We have messed around with action cams and I decided last weekend that I would go for some new toys - a couple of Go Pro Session 5. Tiny cuboid of technology. And then I find that go pro had stopped using them, despite the fact that they are a tiny format, really handy for DH as well as skiing, and have excellent battery life. I can pick some up at the Go Pro refurb shop - but are they discontinued for a reason? Unreliable? Tedious to use without the touch screen? Any views welcome. I really thought the Session was a good solution since they fit under the visor of a DH lid and are tiny on top of a skiing helmet. Much smaller than the notional replacement, which is the size of a normal Go Pro. All views really welcomed...
Obviously A snowHead isn't a real person
Obviously A snowHead isn't a real person
I’ve got a Session 5. Didn’t know that GoPro had discontinued it, but I suspect that’s more to do with GoPro rationalising its camera lineup than any inherent problems with the Session cameras. Mine is fine, produces excellent 4K video or slo-Mo capable 1080p video. Not as good quality as the GoPro 6, but amazing for its compact size. Non-replaceable battery can be an issue if you want to record a lot of footage in a single day, but if that’s a problem go for a regular size GoPro so you can swap fresh batteries. I use the Session with a small gimbal, which fits on a chest mount and even a ski helmet for amazingly smooth footage in a very compact steadycam-like setup.
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?
@rob@rar, many thanks - very clear - I really thought that the session was exactly what we wanted and your response has confirmed this - think I will go for some refurbed ones from the Go Pro shop on eBay .... thanks again
That is the model I got for my husband for the same reasons. He has been very pleased with it and we are amazed by the quality of the recordings.
Anyway, snowHeads is much more fun if you do.
Anyway, snowHeads is much more fun if you do.
My son has owned and used a session for two years, no issues at all with it. Recommended by a friend that uses one extensively also.
It's been in the sea on body boards. Bike, body, helmet mounted for MTB use. Body, pole and helmet mounted for skiing.
Didn't realise they where to discontinue them as they offer such a good form and really are a tough well designed unit.
On charging we've previously used a USB power pack to complete on the fly, but realised that an adapter with two USB ports is available for power tool batteries.
We've got some Makita 18volt LXT powered drills etc and paired with ADP05 they will speedily charge most things via USB many times over. We took a couple of 3AH batteries camping this summer and didn't need to recharge them over one week for phones camera etc. You can get them for different makes also.
The only problem with the Session is that if you use it a lot, the battery life may become an issue and then you have to send it back to get a new battery fitted.
Then you can post your own questions or snow reports...
Then you can post your own questions or snow reports...
Many thanks all - really useful feedback
After all it is free
After all it is free
@valais2, just one more comment, the electronic stabilisation of the GoPro 6 (available at every frame rate, I think, except for 4K/50 and 1080/100) is extremely good. For action sports where the camera is moving it really does make a big difference to the quality of the video. I appreciate that size of camera is a big factor, but for a relatively small increase in camera size you do get a big increase in video quality (especially now that the GoPro 6 is waterproof so does not need a bulky case to use in water or weather).
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.
Spotted this today. Buy the cheaper GoPro Hero (1080p) and hack it to offer the 4K footage of the Hero 6 (which is £200 more expensive).
@rob@rar, thanks RobR - i like the mounting of the session under the visor of DH bikes - when in singletrack it avoids branch bashing but still seems a safe location which does not compromise safety - if the visor rips off in a fall the camera goes with it. Much better than top of helmet mounting I think. I am purchasing for Grom2’s Christmas box - in which case I might try to get a refurb Session and a GoPro6 for him to mess around with. And a chest mount?
snowHeads are a friendly bunch.
snowHeads are a friendly bunch.
I bought a Go Pro Hero 5 with a Karma grip for the boys; the stabilisation is extraordinarily good & professional.
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.
valais2 wrote:
@rob@rar, thanks RobR - i like the mounting of the session under the visor of DH bikes - when in singletrack it avoids branch bashing but still seems a safe location which does not compromise safety - if the visor rips off in a fall the camera goes with it. Much better than top of helmet mounting I think. I am purchasing for Grom2’s Christmas box - in which case I might try to get a refurb Session and a GoPro6 for him to mess around with. And a chest mount?
Yes, I've seen a Session mounted underneath a peaked visor and it is a good location, but the quality of the video of the Hero 6 is a big step up. A Session 5 and a Hero 6 is a great combination (it's what I have).
