Flex-Connect Tray Setup: Grips and Light Accessories FAQ

Quick answer

Start with the tray that matches your camera and the lighting you plan to use. A Micro Tray is the compact base for a Micro Series camera or SportDiver Ultra housing, and it accepts grips, lights, flashes, and Flex Arms with a click. If you want a two-hand rig with dual light heads, step up to the Flex-Connect Dual Tray included in the Sea Dragon Duo 5000F Set. For a GoPro, add the 1/4-20 Adapter for Action Cameras before mounting anything to the tray.

Which Flex-Connect tray should I start with?

Match the tray to the camera first, then to the light. The Flex-Connect Micro Tray is built for SeaLife Micro Series cameras and SportDiver Ultra housings, and it also mounts to other cameras and housings up to 5 inches wide that have a standard 1/4-20 tripod mount. That makes it the simplest starting point if you shoot a compact camera and want to add one grip or one light without building a large rig.

If your plan is a two-hand setup with two light heads, the Flex-Connect Dual Tray that comes with the Sea Dragon Duo 5000F Set gives you the wider base and two grips that a dual-light rig needs. The tradeoff is size and packing space. A Micro Tray stays small and travels easily; a dual tray is more stable and balanced but takes up more room in a camera bag.

How does the click-on mounting actually work?

Flex-Connect accessories attach to the tray with a click and release with a push of a button, so you can add or remove a grip, light, flash, or Flex Arm without tools. That matters underwater and on the boat: you can strip the rig down for travel and rebuild it at the dive site in seconds.

The practical rule is to attach the heaviest item closest to the tray and build outward. Add the grip first, then the light or arm, so the weight stays centered over your hand. Check each connection with a gentle tug before you get in the water, since a click that is not fully seated is the most common cause of a light or arm coming loose.

Can I mount a GoPro or another action camera?

Yes, with an adapter. The 1/4-20 Adapter for Action Cameras adds a standard 1/4-20 tripod mount to a GoPro camera so it can attach to trays and camera accessories. The included 1/4-20 stud also lets you attach the adapter to camera bases and to accessories such as the AquaPod and the Flex-Connect Handle.

The adapter is the part that makes a non-SeaLife action camera compatible with the rest of the Flex-Connect system. Without it, a GoPro has no 1/4-20 thread to connect to the tray. If you already own a tray and a light, this is the lowest-cost way to bring an action camera into the same rig.

How do I add a dive light to the tray?

A SeaLife tray for a dive light works the same way as any other Flex-Connect accessory: the light clicks onto the tray or onto a grip, and you can remove it with the button release. For a single compact camera, one light on one grip is usually enough to add stability and fill in color. For wide scenes and video, two lights on a dual tray give more even coverage.

The Sea Dragon Duo 5000F Set is the ready-made version of that two-light plan. It combines two Sea Dragon 2500 light heads with the Flex-Connect Dual Tray and ergonomic grips, for 5000 lumens of combined brightness and a rig that is balanced in both hands. If you already own a tray and grips, you can add light heads separately instead of buying a full set.

What should I check before and after each dive?

Before the dive, confirm every click connection is seated, then rinse the assembled rig in fresh water after the dive and let it dry before storage. Salt and sand collect in the button releases and in the tray threads, and a gritty release is harder to operate with gloves.

For the 1/4-20 connections, check the thread engagement on the camera or housing side. A mount that feels loose usually needs to be tightened at the stud, not at the tray. Store the tray with the grips removed if your bag is tight, and keep the small adapter and stud in a labeled pouch so they do not get lost between trips.

Flex-Connect setup questions, answered

Micro Tray or Dual Tray?

Choose the Micro Tray for a Micro Series camera, SportDiver Ultra housing, or any camera up to 5 inches wide with a 1/4-20 mount when you want one grip or one light. Choose the Dual Tray that comes with the Sea Dragon Duo 5000F Set when you want two grips and two light heads. One light and one grip: Micro Tray. Two lights and two grips: Dual Tray.

Do I need tools to add a grip or light?

No. Flex-Connect accessories click onto the tray and release with a push of a button, so grips, lights, flashes, and Flex Arms can be added or removed by hand. Build the rig at the dive site and strip it down for travel.

Can I use a GoPro on a Flex-Connect tray?

Yes, but only with the 1/4-20 Adapter for Action Cameras, which adds the standard 1/4-20 tripod mount a GoPro lacks. The included 1/4-20 stud also fits camera bases and accessories such as the AquaPod and Flex-Connect Handle. Buy the adapter before you try to mount an action camera to the tray.

Flex-Connect parts worth knowing

• Flex-Connect Micro Tray: The Flex-Connect Micro Tray fits SeaLife Micro Series cameras and SportDiver Ultra housings, and mounts to other cameras and housings up to 5 inches wide with a standard 1/4-20 tripod mount. Grips, lights, flashes, and Flex Arms attach with a click and release with a push of a button. It is the compact base for a one-grip or one-light setup, and the 5-inch and 1/4-20 limits tell you whether a non-SeaLife camera can use it.
• Sea Dragon Duo 5000F Set: The Sea Dragon Duo 5000F Set pairs two Sea Dragon 2500 light heads with a Flex-Connect Dual Tray and ergonomic grips, for 5000 lumens of combined brightness. It is the shortest path to a balanced two-hand rig with wide coverage, instead of buying a tray, grips, and two lights separately.
• 1/4-20 Adapter for Action Cameras: The 1/4-20 Adapter for Action Cameras adds a standard 1/4-20 tripod mount to a GoPro camera, and the included 1/4-20 stud attaches to camera bases and accessories like the AquaPod and Flex-Connect Handle. It is the required part for mounting a GoPro to a Flex-Connect tray, since the camera does not have a 1/4-20 thread on its own.