OT: GoPro

[campy man]

Thinking about getting a GoPro Hero+ LCD for my teenage son. Any feedback on GoPro cameras and the Hero+ LCD model.

Do teenagers actually use these or do they end up in a drawer after a few months?

[kppolich]

Love my GoPro Hero3 Silver. Super easy to use and the darn thing is indestructible. Great for ride videos both on and off road and I use mine a lot skiing. Looking to move up to the new one when it comes out and possibly the drone. Their software takes a while to get a handle on but at least the iPhone app is super easy to use as a remote and preview screen.

[dgauthier]

I got one for my daughter last Christmas. The quality control leaves a bit to be desired: our first sample intermittently refused to power on, and had electronic noise leaking into the audio when the WiFi was on. GoPro replaced it with no questions asked, but if you research a bit you will see that flaky problems are very common in these cameras.

If your son is into photography, he might love it. However the camera fills a very specialized niche rather than being a general purpose tool. If you don't need to do exactly what it does you won't use it. The camera ended up in a drawer by mid January.

For me, a PITA and a waste.

[bcroslin]

I bought Hero Session and camera and I've been really impressed. The direct connection with a smart phone was the easiest I've ever set up. I only have a few small issues with the camera functionality but overall it's fantastic.

[jh_on_the_cape]

I am considering getting one, as well, for my son...

I am afraid that he will either never use it, or use it to video himself and friends doing stupid dangerous (but fun) things.

Locally there is a Hero 3 white edition with accessories for pretty cheap.

[buldogge]

We just picked one up for Xmas, thinking the same thing...hoping it spurs him on to make some creative videos, instead of watching creative videos other people (kids) have made!

Are you referring to the package at Costco?...that's the one we grabbed, it was even cheaper than Amazon (surprisingly).

-Mark in St. Louis

I am considering getting one, as well, for my son...

I am afraid that he will either never use it, or use it to video himself and friends doing stupid dangerous (but fun) things.

Locally there is a Hero 3 white edition with accessories for pretty cheap.

[campy man]

I bought Hero Session and camera and I've been really impressed. The direct connection with a smart phone was the easiest I've ever set up. I only have a few small issues with the camera functionality but overall it's fantastic.

After doing a little more homework I think the Session would be a better fit for my son.

Any and all feedback would be greatly appreciated. Surprised to hear about the QC issues.

[jh_on_the_cape]

we dont have a costco nearby. how much is it at costco? I cant see the price online because i am not a member.
I am looking at one on CL.

We just picked one up for Xmas, thinking the same thing...hoping it spurs him on to make some creative videos, instead of watching creative videos other people (kids) have made!

Are you referring to the package at Costco?...that's the one we grabbed, it was even cheaper than Amazon (surprisingly).

-Mark in St. Louis

[jh_on_the_cape]

Can I copy your homework? How did you choose the session?

After doing a little more homework I think the Session would be a better fit for my son.

Any and all feedback would be greatly appreciated. Surprised to hear about the QC issues.

[Schmed]

My kids use theirs intermittently - skiing, biking, messing around. I do, however, blame my 15 yr old's recent sprained ankle on showing-off-for-my-go-pro-video-that-I'll-email-to-my-friends factor. Made a big ramp on a steep slope, sledded over it, got gnarly air, got a great slow-mo video, sprained his ankle. Bad.

I'm sure he'll love it, though.

Stock housing is also rated to 100'+ depth, so we use it for scuba diving, which is neat.

[MattTuck]

My kids use theirs intermittently - skiing, biking, messing around. I do, however, blame my 15 yr old's recent sprained ankle on showing-off-for-my-go-pro-video-that-I'll-email-to-my-friends factor. Made a big ramp on a steep slope, sledded over it, got gnarly air, got a great slow-mo video, sprained his ankle. Bad.


This would be my concern, if I had a teen age son. That is probably the time in life that you want the least video evidence of your stupidity. Don't let him bring it on dates with his girlfriend. nothing good could come of that.

