GoPro HERO3: Black Edition

I must have read 1000 of reviews of GoPro Hero3 online. 90% of these included some kind of negative comments, namely: 1. Camera freezes 2. Battery getting hot 3. Recorded only few frames 4. WiFi not working 5. Protune problems, etc. Well, either I got lucky or I had made a good call considering that most of these reviews were written by illiterate, spoiled shoppers. Yes, it is true that Hero3 does not come with a "manual" and it is certainly true that it is kind of less intuitive to navigate menus of this camera than, say iPhone ... but iPhone was tested on non-intuitive people ... everyone knows that. And GoPro Hero3 does have only 2 buttons and no touch screen ... When camera arrived, I followed manual that I downloaded from GoPro site, inserted card, charged battery. Then I followed video posted on their site on how to update firmware. I opted for manual update (it is the same as automatic), but since I do not believe in Internet Explorer or Mozzila I have had to go with manual. It is easy ... you enter your info, name your camera and choose password, enter serial number (do not forget to put back the battery and fire up camera again - or write down serial beforehand). Their site creates custom update for you (basically it makes one extra file in which it inputs info about name of the camera and password you choose). I downloaded it as .zip ... unpacked it and copied files using Windows Explorer (or whatever Mac people use) to copy it to the root of the memory card (one in the camera ... if your PC does not recognize camera as USB storage device you may think camera is not working ... there should be additional external storage registered on your computer - that is the camera card - work pretty much the same as any flash drive). As soon as you disconnect your camera, it turns off. When you turn it on ... process of firmware update begins and it ends in approximately 6-7 minutes. It took a little while for me to figure how to navigate all menus with two buttons only, but as I said ... it is enough intuitive if you are not an average iPhone freak. Now, I am a video freak and I have few PCs, but 1440p at 48fps (native resolution) is not an easy thing to handle ... hens some people write frames skipping ... indeed. Use Quick Time Player for these high resolutions ... Windows Media player will not handle those at all, and all you can get is sound (it is NOT camera fault but PC is too weak). I had to use Adobe Premiere to make it playable on average PC. 4K only worked on my 32GB RAM workstation ... :( I downloaded GoPro App for Android, and it is smooth. Leg is about two seconds, maybe even less. It allowed me to change settings much quicker then using remote or camera itself. Quality is stunning (Protune) considering you do not have Iris, Focus, WB and Shutter speed controls like any normal camera should. I admit that Protune quality for someone who is not post processing is not optimal, but I expected that. I edit all my work anyway. Frame rates are a blast for freak such as I am ... I have whole world in slo-mo. Battery does heat up, but not to extreme. It does drain out maybe little bit too quick, therefore I bought two extra Wasabi batteries, Although, to that account I used Wifi all the time, Protune was on, and resolution was extreme while I was experimenting. Now, without Wifi, battery life is somewhat longer. GoPro App drained my phone battery pretty fast. I also purchased suction cap, head strap and few other accessories. The handlebar seat-post mount is nice accessory too. Bottom line ... it is a nice little gadget. It is unbelievable what GoPro managed to put into this little thing. Them mentioning word professional is overstatement, but I hope that you know there is nothing professional for this kind of money. One can make videos from impossible angles and in impossible situations, but for any professional work RAW files will have to be edited heavily. For someone who is serious about video as I am, I firmly recommend GoPro Hero3 Black edition. For someone who wants to make fun videos to put online or share with friend, I presume White edition, or Silver one is more then OK.

All of the adrenaline junkies will tell you how good a GoPro is, but to everyone else, it seems to get written off as a costly camera. Make no mistake about it, it is fairly pricey. There are plenty of cheap(er) cameras out that that may satisfy the bulk of the public and thus explains what I hear or read. But you get what you pay for! When you first hold one in your hand, you'll be surprised at how small the camera really is - I mean the pictures don't do it justice. It's about as big as two key fobs put together! Its amazing that so much performance can be crammed into such a little product. But it can and it works fantastically! I purchased this Black Edition specifically because I wanted the capability to have a higher frame rate in 1080p and 780 (up to 60fps in 1080 and a whopping 120 in 780!), capability to do 30fps in 12MP camera mode and because of the WiFi remote that comes with it. First, I'll mention the remote. The remote is great, especially to mount to your motorcycle, your wrist, or anything while the camera is mounted in an inaccessable or incovenient area (something as simple as mounting it on a helmet can make it a worthwhile accessory). However, since GoPro now has an app that can control the camera through your WiFi enabled device, it all but makes the remote obsolete (except in extreme cases where it is better to have the small remote). The remote works good though it takes some practice to get a hang of the using the buttons (but so does the camera). The Black Edition is a must have for anyone that will actually use higher frame rates and actually produce, whether amatuer or professional videos. I am very much an ametuer on video level but having the capability to record what some of the very best (and very expensive) cameras in the world do in such a small, practical device is simply amazing (and reassuring that it'll be relavent for at least a few years). It allows you to record cinema-quality video in a tiny little device. Depending on the setting, you can also take photos simultaneously with video (for an excellent time-lapse video, too). The only thing I and some people will be dissapointed with is the battery. I've only used it for up to an hour of video and stills, but it quickly approaches low battery in a matter of no time, especially when using WiFi (I suggest only using WiFi when focusing using the app or when absolutely necessary when using the remote to control the camera). The optional battery that plops on the back of the GoPro will likely extend the battery enough to make it useful where longer shooting times are necessary (for me, motorcycle trips are a prime instance). If GoPro figures out a way to have a waterproof case that can accept a charger for constant use, I'll be all over it. With that said, if it weren't for the amazing capabilities as far as imaging goes above the Silver, I would have, and recommend for most people, the Silver Edition GoPro. But you won't be disappointed by spending an extra $100 (at the time of this review) on this Black Edition!

