How to Set Up a GoPro Underwater Rig: Tray, Arms, and Lights Explained

A bare GoPro clipped to a selfie stick produces shaky, blue-tinted footage that looks like every other amateur dive video online. A proper underwater rig — tray, handles, arms, and lights — produces stable, colourful footage that actually shows what you saw down there. This guide walks through every component you need, how they connect, and which Kraken gear fits where, from a basic single-light starter setup to a full dual-light system.

Why You Need More Than Just a GoPro

Three things kill underwater GoPro footage:

1. Shake: A hand-held GoPro without a tray is constantly moving — from fin kicks, breathing, and minor current. Even the best digital stabilization can’t fully compensate for a camera that has nothing rigid to grip.
2. Blue/green cast: Water absorbs red light starting around 5 metres (15 feet). By 10–15 metres, your footage looks like it was filmed through a blue filter. External video lights restore the natural colour your camera can’t capture on its own.
3. Backscatter: Mounting a light directly on or near the camera lens creates a snowstorm of illuminated particles between lens and subject. Lights on arms, positioned away from the camera, angle the beam to avoid this.

A tray and arm system solves all three: it gives you a stable two-handed grip, positions lights where they need to be (away from the lens, angled in), and keeps everything locked in place for a full dive.

The Components of a GoPro Underwater Rig

Component	What It Does	Kraken Option	Price
Tray	Holds camera, provides handles, mounts arms	TR09 (action cam, GoPro adapter included)	$95
Flex Arms	Bend into position, no clamps needed	KR-FLEX01 — $45 each	$45 each
Float Arms	Rigid, clamp-locked, adds buoyancy	FA03 / FA04 / FA05 — won’t shift under surge	$80–$195
Video Lights	Restore colour, illuminate subjects	Abyss 6000 / 10000 / 20000	$385–$800

Step 1: The Tray

The tray is the foundation of your rig. It threads onto the bottom of your GoPro housing (standard 1/4-20 thread), gives you two comfortable handles to hold, and has ball mount attachment points on each side for arms.

The TR09 Dual Handle Action Cam Tray ($95) is built specifically for action cameras and includes a GoPro adapter in the box. The pistol-grip style handles keep your wrists in a natural position during a 60-minute dive — much less fatiguing than a flat bar tray. Ball mount points on both sides accept standard 1-inch ball accessories.

If you also shoot with a compact or mirrorless camera and want one tray for everything, the TR08 Dual Handle Tray ($145) is the broader-compatibility option — heavier duty, more attachment points.

Step 2: The Arms

Arms connect your lights to the tray. You have two options with Kraken trays:

Flex Arms — Quick Adjustment

The KR-FLEX01 Flex Arm ($45) screws directly into the top of the tray handle, replacing the ball mount that comes with the tray. Its gooseneck design bends into position and holds that angle — no clamps to tighten, no knobs to turn. Just bend and shoot. The tradeoff: flex arms can shift slightly under surge or if bumped, since there’s no clamp to lock them rigid.

For a dual-light setup, you’ll need two flex arms — one per side.

Float Arms — Rigid and Buoyant

Kraken’s carbon fiber float arms (FA03, FA04, FA05) add buoyancy and come in sizes to match your rig. For pure positioning, the Arms product page offers rigid ball-to-ball and ball-to-YS arms in 3″, 5″, 8″, and 12″ lengths — these are the standard arms that clamp onto your tray and lights. Pair them with KR-CL clamps ($28) or KR-CLPRO Pro Clamps and a KR-B03 Ball Mount ($20) where needed.

Rigid arms with clamps stay put all dive — no drift, no shifting, even in heavy surge. Float arms also add buoyancy, making the rig more comfortable on long dives. The tradeoff: adjusting the angle requires loosening and retightening the clamp, which takes more time than bending a flex arm.

Step 3: The Lights

This is the upgrade that transforms your footage. See our complete guide to underwater video lights for GoPro for the full breakdown. The short version:

• Shallow to 20m recreational diving: Abyss 6000 ($385 each) — 6,000 lumens, white light, 30 min at full power
• Best all-rounder: Abyss 10000 ($499 each) — 10,000 lumens, 60 min, one-dial operation
• Walls, wrecks, wide scenes: Abyss 20000 ($800 each) — 20,000 lumens, widest beam coverage

Run two lights, one on each arm, for even coverage without shadows. A single light always creates one-sided illumination on wide scenes.

How to Position Your Lights

Light position is almost as important as light output. The goal: illuminate your subject without pointing the beam toward the camera lens (which creates backscatter).

The standard starting position for wide-angle GoPro work:

• Arms extended forward and slightly outward from the tray sides
• Lights angled roughly 30–45 degrees inward, toward where the camera is pointing
• The beam should cross in front of the camera — not point back at the lens

For close-focus subjects (a fish face, a coral head), angle the arms slightly forward and down. For wide reef scenes, angle them more outward to maximize coverage. Flex arms let you adjust mid-dive; rigid arms stay put once you clamp them.