[rugbysecondrow]

Damn...GoPros are so cool.

[bcroslin]

After doing a little more homework I think the Session would be a better fit for my son.

Any and all feedback would be greatly appreciated. Surprised to hear about the QC issues.

It's a killer little camera but my biggest issue with it is you have very limited controls on the unit. Nearly everything has to be done from a smart phone including formatting the card so I routinely run out of space on a 32 gb card and I've not been able to get the camera to successfully loop and overwrite video already on the card. Battery life is only about 2 hours as well. It's a great little camera for capturing get rad sessions on a mtb or a 60 min crit or snowboarding, etc. I bought mine after watching 2 close friends get creamed by a car a few months ago and I use it as video evidence in case something happens again.

I will say that the GoPro smart phone app is extremely easy to use and set up.

[crownjewelwl]

i think the novelty wears out pretty quickly unless you're a sponsored athlete doing outrageous stuff that you want to document

you can only have so much footage of your kids skiing...

[verticaldoug]

This would be my concern, if I had a teen age son. That is probably the time in life that you want the least video evidence of your stupidity. Don't let him bring it on dates with his girlfriend. nothing good could come of that.

After the initial novelty wears off, to make anything GoPro worthy, you have to push the envelope.

(The middle age men with GoPro's on their helmet skiing down groomers, make me chuckle....)

[merlinmurph]

My kids use theirs intermittently - skiing, biking, messing around. I do, however, blame my 15 yr old's recent sprained ankle on showing-off-for-my-go-pro-video-that-I'll-email-to-my-friends factor. Made a big ramp on a steep slope, sledded over it, got gnarly air, got a great slow-mo video, sprained his ankle. Bad.

Do you mean like this:
https://youtu.be/RGCU3sKjUNc

[buldogge]

We bought the Hero3+ Silver with charger/spare battery for $199 + tax ($249-$50 instant rebate), it is currently $229+.

-Mark in St. Louis

we dont have a costco nearby. how much is it at costco? I cant see the price online because i am not a member.
I am looking at one on CL.

[bianchi10]

The Gopro 4 silver is the only one I would recommend. I had the 1st generation gopro and the menu settings were so confusing unless you knew exactly what you were doing. I didn't, so it became a hassle to use. It had issues and got a warranty replacement. Sold it and got a 2nd gen. It was still the same though trying to get from option to option. Sold it.

recently got a gopro 4 silver 4 months ago and I LOVE IT. It is the only gopro that has a viewing LCD touch screen on the back which allows you to jump into all your settings. Its easier to use than the standard front menu screen.

to answer if it would be used or not though, that is something that is up to each individual. They may use it and get creative, using it to its potential. I find that the difference between someone who uses it and those who let it sit in their drawer is knowing how to use it. If said person takes the time to watch a couple youtube videos and inform themselves, they will be more likely to use it IMO.

[weisan]

Another data point.

They don't make this anymore but these are the things I like about my garmin virb.

Water proof without needing a special case.

I can plug an external USB battery pack and extend its life from 2:30hrs to 6:30 hrs.

I use a 64GB microSD card - can record up till 7hrs of footage.

[jh_on_the_cape]

We bought the Hero3+ Silver with charger/spare battery for $199 + tax ($249-$50 instant rebate), it is currently $229+.

-Mark in St. Louis

OK thanks.

[jh_on_the_cape]

They make me chuckle, too. I don't want to be that guy.
At the same time, if it's rad for them and their buddies, more power to them. I see heaps of people doing next to nothing. They dont make me chuckle, they make me shake my head in disbelief.


(The middle age men with GoPro's on their helmet skiing down groomers, make me chuckle....)

[vqdriver]

lol, that is me.
except the point isn't to film the skiing, it's to film the people you're with. great for shooting kids without having to hold a camera. you still see people trying to aim their iphones on the slopes.

i have the hero 3 black i think. use it mostly for paintball or mtbing if filming my own stuff. most rewatchable stuff is the kids. creative use on a swing or handlebars is fun and new perspectives.