Before the HD Hero3 I've already owned the original Hero camera, the HD Hero 2 camera, and now the third generation HD Hero3 in Silver Edition. I've used mine for almost a year now, here's my updated review. Smaller Camera Compared to the Hero2, the Hero3 is about half the thickness of the Hero2, but more importantly the Hero3 is noticeably lighter, both in hand and when mounted to things like helmets or handlebars. The reduced body thickness also makes the camera easier to position and get to the perfect angle - especially when using the Chesty harness mount or the handlebar mount. New Case The new sealed splash-proof case is obviously thinner like the camera, but features the same spring-loaded buttons just like the Hero2 has. If you have a large selection of Hero2 mounts and accessories, they will still work with the Hero3, including the LCD BacPac (though the newer version is in black to match the Hero3 color scheme), the Battery BacPac (newer version gets the same color treatment) and the redundant WiFi BacPac (which you won't need since WiFi is built into the Hero3). The new lens cover is rectangular, and the replaceable lens piece is now recessed behind the frame - much better than the bubble-eye Hero2 lens piece that was easily prone to getting scuffed or scratched because it stuck out. One little "improvement" that is actually a little annoying is the new 2-step release clamp at the top. Whereas with the Hero2 case you had to tug at a tight-fitting latch, on the Hero3 case you have to slide a small tab with one hand, then you can lift the latch open with the other hand. One good thing about it though is that it's nowhere near as tight to release as the old version; I guess you can say that the Hero3 case latch is more "finger-friendly" since the release tension not as stiff as HD Hero2 Controls Control-wise the redesigned "Mode" and "Set" buttons have a softer touch and are much easier to use (even with full-finger MTB gloves) but the inset WiFi button sits flush and is very small. The on-screen menus are the same as the Hero2, and now the Hero3 features both red "recoding" LED lights (4 total like the Hero2) and new blue "WiFi" LED lights to make it easy to know at a glance if you're recording and if the WiFi mode is on or not. Connections As for ports, there are three located underneath a small removable door: a mini-USB for charging and data transfer, a micro HDMI for video hookup, and the spring-loaded slot for the microSD memory card. A short USB to mini-USB cable is included in the box, but that's about it. The 3.5mm external mic and video output plugs are no longer present (both replaced by the micro HDMI). By the way, the separate port cover is cumbersome, as it isn't attached to the camera case and can be easily misplaced or lost. If you're using the fully sealed case you can just leave the cover off and be done with it. I'm glad they stuck with a standard, "easy to find a cable at any electronics store" mini-USB port for charging instead of some proprietary port. I do wish that they included some small AC-to-USB charger in the box, but you can buy these easily on Amazon (I use an extra iPhone 5w AC cube charger). Built-in WiFi With the built-in WiFi you can use the optional GoPro Wi-Fi Remote or the free GoPro App your iOS/Android phone or tablet to have full control over the camera remotely. (see below regarding the app). This is an improvement over the HD Hero 2 in that the Hero 2 required a separate purchase of the LCD BacPac to have WiFi capability; not only was this an extra $80, but the WiFi BacPac also added bulk and weight to the HD Hero 2's size. With the WiFi built-in to the HD Hero 3, the Hero3 retains it's smaller, lighter profile. Please note that you don't actually need an iPhone (cell phone) to use the GoPro App... you can use an iPod Touch or a WiFi iPad; As long as it is on iOS6+ and has WiFi it can connect to the GoPro WiFi BacPac - a cellular signal is not required. I've tried the App with my iPhone 5, iPhone 4S, and iPad Mini WiFi and all three are fully functional; I can adjust camera settings, start and stop video recording, snap still photos, and power the GoPro on/off - plus with the screen preview I can see what the camera is seeing - a feature that the GoPro $80 remote does NOT have. The GoPro App With the GoPro app on your iOS6/Android Wi-Fi enabled device you can adjust video resolution, camera burst speed, and even the beep volume - basically anything you can adjust with the two buttons on the camera can be done with the app. There's also a basic video preview on your phone/tablet to see exactly what the camera is seeing - great for eating up static camera shots or odd angles where seeing what the camera sees isn't easy. Granted, in my review of the GoPro Wi-Fi BacPac + Wi-Fi Remote Combo Kit I had mentioned that there is a 5 second lag between what the camera is seeing and what you see in the video preview on the app. The lag is very noticeable and not something you'd want to use in real-time. Recently GoPro updated the firmware, finally adding in a host of features that were originally promised with version 1.0 of the app. These new features include the ability to watch any recorded footage through the app, view photos taken by the camera, copying GoPro footage to mobile devices, and social media sharing. Video Quality I was very happy with the video performance of my previous Hero2, and after using the Hero3 extensively in 2012-now, the Hero3 has produced video that looks much better than the Hero2. At 1080p/30fps setting, white balance set to "Auto", and wide FOV, video was smooth and crisp when viewed on my 55" HDTV. At 960p/48fps, the video quality was similar to 1080p, but with the added bonus of clear, crisp slow-motion footage just like you see in the various GoPro promo videos. (WVGA supposedly gives even better slow-motion footage, but only at a resolution of 800x480.) The Hero3 allows you to optionally set the white balance as well as activate