Hi guys,
Looking for your vast experience, knowledge and advice if I may? I'd like to get my o/h an action camera for Christmas and as someone who knows nothing I don't want to jump in and get the main branded one (Go-Pro) if its not the 'best' camera to buy.
Its unlikely my budget would stretch to the black go-pro. OH is a boarder. Loves the park and going off piste and I just think this would be the bees knees if he could capture some footage.
Any advice would be massively appreciated.
Thanks an advance.
Mads
Obviously A snowHead isn't a real person
Obviously A snowHead isn't a real person
I went into snow and rock with the intention of buying a contour camera and all the staff in there simply said "gopro" so I bought the silver edition and combined with the iMovie app for ipad it's so simple and I'm very happy with it .
And if you wanted to buy anything else for Christmas then buy spare batteries and sd cards !
Well, the person's real but it's just a made up name, see?
Well, the person's real but it's just a made up name, see?
I bought a GoPro for the OH last Christmas, he is the man who has everything, but can honestly say it was one of the best things I have ever bought....endless hours of fun for everyone.....go for it.
Your OH is a lucky man ('Maddington, ') I'd be over the moon if I was bought similar. Have actually been considering one of the Contour style cameras for a trip to Japan next year. I'd be interested to hear people's thoughts on Contour vs Go Pro etc.
...and thats where this post would've ended had I not had a quick look at the old Geekwire news article announcing their demise.
Apparently a sale of the business has been nominally agreed with a new investor and Contour could be resurrected sometime soon. Fingers crossed.
Then you can post your own questions or snow reports...
Then you can post your own questions or snow reports...
Hobby Mounts, Just looked on your website, looks great, I need to get a case for the GoPro and bits so will email.
After all it is free
After all it is free
Swissie wrote:
Hobby Mounts, Just looked on your website, looks great, I need to get a case for the GoPro and bits so will email.
No problem, I'll watch out for it
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You'll get to see more forums and be part of the best ski club on the net.
my brief 2p worth..
not everyone likes the gopro form factor, but in my view it offers the widest range of mounting and hand holding options.
In terms of quality, and aside from the current focus issue with the hd3+ it offers the best quality and also the greatest number of capture formats. With 4k, 2.7k protune, cam raw and the options (dependant on the exact model).
However that being said the other options, contour, drift, action cam and all the others you generally get a cheaper platform and for most people the quality will be more thangood enough. (youtube, family videos and a bit of fun etc). You also get a great form factor for helmet mounting, which is where some people dont like the gopro and the telletubby look. The hd3 and the new plus case do reduce this form factor quite considerably, though there is still a bit of the tellytubby about it when monted on a helmet.
Ski the Net with snowHeads
Ski the Net with snowHeads
I am seriously contemplating one of these : http://www.sony.co.uk/hub/action-camera look for them on amazon , the just out of date model is very discounted right now and they look suitable for "regular" use also.
I have to say the footage he has used from the GoPro in that comparison video is horrendous and nothing like the quality should be. Not sure why it's so bad, but it really doesn't do the GoPro justice at all.
And love to help out and answer questions and of course, read each other's snow reports.
And love to help out and answer questions and of course, read each other's snow reports.
Some gopro footage, hd3 black, not altered, fettled, just shot by an 11 year old and uploaded by her dad.
So if you're just off somewhere snowy come back and post a snow report of your own and we'll all love you very much
So if you're just off somewhere snowy come back and post a snow report of your own and we'll all love you very much
Hobby Mounts wrote:
I have to say the footage he has used from the GoPro in that comparison video is horrendous and nothing like the quality should be. Not sure why it's so bad
Because it is on YouTube so bares only a vague resemblance to the original video from the camera. You cannot make any sensible comparison on YouTube, it is all bullshit, all the comparisons are bullshit. The only way you can compare footage is with the original video filmed by the same person with the same level of competence in the same conditions.
If you have the money get the GoPro Black.
The Sony lacks the B frames in the X.264 video (I've analyzed the video frame by frame myself), this means it needs a higher bit rate than the GoPro to get the same quality. The Sony tops out at 25mbps at 1080p at 60 fps. That is adequate but I believe the GoPro will go to 35 mbps or higher (uncompressed 1080p needs more like 1gbps). The result are some horrible compression artefacts on dark areas or where there is a lot of movement - waves in a video will blocky, grass, confeti etc. The GoPro raw mode is where it is at for pro use.
The price of the Sony is interesting, if you can live with the limitations, including the sony lens flare and violet spots (which you see on other Sony cameras), the somewhat wacky mounting options and faff (access to power and microphone in the case etc.) the awful colour rendition, then it may be for you. The stabilization works well, better than post production stabilization for most circumstances. The sound out of the case is good.
