questions for the photographers and tech geeks

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starcrafttom

Active member
Hi, I was thinking of picking up a go pro 3. They come in three levels. White, Silver and black. Each one having just a few more features then the last one. I have never had one but can think of a hundred uses for it. It seems that the black model can only be bought from go pro. The silver can be had at westmarine, where I have a $100 gift card for doing a favor for a c-brat. I of course would like to have the black but its $400 compared to the silver for $299 minus my $100 gift card for $199. So my question is , is the features of the black worth the extra $200? I don't even know the multiple possible uses of the features of the black over the silver model to know if the unit is worth the extra money. So do any of you have any experience with the go pro or with this field of devices?
 
Tom, I got me a Midland XTC 150 off Woot.com for $50 a while back. The last time I saw them on there they went for $40. It is probably not the quality of a white, silver, or gold GoPro, but it is camo and pretty darn good for the price. And you can drop seven of them overboard and still get one more for the price of the best GoPro.

Here is a zipline video made with the thing. I didn't get any fish videos because I kept forgetting to put the hat it was clamped to on my head.
 
http://gopro.com/

Here is the link to the Gopro cameras.

Mike. for the price thats a good unit, but with only 480p its kind of limited. I noticed that you can order a water proof case rated to 100 ft. Maybe rig it in a crab pot or hang it off your down rigger cable. Iam afraid that it would not do it for me. i do know that I would use the slow motion features of the gopro as well as the time elapse features. If you are just doing action shots for you tube and or home movies then the unit you got would be fine. I looked in at woot.com and could not find a search window. I did not want and should not have to give info to them unless iam going to buy. Did I miss the search window or do I have to have a account?
 
I have 2 of the Gopro 3's I use them all the time. It looks like the the big difference with the black version is the WIFI accessory at $80 so I guess you could buy the camera at WM and add the WIFI later. I did notice that there taking preorders and won't be available till the end of November. Looks like I might have to ask Santa for Christmas.
 
Jody, how are you liking the go pro and what are you using it for? I want one for the boat but also for mounting on to a drone or muiltcopter for aerial photos. I also want to us it to dive again. My point and shoot just heats up to much underwater in video mode. I will also be using one on a pole in the boat for higher shots and for underwater shots. It just looks like a really fun hobby to me. A way to be creative again. I love all the videos that being created on the web using this cameras by just about anyone. This same level of tech would have cost 10's of thousands just ten years ago and was none existent when I was a teen.

So how is the software for editing? easy to learn and use?
 
starcrafttom":3ogbr3ov said:
Jody, how are you liking the go pro and what are you using it for? I want one for the boat but also for mounting on to a drone or muiltcopter for aerial photos. I also want to us it to dive again. My point and shoot just heats up to much underwater in video mode. I will also be using one on a pole in the boat for higher shots and for underwater shots. It just looks like a really fun hobby to me. A way to be creative again. I love all the videos that being created on the web using this cameras by just about anyone. This same level of tech would have cost 10's of thousands just ten years ago and was none existent when I was a teen.

So how is the software for editing? easy to learn and use?
Click to expand...

I like them I use them on my Kayaks, the C-Dory, and my FJ. I mount one on the front and one on the back of the FJ when I go to Moab and tell them to take a picture every 5 seconds I usually get a couple thousand pictures of the trip. I have an Ardrone that you control with the Ipad I think it would just barely lift the camera. I also have a Storm 450 helicopter that I'm a long ways from mastering, it would carry the camera easily. Wanted to use it at Lake Powell but was to chicken to fly it over water. I've already put about $150.00 in parts on that one. Heres a couple of stills from the kayak.

Kayak1.sized.jpg

Kayak2.sized.jpg

I took a monopod and mounted the camera to it. It extends to about 5 or 6 feet long and you get the down looking photos. On the C-Dory you can mount it to the top of the VHF antenna and get the down looking photos as well. I also have some 2 inch pvc made up into a 18 inch square with some Ram balls mounted on it. I can mount cameras on it and set it adrift and then just drive the boat at it. Just a little bit of imagination and you can end up with some pretty cool photos. I also us a seasucker and mount one to the back of the bulkhead tell it to take a picture every 2 seconds. When I'm fishing alone and catch a fish I turn on the camera hold the fish up and turn the camera back off. Wide angle is going to get the whole back of the boat. The fish is always in the picture.
 
I have been looking at the storm quad copter and a carry unit for the cameras. I just got done looking at some ardrones that are carrying gopros and its a little of a workout for them. Not so much for the ardrone 2.o. I flew one a while back and its really easy compared to a copter. Lots of research and counting my pennies.
 
Do these run in a linear recording or can they do a loop? Can you get decent stills off them or is it all video. Set to be motion activated? Remote monitor?Looks like they could be fun.

Like that "Flat back" para glider too.

Harvey
SleepyC:moon
 
http://www.walkerdownriggers.com/why.choose.strike.vision.htm

That last video was done with a walker vision (link above). Which was the only way to do it until now. Benefit of the walker is you can watch live on a screen at the boat.

Chromer. I was wondering of the go pro could be used on a down rigger. I guess its just a matter of how much light you have. The scuba divers are also using a red cover lens to get more color at depths. Should be fun figuring out how to rig it to the down rigger.
 
hardee":34ug5te8 said:
Do these run in a linear recording or can they do a loop? Can you get decent stills off them or is it all video. Set to be motion activated? Remote monitor?Looks like they could be fun.

Like that "Flat back" para glider too.

Harvey
SleepyC:moon
Click to expand...

They Don't Loop.
The pictures above are just one frame from video.
They do take stills but, with the wide angle there is some distortion.
They are not motion activated.
Not sure if you can stream video over the WIFI.
 
I don't want to be negative, but looking down the road a few years………….

Prediction:

Like everything else, the "Go Pro Craze" will come and go.

When this type of video camera emerged as a new, and expensive novelty, the resulting novel perspective videos, often done by professional photographers or with their assistance, were usually of very high quality, often with great entertainment value.

However, as the cost of the cameras continue to come down, we'll see more and more and more of these videos, and gradually, the quality of them will become less, and their more familiar perspective will gradually diminish the enthusiasm for viewing them.

Remember 8mm film in the 1950-60's?

Eventually, they's be as common as pictures of snapshots of grandkids and met with some of the same enthusiasm.

Just some speculation, so please don't kill the messenger! :lol:

Joe. :teeth :thup
 
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