the "spot meter" for certain types of filming, but I left these at their default settings and I still came up with nice video footage, many times a step above the quality of the old Hero2. Taking Photos The Hero3 can be used as a regular 11mp digital camera, with point and shoot, burst, and time-lapse functionality. I took a few pics of random stuff around the house just to try it out; I found that there was a slight lag between when you click the button and when the camera actually takes the shot. Later on I also noticed that even when in "narrow" POV, the GoPro still has a wide field of view; noticeably wider than what I'd see at the same distance with my iPhone 5 camera or even a regular point-and-shoot digital camera. At first you'd think to yourself, "great - that just means I can capture more stuff in the photo!" but to take a photo with the GoPro that would have the same amount of info you would have to stand really REALLY close to the subject. Like uncomfortably close. And having no viewfinder (unless you spend another $80 for the LCD BacPac) makes it difficult to get your distance right. Sure, you can use the GoPro app to see what the camera sees, but that's redundantly pointless; for one, the "app lag" I mentioned earlier. Second, you're now holding TWO devices just to see what you're going to take a photo with. And third - at that point you might as well have just used your Phone camera to take the photo in the first place! Also, the GoPro HD Hero3 has burst and time-lapse modes. It adds to the feature list, but honestly? Leave that to DSLRs; if anything, the Hero3's camera mode could have been more useful if it had a timer function - say, if you wanted to take a self-shot with a nice background in the middle of a trail ride. Honestly - the Hero3 is first and foremost a VIDEO camera; if you want to take still digital photos, use a dedicated point-and-shoot or DSLR instead. Firmware Update - It's Not That Bad Really When you open the box, the first thing you'll see is a note from GoPro telling you that you need to update the camera firmware to the latest version. Unfortunately the actual process of updating the camera firmware isn't a double-click,10 second thing; it takes multiple steps just to get the camera firmware up to date. But it's not complicated - it just takes some time and lots of steps. I've listed the entire firmware update process at the bottom of this review, step by step, exactly how I did it. For people who "tinker" with things (like me) it's not that big of a deal, but there are some people who make this a deal breaker. Personally I'd rather spend a few minutes to have the latest firmware on my camera than to use it "as is" and miss out on any features/improvements. Consider it "some assembly required" - there are things you buy that need to be assembled before they can be used, and (for now) the Hero3's "assembly required" is a firmware update. The Verdict Sure there may be smaller "action cameras" out there, but there's a good reason why GoPro cameras are the most popular - they work well and are tough little machines. I was very happy with the HD Hero2, and the new HD Hero3 upped the performance. The Hero3 is smaller, lighter, easier to use (well, the only exception is the new latch mechanism), and records excellent video. The still camera function is ok, but the built-in WiFi is the best feature - no add-on BacPac required, keeping the camera weight and bulk at a minimum. There are a few complaints I have that keep it from getting a 5-star rating. The first is the new locking mechanism for the waterproof case - the small release slider is a pain to move to open the case. The second is that, although I personally have no problem with it, most people will cringe at the whole firmware update process, mainly because not only should it be easier to get (you have to enter camera serial numbers and name/email info just to get the firmware update) but there's some manual file moving to do when performing the update. Oh - and if you want to change your WiFi password for the camera in the future, the only way to do it is to re-update the firmware by doing the entire update process again on the website - definitely inconvenient. Which "Edition" Should You Buy? At the initial release of the HD Hero3, a lot of people were having problems with the Black Edition Hero 3; everything from random crashing, to having to remove the battery just to unfreeze and reset the camera; a friend of mine got the Black Edition last Christmas, tried it out, and his unit was also plagued with the same issues. Meanwhile, I personally never saw any of the same issues with the Silver Edition, and my Hero3 has been performing flawlessly since I started using it (even after a 7 hour mountain bike ride). After the latest firmware update, there were no more reported problems from my friend, so here's my updated recommendations: "White Edition" GoPro HD HERO3: White Edition - At $100 less than the Silver Edition, the "White Edition" is the lowest-priced Hero3. It is basically just the original Hero (1) camera with built-in WiFi - skip this version, it's not worth it. "Silver Edition" (This model) - Unless you're a specialist (see "Black Edition"), the Silver Edition is most likely the way to go for the majority of users out there looking for a versatile action camera, and is priced at the same $299 that the last model HD Hero2 was selling for. My review is based on this model. "Black Edition" GoPro HD HERO3: Black Edition - For $100 more over the Silver Edition you can get the Black Edition. You get the GoPro WiFi Remote in the package (Which sells for about $80) and the Black Edition has some unique features that you may or may not really need, such as: - Capability to shoot video and stills at the same time - can be useful, but not a must-haves if your main purpose is to shoot personal action sports videos. - Higher burst photo mode, and a unique "Continuous Photo Mode." Honestly, Honestly, after using a GoPro