Anyone use a GoPro Hero3?

[jimmyjam]

I'm thinking of getting myself a new camera for Christmas and I was wondering what my fellow hikers thought of the GoPro cameras? Also what is the picture quality of the new White Edition ( 5 mps)? Thanks!

[1234]

The movies they make are outstanding. I bought one and it lasted 2 three min clips and stopped working, after many emails to the company I was just stuck with it. I know many are very successful with it but I was not.

[solobip]

I have the hero 2 and it is awesome. Get a 32gb card 10. Only drawback it you can not see pix without a piggyback and adapting to regular camera clip like stickpic. Awesome quality and stability.

[mudsocks]

I'm thinking of getting myself a new camera for Christmas and I was wondering what my fellow hikers thought of the GoPro cameras? Also what is the picture quality of the new White Edition ( 5 mps)? Thanks!

I have a Hero3 Silver that I received in trade for some work. It's a nice little camera that takes excellent quality movies. It's achilles heel is it's battery. In my experience the stock battery only provides about 40 minutes of power. If you get a GoPro get several batteries or the larger add-on battery pack.


The movies they make are outstanding. I bought one and it lasted 2 three min clips and stopped working, after many emails to the company I was just stuck with it. I know many are very successful with it but I was not.

The card you used was not a class 10 card. It may have been sold/labeled as one but it wasn't. I first purchased a cheap 16G card that claimed to be class 10 and had the same exact symptoms you did. As soon as a put a name brand class 10 card in it, it worked perfectly.

[MDSection12]

I love mine. I most frequently use it for time lapses:


http://youtu.be/m9S6ZrPlNJA


http://youtu.be/e5dBSiykkjs

[Southeast]

Another Gopro 2 user, really like it.
Tempted by the new Hero3+, which has a better battery and ability to see the video being shot on your mobile phone.
Short vid shot from the Gopro and Samsung Note2.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=SVXKiNb42rg&feature=youtube_gdata_player

[Old Hillwalker]

Here are my Hero2 videos http://www.youtube.com/user/samohtw1/videos Fun camera, but still pix are very limited with it.

[fiddlehead]

I just got one about 2 weeks ago.
Having fun experimenting with my new toy.
Videos are excellent quality so far (except I have to learn not to turn my head so much)
I'm buying too many attachments for carrying for a hike though.
I would suggest the head strap and a tripod mount for one of those small gooseneck legged mini tripods.

[jimmyjam]

Here are my Hero2 videos http://www.youtube.com/user/samohtw1/videos Fun camera, but still pix are very limited with it.

I was thinking of mainly using it for still pictures. why is it not good for that?

[Cro-Mag]

I love my GoPro. I have used all four versions. I use it all the time for still photos, you just need to make sure the camera is not moving a lot during the shot or you will get streaks.
I would recommend getting the LCD backpack so you can see what you're doing.

I carried a Hero 2 on my thruhike, although I would mail it ahead sometimes because I didnt want to carry the weight the whole hike.

Also, dont depend on the sound quality, it will not be good.

I took this photo at Zion Nat Park, this has not been edited, as you can tell:
25027

Oh, and check out this little device for the use when shooting video:
http://www.steadicamcurve.com/

[leaftye]

That's the first time I've noticed barrel distortion without having it pointed out.

[Chris10]

Try using it with a StickPic, a little gadget that will attach it to the end of a hiking pole, I've used it for my regular camera and after a little practice, worked great!
http://www.thestickpic.com

[takethisbread]

i would like a new video camera, I take videos and stills from my camera but I am not happy with the quality of the video or the worry about getting it broken or wet. that said I want the comfort and features of a traditional camcorder and not sure I like go pro for what I do, I want to zoom, point and shoot and view what I'm shooting. traditional camcorder worries? getting it wet, or tripping on rocks and breaking it and of course weight.



Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk (http://tapatalk.com/m?id=1)

[fiddlehead]

I love mine. I most frequently use it for time lapses:


http://youtu.be/m9S6ZrPlNJA


http://youtu.be/e5dBSiykkjs


Which time lapse setting do you use?
And then when you edit, how do you set up your edit speed (defaults?)?

Just getting used to mine.
Editing is a slow learning curve.

[Shonryu]

The white IMO is a waste of money. I had a Black and wasn't really impressed with it. Samsung Galaxy S4 seems to do a better job of recording vudeo and sound.

[Siarl]

I'm thinking of getting myself a new camera for Christmas and I was wondering what my fellow hikers thought of the GoPro cameras? Also what is the picture quality of the new White Edition ( 5 mps)? Thanks!

I too, am doing research for an upcoming AT thru-hike as far as what is possible as far as video recording the event. I would recommend first in viewing some thru-hike videos on youtube, which is what I have been doing, and then figure out what method they used. One thru-hike video that seems to be popular was Hitched Hike. It will come up on the you tube if you simply type that in to the search bar. I think they used an Iphone the entire trip. My partner also has a Samsung Galaxy phone. I've researched comparisons on the internet and Apple's Iphone and Samsung's Galaxy seem to be neck and neck as far as video quality and what is actually possible. So I have narrowed it down to using either of those two.

There is also a third possibility or choice. That is taking my current camera with me. It is a Canon DSLR and it takes wonderful videos with great quality. Yes, it will be heavy for those that are gram conscious. However, for me, this is a once in a lifetime adventure. I enjoy taking macro photos and sunsets and I personally don't mind the gram price of carrying my camera on the trail. I've weighed my camera pack and it tops out at 7lbs. It is minimally packed. DSLR with kit lens, macro lens, and a macro attachment to get even further, lens cleaner, batteries, SD cards, remote, charger, and the pack itself.

With the Samsung or Iphone, a stick pic could be used for the end of the trek pole. So far I haven't found anything substantial enough to hold the DSLR on the end of the trek pole (research still in progress).

I also looked into the Go Pro since I had heard so much about it. However, the main complaint I've heard is the battery drain. There's also a down side to using the DSLR. Canon states that the sensors will only allow for up to 20 mins before shutting down to prevent overheating.

So far that is where I'm at.

I wish you luck and keep us posted on what you decide on and why.

[The Cleaner]

I just got a Gopro Hero White camera and it took only a few hours to update and get going. Battery life would be an issue on extended hikes. For shorter hikes,3-5 days you could carry a few spare batteries and get some good video. The camera alone weighs less than 3 ounces. The waterproof case doesn't weigh much more. I ordered a clip mount to put the camera on my pack shoulder strap. I like the feature which lets one use an iPhone as a remote control....

[Valley Girl]

What mic did you use and how did you post videos and pics during your hike-thru?