Go Pro video camera

[Scott Maybury]

Hey guys

I am thinking about getting a go pro. I have a small-ish hand held video camera but when out fishing, the reality is it is rare that you want to leave the action and/or have your hands tied up using the camera. I find you often miss the best bits (such as awesome strikes) or just don't bother grabbing it out.

So I was thinking a go pro with the head and/or chest straps, but also to mount in good positions on rails etc on any boats I am fishing on for a period of time

These seem to be fairly popular  several guys on here have these cameras and had a few queries.

1. Do you find you actually use them?

2.How easy is it to turn on/off, especially when head or chest mounted?

3. Is it comfortable to wear for reasonable stints (ie, if I am in a decent bite and think I might get some good footage, could I leave it on for 30 or 40 minutes?)

4. What are some of the better accessories to add value, such as the LCD screen etc?

5. Any other feedback, including places to get them with good pricing, appreciated.

It has been suggested that I look at the Vio POV which offers the awesome Loop feature, allowing you to basically start recording after the event and capture it up to 15 minutes later, but the unit comprises 2 pieces and looks a bit more cumbersome, plus it is more expensive and you need to buy batteries for it....but if I am wrong about this would be interested to hear any experiences

Cheers guys

[Dan Wulf]

Hi Scott,

I will make a brief attempt to give you some feedback in relation to your questions.

Hey guys

I am thinking about getting a go pro. I have a small-ish hand held video camera but when out fishing, the reality is it is rare that you want to leave the action and/or have your hands tied up using the camera. I find you often miss the best bits (such as awesome strikes) or just don't bother grabbing it out.

So I was thinking a go pro with the head and/or chest straps, but also to mount in good positions on rails etc on any boats I am fishing on for a period of time

These seem to be fairly popular  several guys on here have these cameras and had a few queries.

1. Do you find you actually use them?

I have used it with a chest strap on one GT-trip but did not carry the cam when fighthing fish.... I have used it on other fishing trips with good results but did not upload anything yet.

2.How easy is it to turn on/off, especially when head or chest mounted?

No problem to turn it on/off while carrying it on head or chest. It is a one-button action and the buttons are fairly large and can be used while wearing gloves. However, good idea to practice prior to a trip.

3. Is it comfortable to wear for reasonable stints (ie, if I am in a decent bite and think I might get some good footage, could I leave it on for 30 or 40 minutes?)

No problem to wear it for longer periods. But battery time may be an issue if you decide to keep it in standby mode for longer periods (no filming - just standby and ready to shoot). On a fully charged battery it should be possible to get an hour or more of shooting. It's a good idea to bring an extra (fully charged) battery.

4. What are some of the better accessories to add value, such as the LCD screen etc?
- Extra battery
- Chest strap (works better than headstrap for me since I tend to make numerous fast turns with my head while fishing)
- Separate battery charger for plug-in wall socket. Otherwise, you have to rely on charging from a USB/computer
- If you intend to shoot UV, buy a special UV-house with modified lense (much sharper, less distorted image under water)
- Mono-pole stand for holding the cam under water when filming incoming fish (if you intend to to do that)

I have an extra screen but do not find it very usefull. It is somehow bulky and it will anyway face towards your body while shooting from head or chest, so you will not be able to watch it while fishing. However, the screen is - in the absence of a computer - good for checking after shooting whether you succeeded to get the action. Though, you can save the money for a screen if you practice shooting and get to know the cam and appropriate angles and settings before going on a trip. Whether you get the action on the panel of the cam or not will depend on a combination of the physical angle of the cam on your head or chest + the resolution (play with setting R4 and R5 and you will know what I mean).

5. Any other feedback, including places to get them with good pricing, appreciated.

I'm in Denmark (EU), so other users are probably better equipped to suggest cheap purchases.

It has been suggested that I look at the Vio POV which offers the awesome Loop feature, allowing you to basically start recording after the event and capture it up to 15 minutes later, but the unit comprises 2 pieces and looks a bit more cumbersome, plus it is more expensive and you need to buy batteries for it....but if I am wrong about this would be interested to hear any experiences

Cheers guys

Best,
Dan

[Andre van Wyk]

Hey Scotty,

I agree with all of Dan's points... I have the screen, but like mentioned, it is bulky, and useless when head or chest mounted... It also eats battery life, so not worth the extra cash in my opinion, but nice to have to give you an idea of framing etc... They are also nice to have for playbacks etc on the boat....

You can wear a GoPro all day, they really are comfy, light and easy to forget about.

Their functions are super simple, easy to use...

I would defintely get an additional battery as Murphy's Law will dictate that you film for an hour with no action, and as your battery dies, you hit the motherload of action... the spare battery is essential...

They are great tools, and can really capture some incredible footage! You never have to reply on your buddies filming you which is great!