camera for the last 3 years (starting with the original GoPro Hero) I've never really had a need to have these specific features in a single device. For one, if I wanted high-quality still action photos I'd rather use a DSLR with interchangeable lenses and more settings than the GoPro has. Second, taking still photos with a GoPro is a "guess and shoot" affair since there's no viewfinder built-in to the camera - unless I spend another $80 for the LCD BacPac just so I can see what the lens sees. Or I can use the GoPro App on my iPhone, but at that point when I pull my iPhone out I usually just use the iPhone's 8MP camera, which is pretty crisp on its own. - Black Edition does 1440p48/2.7kp30 and 4kp15 resolutions, but most people don't have HDTVs that can do that yet. Plus, the way I see it, by the time 1440p/2.7kp30/4.5kp15-capable HDTVs are mainstream and in most people's homes, I'm sure there will be a newer version of the Hero camera by then. When all is said and done, I believe that normal everyday people who want an "action sports camera" to use during activities (not in a specialized field such as filmmaking) can get a lot out of the Silver Edition. Having the capability to do 1080p/60 and 720p/120 are nice to have but I don't think they are essential for the everyday normal buyer, especially when you take into consideration the fact that a majority of the footage recorded by GoPro's will be uploaded to the internet on YouTube or Vimeo. So in the end I still feel that the Silver Edition is the way to go for a majority of the people out there looking for an action camera. If you just want a GoPro HD Hero3 to capture your adventures on a mountain bike, or a surfboard, or in a car, and you want to make your own action videos to share online, go with the "Silver." ------------------------------------------------------------------ UPDATING YOUR GOPRO HD HERO 3 FIRMWARE ------------------------------------------------------------------ When you receive your new HD Hero3 camera, chances are that a firmware update is immediately required. I STRONGLY suggest that you do this as soon as you receive your camera, because it takes some time to do, and you might as well get it over with right away. I've posted instructions on how to do the firmware update to an Amazon Guide, the URL is below: http://www.amazon.com/gp/richpub/syltguides/fullview/R1YIDPFMZK6QUU

Lets Start with Pros and Cons Pros: Huge range of movie quality settings Useful 30fps max still image burst rate Remote and app control Top-notch video and photo quality Good range of accessories Cons: Supplied software a little limited Built-in microphone is overly directional The GoPro Hero3 Black Edition is a small but tough camera and camcorder designed to be used in the harshest of conditions. If you've ever watched the Deadliest Catch you'll know the astonishingly exacting the conditions it is filmed in are. Can you guess what they use to film? That's right it's GoPro cameras. That's how tough they are. As the flagship product in the GoPro range, the GoPro Hero3 Black Edition has a number of upgrades over its cheaper siblings. First and foremost, the big addition for the Black Edition package is the supplied Wi-Fi remote control that lets you control the camera – handy if the camera itself is attached to a helmet or anywhere else that might make reaching the buttons tricky. We’ll deal with the set-up and operation of the remote in more depth later on, but for adventurous souls looking to mount their camera somewhere they cannot physically reach it, the Wi-Fi remote is sure to appeal. In addition to the supplied Wi-Fi remote, the Black Edition also has a beefed-up, higher resolution 12MP camera. By way of comparison, the Silver Edition gets an 11MP snapper, while the entry-level White Edition only gets a 5MP sensor. In addition to the full 12MP, the Black Edition also shoots at 7MP and 5MP if needed. Perhaps more useful to the camera’s target audience is the Black Edition’s 30fps maximum burst rate. This is considerably higher than both the Silver Edition’s 10fps and the White Edition’s 3fps. It’s a useful advantage because, in the fast-moving world of adrenaline sports, the ability to fire off 30 consecutive shots is much more likely to bag you exactly the shot you want. For those who don’t require quite so much speed, the Black Edition has 3fps, 5fps and 10fps continuous shooting speeds, too. Last but not least the GoPro Hero3 Black Edition has a time-lapse mode, where the camera can be set to shoot at 0.5, 1, 2, 5, 10, 30 and 60-second intervals. It all adds up to plenty of scope and flexibility. Of course, the majority of people looking to purchase a Hero3 will probably be much more interested in its video capabilities than its still image prowess, and here again the Black Edition enjoys a distinct advantage over its two supporting models. While the Silver and White editions support a maximum resolution of 1080p at 25fps, the Black Edition can capture 1080p Full HD video at 50/48/25fps in PAL mode (60/48/30fps for NTSC capture). Furthermore 720p recording can be captured at 100/50fps (120/60fps for NTSC), which enables smooth slow-motion playback of high-def movies – something neither the Silver or White editions are capable of. The Black Edition also supports 4K capture at 15fps, or 4K Cinema at 12fps. Alternative video settings include: 1440p at 48/25/24fps (48/30/24fps for NTSC) 2.7K at 25fps (30fps for NTSC) 2.7K Cinema at 24fps 960p at 100/48fps WVGA capture at 240fps. If you’re into extreme sports and are looking for a camcorder/still image camera that you can strap to your person to capture the action with, irrespective of whether it’s in the water or on dry land, then the GoPro Hero3 Black Edition is currently best option on the market. The remote control, along with the GoPro smartphone/tablet app for Android and iOS, only adds to the overall versatility of the Black Edition, making it a fantastic piece of kit at a very reasonable price.

