3D printers open up entire new vistas of creativity for photographers. Whether you’re into cosplay and creating costumes and props for your portraits or looking to achieve original shots using intricate rigging and mounting setups that are entirely bespoke to your use case, the ability to take a spool of plastic fiber and turn it into a complex and durable part using an appliance that can fit on a benchtop is, in my opinion, one of the most exciting advancements in the at-home maker movement in years.
Personally, I’ve fully embraced the ability to solve problems and experiment with what is possible using this technology, and as a frequent user of GoPro cameras, whether mounted on the strap of my backpack, my helmet while riding my dirt bike, or the top of one of my FPV drones, I’ve found an incredibly fertile landscape in the ecosystem of accessories offered on sites like Printables and Thingiverse. I’ve taken the liberty of cherry-picking some of my favorite GoPro accessories that you can make right now, to make sure you can capture and share your memories right.
While this list won’t be in any particular order, and certainly won’t include a version of every accessory you can think of, I hope it serves as a good source of inspiration for either hunting for the perfect gizmo for your needs, or even modeling and making it yourself. I’m also going to be focusing on models that don’t require any tools or parts to assemble that you can’t find at a local hardware store. There are some awesome designs out there, like sliders that use Arduino-controlled stepper motors (very, very cool), but those are really more of a project in and of themselves rather than a general-purpose accessory.
With that said, let’s jump in.
Cases and Protection
Arguably the most important category. GoPros are designed to go where other cameras can’t go, and as such, they encounter dangers that other cameras don’t. Considering we’re dealing with a $300-$400 piece of equipment, you really should sort out some means of protection. Obviously, you’re probably going to want to print these out of a flexible material like TPU, as this will absorb shock and shrug off abrasion the best of the commonly available materials.
Don’t let the name fool you. This full case, created by Printables user @Lau_ris_42473, is an excellent option for the Hero 9 through Hero 12, as they’re exactly the same as far as exterior dimensions go. It’s designed as a slip-in case that uses the lens cover of the camera itself to secure it while surrounded by a very thick bumper. It still offers access to both the front and rear screens, though the battery door is blocked when you insert the camera. The price you pay for protection, I suppose.
If you’re still rocking the Hero 8, this case by Printables user @Carloski_302340 is a great pick. It’s a full wraparound design, where the camera is inserted from the rear. It does block access to the front screen, but this is less of an issue on the older models since the information shown there is not as immediately useful as on the Hero 9 and up. If you intend to mount the camera using a buckle, you will need to either modify the file to leave a hole for the mounting tabs or cut some small slits to slip them through.
For those of us of a more aquatic disposition, here’s a neat option from user @fermit_369703 that combines impact protection and floatation in one, again for the Hero 9 and up. For this one, you’re absolutely going to want to test it in a bucket of water prior to use to ensure it’s watertight. TPU is known for its excellent layer adhesion, but a couple of minutes worth of testing is worth not losing your nice camera.
General-Purpose Mounts
One of the best things about GoPro is their standardization of the buckle mounting system, to the point that even competing brands like Insta360 now use it. Sometimes, though, GoPro itself leaves conspicuous holes in its accessory lineup. Let’s see what we can find.
This is a simple wraparound shell from @JWP763_164704 to allow you to mount your GoPro 9-12 vertically on a standard buckle mount. Something like this is really handy to have because most of the GoPro models have limitations on their recording resolution or frame rate when recording in the 4:3 or 8:7 modes that are intended for more flexible framing in post. I’d print this either in PETG for walkaround use, or a stiffer TPU if you’re intending to get up to something more rigorous and could use a bit of extra protection from bumps.
If you’d like to combine vertical mounting with one of the cases I showed earlier, you can instead print something like this. @DStehlik_102460 has designed a very robust right-angle arm that does exactly what it says on the tin. PETG is recommended, and you’ll need a heat-set threaded insert or nut to mate with the threads on the GoPro thumbscrew.
