robint
Contributor
Here is a link to all my videos from my Roatan trip, June 2013
https://vimeo.com/album/2443620
I would like to make some comments though, for those who are using the GoPro Hero2 as well as others who are buying the Hero3.
The monitor back: I bought it for this trip as I was pulling my hair out last year after my Cozumel trip. I had missed some incredible footage due to shooting too high or low. I almost gave up using it altogether as I was so frustrated. I decided to go ahead and order the monitor back for my Hero2 and give it another shot.
WOW. Did it make a difference! It has its limitations, like when there isn't much contrast, but overall it helped me "frame" my shots better. I am VERY pleased with it in that regard. I got more footage and only had a few clips where I was aiming wrong.
Next: It does overheat the unit. BE AWARE! The GoPro when turned on, even in just 'standby mode' produces heat. The monitor back quadruples that heat. I had moisture munchers inside the housing but found that it would overheat and SHUT OFF automatically, even with a full battery. Nothing would cool it off but opening the housing and letting out the heat. (not a good thing to do underwater, obviously!)
Is it worth it? Yes! Once I figured out the overheating issue, I would shut off the GoPro as I swam around. If I saw something cool, I would turn it back on... it really has a quick startup so no biggy. Problem fixed. In shallow depths, there was sunlight-glare on screen, so impossible to see it but this was true with my big expensive camcorder, too. I just had to aim and hope for best.
The GoPro in General:
I saw several other people at resort with them, some with it on a handle, some with it clipped on BC. I have no idea what their footage looks like or if they had any problems. I do think this product works beautifully for beginner videographers and can capture fun moments in the water. COST is really great, too.
Footage with a GoPro is NOT anything like with my old fullsized camcorder. There is no zoom focus, just a fixed focus. This means when I tried to focus on a seahorse, I got fuzzy footage unless I was more than a foot away. My old camcorder would autofocus to it. The tradeoff.... for me it is worth it. I was tired of carrying that old camcorder, traveling with it, paying extra bag fee for it. This little GoPro clips to my BC when not in use, or when getting on or off the boat.
I am happy with it... for now. Will I upgrade? Not sure yet. For now it works for me so why spend more $$.
robin
https://vimeo.com/album/2443620
I would like to make some comments though, for those who are using the GoPro Hero2 as well as others who are buying the Hero3.
The monitor back: I bought it for this trip as I was pulling my hair out last year after my Cozumel trip. I had missed some incredible footage due to shooting too high or low. I almost gave up using it altogether as I was so frustrated. I decided to go ahead and order the monitor back for my Hero2 and give it another shot.
WOW. Did it make a difference! It has its limitations, like when there isn't much contrast, but overall it helped me "frame" my shots better. I am VERY pleased with it in that regard. I got more footage and only had a few clips where I was aiming wrong.
Next: It does overheat the unit. BE AWARE! The GoPro when turned on, even in just 'standby mode' produces heat. The monitor back quadruples that heat. I had moisture munchers inside the housing but found that it would overheat and SHUT OFF automatically, even with a full battery. Nothing would cool it off but opening the housing and letting out the heat. (not a good thing to do underwater, obviously!)
Is it worth it? Yes! Once I figured out the overheating issue, I would shut off the GoPro as I swam around. If I saw something cool, I would turn it back on... it really has a quick startup so no biggy. Problem fixed. In shallow depths, there was sunlight-glare on screen, so impossible to see it but this was true with my big expensive camcorder, too. I just had to aim and hope for best.
The GoPro in General:
I saw several other people at resort with them, some with it on a handle, some with it clipped on BC. I have no idea what their footage looks like or if they had any problems. I do think this product works beautifully for beginner videographers and can capture fun moments in the water. COST is really great, too.
Footage with a GoPro is NOT anything like with my old fullsized camcorder. There is no zoom focus, just a fixed focus. This means when I tried to focus on a seahorse, I got fuzzy footage unless I was more than a foot away. My old camcorder would autofocus to it. The tradeoff.... for me it is worth it. I was tired of carrying that old camcorder, traveling with it, paying extra bag fee for it. This little GoPro clips to my BC when not in use, or when getting on or off the boat.
I am happy with it... for now. Will I upgrade? Not sure yet. For now it works for me so why spend more $$.
robin