I ordered the GoPro Black Edition from Amazon on Jan 31st, and have been pleased with the camera so far. I was apprehensive on ordering the camera based on all the issues people have been having. To my relief, my camera was not one of the early production models, as it already had the latest firmware installed. The camera works as expected, and there have been no issues. I did run the battery all the way down once, & plugged it in. Shortly afterwards, I turned on the camera to alter a menu setting, & the camera froze one time, but I think it did so because the battery was fully depleted. Once the camera charged for a little while, it worked great, & has not frozen again since. I think that even when the camera is plugged in, it still runs off the battery, & that was my issue. From all my research on the web, it seems there were definite issues with the first "batch" of cameras that were manufactured. Also, it seems that people are having trouble updating the firmware on these cameras. Perhaps whatever the issue is with those early cameras prevents them from working properly - new firmware or not. In the Support section of the GoPro website for this camera, there's a description on how to check the firmware versions on your camera, and the version numbers of the latest firmware. I'd suggest doing that, rather than just updating the firmware out of hand, given the difficulties people have had with updating firmware on this camera. If it already has the December 14, 2012, firmware (HD3.03.02.00; Wi-Fi - 3.4.2.9) on there, I'd think you're all set. This was the case for me. I've been doing some time-lapses in an effort to test the battery life, & it seems to be okay. With wi-fi on, it will run for about 90 minutes, and without wi-fi, it will run for about 2 hours. Given the small size of the battery, I don't think that's too bad. Having a couple of extra knock-off batteries and a charger for them would be a smart move. I usually charge the camera with a mini-USB wall charger that I already had, and I do not connect the camera to a computer, so no battery/charging issues for me that some have noted. When I upload pictures/videos to my computer, I take the card out of the camera and use a card reader, rather than connecting the camera to the computer. Again, I've had no issues with retrieving files doing it this way. YMMV. I'd say that you're safe to buy one of these cameras now, provided you purchase from a high volume retailer like Amazon, since they have most certainly sold all the early cameras from inventory. A smaller retailer may still have some of those early cameras in stock, & you could end up with one of them, along with the problems that many people have experienced. Hope this helps.

There HERO 3 Black Edition is one powerful tiny video camera. I wont bore you with restating the specs, but suffice to say the resolutions, frame rates, etc all work as advertised and produce some outstanding videos. Again, I'm sure if you're looking at this, you've already seen videos online of what this baby can do. So allow me to tell you a few things that the specs and demonstrations do not.... First off, the battery life may be a show stopper depending upon your application. At most resolutions, even with wifi off, you're going to get about an hour out of a single charge. Now, all is not lost, extra batteries are fairly inexpensive. Look for the Wasabi 2 pack here on Amazon, you'll get 2 spares and a charger for under $25. BUT, you have to take the GoPro out of it's housing to change batteries or charge it. The battery bacpac will roughly double your time, that's a $70 or so add-on. Honestly though, if you need to be able to shoot half a day without swapping anything out, you may be better off with the older Hero 2 instead of a Hero 3. Battery life on those is closer to 4-5 hours per charge. Next thing you may not have heard is the camera and the wifi remote are both designed for young eyes. By that, I mean the tiny LCD screen that you use for setup, changing modes and seeing what's going on with the camera is teeny tiny and difficult to read for those without 20/20 vision. There are a couple of very easy work arounds for this though. The first is to use the phone app, which is excellent by the way. The other is add the touchscreen bacpac ($70 add-on), which also allows you to playback videos still on the camera. But be warned the bacpac decreases battery life even further. Let's talk about the wifi remote for a moment. Unless you're doing something in the water or some place where you're not going to have your phone, you do not need the wifi remote if you have an iphone or android device. The remote simply duplicates what you can do and see with the camera's display and buttons. Whereas the phone app will do all of that as well as playback, preview, etc. And it's much much easier to read and use. So if the included remote is what's influencing your decisions to look at the Black over the lesser models, dont figure that into the equation. The included software is Cineform Studio. On at least one of my machines, this software fails to run, but I'm going to dismiss that as something specific to my environment. But when I did get it going, I find the software to be very good for adjusting light, white balance, color, etc. It'll give you everything you need to make a very basic video. However, it is not anything like a full featured video editing package. So be awae that unless you already have software, you're probably going to find yourself looking at something like Premiere. Final thing is the mounts. Be warned, they can become an addiction. There are mounts for any occasion and circumstance. Everyone I know who owns a gopro owns at least $100 worth of mounts for it. For me the must haves are the gopole, chesty, suction cup, tripod mount (get a gorilla pod!) and "bag of mounts". The latter will give you enough elbows, screws, etc to frankenstein any of the others into whatever position you need to get the shot. Overall, even though I'm very disappointed in the battery life, these are fun little cameras. They'll make you want to go out and do things just to make the video. For me, I need the exercise, so it's been a positive influence in that regard.