This is an awesome little print-in-place tripod from @winter0is0coming. All you’ll need is a bit of glue to join the top part that includes the mounting buckle to the bottom part that includes the legs, and a heat-set threaded insert or nut. PETG is the obvious choice, but you could opt for something really tough like PA-CF if your printer can handle it.
If you already own something like a Joby GorillaPod that you’d like to use with your GoPro, @Spock has created an excellent 1/4”-20 buckle adapter that you can screw onto any normal tripod. The bottom has the threads modeled into the part, but for the top, you will need an M5 nut. Print in PETG, and you know what, just print a bunch of these to have on hand. They’re literally cents each and you never know when you might need something like this, especially considering that this exact product sells for several dollars each (if your local store even stocks them at all).
Sometimes, you need to stick a GoPro to something that doesn’t quite match the profile of any of the first-party GoPro clip baseplates, the ones with the adhesive on the bottom. Thankfully, all that adhesive is is 3M VHB tape! Grab a roll, print a flexible, flat-bottomed mount like this one from Thingiverse’s Dave_B, apply the tape to the bottom, and suddenly you have a very sturdy mount that will conform to whatever shape you need-windshields, boat hulls, you name it. Score!
Special Uses
A small assortment of mounts and accessories for specific situations.
A simple mounting plate from @Josef_16914 that will allow you to slip a GoPro onto standard MOLLE webbing. Originally intended for military use, this standard has become very popular for applications that need a flexible, modular storage solution — there’s even some on my photo backpack. Print in something tough due to the small load-bearing surfaces-PETG at minimum, preferably something like PC-blend or PA-GF.
Planning on doing some biking but don’t want to pony up the $40 for the first-party tube clamp? Here you go! The creator, @HD_Creator, reports that PLA worked just fine for them, but I would recommend sticking with PETG, as PLA is known to degrade over time with exposure to UV light. You can also add some rubber bits to the inside of the clamps for some extra grip.
Sometimes you need to have a bit more positional flexibility in your camera mounting. This huge kit from @6d6178 includes tons of arms of different lengths and orientations to let you put your GoPro exactly where you want it. What’s more, the included files are fully parametric, meaning you can easily customize their dimensions to your exact needs in a program like OnShape. This kit will require some M5 nuts and screws to construct the extra fasteners, and I would strongly suggest printing this in as rigid a material as you can-any of the PA composites would be a great choice, but PETG-CF or -GF would be a good substitute.
If you’re planning on doing some photography, try a GoPro hot hoe mount like this one from @DR3D_Prints. These are awesome for gathering content, either for social media or just as a souvenir of your photographic exploits. I actually use one of these myself when I’m working — time sync a few photos to the footage off the GoPro and you’ve got a cool little behind-the-scenes video of your work. PLA has worked fine for me here.
Tools
Let’s face it-GoPros can be a massive pain to work on. Their compact size means components are fiddly, and if your hands are huge like mine, it can be a nightmare to work in tight spaces or with small parts. Here are a couple of tools to help with that.
By design, the lens covers on the last few generations of GoPro are really difficult to remove. They’re not very deep, which means you don’t get much purchase when trying to twist them off. Here’s a wrench from @dave818_12303 designed to make that easier. PLA would probably be fine for this, just be careful not to snap it off if your lens cover happens to be really stuck.
Now here’s a novel idea-glue a big knob to a thumbscrew to get it out from under the camera and make it easier to tighten. Thanks, Jonathan_K1906!
…or, if you don’t want to do that, just print off this recreation of the official GoPro “The Tool”, that doesn’t need to be stuck to the screw, and will also work on the shorter ones as a bonus.
Go Get Your Own!
The 3D printing community is great to be a part of. If we see a problem, chances are someone has already created a fix for it and we can go get it for free, and even iterate and improve on it ourselves. There are literally thousands of different designs for all manner of accessories, not only for the standard GoPro but for other cameras like the DJI Osmo Action or the Insta360 X series of 360 cams, that enable entirely new uses for something we already own. That’s pretty awesome, if you ask me.