The only negative for me which Dan touched on is the fact that because of their design, the underwater footage is not pin sharp in focus which is a pity... I know that GoPro are currently working on an adaptor of some sort to sort this out...

Definitely recommend one, great tools!

[Darren Cook]

I have no experience using them but they seem to have a "fish-eye" style effect that I dont like.

I have used the Kodak Playsport, -(Small, water-proof, robust, and High Def for around $200), and found it awesome.

[Dan Wulf]

The only negative for me which Dan touched on is the fact that because of their design, the underwater footage is not pin sharp in focus which is a pity... I know that GoPro are currently working on an adaptor of some sort to sort this out...

I use Option 1a shown here:
http://www.eyeofmine.com/gopro/underwater/index.html#option1a
Basically, it's a GoPro house with a modified flat plastic lense. It does the work and provide focused and sharp video clips - even from 15-20m depth. Check the clips at Eye of Mine.

I have no experience using them but they seem to have a "fish-eye" style effect that I dont like.

It is correct that the fish-eye effect is quite pronounced and potential buyers should be aware of this. Though, one can select settings with lesser wideangle - 127 degrees (full HD; 1080p) as an alternative to 170 degrees (960p). There is a trade-off - without the wideangle it would not have been possible to wear a camera on head or chest and expect that all or most of the action will end up as an image on the panel. The GoPro is an action-cam - not a camera that will allow the user to concentrate on very fine (distant) details. When saying that it's worth to notice that the cam has good details when using it in a close-up approach.

Prior to a purchase it would be a good idea to watch some of the internet fishing clips made with this cam and maybe to test a friend's GoPro.

Dan

 

[Andre van Wyk]

Fantastic stuff Dan, thanks so much for that link! Putting my order in today!! Much appreciated!

[Dan Wulf]

Hi Andre,

You are most welcome! If you're into serious under-water shooting you may opt for the "professional version" of the flat lens housing. According to Eye of Mine they pressure test the "proff" version to 200 feet (61 meters) for 1 hour. It will add another 20 USD to the price (99 USD). During our last test of the flat lense house we strapped it to a 400g jig (no hooks). At 15 meters the jig was chased by a small flounder. But that was the only fish action we caught on the cam during that test. 

Dan

[Andre van Wyk]

Great minds think alike Dan, ( or fools seldom differ!!  ) I just mailed them about the Pro version... the extra $20 for piece of mind is no great extra expense...

I'll actually be in Sweden next week ( Sat 10th Sept ) for a few days, and see they have a dealer there, so might try pick one up while I'm there to save on the shipping and Customs charges..

Thanks again Dan, looking forward to dropping one down to the depths!!

[Dan Wulf]

[Andre van Wyk]

Thanks Dan, PM replied mate!

[Alex Jordan]

Hey Dre - let me know how you get on with it ...

I am seriously tempted to push the button whilst I am out here in the States - but can only find the bare 1080 unit and no straps extra batteries ... a friend shot an MTB movie with it - frikkin awesome!

The cheapest I found it in the shops here in Vegas was $299 so alot cheaper than back home in the UK ...

[Andre van Wyk]

Alex - when you back in UK mate? I'm flying to London on Saturday, there for a week, then heading to Stockholm, then back to London for a day, then back home... you gonna be back so we can hook up?

I got my GoPro for a pretty sweet deal from a mate who is a wholesaler, so paid around $150 less than retail here which was great... but still think the US price is waaaay better overall...

All in I got  Hero Helmet Kit, extra battery, 2 x 32gig cards, LCD Screen with expansion port, Anti Fog inserts, Chesty mount etc, and cost me around 580 GBP.... the 32 Gig cards cost 10 GBP less than the entire Hero Helmet kit so thats where the massive cost is, so just factor that in... if I'd paid full retail for everything here in SA, I'd be looking at close to 800GBP or more... 

If you keen drop me a mail, I might be able to get one cheaper for ya...

[marinco koj]

Hi Scotty

I use the contour cam and it's the same rez as the Go-Pro but easier to have it on your head with the head band strap and has heaps of extra accessories.

give me a ring and come over and I'll give you a full run down on the contour cam.

marinco

[Kurt Wilson]

Hi Marinco
I was thinking of getting a Contour for fishing, have you uploaded any fishing videos from it?
How do you find the footage from it?
Cheers

[marinco koj]

Hi Kurt

I only have a few vids on Facebook. The Go pro and contour has the same quality chip in it i think. The resolutions are the same, I got the contour because the shape is more stream line for my needs ie mountain biking and other things and the mounts are stronger. When i fish i use a head band accessory or you can mount it on a railing. Most of the contour users Ive seen mount the camera on the railings and it gets boring after a while. The go pro now gives you an option of a battery that is also a has a screen on it, but the battery might not last that long. It's all personal choice i think between the two.

mk