Either camera, and especially the GoPro, will need good filming and editing skills to get the best out of the camera. Probably beyond most of the people who buy them, which is why their films don't look anywhere near as good as the pro footage.
disclaimer: I have the Sony AS15. I bought it knowing the limitations. If I had twice the money to drop on an action cam I would have got the Black. But don't think you are getting the Black at the price of a Sony.
ps: please please no more footage of the tips of skis on YouTube, we've seen enough already.
You know it makes sense.
You know it makes sense.
davidof wrote:
.
Show me ANY camera that does raw 1080p at 1gbps, heck even 1Gbps I'd be surprised to see.
@OP, having used a lot of action cams in the past this is my view:
The gopro SD is the best one they've ever made. it was exactly the same in all conditions, and the big plus is that it has a viewfinder.
You may say, yeah but it's SD. So what? There's no action cam out there that puts out a good quality video, the newest gopros are still heavily oversharpening and the dynamic range is just horrific.
The reason I think most people are significantly better off with a contour, is the audio.
audio on contours is not amazing, but compared to any gopro it's absolutely phenomenal, makes the biggest difference to videos, usable audio at 480p is far better than no audio at 1080p, this is in the case of "home movies"
Otherwise you'll just go on seeing the one name:
Otherwise you'll just go on seeing the one name:
mag1882, the audio on the new Black+ is significantly better I am told, as is the dynamic range (they just need to resolve the focus questions). The improved audi is down to 3 things.
Better audio system and mic.
Better audio signal processing.
Thinner housing.
The gopro is never going to have the same audio characteristics if it's used in the waterproof housing, because it's errrr in a waterproof housing. Used in the frame mount it's improved even further.
I've owned a Contour and done side by side comparisons with my mates GoPro Black, the GoPro quality is miles better IMHO
Obviously A snowHead isn't a real person
Obviously A snowHead isn't a real person
kitenski, indeed, the Grand Couloir in Courchevel. Mrs Ansta1 had a heart attack when she saw the vid.
In terms of quality I would agree the black is way better, but it's also more expensive. What you get with the black is lots of options for image capture and onward editing. Most folks don't need all of those options as they just want to shoot and watch it or upload it to YT.
Well, the person's real but it's just a made up name, see?
Well, the person's real but it's just a made up name, see?
Quote:
The gopro is never going to have the same audio characteristics if it's used in the waterproof housing, because it's errrr in a waterproof housing.
Which was one of the nice things about the Contour, you don't need to use a waterproof housing in a snow environment - you only need the housing if you're taking it under water. Fingers crossed for a revival of the Contour brand soon!
TBH neither the gopro or the contour answer the OPs post which is for a cheap action cam. £250+ isn't cheap. And there is no point dropping that kind of money unless you're really comitted to filming stuff. IME filming and getting good footage requires planning, thought, discipline and compromising your own day skiing or riding to get the footage you want. If you're after a 'bit of fun' then there isn't any need to spend big money as it'll just end up uncharged in a drawer, surrounded by mounts you used once.
Richard_Sideways, the OP doesn't actually say they want a cheap one, that's the other ski-cam thread I think. Just that they can't stretch to a Black GP. But the second half of the paragraph is spot on.
"IME filming and getting good footage requires planning, thought, discipline and compromising your own day skiing or riding to get the footage you want. If you're after a 'bit of fun' then there isn't any need to spend big money as it'll just end up uncharged in a drawer, surrounded by mounts you used once."
Anyway, snowHeads is much more fun if you do.
Anyway, snowHeads is much more fun if you do.
ansta1, yeh I recognise it, I've skied it a few times
Richard_Sideways, FWIW the official contour waterproof case broke my contour when it let water in on it's first outing
ansta1, Cameras aside, this narrow approach on your movie looks just terrifying.
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Then you can post your own questions or snow reports...
Tom W wrote:
ansta1, Cameras aside, this narrow approach on your movie looks just terrifying.
Yep, fall off the left side its a quick trip to Meribel, fall off the right side it's a quick trip to Courchevel 1850 (exaggerated slightly for effect). Fair play to the instructor for taking them down it. It's bad enough going down it on my own but with a group of 9-11 year olds. eeek..
After all it is free
After all it is free
If you want a camera to just put some ski stuff on youtube consider an 808#16 or Mobius.
the advantage being I could just carry it tucked under my wrist and whip it out to film. 720p quality is close to the Sony Action Cam. Because it was filmed from the bike it has been heavily image stabilized in post-prod, with a bit of care you can get much better quality than this.
The SJ1000/2000/3000 also produce very good footage but the early versions were not well thought out.
It still comes down to the fact that GoPro do this action cam thing very very well and apart from specialist cameras like the Red mentioned above the rest follow. Ok they do marketing better than everyone.
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You'll get to see more forums and be part of the best ski club on the net.
this is the kind of quality you can get out of GoPro though **with a focus mod**... noticeably sharper than the 808 footage IMHO
Raw Hero3+ Black footage after re-focus mod. Tarot T-2D brushless gimbal from Ian
mag1882, the audio on the new Black+ is significantly better I am told, as is the dynamic range (they just need to resolve the focus questions). The improved audi is down to 3 things.
