In my previous life I was a tray+arms person. Coming back to the hobby I am thinking about selfie sticks. Not necessarily because I love filming myself but with that I could move the camera in places where e.g. a "giant crab configuration" (arms+tray) simply doesn't fit. Drawback ofc is that I can't mount lights on a stick easily if necessary.

What is your take with an action camera, stick or tray?

Sticks? Work of the devil. They let you poke bits of reef that you wouldn’t dream of touching.

😝😱

16 minutes ago, GTom said:

In my previous life I was a tray+arms person. Coming back to the hobby I am thinking about selfie sticks. Not necessarily because I love filming myself but with that I could move the camera in places where e.g. a "giant crab configuration" (arms+tray) simply doesn't fit. Drawback ofc is that I can't mount lights on a stick easily if necessary.

What is your take with an action camera, stick or tray?

I made this for my wife

HB__7118 Philippines.jpg | Hugues Brun | Flickr

You see the lights with floats... Why... at the begining she moved to much... the lights help her to be really stabilised.
I made some dieve with that... and really I love this setup.

I also put on booth arms a holder for INON close-up lense

Stick with heavy Wide lens + gopro can work sometimes at shallow waters with natural ambient light in certain time of the day.

That's it.. theres limitations and good or bad results will depend on the factors above.

Add tray + dive lights to the equation for better results.

Edited December 26, 2025Dec 26 by Nando Diver

5 hours ago, Nando Diver said:

Stick with heavy Wide lens + gopro can work sometimes at shallow waters with natural ambient light in certain time of the day.

That's it.. theres limitations and good or bad results will depend on the factors above.

Add tray + dive lights to the equation for better results.

Indeed, deep+dark=lights

I agree with tray choice, using GoPro, wet lens and a couple of lights. Better results of course.

When I need to shoot a selfie I use tripod, but it's not my habit or practice.

Have a nice day

I used a selfie stick with a GoPro for several years. Not for selfies, but to extend the GoPro close to the bottom or reef—It provides an easy way to “look up” at critters for a better perspective while diving recreationally with friends that are not photographers so move a little faster (ie not hovering a cm off the bottom for minutes at a time as a photographer). It does not poke the reef if you’re moderately careful. It is really only useful for ambient light because adding lights defeats the size advantage of the GoPro housing on a stick. It is also easy to hang onto a selfie stick with a lanyard and clip it off when not in use.

Now that I’ve fallen down the underwater photography rabbit hole, however, I have a tray and a Wide Sharp wet lens. Will try several configurations when in Roatan in a couple months to see what I like best.

Edited 5 hours ago5 hr by ACHiPo