Under normal circumstances, the standard GoPro battery will last for one to two hours of shooting. Our UpBlink, BlinkX and Blink controllers can be programmed to turn the camera off between shots to only have the camera powered on when the footage is needed. However, while Blink can extend the length of time the GoPro cameras can be deployed on the internal GoPro battery, the total amount of time the camera can remain powered on is still the same. Our 47Wh battery increases the GoPro battery life by approximately 12x and has the Always On operating mode required for use with our UpBlink, BlinkX and Blink controllers.
Note: UpBlink and BlinkX requires an external power source and cannot be powered directly from the GoPro battery.
There are a lot of battery packs available, however, don't be fooled by cheaper alternatives. Most of the USB battery packs on the market have an automatic power saving feature which turns off the battery if it is not continuously supplying power. Often, this feature is not even mentioned in the battery description, and only discovered when you find the camera's internal battery is dead, even though the high powered battery pack is still fully charged.
Calculating battery life is non-trivial. It depends on the camera model, firmware version, SD card speed, lighting conditions, battery size, age of the battery, ambient temperature, and more. To help you understand the issues and to calculate estimated battery life, consult the Camera Power Consumption Study and our Time Lapse Calculator.
Up to two V50 / 47Wh battery packs fit in our Weather Resistant DryX/SolarX Outdoor Enclosures.
Camera |
Compatibility ( Y / N ) |
HERO5 Black |
✔* |
HERO5 Session |
✔* |
HERO4 Black |
✔ |
HERO4 Silver |
✔ |
HERO4 Session |
✔ |
HERO (2014) |
✔ |
HERO3+ Black |
✔ |
HERO3+ Silver |
✔ |
HERO3 Black |
✔ |
HERO3 Silver |
✔ |
HERO3 White |
✔ |
HERO2 |
✔ |
HERO |
✔ |
*Does not include USB-C cable
Compatible with 5V USB Devices.
How long will the battery last before it is discharged?
It depends on many factors: the controller you are using, the camera you are using and the shooting schedule you have programmed. There are just too many variables to give an accurate answer.
In theory, the 4,000 mAH V15 battery combined with the standard GoPro 1,050 mAH battery will give you about 5 times the shooting time.
The 12,800 mAH V50 battery combined with the standard GoPro 1,050 mAH battery should give you more than 12 times the shooting time.
An analysis of the power consumption of the various GoPro cameras and an explanation of how to calculate the theoretical battery life is outlined on the GoPro Power Consumption page. Our Time Lapse Calculator page can be used to assist you in planning the interval times of your time lapse project.
How can I tell when the battery is in Always On mode?
Unlike the V44 which was more complicated, all you need to do is plug your device into the V50 and the battery goes into Always On mode automatically.
General support can be found on our Support pages here.
Average GoPro recording times in each video setting (limited by battery capacity)
Also read the FAQ's tab for more information.
Product Code: BAT03
$650.00 USD
The Deep Water Camera Housings have room for the GoPro HERO3 or HERO4 camera and a BacPac sized accessory, such as a GoPro Battery BacPac or the CamDo Blink Time Lapse Controller along with access to GoPro camera's USB and HDMI ports and the input/output ports of Blink. The optional battery housing extension (DeepEXT) is designed to fit up to three V15 (15 Watt-hour) batteries or one V50 battery that have the Always On feature required for long term time lapses. Each V15 battery provides about 3 times the recording length of the standard 4.4Wh HERO4 battery. With 3 x V15 batteries, that is 10 x the normal GoPro battery life!
The housing is carved from a solid block of 6061 aluminum alloy that has been anodized to provide great resistance to saltwater and harsh environments. The housing has been tested to withstand pressures of 2,000 ft.
Couple Deep with the DeepEXT housing extension for extra battery storage. Buy it here.
Camera |
Compatibility ( Y / N ) |
HERO5 |
✘ |
HERO5 Session |
✘ |
HERO4 Black |
✔ |
HERO4 Silver |
✔ |
HERO4 Session |
✘ |
HERO (2014) |
✘ |
HERO3+ Black |
✔ |
HERO3+ Silver |
✔ |
HERO3 Black |
✔ |
HERO3 Silver |
✔ |
HERO3 White |
✔ |
HERO2 |
✘ |
HERO |
✘ |
Compatible with the GoPro HERO3 and HERO4 cameras.
How large is the Deepwater Housing and what does it weigh?
The Deep housing weighs 2.690 lb (1.220kg) and has the following outer dimensions: Length 3 ¼” (8.25cm), Diameter 4 ¼" (10.8cm). The housing extension (DeepEXT) weighs 2.415 lb (1.095 kg) and has the outer dimensions: Length 6 ¼" (15.9cm), Diameter 4 ¼" (10.8cm).
