FYI everyone: Right now on eBay, GoPro is selling certified refurbished Hero 4 Silvers with a 1-year factory warranty for only $219.
Great deal, but unfortunately they weren't available early enough for me to buy in advance of my trip. Luckily though, that worked well as a bargaining chip when haggling down the price of a Craigslist purchase (everyone wants what they paid for it)
And, since I know you're all waiting with baited breath (or maybe you are someone from the future who is trying to make the same decision) I decided to go for a GoPro Hero 4 Silver from Craigslist ($220 - $290 depending on which seller I go with and how many accessories) because:
- If I got an older/cheaper GoPro without a built-in screen that means I have to bring extra cases and accessories to accommodate a BacPac...but all I'm traveling with is a backpack. Gotta keep it light
- I was not convinced that the Yi 4K (the other camera I was most impressed by) would offer a sturdy/reliable waterproof case (I read a handful of reviews about defective cases and I didn't want to waste mental energy on my vacation worrying about that)
- I'd still have to buy the case if I bought the Yi 4K, at which point it's more expensive than a Hero 4 Silver at current prices
- If I ever want to sell it, GoPro has a bigger used market than a less familiar Chinese brand
- I can borrow extra mounts & accessories from a couple friends whose GoPro kits are collecting dust
- I heard GoPro's software was easy to use and I don't really feel like figuring out a more difficult program
- I want to get a red filter of some kind, and there are many available for GoPro already
- I am horrible at planning things in advance and constantly rely on Amazon Prime's free 2-day shipping to enable this bad habit and save me in a pinch, and if I bought a Chinese camera and had to go to AliExpress for all my cheap 3rd party needs I would have to actually learn to plan ahead for once (personal growth? who has time for that?? lol)
- The Intova couldn't be used out of its case and I really like the unassuming size of a GoPro without a case or in a minimal frame case. More versatile for my photographic interests.
- Marketing and branding work and I was way more excited about getting a "new" GoPro than one of the other ones
Anyway, you probably don't actually care what I decided to buy, but thanks so much for the feedback! I'm super excited about going to pick it up and getting to play around with it (buying new toys is fun)