I think the chest mount is great for mountain biking, but for skiing I find the arms waving around in front to be a bit distracting so I prefer a helmet mount. I use a wrist-mount a fair amount of time (although not for skiing) which can give a nice perspective, and experimenting with sticking the camera in odd places can give dramatic shots.
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
Wristmount.
You know it makes sense.
You know it makes sense.
Ski tip mount.
Otherwise you'll just go on seeing the one name:
Otherwise you'll just go on seeing the one name:
Go pro 6 with voice control. AMAZING. Great pics. Great video quality, clarity of action, waterproof, stability without a gimbal. What’s more to say. And all hands free. What are you waiting for? Invest!
Poster: A snowHead
Poster: A snowHead
One of the go pros popped up on ukdeals this morning
Obviously A snowHead isn't a real person
Obviously A snowHead isn't a real person
[quote="rob@rar"]
valais2 wrote:
@rob@rar, thanks RobR - i like the mounting of
I think the chest mount is great for mountain biking, but for skiing I find the arms waving around in front to be a bit distracting so I prefer a helmet mount. I use a wrist-mount a fair amount of time (although not for skiing) which can give a nice perspective, and experimenting with sticking the camera in odd places can give dramatic shots.
Never NEVER mount your GoPro to your helmet, in an accident, if hit directly, will cause a serious pressure point to the helmet. (This has been proved by Schumacher). In fact if you read the small print of most good helmet instructions it will say do NOT stick anything of any kind to the helmet.
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?
Hi All.
Go ro have a problem. They entered into the drone market and made a system that was unsafe. From our companies drone expert the reason was that they made some bits really cheap and the vibration caused the batteries to loose connection and they fell out of the sky. By the tie this was rectified, other companies had taken their market share.
The share price has fallen form $95 to about $5 and they are finding it difficult to gain sales because they are at a premium price.
Fom a technology point of view, there are more and more CMOS chips-on-boards coming on the market with a big dynamic range and at a crazy price. Therefore, they will find it hard to charge a premium price compared to the tech companies in Asia getting their act together.
So I wouldn't be surprised that they are binning part of their range and trying to maximise short term margin on a select premium selection form their portfolio.
@Suzi snowflake, It has not been proved by shumacher at all... Ignore this advice. A family member alleged it, and has since been dropped.
My ideas on what camera and how to use it follow - Not directly what OP asked for, but I need to get it out once in a while.
So: Tips from use from myself who seems to regularly end up editing video (82gb of wobble cam this time, from the BB ) from variety of acton cam sources:
Based on the range of quality seen this year, maybe getting towards 10 different action cams, the higher priced ones really do make for much nicer footage. The general character of the video is vastly different, cheaper ones are over-sharp and not a 'clean' look. Colour balance on teh cheap ones was very hit and miss too. The worst one drastically changed the white balance VERY regularly. Internal stabilisation will make for much much more usable footage and something I would not want to leave out of my next gopro (and it will be a gopro) purchase. External stabilisation (a gimbal) makes for epicly smooth pro level easy-editing stuff, but it's another level of faff.
Best camera on the trip was a new gopro with 120fps 1080 footage, a briliant tool for general ski trip footage. Slow motions nicely, without a hint of image degratation on the high FPS setting.
Mounts, well, they're all good, but out of my current 7.05 hours of video a surprisingly small amount of body mount clips made it. However, they're unique, and when they work, that's the only way to get such shots. Whatever you do, don't just find out mount and stick to it all week. Switch it up! Get creative, have fun.
Sticks (or clamped to a pole) produce much better footage to edit with. Selfie mode, again they can produce some great shots, but the stuff where it's pointed at other people is my absolute best footage out of this current bunch. Having a good long stick you can point it right up next to people, where the wide angle excels and you get the most exciting footage. Ski-bys, great stuff, hanging the stick off a ski lift while a friend flies by underneath, instant drone footage. In fact, swinging them about, swapping between skiers while moving, hanging them out of gondola windows, they always end up with something unique and fun to break up an edit.
The one thing I'm missing on this trips footage is regular camera video clips, beauty shots, establishing shots, long range skier capture, it's a lack that's having me seriously considering a decent stills camera to take advantage of nice low depth of field video shots to break up the 'all action cam all of the time" look of my current project.