How many batteries can fit inside the DeepEXT housing extension?
The DeepEXT housing extension has a 3⅓” internal diameter and provides an additional length of 5⅓” that can be used to house up to three V15 battery packs or other accessories.
If I need more space, can I attach multiple DeepEXT extensions together?
Yes. Multiple DeepEXT housing extensions can be attached together to lengthen the housing by an additional 5⅓".
How long will the battery last before it is discharged?
How long the battery will last depends on many factors such as the camera you are using and the shooting schedule you have programmed. Use our Time Lapse Calculator and Table of Power Consumption figures to help make an estimate.
The HERO4 camera provides approximately 1-2 hours of total video recording time without external batteries at room temperature. Each V15 provides about 3 times the recording length of the standard 4.4Wh HERO4 battery. Using 3 x V15 batteries, you can expect 10 times the standard GoPro battery life. Coupled with the power saving features of the Blink controller, you can adjust the time lapse interval between images or schedule specific recording times to be able to deploy for many days or weeks.
If you are taking time lapse images, calculations can be done using our Time Lapse Calculator. Keep in mind that temperature, lighting, battery fatigue, and other electrical inefficiencies will prevent the camera from using the full battery capacity.
Why is Always On mode important for an external battery pack?
Most of the USB battery packs on the market have an automatic power saving feature which turns off the battery if the battery is not constantly supplying power to a device. If the GoPro is powered off between triggers, the external battery might shutdown due to inactivity. Often, this feature is not even mentioned in the battery description, and only discovered when you find the camera's internal battery is dead, even though the external battery packs are still fully charged. The V15 has two modes of operation, including an Always On mode that prevents the battery from automatically turning off due to periods of inactivity.
Can the housing accommodate a wired connection?
The aluminum housing can be drilled to safely accommodate another connector such as a cable gland that is available up to 30bar (300m), or even a SubConn connectors for use at extreme depths. There are various types of SubConn connectors to fit different requirements.
What are the properties of the lens?
The optical glass lens provides excellent transmittance throughout the visible and near infrared spectra and down to 350nm in the ultraviolet. The lens highly scratch resistant with a Young’s Modulus of 8.63 x 105 kg/cm2 and has a refractive index of 1.517 at 589nm.
Make sure that the threads are clear of dirt and a thin layer of silicon grease is applied to the o-ring before connecting the components. It is prudent to test the housing without a camera before deploying for the first time.
Connections between the housing should be hand tightened. Over-tightening of the housing compartments can damage the threaded connections.
Over a long deployment, biological growth can prevent further use of exposed threaded mounting holes. If you need access to these mounting points for future deployments or to assist with disassembling the housing, make sure to plug unused mounting holes using a ¼”-20 threaded screw.
General support can be found on our Support pages here.
Average GoPro recording times in each video setting
The CamDo Blink controller board is typically used with our Deep Housings to provide programming flexibility while significantly reducing power consumption. Information on Blink can be found on the following pages:
Also read the FAQ's tab for more information.
Product Code: HDE01
$300.00 USD
The DeepEXT is a professional grade aluminum housing extension that attaches to our DEEP underwater camera housing suitable for deep water and extreme environment monitoring using the HERO3 and HERO4 cameras.
DeepEXT provides an additional 5” behind the camera for batteries or other accessories. The housing is designed to fit up to three V15 batteries (15 Watt-hour) or one V50 battery that have the Always On feature required for long term deployment using our Blink controller board. Each V15 battery provides about 3 times the recording length of the standard 4.4Wh HERO4 battery. This means you can extend the standard GoPro battery life by 10 times! Multiple DeepEXT housing extensions can be attached together to lengthen the DEEP underwater camera and increase battery capacity even further. Using Blink, this enables deep water long term deployment.
The housing extension is carved from a solid block of 6061 aluminium alloy that has been anodized to provide great resistance to saltwater and harsh environments. The housing has been tested to withstand pressures of 2,000 ft.
Camera |
Compatibility ( Y / N ) |
HERO5 |
✘ |
HERO5 Session |
✘ |
HERO4 Black |
✔ |
HERO4 Silver |
✔ |
HERO4 Session |
✘ |
HERO (2014) |
✘ |
HERO3+ Black |
✔ |
HERO3+ Silver |
✔ |
HERO3 Black |
✔ |
HERO3 Silver |
✔ |
HERO3 White |
✔ |
HERO2 |
✘ |
HERO |
✘ |
Compatible with the GoPro HERO3 and HERO4 cameras.
How large is the Deepwater Housing and what does it weigh?
