GoPro Hero Camera

I am thinking of purchasing a GoPro Hero HD Camera. Does anyone have any experience or opinions about these? As far as I can tell it is the only really water proof POV camera in this price range that is HD resolution.

Thanks
Tom

I have two of them. They're great, but they are quite technical to deal with:

- They are prone to fogging. The way to get around this is to buy an airtight container - store the cameras in the container with desiccant sachets. That way you suck all the moisture out of the cameras. Transfer the cameras to the cases just before you use them, use the defogging solution on the lens, use the GoPro desiccant strips in the cases as well.
- They are prone to getting droplets on the lens during the paddle. Use RainX or rub a piece of apple (so I've heard) on the lens to reduce this but I've found that I have to reach up and wipe the lens on my helmet cam and put the deck cam low enough that waves smack over it every now and then to flush the droplets of the lens.
- I have the sucker mounts for the deck - works really well. I use duct tape as a reinforcement though.
- Be prepared to learn how to use an editing tool - you need reasonably high end PC to do the editing - don't forget you're dealing with BIG data files - about 6gigabytes for an HD file for an hour.
- Be prepared to cock it up - I've launched with the cameras switched off, with the batteries run down, with the mode switched to still shots!

But given all that, they're great fun and take unbelievable footage.

I'm busy building a mast to go behind the ski cockpit to get a different perspective...

Have fun!

Thanks for the tips Rob !!

What type of editing software do you use, any recomendations as I am getting a GoPro next month.

And please, let us see the mast configuration when you're done, I was thinking something like that as well to hopefully give a better perspective. Sometimes it's hard to really get the size and scope of the swell with the cameras mounted low to the water.

Thanks for the continued stoke!
Aloha,
-Rich

Hi Rich

I'm using Pinnacle Studio on Windows7 and iMovie on Apple (only recently upgraded to this and I haven't actually made a clip with it yet.)

I'm planning an article on the GoPros and the use thereof... and the mast will come into it. I have a feeling though that the mast won't make that much difference to the appearance of the waves - I've seldom seen still shots or video that do justice to their size!

All the best, Rob

All waves look small from the carpark.....

Thanks Rob.

I have an old EPIC POV but it only 640X480. It is OK for mounting facing backwards to analyze your forward stroke but doesn't really capture "scenery" well. It too uses a waterproof enclosure that can fog. I also find that in any low light situations the results are marginal. I assume this is true for the GoPro also.

Tom

I would go for the Contour HD contour.com/camera See the waterproof container under accessories

I have the original 720HD, but they have the 1080HD and the latest with built in GPS. Together with their waterproof container they are brilliant. The waterproof container does not fog up at all and I've also done some snorkel dives with it

Have a look at some footage at



and one where I used it down some supertubes



I'm a fan of Sony Vegas editing software

Does anyone have any thoughts on the Kodak Playsport. The new one is coming out end March ($ 170.00) store.kodak.com/store/ekconsus/en_US/pd/.../productID.221644700

I have a funny feeling that several new brands/models may hit this ever expanding market in the near future.

The Kodak camera looks good. Problem I have with it is how one would mount it and its lack of mounting accessories. I think you might look a right nana with this one mounted on a helmet Also for good action shots a wide angle is important ( I think you have to add the lens kits to achieve this)

All,

Go Pro announced this week that they have made a detachable LCD screen for the HD Hero model. Compatible with all mounts.
The $80 US includes four extra back doors (or at least that is my reading of the PR)

I have the first gen, non-HD version of the Hero. I like it, but often find I've set it to the wrong setting as well. 1600 shots of the same thing does get boring. Rob, please post how you make your telescoping mount as I imagine a lot of us are going to try and copy it.

Here's the release:

www.odrmag.com/index.php?option=com_cont...technology&Itemid=60

Cheers
Sean