Most of the time when I’m on a beach vacation, I leave my DSLR at the hotel during the day. I don’t want to worry about it in the heat and around the sand and water all day, not to mention I’d rather be in the water or hanging out with my family. I still want to take pictures while at the beach with something water proof, so I got the GoPro Hero Black (I think version 5…whatever was new in 2017ish).
The image quality didn’t blow my mind but it’s so small and light and easy to use, so I’m happy with it. I started getting really frustrated when I would take it in the water, though, because one water droplet could ruin an image. I took trips to Hilton Head Island, the Outer Banks, and Hawaii before realizing that I needed to get a dome for my GoPro (eye roll emoji here). Here are a few thoughts about using the Polar Pro FiftyFifty:
Taking my Go Pro in the water is so much easier now. I can get images above and underneath the water at the same time, which was pretty much impossible without it. I set my Go Pro to video + photo because I care more about the video on family trips. On that setting, the GoPro will take pictures randomly while I’m taking video. I got all the below captures from a random snap while I was taking video. None of them are going to be mind-blowing for anyone else, but I love what I got for our family photo book, especially on the water tramp.
One draw back I noticed with the Polar Pro Dome is that it can’t handle backlight as well. It can a little, but not a lot. When it snapped backlit photos, you could really tell that the camera was shooting through plastic in most of them. All in all though, for $60 it was an awesome buy. My GoPro felt really secure (since I didn’t want it at the bottom of the lake) and it helped me get photos that would have otherwise been impossible.
Here is a photo from after I tried to jump in the lake. Instead, I slipped, fell on my butt and then bounced into the lake. My family thought it was SO hilarious, I don’t think it was my most graceful moment in life.
And when I can’t get back on the water trampoline, you think maybe I’d get some help. Nope, they decided to video instead. Then this was another random snap during the video.
Here’s what the Polar Pro Fifty Fifty looks like.
Then in the evening I take out my DSLR and take a few pics on the beach skipping rocks, and call the trip documented.
@Lexiraephotography
Utah Family Photographer, Salt Lake City, Utah
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