 Poster: A snowHead
|
As promised on another thread I said I would post some real world battery testing of the gopro camera in their variouse configurations. Not all the configurations done and not at snowsports temperatures which will affect things. (NB pt = protune)
Standby tests (camera on but not recording) measured with a stop watch, all video tests measured by total length of video files recorded, all tests recorded at room temperature close to 20c.
HD1 firmware v01.01.54
Standby no bacpac 3h:30m
no bacpac 1080p30 video test 2h:03m.46s
HD2 firmware HD2.08.12.50
Standby no bacpac 2h:14m
HD2 firmware HD2.08.12.58
Standby no bacpac 2h:21m
HD2 firmware HD2.08.12.124.WIFI.R33.00
Standby no bacpac not recording camera on 2h:29m
Standby with LCD bacpac attached but switched off 2h:24m
no bacpac 1080p30w video test 2h:09m.45s
LCD bacpac attached but turned off 1080p30w video test 2h:06m.21s
LCD bacpac min brightness 1080p30w video test 1h:34m.50s
LCD bacpac medium brightness 1080p30w video test 1h28m.50s
LCD bacpac max brightness 1080p30w video test 1h:16m.01s
HD2 firmware HD2.08.12.198.WIFI.R47.00
no bacpac 1080p30Tw PT ON video test 2h:01m.07s 29.6GB
no bacpac 1080p30w pt off video test 2h:12m.32s 13.9GB
HD3b firmware HD3.03.01.09
no bacpac wifi off 2.7k30T PT ON cam raw video test 1h14m.25s 23.4GB
Batt Bacpac wifi off 2.7k30T PT ON cam raw video test 1h49m.43s 35.9GB
LCD bacpac wifi off 2.7k30T PT ON cam raw video test 0h56m.50s 17.9GB
Batt Bacpac wifi off 1080p30n pt off video+photo @ 5 sec 3h18m.27s 27.8GB + 2,379 photos 867MB
no bacpac wifi off 1080p30n pt off video+photo @ 5 sec 1h56m.32s 23.4GB + 1,377 photos 368MB
LCD bacpac wifi off 1080p30n pt off video+photo @5 sec 1h18m.55s 11.0GB + 944 photos 297MB
no bacpac WiFi On 1080p30w pt off video test 1h28m.44s 12.4GB
no bacpac wifi off 1080p30w pt off video test 1h33m.35s 13.1GB
no bacpac wifi off 1080p30Tw PT ON video test 1h31m.18s 22.3GB
Batt Bacpac WiFi On 1080p30w pt off video test 2h37m.35s 22.1GB
no bacpac wifi off 1080p60w pt off video test 1h10m.47s 14.8GB
no bacpac wifi off 1080p60m pt off video test 1h10m.59s 14.9GB
no bacpac wifi off 1080p60n pt off video test 1h22m.59s 17.9GB
|
|
|
|
|
|
Obviously A snowHead isn't a real person
Obviously A snowHead isn't a real person
|
|
Thanks a lot for that! Seems the huge drawback of the Hero 3 is the battery life.. Will be about an hour in the cold I imagine. Also curious that it uses almost same battery on standby and when filming..
|
|
|
|
|
|
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?
|
It will be a while before I can test them in the cold proper, but all have battery heaters built in, I suspect the 3 will be less affected as the reduced form factor is going to make the unit run slightly hotter by default so won't have to turn up the wick on the heater so to speak.
There is a firmware due out, we are told which may or may not improve things.
In terms of the HD3b this is the key measure
no bacpac WiFi On 1080p30w pt off video test 1h28m.44s 12.4GB
as it is the resolution and option that think most will use.
In terms of the standby question, I haven't got a test of how long the hd3 will hold a charge if on but not actually recording but I will get that info. The crucial difference between the hd1,2 and the hd3 in this respect is that the hd3 actually has a built in standby mode whereby it actually powers down a lot of the device if not used (even if not actually powered off). I guess they had to engineer this in given the battery life reduction against the hd1 and 2, which as you point out last a bit longer as of right now.
|
|
|
|
|
|
You need to Login to know who's really who.
You need to Login to know who's really who.
|
an important factor is how big the data files are, if the HD3 lasts just short of 1:30 at 1080 but fills an 8GB SD card in the same time then it isn't an issue, most people who use Go Pro "seriously" will have spare batteries etc.
I am trying to find a solar charger that will charge the Go Pro whilst we stop for beer/lunch/beer/beer/beer/snow boarders to faff with bindings/beer/....
|
|
|
|
|
|
Anyway, snowHeads is much more fun if you do.
Anyway, snowHeads is much more fun if you do.
|
I gave up trying to use a solar charger years ago. They need to be massive to be of any use. I took a small solar charger with me on my first Nepal trek. It gave out so little power as to be virtually useless. Now I just take a bunch of Energizer Ultimate Lithium AAs (L91) instead. They are incredibly light, store a truck load of energy and operate down to -40.
http://data.energizer.com/PDFs/l91.pdf
Most of my kit uses AAs but it's a fairly easy job to make an adapter for other stuff.
|
|
|
|
|
|
You'll need to Register first of course.
You'll need to Register first of course.
|
Standee, indeed.
It will need to output 1 amp to charge a gopro battery iirc, you could use a 0.5 amp but I don't think the gopro batteries on board chip like the lower power and whilst some will charge okay, evidence shows that some don't.
Probably a better option is to go with a portable battery store like a pebble or something similar as they tend to have a higher output, but again it will need to output 1amp via USB and not 0.5 amps as some do.
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Some of the jew solar chargers are quite clever. Not only has PV cell efficiency improved, but they work by charging an internal cell and using that to recharge your device rather than relying on solar to directly charge your device.
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Interesting.
I've not bothered to test mine "on the bench", but I used both a HD1 and a HD2 extensively in minus 20 and below in December/ January (which limits your daylight). I'm riding cats or helis with unlimited vertical. Depending on conditions, lift type, and where lunch is, it can be a 15,000 vertical meters a day (more than you'd get at a resort because the lift is faster). In those conditions I can video every run and I have never run out of juice.
Caveats:
- I don't leave the things turned on when I'm not shooting (that makes editing a nightmare anyway). So I don't shoot useless junk, or repetitive shots of the inside of the lift etc.
- This was the last few seasons, before ProTune, so that may affect things.
- I don't need or use WiFi or other battery-sucking stuff.
- I use "one button mode" and always switch the thing off when I'm not using it.
So I'd say I'm respectably "serious" about using the things, but my approach is different to yours. If you're going to leave it on all the time (!) then you will need more power, and another SD card, and you'll spend a *lot* of your life trying to hack that footage apart into the 30 seconds which were worth keeping from the day.
Just sayin' that whilst "more power" is always fun, it's not the way I approach the problem.
|
|
|
|
|
|
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.
|
philwig, +1
Though you may just miss that crucial £250 winning face plant moment....
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
 Indeed. Although if you hit hard enough, as you may already know, you'll get an "SD Card Error" and the camera will not record the last few seconds, so it's actually quite hard to get decent face plant shots.
That is actually true, but my girlfriend does not believe me, assuming instead that my ego makes me delete those shots.
|
|
|
|
|
|
snowHeads are a friendly bunch.
snowHeads are a friendly bunch.
|
| philwig wrote: |
Indeed. Although if you hit hard enough, as you may already know, you'll get an "SD Card Error" and the camera will not record the last few seconds, so it's actually quite hard to get decent face plant shots.
That is actually true, but my girlfriend does not believe me, assuming instead that my ego makes me delete those shots. |
there is a little tip to get around that issue......
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
FAQ