Complete Rig Packages

Package	Gear	Best For	Total (approx.)
Starter	TR09 + 1× Abyss 6000 + 1× KR-FLEX01	Snorkelling, shallow dives, budget-conscious	~$525
Dual Entry	TR09 + 2× Abyss 6000 + 2× KR-FLEX01	Recreational diving, even coverage	~$955
Best All-Rounder	TR09 + 2× Abyss 10000 + 2× KR-FLEX01	Most divers — handles everything 5–40m	~$1,183
Pro Wide-Angle	TR08 + 2× Abyss 20000 + 2× KR-FLEX01	Walls, wrecks, Insta360, serious filmmakers	~$1,784

Putting It Together: Step by Step

1. Mount the tray: Thread the TR09’s 1/4-20 screw into the base of your GoPro housing. Hand-tight is enough — don’t overtighten plastic threads.
2. Attach the arms: Screw the FLEX01 flex arm into the top of the tray handle (it replaces the ball mount). Or install rigid ball arms with clamps on the tray’s ball mount points.
3. Mount the lights: Click your Abyss light’s ball mount into the open end of each flex arm, or clamp the light onto the rigid arm’s ball mount.
4. Set arm angles: Bend flex arms so lights point inward at roughly 30–45 degrees. For rigid arms, position and tighten clamps. Do this on land in good lighting so you can see what you’re doing.
5. Check your buttons: Make sure you can still reach the GoPro’s record button and mode switch with the tray in hand. The TR09 pistol grips are designed to keep access clear.
6. Buoyancy check: A fully rigged tray-and-two-lights setup adds weight. Test your buoyancy with the rig in a pool or shallow water before your first deep dive.

Tips for Better Action Camera Footage

Get Close

The single biggest improvement most GoPro divers can make: get closer to your subject. Water between lens and subject reduces contrast and colour even with lights. Half the distance = dramatically better footage. GoPro’s wide angle makes it forgiving — you can get surprisingly close before the subject leaves the frame.

Turn the Lights On Before You Descend

Fumbling with light controls at 15 metres while managing buoyancy is stressful. Turn your Abyss lights on before you enter the water, set the power level you want (usually 70–100%), and leave them running for the dive. Battery life on the Abyss 10000 gives you a full hour at full power.

Use White Balance Lock

GoPro’s auto white balance can shift while you’re filming, causing colour to jump mid-clip. Lock white balance to a fixed setting (usually 5500K or “Dive” mode if available) when shooting with lights. This keeps colour consistent across your entire dive.

Stabilisation Settings

GoPro’s HyperSmooth stabilization works well but crops the frame. For wide-angle reef footage where you want the full field of view, turn stabilization to Standard or Off and let the tray do the stability work. For anything involving movement — swimming through a school of fish, following a turtle — HyperSmooth is worth the crop.

Shoot at 4K60 or 4K30

4K60 gives you the option to slow footage down to 50% in post (producing smooth 30fps slow-motion) while retaining full 4K resolution. 4K30 is fine for steady reef footage. Avoid 1080p for anything you plan to edit or share beyond social stories — the extra resolution gives you cropping flexibility in post.

A Quick Note on Red Filters

Red filters are sometimes recommended for GoPro diving — they’re a cheap way to add some colour back at shallow depths. But they only work well in specific conditions: clear tropical water, bright sun, between 3–8 metres. Below 10 metres, filters lose effectiveness fast. In low visibility, they make things worse. And at night, they do nothing.

If you’re using a Kraken Smart Housing with your smartphone (not a GoPro), the KR-RF01 Red Filter is an option for shallow snorkelling. For actual scuba diving with any camera, video lights are always the better investment.

Frequently Asked Questions

Do I need a housing as well as a tray?

If you’re diving beyond 10 metres (33 feet), yes — GoPro HERO cameras are waterproof to 10m without a housing. For deeper recreational diving you need GoPro’s Protective Housing ($50) or a third-party aluminum housing. The TR09 tray mounts to the housing, not the bare camera.

Using a smartphone instead? The Kraken Smart Housing V2 ($375) and Smart Housing V2 PRO ($449) turn your phone into an underwater video camera with full touchscreen controls and depth/temp logging. For wider angle footage, the KRL-07 Wide Angle Lens (M52 thread, designed for the Smart Housing) expands the field of view underwater.

Can I use just one light instead of two?

One light is much better than no light, and a good starting point on a budget. The limitation: a single light always produces stronger illumination on one side of your subject, creating subtle shadows on the other. For close macro-style subjects this is often fine or even desirable. For wide reef scenes, a single light produces uneven coverage. Two lights gives you the even, shadow-free illumination that makes footage look professional.

How do I stop backscatter with my GoPro?

Backscatter (the white specks and haze from particles in the water) gets worse when lights are close to the camera lens axis. The main fixes: (1) use arms to move lights out and away from the lens, (2) angle lights inward so beams cross in front of the camera rather than directly toward the lens, (3) avoid diving in poor visibility when avoidable, and (4) don’t use lights in very shallow, clear water where natural light is sufficient — the contrast between lit and unlit areas can make backscatter worse.

Does the TR09 work with DJI Osmo Action and Insta360?

The TR09 includes a GoPro adapter and has standard 1/4-20 mounting. Most action camera housings have a 1/4-20 base, so yes — it works with DJI and Insta360 housings. Check the specific mounting thread on your housing before ordering if unsure.

What’s the difference between flex arms and rigid ball arms?

Flex arms (KR-FLEX01, $45 each) screw into the tray handle and bend into position — fast to adjust mid-dive, no clamps. They can shift slightly under surge. For a rigid setup, the Arms product page offers ball-to-ball and ball-to-YS arms in 3″, 5″, 8″, and 12″ lengths ($12–$35), plus carbon fiber float arms ($80–$195) that add buoyancy. You’ll also need KR-CL clamps ($28) to hold it all together. Most GoPro shooters prefer flex arms for convenience; photographers who never reposition their lights prefer rigid arms with clamps.

When should I use a red filter instead of lights?

Honestly? Almost never for scuba diving. Red filters only help in shallow, clear, sunny water (under 8 metres). Below that, they don’t restore enough colour. For snorkelling in tropical conditions, a filter is a cheap addition that helps. For any actual diving, lights are the answer. The Smart Housing red filter is designed for the Kraken Smart Housing — it doesn’t fit GoPro housings.