I received the GoPro Hero3 Black Edition a few days ago as a birthday present. I knew I was getting one so I purchased accessories ahead of time and did a ton of research on the camera. The number of negative reviews on here had me sweating a little. I thought I might hate this thing. On the contrary I love it. Manually updating the firmware was relatively easy and my camera was ready to use in about 20 minutes after starting the update process. A few notes about my experience so far: Be smart about using this camera. I have read too many reviews of people saying they ruined their brand new GoPro because the waterproof housing leaked. I went kayaking with the camera. Before I dunked it, I tested the waterproof housing without the camera in it. Tether, tether, tether. Another common complaint from reviewers of the camera and the mounts is that it was lost or broken from a mount failure. Tether the camera whenever and wherever you use it. On a similar subject if your going near water, use the floaty backdoor. For $400 you would think it would come with more accessories, especially the micro SD card you need to use it, if your going to buy this camera be aware you're likely going to need another $100 to $200 to spend on accessories. Batteries, battery life on these cameras is pretty bad. I definitely recommend the wasabi twin pack with wall charger. My current battery setup is 3 standard batteries and a battery bacpac. With a fresh battery and a fully charged bacpac I can do about an hour and a half at 1080p wifi off, or a four and a half hour timelapse on a 10 second interval. The GoPro app is perfect for getting your shot lined up, after that I disable wifi to save battery life. The app saves money and battery life by eliminating the need for the lcd bacpac, in my opinion. The GoPro software Cineform is pretty bad. I use it to render my timelapse photos into a video because it's quick and easy but beyond that it's terribly buggy and crashes ALOT, on a mac btw. The user interface is not cumbersome as some have described, it's straight forward but tedious. Two buttons handle everything. power/mode switches between menus and the top button operates as select and record. The app makes it a lot faster to change settings. All in all, I love this camera. It takes amazing photos and videos from vantage points you can't get from other cameras. If your looking for a fun toy and have a little money to play with I highly recommend this camera. I'll probably revise this review come winter when I can get it on some snowboarding trips.

New Update!!! (11/27/13) DO NOT PURCHASE THIS CAMERA. I know that there are a lot of black friday deals out there, many of which make this camera seem attractive. Do not be lulled into thinking you're getting a good deal. This camera is faulty on almost every inch, and will give the person you're potentially buying this for more headaches than it is worth. The Hero3+ is out now, and this camera has addressed almost all of the issues that this camera suffered from; I know you are going to be paying more for it, but, PLEASE, do NOT buy this camera unless you get it for under $150. Spend more money and be happy with your purchase. UPDATE AT BOTTOM! WITH VIDEO!! (6/30/13) I know this is long, but if you're considering buying a GoPro product, this is worth the read. I'm writing this not as a review of the Hero3, but of the GoPro company itself. I purchased the Hero2 back in the summer of 2012, with the intent of capturing footage from a tough mudder event that I was participating in. Arriving a few days before the event, I had ample time to set up, charge, and play with the camera prior to giving it the full run on the day of the event. I observed no big flaws/problems at this time. Taking it to the event however, and running on a full battery, the camera only produced 10 minutes of footage. Additionally, the camera bricked 5 minutes into the race when I attempted to turn it on; this being a big problem since by this time I was already caked in mud and water, and was loathe to take the camera out of the case with muddy hands. At the conclusion of the race I also noted that the housing case had sustained some scratches and scuffs to the part covering the lens, also concerning. Due to these failures and frustrations, I contacted GoPro and informed them of the failures of their product. While I was within my 30 day full refund window, I was promptly contacted by the GoPro customer service department and assured that these failures were an anomaly and that they would remedy the situation asap. They sent me a new battery, a new housing, and offered their apologies. The new battery and case arrived a week or two later, right around the time that I was directing another mud run, and was charged with providing footage of the event. Again I didn't have time to thoroughly test the camera prior to the event, however the bricking issue had been resolved, and battery length seemed better. This did not hold up day of the event. Again, I was only able to capture 15 minutes of footage before the battery croaked, and the camera bricked again many times. Thoroughly frustrated, I contacted GoPro again, and was told that this was perhaps a firmware issue. So I went through, updated the firmware, with no measurable increase in function. They then said perhaps the old battery would be better with it, so I went through and updated the firmware, rolled back the firmware many time with different battery combinations. Nothing was any better. Finally, GoPro accepted to return the camera, and replace it with another one. Had to pay for shipping myself, and was told that