The Deep housing weighs 2.690 lb (1.220kg) and has the following outer dimensions: Length 3 ¼” (8.25cm), Diameter 4 ¼" (10.8cm). The housing extension (DeepEXT) weighs 2.415 lb (1.095 kg) and has the outer dimensions: Length 6 ¼" (15.9cm), Diameter 4 ¼" (10.8cm).
How many batteries can fit inside the DeepEXT housing extension?
The DeepEXT housing extension has a 3⅓” internal diameter and provides an additional length of 5⅓” that can be used to house up to three V15 battery packs or other accessories.
If I need more space, can I attach multiple DeepEXT extensions together?
Yes. Multiple DeepEXT housing extensions can be attached together to lengthen the housing by an additional 5⅓" each.
How long will the battery last before it is discharged?
How long the battery will last depends on many factors such as the camera you are using and the shooting schedule you have programmed. Use our Time Lapse Calculator and Table of Power Consumption figures to help make an estimate.
The HERO4 camera provides approximately 1-2 hours of total video recording time without external batteries at room temperature. Each V15 provides about 3 times the recording length of the standard 4.4Wh HERO4 battery. Using 3 x V15 batteries, you can expect 10 times the standard GoPro battery life. Coupled with the power saving features of the Blink controller, you can adjust the time lapse interval between images or schedule specific recording times to be able to deploy for many days or weeks.
If you are taking time lapse images, calculations can be done using our Time Lapse Calculator. Keep in mind that temperature, lighting, battery fatigue, and other electrical inefficiencies will prevent the camera from using the full battery capacity.
Why is Always On mode important for an external battery pack?
Most of the USB battery packs on the market have an automatic power saving feature which turns off the battery if the battery is not constantly supplying power to a device. If the GoPro is powered off between triggers, the external battery might shutdown due to inactivity. Often, this feature is not even mentioned in the battery description, and only discovered when you find the camera's internal battery is dead, even though the external battery packs are still fully charged. The V15 has two modes of operation, including an Always On mode that prevents the battery from automatically turning off due to periods of inactivity.
Can the housing accommodate a wired connection?
The aluminum housing can be drilled to safely accommodate another connector such as a cable gland that is available up to 30bar (300m), or even a SubConn connectors for use at extreme depths. There are various types of SubConn connectors to fit different requirements.
General support can be found on our Support pages here.
Make sure that the threads are clear of dirt and a thin layer of silicon grease is applied to the o-ring before connecting the components. It is prudent to test the housing without a camera before deploying for the first time.
Connections between the housing should be hand tightened. Over-tightening of the housing compartments can damage the threaded connections.
Over a long deployment, biological growth can prevent further use of exposed threaded mounting holes. If you need access to these mounting points for future deployments or to assist with disassembling the housing, make sure to plug unused mounting holes using a ¼”-20 threaded screw.
See the 'Deep' manual in our Resources section for further detail
Average GoPro recording times in each video setting
The CamDo Blink controller board is typically used with our Deep Housings to provide programming flexibility while significantly reducing power consumption. Information on Blink can be found on the following pages:
Also read the FAQ's tab for more information.
Product Code: HDE02
$315.00 USD
Use Blink to achieve long term time lapse or motion detection for your next project. Just plug it into your GoPro and use the Blink app to connect and configure up to 10 separate time lapse schedules using a smartphone, tablet, computer, or any WiFi enabled device which has a web browser (no cell service or internet connection required). For more information, see the Quick Start Guide and User Manual. Also check out our tutorial videos for a quick overview of the user interface.
A WiFi network with internet access is only required if you would like to use our optional Blink Email status feature to provide daily status updates.
If you are looking at a long term time lapse you may be interested in our construction time lapse packs which incorporate an external solar system for long term deployment or where finding a power supply is difficult or expensive.
Compatible with the GoPro HERO3+ Black and HERO4 Black/Silver cameras. Note - Blink may work with HERO3+ Silver cameras but is not officially supported by CamDo due to the general unreliability of the HERO3+ Silver cameras as they get older. Please use our Time Lapse Intervalometer for older camera models.
For GoPro HERO5 Black and HERO5 Session cameras, please use our BlinkX product.
Camera |
Compatibility ( Y / N ) |
HERO5 Black |
|
HERO5 Session |
|
HERO4 Black |
✔ |
HERO4 Silver |
✔ |
HERO4 Session |
✘ |
HERO (2014) |
✘ |
HERO3+ Black |
✔ |
HERO3+ Silver |
✘ |
HERO3 Black |
✘ |
HERO3 Silver |
✘ |
HERO3 White |
✘ |
HERO2 |
✘ |
HERO |
✘ |
Can I have a time lapse and motion detection simultaneously?
