Want to get a gopro hero or similar. I know very little about the subject, hoping someone can give me a basic education. e.g. Does it make much difference if you get a gopro white or black etc? The frames per second are far higher on the black. Do you need a good laptop to handle the HD1080p? etc
Thanks

if you want to do slowmo, get the black. If not, the white is fine. I am aware that lots of people have had issues with the gopro 3, so try and get a hero2, as it is the same as a white i think.

At full rate you will need something decent to edit both quickly and easily. You may just end up leaving your editing to finish over night. Also bank on a bit of storage for the files. I have the original hd and I can shoot 8gb per day if I’m out for a bit.

The white is probably fine for most people quality wise. If you can afford the black it may be future proof for longer. As with other posts dont forget the chest mount and that you can also put it down and use different angles. I also just found a fish eye correction filter which is quite nice.

White is similar to the original Hero.

Silver is HD2 level but smaller and with WiFi.

Black looks awesome but will need a mega PC and has had reported QC issues.

The videos on the GoPro marketing display are spectacular.

But then, they would be.

Your PC doesn’t have to be amazing, mine was fast when I built it but that was in about 2008, still crunches gopro footage pretty effectively with Vegas.

Not sure if the 3 has been totally sorted yet- Gopro aren’t a company to leave their customers screwed if they can help it IME, but that doesn’t mean they’ve been able to fix it. Still, not much noise about it

I’ve had quite a few GoPro’s.. IMO.. You don’t need the Black unless you want to do some reall fancy slo mo stuff.. You don’t need WiFi remotes.. I have them and many friends also.. and we never use them.. So all you need is the plain and cheap white GoPro.. Set it on 720 and one touch record and that’s it.. Easy peasy.

Some tips.. Take the card out to copy the movie files to your computer and use a digital camera to re format the card after each use.. It also helps if you have a Mac computer so you can use the free iMovie program to make your movie.. and one last thing.. Use Vimeo instead of YouTube.

DJ

I recently bought this Go Pro 2 as its the same mp as the white Go Pro 3 (both 11mp, whereas the black is 12mp) as the black is that little bit too much more expensive for what you get. Then again if you can afford it then might as well black it.

The 2 has problems too but only after a certain software update has been uploaded, and there are ways to fix it but if you can read a bit online before buying then you’ll be doing your self a favour. Unsure of the 3 problems but it does seem like a trending pattern of Go Pro cameras almost all having software issues like they’ve not really tested them before sticking them on the market.

White is only 5mpx on the GoPro site, the data rate is lower than the silver, which is the same as the hd2. It’s also not compatible with ProTune and less Shlomo options.

http://gopro.com/product-comparison-hero3-cameras

None of these really matter, the white is great and will capture the feeling!

Just to point out that the likes of Vimeo will crop you back to 720 unless you are paying for it, also for most it will come out at 720. I think You tube does go to 1080 now but you will be uploading for a while…

Not saying more isn’t better and it will be great for zooming in etc.

White is similar to the original Hero.

Silver is HD2 level but smaller and with WiFi.

Black looks awesome but will need a mega PC and has had reported QC issues.

white has wifi too.,

http://gopro.com/product-comparison-hero3-cameras
Full Comparison

Many critics of the 3 felt it had been rushed through production and subsequently suffered lots of QC issues. Plenty of negative customer service stories around too. Both are reasons I’ve not yet bought a GoPro, but at the same time I can’t make my mind up over the competition.

I have a silver, 60fps at 720 is fine for me, I don’t want to watch anythng any slower and 720 is fine for my viewing pleasure. I’ve had freezing problems but will try the new update. The footage really is good though, I love mine.

thanks for all the replies people 🙂

I do quite like to do slow motion in edits, but I guess you can still do that with white, its just a bit choppy compared to black.

I’m leaning towards a white I think. Its quite a bit cheaper.

The Hero 3 Silver has WiFI capability, but no remote. You can get a phone App to remote control it, and the iPad App means you can preview it as well.

You can get a phone App to remote control it, and the iPad App means you can preview it as well.

you can preview in ipad and iphone app. both work with white, silver and black.

jam bo – Member
You can get a phone App to remote control it, and the iPad App means you can preview it as well.
you can preview in ipad and iphone app. both work with white, silver and black.

I was hoping to make the distinction between the apple based apps and the one on my Nokia, which will control but not preview. Guess I failed by failing to mention non-Apple apps! 😳

Scapegoat – Member

jam bo – Member
You can get a phone App to remote control it, and the iPad App means you can preview it as well.
you can preview in ipad and iphone app. both work with white, silver and black.

I was hoping to make the distinction between the apple based apps and the one on my Nokia, which will control but not preview. Guess I failed by failing to mention non-Apple apps!

The Android app does exactly the same as the iPhone app.

The Android app does exactly the same as the iPhone app.

Heretic!!!

Is the Preview/Review any good? Tempted by it either as the WIFI backpack (but that makes the camera bulkier or by finding the cash for a new camera and using the old one as a Pic In Pic source (forward/back etc)

Preview works great for setting up shots, also for starting /stopping the camera without disturbing the positioning (especially useful when static mounted on a gorillapod or something similar). The app is a much simpler way to change all the settings too, far quicker and simpler than scrolling through all the menus.

awesome, do you know if the app is the same (with the same control) on the older version?

There’s only 1 app available from gopro so all the functions are the same, but you will need the backpack. I think the HD2 with a backpack isn’t very different from the silver HD3.

The Wi-Fi Combo Kit includes the Wi-Fi BacPac and Wi-Fi Remote. The Wi-Fi Combo Kit is compatible with the HD HERO2 and Original HD HERO cameras. (For Original HD HERO cameras, the Wi-Fi Combo Kit will enable remote control, but will not connect with the GoPro App.)

Bit more searching yields a 🙁

Sony Action Cam HDR-AS15 from John Lewis for £200.

Far better than Hero.

my daughter wants one for BMX and Waverider and its birthday month – so i can pick up a Hero2 surf edition relatively cheaply so reading above not worth getting a 3 and don’t update software and use an ipad as a remote?

Edit re read above need wifi backpack to use any sort of remote?

Oh ya … if you need to mount the Sony AS15 on your car dashboard you may use this cheap mounting device.

This mobile phone mounting

Then mount it onto the one Sony VCT-TA1.

chewkw – Member
Sony Action Cam HDR-AS15 from John Lewis for £200.

Far better than Hero.

Looked at them and not convinced it’s better, on par was my virdict and when it came out around christmas it was nowhere near with the mounts etc.

antigee

Edit re read above need wifi backpack to use any sort of remote?

The HD2 needs the wifi kit (bacpac &/or remote) the remote looks useful to have on you especially if you plan to use an ipad out in the wilds..
The original HD is compatible with the remote but not the app.

https://itunes.apple.com/hk/app/gowifi-pro/id588496816?mt=8

just found this app and its awesome, 69p and you can download pics and videos straight onto iphone/ipad via wifi. result.

the remote looks useful to have on you especially if you plan to use an ipad out in the wilds..

thanks mike good point – i was thinking about setting up at home but thats not how it’ll end up

PSA : The Sony is currently available for £179.99 in Argos.

Picked one up this evening, it was down to the Sony or a grey import Gopro silver from eBay. Time will tell whether I made the right call.

Now just need to sort out some mounts.