Go-Pro

[bryan_kilco]

Heard of these for a while now, never used one. Played a show over the weekend with a band who had one and it seemed very cool, though I didn't get to see any footage off of it.

Who uses them and are they worth it?

 

[egan.]

They are killer. Whether it's worth it depends on what you want it for. They are a one trick pony but they do that trick well. The audio is not great.

 

[AD Chaos]

Those cameras have been the jizz on the cycling community for a couple of years, I guess they're trying to branch off to other areas now.

If you're cycling with them, the locking mount is really crappy, vibrates way too much when mounted over the handlebar, and doesn't hold in place, to the point where the camera can even fall off to the ground. Not sure if they've addressed those issues at all on v3, I think not. And as egan says, the audio is only marginal.
Other companies have been getting into competing with them more recently with better quality stuff (with image stabilizers, padding, better locking mechanisms, etc).


Here's the first big promo vid from them, which I guess helped them become quite popular:



If you want to see the 'real' quality of any model, look for user uploads on YT.


*and yes, that is Ola on the vid at 00:42

 

[FrankTheSmith]

If everyone had go-pro's in a band you could make live show videos.

 

[46 and 2]

If everyone had go-pro's in a band you could make live show videos.
www.youtube.com/watch?v=HCp8vE1ZT0g

That is one hell of a bass tone.

 

[anotherpaul]

Hero 2 footage and sound (in a skeleton case). It's quite good for live gig shooting, because it's made with loud environments in mind so it doesn't choke on bass and drum sounds.

 

[HeadCrusher]

Depending on what quality you want/you are used to they do their job very well. Personally I'm constantly annoyed by all the artifacts in the images they take.

Keep in mind that the above promo vid is pro shot with A LOT of cameras and most likely a couple of takes for every scene. Color correction, editing/script, and the music plays a huge role as well. Do not expect your vids to look like this right out of the box or you'll be disappointed.

This one's more like your average GoPro user type of vid: https://www.facebook.com/photo.php?v=10201227162912372&set=vb.1570222929&type=2&theater

 

[Lozek]

I got a Hero3 black about two months ago, so far very impressed with it. I've used it to shoot a live video (still doesn't cope with flash photography well) and record rehearsal & studio sessions. I think the internal mic copes pretty well with volume (for an inbuilt mic with no gain attenuation).

For what it is, I think it's pretty awesome, although beware the shoddy firmware, they tend to switch off and not switch back on again. You have to hold down the shutter button, insert the battery and turn on to re-boot.

 

[NickLAudio]

I love my GoPro Hero2. Video quality can be amazing if you do research on what settings to use and when to use them. You can use an external mic to increase audio quality as well. I got the LCD Backpack and made a custom CPL filter for mine. Check it out...

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[HeadCrusher]

I liked the footage they got for the Stratos/Superbowl piece. Then again: Pro setup and editing. ^What Nick said.

 

[bryan_kilco]

That is one hell of a bass tone.

Was thinking the same thing. Thought that can't be the live audio, unless I'm missing something like external mic on bass rig?

 

[narcossintese]

If you're using it outdoor it's pretty cool. The light small form, wide angle, sturdy case and not having to worry about focus is great for shooting footage that you wouldn't get otherwise.
For example, I've filmed this gig with the Hero2 on FullHD, and even crossed the mosh pit multiple times at 1:16:


However, the quality doesn't come even close of a DSLR. The image gets super grainy on ambients with low light, like most music venues.
Take this another gig I've filmed, for example:


The camera audio isn't much better than the audio you get from a cellphone video. It's good for reference and spoken words, but far from musically enjoyable.
I like the camera. It is the camera I carry around in my bag everyday. But as said above, it's a one tricky pony and isn't really fit for artistic images (although the whales video is amazing).

 

[FrankTheSmith]

Was thinking the same thing. Thought that can't be the live audio, unless I'm missing something like external mic on bass rig?

"The sound in this video is my direct live tone, laid over an instrumental mix of the album track since the GoPro camera did not pick up much of the other instruments at all. The GoPro audio is, however, blended in there at all times and solo'd during the breaks and the very last note."

Sounds like 2:50-3:17 3:52-4:07 is the actual camera audio.

 

[egan.]

My attitude is that it's amazing for the price. I've seen them integrated in TV broadcasts for sports regularly (ESPN3/FOXsports). Yes you have to paint them to match real cameras but the fact that they can be switched to/from cameras that cost 50 times more without looking absurd speaks to their quality IMO. The audio is not great but realistically, the most expensive gopro costs less than a good shotgun.

 

[Clockwork]

With some good color correction gopro footage can be pretty good and the audio is good enough that you can at least use it to line up a studio version of a song later for live footage. The cheapest one is so cheap it's worth springing for even if it never leaves your headstock. IMO if it's good enough to be used on Top Gear it's good enough for me .