You don't need to be an 'investor' to invest in Singletrack: 6 days left: 95% of target - Find out more
What different options are there other than GoPro, what's worth a look and what's best avoided?
A mate/colleague is leaving for a new job next month, so we'll be having a leaving do and a whip round. I imagine well get something between £200-300 to get him something. He's really into photography, does weddings and so on for folk, so I wouldn't like to get him anything for that as he probably already has it, and if not is likely to be quite specific. I mention this as I assume his photography ability might be a factor in what to get him. We thought about a GoPro or similar because it's along those lines, but not something he would splash out on himself.
Fun toy but sold mine after 18 months as I wasn't using it enough. Most people I know have followed a similar path.
Still got to be better than the ornamental stag one bloke got!
Check out the SJ4000 on Amazon and eBay among other places. Costs about £75 and has received a lot of positive comments. Watch out for fakes though.
EDIT: Didn't realise it was for a mate - best cough up for a proper GoPro IMO.
Or the Sony for something that really rivals the top of the range go pro and has good wireless features.
Check out the SJ4000 on Amazon and eBay among other places. Costs about £75 and has received a lot of positive comments. Watch out for fakes though.
Or just the same camera sold cheaper out of the same factory.
The headline options are the GoPro, Sony, Garmin and Shimano. The shimano looks good and the lens cap is replaceable which was my main concern with it but not sure if it's out in the UK. The Sony shape looks good for helmets but not for chest mounts which helps vary your bike camera angles.
I've had one for 3-4 years now and it still gets used especially on holidays.
errrr - is he a cyclist, or do anything action-y that he would need a GoPro for?
I think the gopro itself is the most versatile, in terms of the number of sports its suited to - and I think they've just launched a load of new mount types.
I'll be taking mine on holiday to Cornwall. Kids will be filming themselves body boarding etc, biking shots. It's actually taken some cracking photos for me as well but they are hit and miss to be fair. I do like the function where it films and "snapshots" at certain intervals as well.
Yes he is a cyclist, hence asking on here, although appreciate I omitted that.
They really are very good. I use mine with an external battery for AmDram recordings of junior theatre. Results are very good. Lots of mounts, good support. Recoimmended.
Saw this the other day, might be helpful.
[url= http://www.hotukdeals.com/deals/gopro-hero-3-white-edition-hd-action-camera-159-99-amazon-1984458 ]null
Everyone who states that these styles of cameras are redundant if you don't do some sort of extreme sport etc aren't looking at the big picture. The camera is the market leading sports video camera, but its also a truly great family point and shoot camera!!
I have the GoPro Hero 3 with wifi remote and it is the best camera I have for taking on family days out bar none. Set it to camera mode which is superb with the almost fish eye style lens; stick it on some sort of retractable pole and you can take all the family photos you need firing the camera using the remote. Nobody gets left out of any image or you don't have to ask a stranger every two seconds to take a photo of you and your family/friends.
The images do need to go through a program like Adobe Lightroom to bring the best out of them but this can be said about any camera (especially very high end DSLRs). Plus in my view most photos need some sort of "photoshopping" in order to get the colours contrast etc correct. Its nothing to be ashamed of as back in the day when it was film photography, images were still manipulated in a darkroom.
Another positive by sticking it on a pole is getting some crazy camera angles, its always a way more interesting image if its taken from a slightly different point of view than what is normally seen.
I know the images aren't as dynamic as an SLR I'm aware of this as sports photography is a major hobby of mine but its just as good if not better than a lot of the pointlessly high MP point and shoot cameras on the market.
GoPro in my view has the most accessories available to make the camera more suitable to being used out of the sports environment. Where other brands have mounts designed for sports, GoPro has mounts designed for more sports plus many others on top of that more companies are jumping on the GoPro "brand" wagon and designing new cost effective mounts and accessories.
In my view always get the best GoPro thats available at the time; they are usually a lot more powerful and come with wifi remote included (saves £70ish in future) which is vital for using out and about with friends and family. The IOS App doesn't cut the mustard in this respect.
It seems to have turned into a bit of an advert for GoPro but the cameras are really that usable!
