battery

Don't even think of getting a GoPro Hero 8 or Hero7 Black without a GoPro spare battery. You will regret it. Consider this item a mandatory purchase. One battery doesn't last long (typically about 60 minutes underwater, possibly less), and it takes a while to charge. Always have one or two spares ready to go. The GoPro Hero 7 is compatible with the new GoPro Hero 8 rechargable battery.

Battery Charger

The GoPro Hero8 Black Dual Battery Charger will save you a lifetime of charging headaches.Without it you have to plug the USB cable into your GoPro camera to charge, meaning you cannot charge a battery and use the camera at the same time. This accessory charges 2 batteries at once. This allows you to charge a spare battery while you're using the camera, and quickly charge multiple batteries over night to be ready for the next day of diving.

Handle, Pole, Tray, Etc

When shooting underwater, you will need a way to supoort or extend the GoPro. The GoPro camera is so small and the frame so wide that often when people attempt to just hold the camera and shoot they end up with thier finger tips in frame! In addition, it is difficult to steady the camera when just holding it in your hand for nice smooth footage - especially in a 3 dimensional underwater space. Lastly, using a tray or other handle allows you to add lights and further improve your video / photo quality. Here are our top picks for GoPro Trays underwater.

Sea Life Aquapod: The Sea Life Aquapod is excellent for underwater video. This is for two reasons - first, the GoPro is very wide and needs to be close to the subject. Second, marine life doesn't like when you get close. The aquapod helps make you seem less threatening as you are a farther distance away. It can extend just a little bit, or a lot, depending on your needs. This will allow you to photograph marine life like never before, such as dolphins swimming under your boat, skittish sharks, life in ponds, and much more. In addition, it's great for those underwater selfies!

If you are diving underwater and want to take video of marine life behavior, schooling fish, other divers, etc. - you will want to keep the GoPro very still - which means you will want a tray with 2 handles. This will also allow you to mount a video light if you get one. The Ultralight Control System GoPro tray and handles for $129 is a nice modular system, an the handles can be reused with other underwater camera setups.

Other tray options include flexible arms for attaching video lights which allows you to fully adjust and place the lights for more creative lighting opportunities. Flex arms are light weight and easy to adjust. The Beneath the Surface GoPro Double Tray is a great option. BTS also offers the tray in a single handle version if you want a smaller tray and one video light. We recommend pairing this with the Sola 2500F video light!

Lastly a simple handle solution is sometimes all that is needed. The Ultralight Pistol Grip For GoPro is a great option, as a simple handle that is great for use both underwater and topside. The grip is also equiped with a ball mount which is great for attaching video lights to your setup.

Here's another great option from R-innovations Tray which has dual handle which makes it more stable. The R-innovations tray is currently the best bang-for-the-buck GoPro lighting system on the market. Check out the amazing deal we are offering if you pair it with a couple of Sola 2500F lights!

Filters and Lenses

Read our review for GoPros Filters

The Polar Pro Hero8 Switchblade is an updated filter kit designed for use with the GoPro Hero8 Black and the GoPro Hero8 Protective Housing. It features a magenta filter, red filter, and a 5X macro lens for getting really close to small critters! This is our top pick for a GoPro Hero 8 filter kit at only $99.99!

Polar Pro Switchblade 5 for Hero 5, 6, 7 Combo Filter, which only costs $70, is a must-have accessory for photographing fish and marine life while scuba diving. It consists of two flip filters - a red filter, and a macro lens. You can use either filter, lens or both at the same time.

FLIP8 Filter Kit Pro Package with +15 MacroMate Mini Lens, is the ultimate filter and macro lens kit for the GoPro Hero 8. It has a filter to bring back color in shallow water, a filter for deep water, and a +15 macro lens to get up close and personal with small critters.

FLIP7 Three Filter Kit, is also a great option which only cost $99 and is compatible with the GoPro Hero 3, 3+, 4, 5, 6, and 7. It consists of 3 filters - shallow, dive and deep. Best filter solution for diving in all depths.

The red filter is vital to bringing back red and orange color if you are diving deeper than 10ft deep. This red filter strikes the perfect balance between bringing back vibrant colors without causing too much light loss, like some deep-water filters do. The red filter will work for subjects that are any distance away. Here are some options that you can choose from GoPro Hero7 Blue Water Snorkel Filter, GoPro Hero7 Blue Water Dive Filter for Super Suit, Polar Pro Hero5, 6, 7 Super Suit Red Filter and Polar Pro Hero5, 6, 7 Super Suit Aqua Filter

The Polar Pro Hero5, 6, 7 Macro Lens will allow you to get sharp images of subjects that are 12 inches away or closer. The GoPro does not focus closer than 12 inches, so the macro lens will make underwater photography of a myriad of small subjects possible. It is also built from glass for which enhances sharpness and more resistant from scratches.

There is also the magenta filter available for shooting in green water, like freshwater lakes, quarries, etc. There are the options to choose from - GoPro Hero7 Green Water Dive Filter for Super Suit and Polar Pro Hero5, 6, 7 Super Suit Magenta Filter.

Video Lights

For the best possible color underwater, you will want to use a video light. Please note that video lights do not affect the entire scene, but only the subjects that are within a few feet or less of the camera. You will want the strongest video light possible, and two lights are better than one because the GoPro is very wide and it is difficult to light the entire scene with just one light.

The output of a video light is measured in Lumens, and we recommend using at least 500 lumens, and some professionals will use up to a 5,000 lumen light.

Here are some of our favorites:

Kraken Sports Hydra 3500S+

The Hydra 3500S+ is a high powered underwater video light which includes a flood, spot, red and UV beam. In addition, it features a strobe burst mode making it a truly a universal light for underwater photography. An optional remote control allows for easy adjustments directly from the handle of your tray.

Kraken Sports Hydra 5000S+

The Hydra 5000S+ is a powerful yet compact sized video light and its packed with lots of great features. It is also has an affordable price. Light modes includes a flood, spot, red and UV beams which makes it a versitle video light. Also, the video light has a high Color Rendering Index (CRI) of 90, which can make colors really pop and improve skin tones of divers

Fix Neo 4030 EF II

It offers a 3,000 lumen output with 120° beam angle provided by domed port. The light dispersion is even and does not create any hotspots. The light is easy to use and flexible - allowing for power adjustments from 0-100 in 1% increments. One great feature of the light is the Electronic Flash Mode. When connected to your camera via fiber optic cable, the light can emit a powerful burst similar to a strobe, perfect for grabbing a quick photo during your video shoot.

Keldan Video 4X 9,000 Lumens Light

The Keldan Video 4X 9,000 Lumen Light is small & compact yet it packs 9,000 lumens with a beautiful CRI 82 light quality. It is perfect for travelling as it is has a small footprint and is lightweight. It produces a stunning and even light without any hotspots.

iTorch Venom 60 Video Light

The iTorch Venom 60 is a 6,000 lumen light that is our best "bang for the buck" light. It has a spot mode, flood mode, and also

There are a variety of other great video lights available, check out our video light page for all options, including some higher lumen options for more professional video lighting.

Lighting Packages

We have created a few lighting packages for you. The packages include handle and/or a tray with video lights. There are a few options for you to choose from single handle to dual handle and from single video light to dual light as well. This will surely enhance your shooting experience.