GoPro HD Camera review

    Note: a camera or underwater photography section might be cool, others could add reviews of their cameras as well.


    I purchased the GoProHD to use as an underwater camera for spearfishing and to mess around with if I had my limit and such. All underwater purpose initially.
    I purchased the camera online from a motorsports shop for 250 and was pleased when the camera arrived. I got the motorsports pack with many mounts, the waterproof case and this intense looking suction cup.
    I ordered a tripod mount to make it compatible w the TiinMan camera mount and thought I was all set.


    I was kept from diving for a few weeks and took the camera around to play with it around downtown miami and one a few skating trips. I fell in love with the camera based on how easy it is to mount it anywhere and the INCREDIBLE footage it shoots. Literally, I felt embarrassed that none of my footage was worthy of the quality at which it was memorialized.


    I was excited to get the camera into the water for some real testing and this last sat i got the chance. I was very dissappointed. The company owns up to the fact that there is a loss of quality underwater and they attribute this to the curved lens of the housing. regardless of why, it sucks. the quality is just not good. it looks like it is shot through a dirty lens and the wide angle makes everything appear very far away.


    I hope that they work tirelessly to remedy this issue, but until they do, pass on the GoProHD as you underwater camera.


    I will still keep mine as it is the best above ground camera I have access to, and for the price, it is a tremendous piece of equipment.


    I will edit a few video samples down and put them into this thread for you to see.

    i like to spear fish

    That is disappointing to hear. I recently purchased a GoPro Hero HD myself for spearfishing. Did you try running it on different modes rather than the 1080p?

    I only shot at 960p x 30fps.


    it is worth trying the others but I feel it wont make much difference...there is one vid I took that really shows the issue, it is above and below water..I'll see about posting it and then getting a link up




    thanks for the new section Dan :toast:

    i like to spear fish

    Quote from LunkerBuster


    I will edit a few video samples down and put them into this thread for you to see.


    How is the video editing coming along Lunker...I am curious to see what the HD underwater footage looks like.

    Quote from Dan

    Thanks for the review Judah. I gathered the same thing from researching this camera online previously.


    Congret's on the new section, I'll see what I can dig up after I get some game fish in my freezer.:thumbsup2: I missed the heat wave here in Cali, and now it's blowing, raining and cold.
    Don

    "Great mother ocean brought forth all life, it is my eternal home'' Don Berry from Blue Water Hunters.


    Spearfishing Store the freediving and spearfishing equipment specialists.

    Quote from shawno

    How is the video editing coming along Lunker...I am curious to see what the HD underwater footage looks like.


    sorry about the delay, it is an uphill battle for me...my laptop is 6 years old and I built it myself so it is not a top of the line machine, compound that with the fact that I am working with files that range up to 2 GB and it is very slow going. I think that what I will do is just pick the shortest clip and upload that to youtube as is to share

    i like to spear fish

    Whiner...... I have to post from my Blackberry......no wait I don't have a BB any more;)
    I'm on a IBM think pad and Living in van down by the river.:laughing3:
    DP

    "Great mother ocean brought forth all life, it is my eternal home'' Don Berry from Blue Water Hunters.


    Spearfishing Store the freediving and spearfishing equipment specialists.

    Edited once, last by Don Paul ().

    lunker,
    i had two underwatercams so far. the first one was a canon powershot 460 with the housing , in 2008,
    4.8mp , price with housing 450.-us.and after i lost that one to neptun i got a canon powershot 650is with housing in nov.2009. 10mp , price with housing 500.-us
    anyway, i found out that the video modus is always the same with canons in that pricerange.
    once they go with 30pics per second, at 480-640, the quality is the same.
    all my vids done with that. and i always hear people say how good they find the quality, and i not talking about youtube !
    bottom line, i find the price-result work out very good for me, and i use my cam under the the same conditions i use my other diving gear. rough sometimes.

    Edited once, last by tinu ().

    Although I agree the video looks really good in the pool [Contour HD]...it was shot under ideal conditions. The only true test would be to have both cameras on location and shooting video side by side. Just because it performs well in 4 ft of water, doesn't mean it will perform just as well at 30ft or more. Also, the price for the case seems a bit out of whack [ $180 ] + camera...no thanks...that is almost as much as I paid for my whole Hero HD setup.


    Just my 2 cents...


    shawno

    The Contour HD with housing is twice the price of GoPro - it comes to $600... For that price you can get a regular point and shoot camera with a housing.


    There are a few video posted for Contour HD, some in less than ideal conditions (haze, 80ft deep). It doesn't have the same problem as GoPro.


    However the view quality seems less than Flip and probably less than any respectable camera.

    EDIT



    I fixed the video, it is there now...I also added it to the first post.



    I still hate youtube





    not so fast, it is still not showing up...:frustrated2:....EDIT again....now it works

    i like to spear fish

    Edited 3 times, last by LunkerBuster ().

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