I could expect a new camera back in 1-1.5 weeks. Heard nothing about my camera for 4 weeks. My emails were not returned, so I called their customer service line and had to be on hold for 2 hours. Finally talking to a customer service rep, I vented my frustrations, anger, and resentment towards purchasing a GoPro product. They informed me that my replacement was arriving that day (ironically enough), and was certified, tested, and approved by their own staff personally. I told them that I didn't trust their camera, that I didn't trust the company anymore, but was assured that this camera was certified, and 100% sure nothing would be wrong. Sure enough, when I tested the camera, the battery length was significantly better, and did not brick. Confident, I took this camera on a trip to phoenix for a wedding. It was only after I watched footage of the groom's bachelor party at a pistol firing range did I discover that the sound on this camera was abysmal (could BARELY hear any gunshots, all voices/talking was undecipherable). Returning from this trip I called GoPro and told them that I wanted my money back, that I was sick of dealing with them and their crappy products. I was informed that I was outside of the 30 day return window and that all they could do was have me pay for shipping AGAIN to mail the camera to them and they'd repair it. Understandably, this sent me into a rage, demanding to talk to the highest manager I could. After many emails, I was informed the only thing that they could do was to repair it, and if that was not enough, mail it back to them and they'd give me a 20% off coupon towards another GoPro purchase. Let me say that again. I mail my camera back, the one I paid $300 for, and they give me a 20% off coupon towards the purchase of a new camera. I ended up contacting amazon, told them this tale, and they gladly let me return it to them for a full refund. BEWARE when dealing with GoPro. If your camera EVER breaks or does not work well, RETURN it. Beware in dealing with them! UPDATE (6/30/13)! Since Amazon was so great in dealing with my last GoPro disaster, I decided to try the Hero 3. A few brief notes: 1.) The video is incredible. SO incredible, that your computer will not be able to process it correctly (most likely). I have a home built, recently new computer that had a hard time processing the HD video. The choppiness you see when you play it on your computer is not a result of the camera but of the high quality 2.) Battery life is still awful. I came prepared for this, with 2 spare batteries and a wall charger and I'm very glad I did. Each battery will only last you a GOOD hour of recording. Plan on 40 minutes at most, bring extra batteries. 3.) If you're going to shoot underwater, get a color correction filter. They are $5 on amazon and made this video so much better. If you don't, it'll look green and disgusting. 4.) Do not charge the batteries via USB. Buy the extra pack and wall charger from Wasabi Power, and charge exclusively on that. 5.) I followed a ton of suggestions on how to make sure my camera didn't brick, and thankfully it never did. My suggestions: Upgrade firmware manually (you'll need a card reader for this), never use wifi remote, charge batteries with outlet charger, upload files via card reader. I don't know what's going on with the USB port, but from what I've read this is a huge source of failure on the device. 6.) THE CAMERA GETS REALLY HOT. Even after scuba diving, I'd come up and the camera was warm/hot to the touch. Beware! Considering all of this, but primarily for the battery life, heating, and problems with wifi, I returned it to amazon. I'll hopefully be purchasing it again in the future whenever GoPro re-releases the black model. Hope this helps!

Si te gusta el deporte, actividades al aire libre y quieres sacarle el máximo provecho a tus salidas, sean cuales sean, esta es tu cámara. Es muy pequeña y ligera, sumergible y muy resistente. La calidad de imagen es soberbia incluso en situaciones con poca luz. Este modelo te permite grabar a distintas resoluciones y a distintas amplitudes con un número de fotogramas por segundo muy variado. Si te gusta hacer cámaras lentas con buena calidad y manejas ligeramente algún editor de vídeo puedes conseguir verdaderas joyas. Recomiendo: -1 o 2 tarjetas microsd de 32gb de las mejorcitas (no escatiméis en esto si queréis exprimir al máximo el potencial de la cámara) -1 cargador + 2 baterías (no es necesario que sean gopro, hay buenas ofertas. Leed opiniones antes). La batería se consume muy rápido así que viene de perlas un par de vidas extra para la cámara. -Leer blogs y páginas en internet donde se aprenden barbaridades y curiosidades que nunca te has planteado y te harán comprender y mejorar el manejo de la cámara con su consecuente mejora de resultados. Ver vídeos en youtube y sobre todo EXPERIMENTAR. Envío cojonudo (1 día desde Alemania a Alicante). Recomiendo su compra.

Caméra HD professionnelle pour filmer en 720p et 1080p. Des films à couper le souffle !!! Testé en vélo de course pendant des sorties de 1h30 à 2h. Vraiment géniale. Prévoir une carte Mirco SD de 32 Go minimum Class 10 (anti-chocs et étanche). Caméra utilisable en vélo de course, VTT, SURF, karting, moto, voiture, avion et autres sports extrême !!! Très bonne protection de la Caméra grâce à son boîtier étanche et solide. Autonomie de la batterie d'environ 2h (dépend du format de la vidéo 720p, 1080p...) Nombreuses attache fournies et quelques accessoires. Harnais à acheter en plus pour tous les sports, car meilleur rendu. Prochain essais en VTT, Karting et en voiture !!!!! Merci Go Pro !!!!!