Again, not what OP asked, but may help people who have not yet learned to suck eggs. Many will already know all this:D
Never NEVER mount your GoPro to your helmet, in an accident, if hit directly, will cause a serious pressure point to the helmet. (This has been proved by Schumacher). In fact if you read the small print of most good helmet instructions it will say do NOT stick anything of any kind to the helmet.
Even if the helmet has an integrated camera mount?
Then you can post your own questions or snow reports...
Then you can post your own questions or snow reports...
PS, Not saying Go Pro are bad... No way. they are great.
After all it is free
After all it is free
I've got a Garmin Virb Ultra 30. Fantastic image, very good stabilisation and excellent connectivity. The battery will last all day (about 1'15" recording time) and recording starts with 2 seconds of toggling the switch. I like that the metrics are all recorded and this can really add to the playback experience.
Until I get an iMac Pro (unlikley!) 1080 at 60fps gives me the most usable and edit friendly results.
These are just over £300 at the moment.
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.
I've got the Session 5 and it's a handy bit of kit.
I only use it for short clips in video mode, but the rest of the time leave it on timelapse/timed photo mode clipped to the straps on my bag. I get hundreds of rubbish photos, but a few random shots that work out brilliantly.
If I see something I want to photo I just stand there for 10 seconds and I know I've got a shot. Saves me taking my gloves off.
Only problem is the battery life isn't amazing. It's good for the size of camera, but it getting cold makes it worse, and so I end up charging it with a USB battery pack on some lift rides which can be a bit of a faff.
I'd say, on balance, go for one.
Ski the Net with snowHeads
Ski the Net with snowHeads
I can not imagine why anyone would buy a Go Pro unless money was not of any concern.
There are so many alternatives which are as good or better and a fraction of the price.
I was looking for an underwater camera the GoPro was about 500 $ US the one I bought was 70 $. Does the job just fine.
snowHeads are a friendly bunch.
snowHeads are a friendly bunch.
@TQA, I reckon it's because they're consistent... Of the 9 (i think) cameras I've been editing from lately, the new gopro always looks just right, the older ones (I assume) are good too, consistent, but often without the "piiiiing" sweet spot of white balance and colour. random ones can be great, or just ok, or overly sharp, or all over the place with white balance drastically changing every 10 seconds, or be some strange file format that editing software doesn't like, or etc etc etc.
Wether or not that matters to anyone is of course their own decision to make, and as @GlasgowCyclops mentioned, if the chinese cheap versions get their act together and achieve that consistency, gopro are in trouble.
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.
+1 for the session. Use it wrist mounted for surfing quite a lot too. Nice to get a few epic wipeouts recorded, and particularly useful for getting videos of any wildlife, especially dolphins, that join in the fun.
I also use a hit case on an iphone. It's quite an expensive solution compared to gopro, but I picked one up on sale really cheap, and had an old phone laying around that I use in it. Bulkier than the gopro, quality pretty good. Only cost me $60 v $500 at the time for the gopro. I use the hitcase software for video, which overlays GPS data. Works well for mountain use, but too bulky for surfing.
I also fish a lot out of a kayak, and use the hitcase/iphone combo for video on the kayak and as a screen for a bluetooth fish finder, and in that scenario it's great - can watch the fish swim along on the screen and then get a video of the hook up and scrap with the fish. The fisheye lens on the hitcase makes the fish look huge too
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
TQA wrote:
I can not imagine why anyone would buy a Go Pro unless money was not of any concern.
There are so many alternatives which are as good or better and a fraction of the price.
I was looking for an underwater camera the GoPro was about 500 $ US the one I bought was 70 $. Does the job just fine.
I went go pro for (1) the voice controls, and (2) waterproof housing not just waterproof case.
Some of the less cheap cheapies do have voice control but it’s through a separate remote not the camera itself, which is one more thing to have to strap on and take off. With helmets, goggles, pack etc I already seem to spend half my ski time doing things up or undoing them again!
You know it makes sense.
You know it makes sense.
brokenbetty wrote:
TQA wrote:
I can not imagine why anyone would buy a Go Pro unless money was not of any concern.
There are so many alternatives which are as good or better and a fraction of the price.
I was looking for an underwater camera the GoPro was about 500 $ US the one I bought was 70 $. Does the job just fine.
I went go pro for (1) the voice controls, and (2) waterproof housing not just waterproof case.
