GoPro HD Hero

[pontifex]

I just bought (online) a GoPro HD Helmet Hero camera kit, LCD BacPac, and memory card.

I've been wanting a small HD video camera for awhile but never really could justify one because wtf am I going to use it for? Well, I still don't know what I'm going to use it for, but maybe I will figure that out once I get it. I've been thinking about mounting to a gun and/or using the head strap mount to record myself shooting. I think that would be interesting.

Since it's so small and sturdy, it's pretty damn versatile and I could probably think of things to experiment or just mess around with.

Anyone else have one? What do you use it for?

 

[iGas]

It work well for me for snorkeling and diving.

 

[ronbo613]

I've got two of them, used mostly for POV bicycle stuff, kayak fishing, snowboarding and other outdoor sports. They are pretty cool, but like most fisheye POV cameras, all the footage starts to look the same after awhile. Also, the BacPac really sucks the battery which will last about half as long as a camera without it.

 

[HendrixFan]

I've used it mostly for water work since I picked one up this summer. I use it for swimming, cliff diving, body surfing and the like. They are pretty rugged and small enough to take anywhere.

I plan to take it skiing with me this winter as the footage I have seen comes out really well. The only think I wish I could have with the GoPro is the option to change the FOV at different resolutions. I'm sure it can be done with a firmware hack, but I have no idea how to do that. At 1080p 30fps it records in wideangle, but at 720p 60fps it goes fisheye. I like to record 60fps for slomo work but I wish I wasn't stuck with fisheye.

 

[Suspicious-Teach8788]

I'd like to see some videos if oyu guys have any.... I had a Contour HD that i took boarding but I never liked it cuz I guess it was too bright outside? Stuff looked washed out...

 

[HendrixFan]

GoPro has a bunch of youtube videos that show it off pretty well.

http://www.youtube.com/user/GoProCamera

This video is one of the reasons I picked up a GoPro.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=3oddYoGQxRg

This one is one of my videos, we were just screwing around with the camera for the first time to see how it would look. Anything with bright lighting looks great.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=DEWhp5EZrZM

Anything with low lighting doesn't look too hot.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=jupZLDuAy6s

 

[Throckmorton]

My friend used his to do a time lapse video of us building a sandcastle. Turned out awesome.

 

[Kanalua]

I bought one after borrowing a friends for a hike I did last month. Great little device. It's kind of a set and forget camera, great for things like hiking, biking, etc.

Here's some video from mine - all hiking on Oahu, Hawaii.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=-a62dmUgKug&hd=1

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=0RCtamykqSU&hd=1

 

[ronbo613]

Stuff looked washed out...

A common problem with the Contour as well as the GoPro. On the GoPro, the auto exposure is pretty slow to adjust to changing lighting conditions, especially since the camera is designed for action sports. Going from light to dark or dark to light(like when you are riding a bike through the woods), the camera will be slow to adjust to the lighting. The GoPro does not seem to handle bright conditions very well overall.
That being said, for what it costs, you can't really complain too much, just adapt to the camera's capabilities and limitations.

 

[joverall]

I just found a solution to the "washed out" look on the bright sunny days wile filming with the go pro.

I bought a polarized filter from these guys: Polarprofilters.com
It was only like $9 and it worked out pretty well
The vids on sunny days turned out much sharper with more detail

They have some comparison shots here: Youtube

I am completely stoked on my new Go Pro HD 2 and would recommend it to anyone!!

 

[Imported]

I have one and use it mostly for autocross and track days.. Wind noise is a problem that I can't seem to solve. I've used both back plates and it still exists..

Here's a video from I believe the front bumper or the hood during an autocross last year: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=GUWFtYySuYw
And one around Laguna Seca last year: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=u3kh2uKlAmU

 

[pontifex]

Son of b....

Like 2 weeks after I order my GoPro Hero they come out with a Hero2 that has better features and stuff.

 

[Mongrelchops]

I've just watched the video for it - it looks awesome! (unlucky with the purchase timing!)

 

[pest666]

Here's some shots from mine mounted on my PPSh-41 submachine gun

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=CyyJWItgkJU&t=3m2s

 

[Kaido]

I'd like to see some videos if oyu guys have any.... I had a Contour HD that i took boarding but I never liked it cuz I guess it was too bright outside? Stuff looked washed out...

You can fix that really easily in software. For example, Magic Bullet Looks is basically a push-button color fixer:

http://www.redgiantsoftware.com/products/all/magic-bullet-looks/

I just use basic color correction tools in the video editing software. You can get some really nice results with just a bit of tweaking. Here's a before & after still from my iPhone:

http://media.tumblr.com/tumblr_lvcv2s5fdC1qzj0se.png

 

[FeuerFrei]

Been seeing GoPros on tv lately. Their footage is incorporated into the shows (briefly). On ABC's Bachelor the cams were helmet-mounted on a couple climbing the Golden Gate Bridge. On Ramsey's Kitchen Nightmares they had one just above the microwave to watch the food go in/out.

Can't say if they were the Hero version or not ...

 

[The_Dude8]

Been seeing GoPros on tv lately. Their footage is incorporated into the shows (briefly). On ABC's Bachelor the cams were helmet-mounted on a couple climbing the Golden Gate Bridge. On Ramsey's Kitchen Nightmares they had one just above the microwave to watch the food go in/out.

Can't say if they were the Hero version or not ...

They are. The go pro was use on the amazing race as well. I know fear factor on NBC used the count our.