Ich hatte zunächst die Sony HDR AS15 und eine geliehene GoPro Hero 3 Silver. Nach einigen Vergleichstest habe ich die AS15 wieder zurück geschickt und mich doch für die etwas teurere GoPro entschieden. Da die Kamera hier bereits ausführlich beschrieben wurde, anbei nur meine Bewertungspunkte und noch ein paar Hinweise zur Ersteinrichtung für andere Käufer. Was für mich die wichtigsten Punkte sind: + Wirklich gute Bildqualität, sowohl bei Außenaufnahmen als auch unter Wasser (Bei meinem Test in einem Salzwasser-Aquarium fiel die Sony leider durch) + Direkte Bedienbarkeit auch im wasserdichten Gehäuse (bei der Sony leider auch Fehlanzeige) + Gute App, bei der die Aufnahmen auch direkt wiedergegeben werden können (Sony leider auch Fehlanzeige) + Man kann beim Laden gleichzeitig aufnehmen und auch via WLAN auf die Kamera zugreifen D.h. Zeitrafferaufnahmen über mehrere Stunden sind möglich (ohne Gehäuse) O Der Preis. Für ein "Spielzeug" mit derzeit rund 270 EUR nicht wirklich günstig. Man sollte sich vorher überlegen, ob man sie wirklich braucht. - Die Vorschau in der App ist um 3 Sekunden verzögert. Das erschwert die Einrichtung - Das Zubehör ist ziemlich teuer - Umständliche Registrierung für Firmware-Update. Noch ein paar Hinweise zur ersten Einrichtung: Wer ein Smartphone/Tablet besitzt, sollte sich direkt die kostenlose GoPro App installieren und diese für die spätere Einrichtung nutzen. Ich empfehle auf jeden Fall ein Firmwareupdate vor der ersten Benutzung. Das erweitert in der Regel den Funktionsumfang bei der App (Wiedergabemodus). Dazu am besten vor dem Einsetzen der Batterie noch mal die Seriennummer der Kamera aufschreiben (im Batteriefach). Denn die braucht man später. Das Update selbst geht leider etwas umständlich über die Seite (mit Registrierung und Eingabe der Seriennummer). Dafür ist der Vorgang aber gut beschrieben. Hat man diese Hürde geschafft, sollte man die gewünschten Einstellungen möglichst über die GoPro App durchführen. Das ist einfacher und man kann sich die Testaufnahmen auch direkt ansehen. Hinweis: Die Wiedergabequalität in der App entspricht nicht der tatsächlichen Qualität. Die "richtige" Aufnahme sieht man dann erst nach dem Überspielen. Übrigens: Den Plastikfuß von der Verpackung kann/sollte man ruhig aufbewahren. Es kann in einigen Situationen eine teure Halterung ersetzen. Bei mir nutze ich den breiten Sockel auf dem Armaturenbrett des Wagens. Wer lieber auf günstigere Standard-Stativ-Anschlüsse für Fahrrad etc. zurückgreifen möchte, sollte bei Amazon nach 'GoPro tripod mount' suchen. Da gibt es recht günstige Adapter, mit denen man die Kamera an normale Stative anschließen kann. Für den längeren Einsatz sind Ersatzakkus und ein Ladegerät fast zwingend. Hier vor allem auf die Kapazität der Akkus achten. 1050mAh sollten es schon sein. Suchbegriff ist AHDBT-301. Viel Spaß

The good : Excellent video quality Underwater camera Controllable via phone Constant firmware updates The bad : It gets very hot it almost burns when touched after 30-40 mins of filming inside the waterproof case . Insufficient battery , i bought a wasabi 2 - spare battery pack to resolve this . I would totally recommend it .

Nach langen Überlegungen und Recherchen habe ich mich zum Kauf entschieden. Ich kann gleich sagen, ich bin nicht enttäuscht worden. Was man wissen sollte: Wer mit dem Gedanken spielt sich eine GoPro zuzulegen sollte sich klarmachen dass die GoPro nicht vergleichbar mit herkömmlichen Kameras ist. Die Einstellungsmöglichkeiten sind deutlich eingeschränkt. Der Body ist winzig, sodass ein wackelfreies Filmen mit Schwenks etc. aus der Hand (mir zumindest) völlig unmöglich ist. Es gibt auch keine Live View in der Grundausstattung, allerdings biete die GoPro App die Möglichkeit sich das Bild remote zu einem Apple oder Android Gerät senden zu lassen, was so schon ganz ok ist. Das Objektiv der GoPro ist ein Fischauge. Grade Linien werden am Rand stark verzerrt, was beim Filmen in Städten komische Effekte verursachen kann (man fährt an einer Kirche vorbei und es sieht aus als würde der Kirchturm einstürzen und gleich auf das Auto fallen). Eine weitere wichtige Einschränkung ist das die GoPro zwar auch bei wenig Licht filmen kann, aber das Ergebnis bei 0815 Motiven (für mich zumindest) nicht ansehnlich ist. Irgendwelche Unschärfeeffekte und Ähnliches das man von den Spiegelreflexkameras kennt sucht man bei diesem Gerät vergeblich. Warum trotzdem GoPro: weil es trotz allem eine geniale Kamera ist - für bestimmte Zwecke! Mir sind bei hellem Tageslicht grandiose Naturaufnahmen damit gelungen. Damit sind wir auch schon beim, m. E. wichtigsten Anwendungsbereich für den man sich eine GoPro kaufen sollte, nämlich außergewöhnliche Motive zu filmen bei guten Lichtverhältnissen, wo man mit herkömmlichen Kameras nicht hinkommt. Die GoPro ist extrem klein, leicht und robust. Sie kommt in ein Chassis, das m.E. nahezu unzerstörbar ist. Es gibt diverse Mounts um das Gerät am eigenen Körper oder z.b. an Fahrzeugen zu befestigen. Hier empfehle ich vor allem den Original-Saugfuß, mit dem ich sehr gute Erfahrungen gemacht hatte. Bei den Klebemounts sollte man sich genau überlegen, wo man sie befestigt, weil sie nachträglich extrem schwer zu entfernen sind. Filmen bei 1080p liefert hervorragende Ergebnisse. Besonders hervorzuheben sind die 120 fps, die das Gerät bei 720p schafft. Damit kann man ganz nette Zeitlupenaufnahmen machen. Was bleibt noch zu sagen: Eine wichtige Einschränkung, die aber bei einem Gerät dieser Art hingenommen werden muss, sind die kurzen Akkulaufzeiten. Wer länger als 70-80 Minuten filmen will, sollte immer paar Ersatzakkus einstecken. Ich habe mich nicht mit Serienbildern oder Aufnahmen unter Wasser beschäftigt. Kann das folglich auch nicht bewerten.