Some of the less cheap cheapies do have voice control but it’s through a separate remote not the camera itself, which is one more thing to have to strap on and take off. With helmets, goggles, pack etc I already seem to spend half my ski time doing things up or undoing them again!
Agree on the benefits of the current GoPro models being waterproof without requiring an additional case. Not many of the very cheap copies have that feature.
The stabilisation on the GoPro 6 is extremely good, and seems to be way better than any of its competitors except for the Sony actioncam (which is also expensive, as well as being an unwieldy shape).
Otherwise you'll just go on seeing the one name:
Otherwise you'll just go on seeing the one name:
gopro 7 due out shortly. #justsayin
Poster: A snowHead
Poster: A snowHead
rob@rar wrote:
I think the chest mount is great for mountain biking, but for skiing I find the arms waving around in front to be a bit distracting so I prefer a helmet mount. I use a wrist-mount a fair amount of time (although not for skiing) which can give a nice perspective, and experimenting with sticking the camera in odd places can give dramatic shots.
I've had some nice vids using a cam without the waterproof box, clipped into the outside top chest pocket of my jacket. Seems to cut out the arm waving you cite, and you can look down on it to see if it's on/off etc. It's on a sort of bulldog clip bracket. (Not a GoPro)
Obviously A snowHead isn't a real person
Obviously A snowHead isn't a real person
Charliegolf wrote:
I've had some nice vids using a cam without the waterproof box, clipped into the outside top chest pocket of my jacket. Seems to cut out the arm waving you cite, and you can look down on it to see if it's on/off etc. It's on a sort of bulldog clip bracket. (Not a GoPro)
Yes, I've got one of those, works well when clipped on to the strap of a backpack, although I found I still get a bit of arm waving in the frame. One thing to be aware of when using one of those bulldog clip mounts, it can get detached from you if you bounce around a lot so it's worth thinking about a little cable tether to make sure it doesn't fall off entirely. I had this happen to me while jetskiing and was pleased I'd used a little cable loop to attach the camera to me if the bulldog clip failed or fell off.
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?
Anyone used the bog standard Hero (£200 one?). Pros/cons compare with the session 5 (same price "new")?
Also, are there any cheap and cheerful gimbals out there? Even the Feiyutech one are 3150 which seems a lot compared to a £200 camera. Is a gimbal even worth it?
Anyone used the bog standard Hero (£200 one?). Pros/cons compare with the session 5 (same price "new")?
Session records in 4K, basic Hero does not.
galpinos wrote:
Also, are there any cheap and cheerful gimbals out there? Even the Feiyutech one are 3150 which seems a lot compared to a £200 camera. Is a gimbal even worth it?
Yes, gimbal makes a huge difference.
Anyway, snowHeads is much more fun if you do.
Anyway, snowHeads is much more fun if you do.
Sony action cam for me, got it with the wrist remote which makes it really easy to use. Haven't yet tried it boarding but use it for dh.
I think I might mount to the front of the board next winter to see what happens
Sony action cam for me, got it with the wrist remote which makes it really easy to use. Haven't yet tried it boarding but use it for dh.
I think I might mount to the front of the board next winter to see what happens
If you stick it to the board, it quickly becomes covered in snow. A bulldog clip mount on the top of your boot works quite well. No hiding from dodgy carving though... your edge cut line should be thin and deep.
Wizz forward to about 1min in to see my boot clip being used. This was November powder!
Then you can post your own questions or snow reports...
Then you can post your own questions or snow reports...
That looks cool. Will have a figure out on attachments soon
After all it is free
After all it is free
rob@rar wrote:
galpinos wrote:
Anyone used the bog standard Hero (£200 one?). Pros/cons compare with the session 5 (same price "new")?
Session records in 4K, basic Hero does not.
galpinos wrote:
Also, are there any cheap and cheerful gimbals out there? Even the Feiyutech one are 3150 which seems a lot compared to a £200 camera. Is a gimbal even worth it?
Yes, gimbal makes a huge difference.
Which Gimbal are you using with the session ?
thx
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.
mishmash wrote:
Which Gimbal are you using with the session ?
Feiyutech WG2
Ski the Net with snowHeads
Ski the Net with snowHeads
Has anyone got any experience of filming people skiing moguls with a Go-Pro? I do a short edit of my son each year to track his progress from season to season, but can never get any footage of him doing steep mogul runs.
FAQ
Poster: A snowHead
) from variety of acton cam sources:
