Go Pro Hero Video Camera

Haven't followed the GoPro that closely, but was impressed by some of the footage I've seen. However, would be of little use if reliability issues were an onging concern?

Why not use a quality compact digital camera using a windshield mount to record scenery video? Would likely have a higher quality glass lens, along with higher HD data rates. Just test to make sure it records when plugged in by its mini USB connection to a power source for extended usage. Quality would likely be higher than any mini HD cam.

We have a GoPro Hero 3 Black Edition and love it. GoPro released the Hero 3 before the software was completely tested, which resulted in a number of problems. The latest software update was released at the end of July and that seems to have cleared up many of the problems. We mount ours on the windshield of our View and set it on time-lapse every 60 seconds. We ran an usb cable to the GoPro from the dash radio to keep it powered. We also have mounts on our MTB's and turn on the video while riding thru the cities or on the MTB trails. We have placed the GoPro on the front of our SUP (standup paddle boards) - and we have plenty of more ideas.

Fun to have.

I have a GoPro Hero 3 Black Edition and it has worked flawlessly. I recently took it on a cruise and took video from rain forests to snorkeling. I am impressed with the picture quality and ease of use. After reading about the battery life issue, I purchased 4 additional batteries and that has not been a problem.

Ive had a Hero 3 Black Edition for 4 months now and have never had any issues. Mount it to my helmet when I'm riding my quad and make crystal clear hi-def videos. Having the remote is especially nice. I'd recommend one to anybody, but that's just my personal experience.

If you get one find a go pro hero 2 i have abused mine from biking to diving and use it on my maritime job. It has preformed way better than my co workers hero 3
Good luck

I have a Go Pro 2. I had it mounted on my Honda S2000 CR. I had a mount that placed it about 18" off the ground. I also used a suction RAM mount to attach it to the wing on the car. Used to film autocross and track days. Found it to be of high quality and reliable. Additional battery pack is a mandatory addon.

I have also mounted it on my boat.

I am waiting for them to solve all the problems with the 3 series before I upgrade.

I have the Go Pro 2. I use it primarily to take video and stills from a quadcopter or RC plane. It has served me extremely well, never have had a problem with it or have it fail to do what I wanted. I've also heard some of the less than good reviews of the GoPro 3's.
Over priced? probably but its size is a real asset to me. The battery life is a bit less than I would like but a quick recharge puts it back to use again.

Thunder Mountain wrote:


The GoPro would work as a dashcam. I would suggest using a 12V to USB adapter to power the camera and the remote. I would think you could find a cheaper alternative for what you want.

a poster said it would fill up the card and stop. worthless as a dash cam. I bought my first experimental dash cam for $17.88. just ordered my new deluxe one :) for $52.00.
bumpy

My experience has been different than the rest of you. I bought a GOPro Hero 3 Silver edition last September and used it about 8 times. I bought it on a closeout at Best Buy because the 3+ was due out. We Here is my personal review.

The early Hero 3 had some serious software issues. If you go to the GoPro website and do a search, you will find an apology from the CEO. They revised the software to fix the freezing issues etc.

We are ATVers and I mounted the camera to my helmet.

The good: Excellent picture quality in various lighting conditions. HD is really amazing. Captured Colorado fall colors well. Very wide angle lens. I captured some great video first time out. The camera functions and settings are easy to understand. Lots of mounting options.

The bad: Very expensive and very over packaged. Standard battery lasts less than a half hour. You have to buy the larger piggy back battery which then extends life to about 2.5 hours. If you enable the Bluetooth remote it is a serious battery hog. The battery for the remote has a very short life. The free editing software you download from GoPro is very minimal. I understand that the Hero 3+ has addressed the battery issues.

The GoPro would work as a dashcam. I would suggest using a 12V to USB adapter to power the camera and the remote. I would think you could find a cheaper alternative for what you want.

Simplygib wrote:
I have the GoPro HD Hero 960 and have used it sporadically for a couple of years. I've been satisfied with its performance but occasionally (maybe once every ten times it's turned on) it doesn't record sound. Not sure why. Other than that, it lacks one feature that irritates me - the ability to record indefinitely. Once the memory card is full, it won't record any more until files are manually deleted to free up space. Not sure if the newer versions are like that or not - or if there is a software update that corrects it (haven't checked). I use it mainly as a dash cam or rack cam (mounted on my touring bicycle's rack).

I also have this little HD 808 keychain camera that I really like, and it does have the ability to record indefinitely. When the card gets full it deletes the oldest file and keeps recording. Great video quality for such an inexpensive camera, but not sure what to expect in terms of longevity. Lots of info about this one here.

A drawback to both of those cameras is battery life but luckily both will operate continuously with an external power source (5v USB).

can you tell it is not recording sound while you are using it? if not, you lose that recording if there is any sound you want. and you paid $200-$300 for that privilege.
bumpy