Yes, Blink allows for multiple schedules to be active at a time.
What happens if there is a conflict between schedules?
If multiple schedules have been set and there is a conflict between the camera triggering time, priority is given to the lower numbered schedule. For example, schedule 1 has priority over schedule 2. While a schedule with a set duration is active, such as a video recording, any other schedule that is set to trigger will be skipped until the active schedule is complete.
Does Blink fit inside the standard GoPro housings?
Yes, if housing external batteries is not an issue, Blink can be used with the GoPro Frame Mount or the extended backdoors included in the GoPro Back Door Kit that are designed to clip into the standard housing to provide space to fit GoPro BacPac accessories.
What housings does CamDo offer that have space for Blink and external battery packs?
Blink is typically used with our Outdoor Enclosures to also house extra batteries and come with two power options, a 9Watt solar panel, or without a solar panel that is normally used for shorter deployments, when you can return regularly to recharge the batteries. The Outdoor Enclosures have space to fit up to two of our V44 (44watt-hour) battery packs.
If you require a waterproof solution, our aluminum Deep underwater housing allows for use of Blink and the GoPro to a depth of 2000ft, while the DeepEXT housing extension can fit up to three V15 (15watt-hour) battery packs.
How long will the battery last if I shoot some number of photos per hour?
Calculating battery life is non-trivial. It depends on the camera model, firmware version, SD card speed, lighting conditions, battery size, age of the battery, ambient temperature, and more. To help you understand the issues and to calculate estimated battery life, consult the Camera Power Consumption Study and our Time Lapse Calculator.
If I know approximately how long my project is, how do I determine the ideal interval between triggers?
The ideal shooting interval is normally determined by the length of the final time lapse video clip, capacity of the SD card or battery capacity available. Our Time Lapse Calculator can be used to help determine the ideal interval between photos as determined by these variables.
Why is "Always On" mode for batteries important?
Since Blink turns the camera off between triggers to conserve power, Always On mode is important to prevent the battery from automatically turning off due to periods of inactivity. Most of the USB battery packs on the market have an automatic power saving feature which turns off the battery if the battery is not constantly supplying power to a device. If the GoPro is turned off for more than a few minutes between triggers, the external battery might automatically shutdown due to inactivity. However, our V15 and V44 have two modes of operation, the standard Auto Off mode and an Always On mode. The Always On mode prevents the battery from automatically turning off when insufficient current is being drawn due to the camera being turned off by Blink to conserve power.
Does Blink retain the shooting schedule when power is removed or lost?
When all power is removed, Blink will retain the programmed shooting schedule. However, Blink does not have an internal battery to retain the time and date settings. When power is restored to Blink, it will determine the clock time and date information from the GoPro camera.
Can I switch the SD card in the middle of a time lapse schedule?
Yes, the SD card is "hot swappable". If an interval occurs when the SD card is out of the GoPro, Blink will continue the shooting schedule by triggering the camera to turn on and off, however, no image will be taken since there is no SD card to save the image to.
How do I change Blink's shooting schedule in the middle of a project?
Blink's WiFi can be turned on or off by using the supplied push button remote plugged into the board's 2.5mm input. Blink's WiFi only remains active for 15 minutes to program the new settings before the WiFi is automatically turned off to conserve power. If the camera is not easily accessable, we offer 2.5mm Extension cables that can be left attached to Blink's 2.5mm port for re-triggering the WiFi signal.
Can I schedule a time lapse with an interval less than 60seconds between images?
Yes, shorter intervals can be achieved on the HERO4 camera by using the GoPro's native "time lapse video" setting to allow the capture of 0.5 , 1, 2, 5, 10, 30, and 60 seconds between images as explained here: https://cam-do.com/pages/blink-troubleshooting-guide#short-interval
What can I connect to the circular jacks on my Blink?
Blink's Port1 is used to activate the Blink's WiFi signal and is typically used with the included wired remote.
Blink's Port2 is used for Motion Detection operation and information about this port is located in our Blink User Manual.
Please connect only CamDo-approved accessories to these jacks unless you are experienced. Do not connect other equipment, especially voltage sources such as your solar panel or battery, to these jacks. Doing so could damage your BlinkX or camera.
Please read our series of blog posts to understand how to connect custom hardware or interface a microcontroller such as an Arduino or Raspberry Pi.
Does Blink work with your Battery Eliminators?
Blink is not compatible with our Battery Eliminators.
What does Blink weigh?
Blink weighs 19g. This compares to a GoPro camera at 87g plus the GoPro extended enclosure at 71g.
General support can be found on our Support pages here.
Also read the FAQ's tab for more information.
Product Code: CBL01
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