Video Camera for the Ski?

After viewing all the great footage that I am seeing weekly and the awe inspiring paddling with Dolphins in Hawaii (thanks heaps Ian Foo for that) I am starting to look into purchasing a camera for my ski.

Some great reviews are out there for the GoPro Hero1, the GoPro Hero2 (Hero3??) and the Contour Roam but not all from a paddling perspective. Pros and cons definitely abound for all.

Can I get some feedback from the forum out there as to what you guys are using and anything that you like/dislike about your current setups!

Thanks in advance.

Glen

Hey Glen

Over the last few years I've used the Oregon Scientific (yellow one) and now the Contour Roam. Mates have the GoPro.

For paddling the Contour Roam is hassle free and by far the best bang for your buck full HD action camera on the market.

With the Roam you don't need a housing for it unless your spending some serious time under water!! - so no fogging issues like the GoPro.

Its amazingly adaptable for camera angel wise as the lens can be rotated a full 180deg. Is able to shoot stills and the HD format can be changed via computer hook up - The only minus I've found.

I've shot some varied footage which can be found on my YouTube page: www.youtube.com/user/thebigadski?feature=guide

If you want ease of use, adaptability and value for money I highly recommend the Contour Roam.

And with the arrival this week of the new Contour+2, it adds some even better features to an already great camera - and also the Roam has plummeted in price too!!!

Get one!

The GoPros are great except for one thing. They have a great propensity to fog up if you're paddling in cold water.

You can get around this by:

- Storing the cameras in an airtight container with desiccant sachets
- Using anti-fog on the inside of the lens of the watertight casing
- Using the anti-fog strips in the casing

But frankly this is a major pain in the arse and part of the reason I don't use the cameras so much any more.

If I could find an equivalent camera that doesn't have this problem, I'd change like a shot.

I agree with Rob, yes you can get fog free video from GoPro if you are careful, but pick it up and use it it isn't.

I still find it a useful tool, but I couldn't be bothered making a video for others and if I tried, no doubt, the dreaded fogging issue would intrude with the footage I could use.

Hi Everybody,

I've got the Gopro, for resolve the fog problem i found a solution :

Put the anti fog strip, 10min @ 100°c in the oven, after this time put it directly in the box were you put the camera before, close the door, it will be all right !

It work well also with the balls (2mm diameter) contain in the desiccant bags, in the oven & after one spoon directly in the box (camera already in).

I live in tropical weather, & now never had fog.

You can watch that ere : www.youtube.com/user/sylv1974/videos?flow=grid&view=0

For me the Gopro look like more versatile in water, can goes at 60m deep & with the new box resolve the focus quality underwater.
But the oregon was not a bad choice if you just paddling, the video of thebigadski look nice to !

Before you get on the water, open the go pro casing in front of a vent from you cars air conditioner. That is very dry air. Get the thing fully bathed in the dry air and the close it while still in front of the vent. Using that and the dessicant strips has eliminated fogging for me.

I have yet to achieve an extended paddle fog free.
A couple of hours yes, but try and do 30km and for sure the best downwind bit at the end will show signs of fogging.

I found the airconditioner useless.

I store my camera/case/batteries etc in a waterproof case with a big bag of dessicant.
I use anti fog on the inside of the lens.
I use rainx on the outside for water to run off.
I use two new strips each outing.

If the LCD back is fitted it will fog much earlier and I believe that this is due to extra heat.

Some conditions it is no problem, some are.

While ever they use a glass lens on the case, it is gong to get colder than the air inside and there is potential for fogging.
It really needs to have something like the underwater adaptor on it to create an insulating airspace so that moisture inside will not eventually find it's way to the cooler glass.

RAB's process is exactly what I've followed (mostly with success). But the desiccant eventually has to be refreshed with some time at a moderate temperature in the oven.

The reason it works I think is if you store the cameras with the desiccant for a good length of time (ie several days), all the moisture in the camera is eventually drawn out.

No moisture = no condensation.

The point is though that it's a hassle. Currently my desiccant sachets must be inactive because the cameras are fogging. Grrrrr...

I think the reason that the "hold the camera in front of the car's air conn" doesn't work (for me at any rate) is that you can't blow the moisture out of the camera in a couple of minutes.

I recharge the dessicant strips before each use. A few minutes in a hot oven. Maybe that makes the difference?