[scooter01]

I have a Hero Silver and love it, I use it really for motorcycle riding and now on my mouintain bike. I bought it on Craigslist, brand new and un-opened.

it was a impulse buy but what the heck, I am having fun with it.I have found using the phone for the controller is best and the app is free. I have a wrist remote with a screen as well and it is fair, not as good as the phone. Also I have found every possible mount you could ever need on Amazon for 10 bucks

http://www.amazon.com/Generic-Accessory-GoPro-HERO3-Cameras/dp/B00JBT6F3W/ref=sr_1_4?s=photo&ie=UTF8&qid=1450380291&sr=1-4&keywords=go+pro+accessories

[pinoymamba]

I've got a 4 silver and sessions. no complaints here but I force myself to use it lol.

[Seramount]

our cave diving team owns several GPs...

we ruined a couple before finding that there are after-market housings that are depth-rated to 660 ft.

[pdmtong]

I've got a 4 silver and sessions. no complaints here but I force myself to use it lol.

IMHO the problem with video is we barely have time to experience the experience live, let alone watch it again later. no one other than you wants to see you three day Disneyland trip and how scary the matterhorn was for little billy.

That said, having a few minutes here or there for viewing in the future to make a memory is really nice.

So think about using it that way - to make some memories for some time down the road...as well as for training - "next time I'll ride that line a different way"

We got my daughter a cheap knock-off to see if she would embrace it. she is all over it. in the pool, cliff jumping in Maui, CX racing, lift-assisted DH at Northstar. Crazy kid now wants the new giro dirt helmet with built in mount port.

With GoPro stock tanking, and the general trend of electronics always getting cheaper, better, or both, we will buy one in the next six months as prices erode.

[vqdriver]

well, sure no one wants to see your summer vacation with the kids. but that argument was there before gopro. no one wanted to see our vacations on vhs or slides either.

if anything, i think the gopro is actually quite an argument FOR enjoying the moment instead of trying to capture it. if taken as given that people will try to capture memories, action cams take the preoccupation away from filming and allows you to do your thing. the genius there is taking the viewfinder and/or screen away.

[rugbysecondrow]

I decided to get one for the kids as a Christmas present. Something fun, creative, promotes outside play and interaction...seems like a winner to me.

[pff]

What's the best mount for bicycles? I see some on eBay for $6 and kedge or recmounts combo mounts for $60+. Is there added value to justify the expense?

[don'TreadOnMe]

We got one from Santa.
First vids were w/the headband, doing flips on the trampoline. Cool!

Next came the 'cat cam'. Strapped it to the 7 month old kittens, THAT was amazing.:banana:

[onekgguy]

We got one from Santa.
Next came the 'cat cam'. Strapped it to the 7 month old kittens, THAT was amazing.:banana:

What strap did you purchase for this? I bought a GoPro strap for our 15 lb dog and it's kinda bulky on him. He just stands there and his usual bonkers self stays quiet.

I use my Hero 2 for my rides. I have sweet memories from my rides from 40 years ago and they're nice but I'd love to have photos or video as well. When I'm too old to do what I'm doing now I'll have something besides my memory to reminisce with.

I too would worry about giving one of these to a much younger me considering the trouble I'd no doubt get into with it. I dunno...that's a tough call.

Kevin g

[katkeeper36]

If you are going to/or already bought a GoPro for the kid, may I suggest getting a "Chesty" mount....it almost goes on like a bra. For cycling or skiing it allows you to keep your hands on the bike and kind of gives the the viewer a cockpit view as opposed to the top of the helmet view.