Better audio system and mic.
Better audio signal processing.
Thinner housing.
The gopro is never going to have the same audio characteristics if it's used in the waterproof housing, because it's errrr in a waterproof housing. Used in the frame mount it's improved even further.
Yeah that's my point, contours are usable on their own for snowsports I believe, no underwater housing necessary, although the gopro frame may do that too, haven't looked into it.
and hahaha you'd be giving this guy a run for his money with a red on your head
Well it would be. However again we are looking at footage reencoded by Vimeo with a bitrate of 6.7mb/s, on my monitor all the vegation detail is muddy. It would be interesting to see the raw footage from the gopro.
Poster: A snowHead
Poster: A snowHead
davidof, video allows you download the full version.
Obviously A snowHead isn't a real person
Obviously A snowHead isn't a real person
ansta1 wrote:
davidof, video allows you download the full version.
Yes, I did.
It may be that they (the author) re-encoded the footage before uploading to Vimeo but it is not the original GoPro footage. I'm pretty sure (that's like 100%) that even the HD download has been re-encoded by Vimeo. Now they may have some superb h.264 codec at Vimeo that can compress better than a GoPro can but you are taking compressed footage out of the GoPro at 29 mb/s and reencoding it at 6.7 mb/s with two lossy passes of compression in the mix. The quality of what you see on Vimeo is not going to be the same as the original.
Well, the person's real but it's just a made up name, see?
Well, the person's real but it's just a made up name, see?
If they are shooting non protune on a non SanDisk card then at 1080-30fps they should be getting about 38-42mb/s out out of the camera.
Thanks everyone for your knowledge & opinions, its a big help.
Looks like its go pro all the way! Just which model will Santa be able to stretch to??
Thanks again,
M
Anyway, snowHeads is much more fun if you do.
Anyway, snowHeads is much more fun if you do.
if its a gopro black+ or silver plus, would leave it as late as you can as they are probably going to start shipping the revised models (with the focus adjusted) from Oct but waiting till the November batch would be a wise option. If you do get one, check the serial number. the 0813 are the worst, 0913 seem hit and miss, if its a 1013 or an 1113 you are probably on a good standing. That being said there are lots of people still happy with their cameras as they are.
ansta1, does that mean the cameras are physically different or they have new firmware which can be updated on the 0813 and 09 13 models. if it cant then being the picky person i am i will be making contact with go pro for an updated 3+BE.
showing my naivity how can i tell which batch my go pro is? i cant see any markings on the box, inside the box or camera to indicate this so assume it must be in the menu settings of the camera- again i cant find it in the menu settings. tried my best friend google and he couldnt help me unless i was asking him the wrong question.
help with my learning curve would be appreciated.
thanks
Then you can post your own questions or snow reports...
Then you can post your own questions or snow reports...
The serial number is behind the battery
After all it is free
After all it is free
MogulMonkey, gad, says the serial number is on a label in the battery compartment for black+ it should read H3B+B the next four digits are the date code, so 0813 is the august 2013 batch and 0913 is the september 2013 batch.
There are 2 problems being talked about.
The have adjusted the focus area to be closer, this has resulted in the distance being less sharp than some would like. The discussion is around whether this was completely intentional and the general view is that they have either gone too far with the adjustment on the production models but it could equally just be a manufacturing fault. The view is that they are fixing this issue on the next batch of cameras (presumably the Oct batch) but to be sure I'd wait to get an Nov 13 batch if possible.
There are also reports of the focus not being sharp across the whole frame which points to a misaligned sensor.
Gopro are currently accepting returns with for those that are not happy but I don't know of anyone who has had a camera as of yet from anything other than the Aug or Sep batches (both of mine are Sep).
There is a firmware update available but this is primarily to change the JPEG quality setting (it's set to 93 on the Plus, but the standard black is set to 98 ) this is I suspect just a mistake. It also appears to have made some tweaks to some of the other settings in the camera but it won't fundamentally fix a camera that isn't focussing correctly.
Some folks are self adjusting their cameras, which is their right to do and there are some really good reports that this fixes it (at the risk of breaking your camera completely and of course voiding your warranty should you actually need to replace it or they issue a formal recall).
You'll get to see more forums and be part of the best ski club on the net.
You'll get to see more forums and be part of the best ski club on the net.
Great info ansta1, Thank you
Ski the Net with snowHeads
Ski the Net with snowHeads
mag1882, have you got anything you've made with the SD up on the intertubes?
FAQ
Poster: A snowHead
how can i tell which batch my go pro is? i cant see any markings on the box, inside the box or camera to indicate this so assume it must be in the menu settings of the camera- again i cant find it in the menu settings. tried my best friend google and he couldnt help me unless i was asking him the wrong question.