Keep my camera in a sealed plastic bag with some rice in a paper towel, should soak most of the moisture out of the camera. When I put the camera in the case with the moisture strips I like to gently warm the inside of the case and the camera with a hair dryer, also use the anti fog on the inside of the case at the lens. This seems to help but still sometimes get fogging when the lens is facing the sun in cooler weather, then seems to clear when turned away from the sun. Often the video is not very good anyway when the lens is facing the sun so mostly fogging is not a problem for me and I do long sea kayaking trips with the extended battery pac.

Go Pro Fog Issue

As mentioned the silica gel is needed. Very cheap and much better than the go pro strips.

After use,charge batteries and leave you go pro in a small plastic bag with the silica gel in the case but not shut. This will remove all moisture - no moisture - no fog.

The KEY - close it in the case whilst STILL sealed in the bag. You have now removed all moisture from the camera.

I have been using this method with ZERo fogging - all conditions.

Kayaker Greg, I too notice that fogging issues always show up when facing the sun.
Might just be that whenever conditions look good for footage that the return downwind faces me that way in the afternoon when the wind blows the strongest.

A small amount of fogging without sunlight in the frame doesn't really show so may very well be present and not noticeable at other times.

It shows worst when the wind is strong and there is an effective high wind chill on the glass lens.
Maybe worse because I usually run it on my head.


I have contemplated putting a piece of aluminium embedded in the case to act as a condensation point in preference to fogging the lens.
Never got around to it.

I was sort of hoping GoPro would come out with a new case that worked while I wait.

JVC "adixxion" , looks might be the next evolution , probably wise to wait a few more months and see how the first generation survives and what gets tweaked for the next model year.....

The GoPro seems like way to much of a hassle for paddling!!

I'm amazed at the lengths you GoPro owners go to to avoid the fogging issue.

Contour Roam = attach to boat - set angle - turn on - paddle !!!

I use the Oregon Scientific ATC9K. No housings, no fogging, has gps module, If it gets knocked overboard it floats!!!!!! At 720 res can do 60 fps which is great for slomo footage. or 1080 at the usual 30fps.

No eBay APP ID and/or Cert ID defined in Kunena configurationHey everyone!

On the topic of the GoPro fogging, there are many things to be done to prevent and mitigate it. First and foremost, use the anti-fog strips that are highly hydrophilic and will absorb the moisture contained in the housing. In addition, I personally always keep the camera in the closed housing with anti-fog inserts, basically to keep it from absorbing any moisture.

As of the inserts themselves, GoPro sells them for about $15 (in the US). I have access to the same material used on those and started fabricating my own "brand". They are available on eBay on the link below for a much lower price than the originals. I have sold over a 100 and shipped then worldwide.



There are other "DIY" alternatives with the silica spheres, but I find them a hassle to deal with in case you need to remove the camera from the housing and put it back.


ps. forum moderator, if the above link is against forum rules, i apologize and feel free to remove it.

GlenRusky wrote: ...Some great reviews are out there for the GoPro Hero1, the GoPro Hero2 (Hero3??)...

GoPro Hero 3 is available now! Black edition...Wow...

Otherwise evaluate less expensive models:
- GoPro Hero 3 silver editon
- Sony HDR-AS15
(JVC GC-XA1 is 2 steps back...)

If you decide for GoPro Hero 3 black ed., keep into account that you need of a very, very powerfull computer for video editing in 4K resolution!

I don't think many people will be shooting 4k on a surf ski at 12 frames per second so no need to worry about that, but the higher data recording rates of the PRoTune modes 35-45mbps ( vs old GoPro 16mbps) will tax some of the slower PC's and laptops. The 720p @120fps and 1080 @60fps + integrated wifi are the attractions.

The Hd1 and Hd2 will price drop considerably now the HD 3 is out in three models and three price ranges, so for risky on boards cams, the old cams are perfectly expendable. Though the white HD3 at $199 could be considered expendable too.

Bigadski how much recording time do you get out of the contour cam

At least 2.5hrs - not that I've run out of battery on my paddles.

Recently got a 32Gig card which makes a big difference too.

Contour Roam +2 looks good, heaps of features but needs the underwater housing.

New Contour Roam2 is about to be released with a few updates and colours - dont need the housing for surfski use which is a big plus in my books.

A local store had the Roams advertised this weekend gone for under 200 bucks!! - INSANE!!