DO NOT buy an aftermarket version (mistake I made). They are cheaply produced with poor elastics straps. Make sure you got the GoPro kind (approx $25)

here's a vid I made using the Chesty so you get the idea....

https://vimeo.com/106665386

[bobswire]

If you are going to/or already bought a GoPro for the kid, may I suggest getting a "Chesty" mount....it almost goes on like a bra. For cycling or skiing it allows you to keep your hands on the bike and kind of gives the the viewer a cockpit view as opposed to the top of the helmet view.

DO NOT buy an aftermarket version (mistake I made). They are cheaply produced with poor elastics straps. Make sure you got the GoPro kind (approx $25)

here's a vid I made using the Chesty so you get the idea....

https://vimeo.com/106665386
Cool video but I never seen 12in wide bars before. :) Just kidding I know the wide angle distorts close up view. That must have been a fun descent.

[katkeeper36]

Funny, 44cm bars. My grip just feels natural almost shoulder with.

Thanks for the video comment...that whole area is amazing. While Alpe d'Huez will make you take the trip out there.....it's the memories of the Croix de' Fer that you'll be savoring when you get home.

[jh_on_the_cape]

Hi my wife just gave me (well, the whole family) a Go Pro for my Bday.
She bought some GoPro accessories too but I see the amazon kits way cheaper than come with just about everything. Any experience with these knockoff kits? something like this
http://smile.amazon.com/Black-Pro-Common-Outdoor-Sports/dp/B00PLBXUMS/ref=pd_sim_421_4?ie=UTF8&dpID=61WUG9I-uEL&dpSrc=sims&preST=_AC_UL160_SR160%2C160_&refRID=00KK7Y2TJDQG7NAE687H

If you are going to/or already bought a GoPro for the kid, may I suggest getting a "Chesty" mount....it almost goes on like a bra. For cycling or skiing it allows you to keep your hands on the bike and kind of gives the the viewer a cockpit view as opposed to the top of the helmet view.

DO NOT buy an aftermarket version (mistake I made). They are cheaply produced with poor elastics straps. Make sure you got the GoPro kind (approx $25)

here's a vid I made using the Chesty so you get the idea....

https://vimeo.com/106665386

[PFSLABD]

I wish I had gotten a GoPro because the Sony Action Cam I settled on takes good videos, but the battery life is terrible.

Whether GoPro or Sony, I don't recommend a helmet mount. You spend your whole ride pushing your helmet back out of your eyes. I would say get the chest mount, instead.

[Megalodon]

People sell discount codes on eBay. They are often short-term codes given out at expos (CES, Sea Otter, Interbike, etc.). They show up around the same time and have the same expiration so if you time it right you can get a good deal.

[MesiJezi]

https://www.instagram.com/mikesedy/

My "little" brother got a GoPro for christmas 3 years ago and has become somewhat of a GoPro ambassador. No previous photography experience... checkout what he's been able to do with it at the link above. Pretty amazing. I think he has the hero 4 now.

I have a hero 3+ and I use it for hiking, biking, and some underwater photography. Here's a quick video compilation I made with mine last summer:

https://vimeo.com/137428682

One of my favorite things about these cameras is the video editing software that is included. Very easy and quick to put entertaining vids together. Here's a fun one my other younger brother did:

https://youtu.be/GltqpFrrQeM

[tuxbailey]

I don't have a GoPro (though about it) but if you have a Micro Center nearby this is a great option for cheap if they have it in stock:

http://www.microcenter.com/product/426765/HD_Action_Cam_with_WiFi

It shoots 720P and 1080i. WiFi shooting and file transfer to your phone etc. And it comes with all kinds of attachment harness (bike/helmet/shoulder.) Only negative is that it is not great underwater.

It is a knockoff/Exact Copy from the Polaroid/Sony Action Cam which has great reviews in Amazon:

http://www.amazon.com/Polaroid-Extreme-Waterproof-Mounting-Included/dp/B00F46UQ4K/ref=sr_1_5?ie=UTF8&qid=1453235063&sr=8-5&keywords=polaroid+action+cam