21dwb - Member
Everyone who states that these styles of cameras are redundant if you don't do some sort of extreme sport etc aren't looking at the big picture. The camera is the market leading sports video camera, but [b]its also a truly great family point and shoot camera!![/b]
I've just had my olympus tough spring a leak whilst using it under water. Was considering a GoPro as a replacement but can't get over the lack of viewfinder/live view thing on the back. Interested to hear how you feel about/deal with that.
Lack of viewfinder goes 2 ways really you either get the view in your head or it's wide enough that it doesn't matter. There is an LCD back for it http://shop.gopro.com/APAC/accessories/lcd-touch-bacpac/ALCDB-304.html#/start=1
that would probably be a must if you were using it as your only camera.
I've been thinking about getting one, and definitely a GoPro and not one of the other brands - the number of mounts and accessories has convinced me on that front... But which model? I was thinking of the middle one (Silver?)
It'd be for running, biking, scuba diving, and my daughter wants to use it for gymnastics... Hence the importance of lots of different mounts 🙂
I was in two minds whether to buy a fish eye lens for my DSLR while also being tempted by a GoPro to go cycling etc with me. I did some research and found out how strong the camera capability is for the GoPro and the fact its almost a fish eye lens so I just dived in and got the top spec GoPro at the time the 3 Black. Which has been perfect plus cheaper than a DSLR fish eye lens for my Nikon.
As its a very wide angle lens almost fish eye effect so it captures pretty much everything that is in front of it. Obviously you have to use you legs/arms/poles etc as your zoom capability but for family photos thats not required on the whole.
I tend to have it set that when i fire the remote it takes 3 photos over 1 second i think it is which means i usually get a usable shot out of those 3. I'm not shy when it comes to firing shots though, i spent a couple of hours at Thomas Land yesterday with my family and took approx 220 photos, out of them I have about 40 very good family memories that look very different from the usual hum drum photos you see people posting on Facebook or Instagram.
If you go on Instagram and do a GoPro search you'll see the type of photos you can easily achieve with them. Just don't get the lower spec ones as the various Black Editions are so very much better for not much more money.
LCD Bacpac you say...
Things just got interesting....
If you have a smart phone it can link to a wifi enabled GoPro and be used as a remote shutter and viewfinder but I find shooting more on gut and experience is a far more enjoyable way of using it than lining up the perfect shot. It makes a nice carefree change from using the DSLR.
Plus I've just ordered the dog mount for my springer spaniel no lining up images there just video/photos fired off randomly and they'll be some amazing video/photos of that I have no doubt.
I highly recommend the Sony Action cam.
I used it earlier this year skiing. Picture quality is very good the image stabilisation works well and there is a noticeable reduction in the jittery shaking often seen on these cameras.
I think all models come with built in WiFi and you can use your smart phone as a screen to check its all lined up correctly etc ..
Battery lasted a good time even out in the cold. The waterproof case was good too. We had a many falls and the camera regularly got covered in snow but was still bone dry on the inside.
I don't know what the current prices for Go Pro and Sony are but, at the time, the Sony was cheaper and had more features.
+1 for the Sony. It has image stabilisation which makes it better for people to watch your footage afterwards. AS15 upwards has built in wifi for smartphone viewing. The new top of the range [url= http://www.wiggle.co.uk/sony-as100vr-action-camera-with-live-view-remote-gps/?lang=en&curr=GBP&dest=1&utm_source=pla&utm_medium=base&utm_campaign=uk&kpid=5360657680 ]AS100[/url] has a wrist screen remote included for £300.
Adapters can be bought which convert it to use GoPro mounts. I use mine with a chest harness and the footage is pretty good.
Thanks very much. I'll see how much we end up with and take it from there.
DX have the SJ4000 for £54 at the moment!
I've got a Sunco Dream 2 which was £80 a few months back on Amazon.
12Mega Pixels and LCD screen. Comes with loads of Gopro compatible mounts.
Takes great still pics too
Big fan of the GoPro way more than just a camera for using for extreme stuff. A very capable point and shoot.
LCD Bacpac works well but will reduce battery run time but extra batteries are cheap.
LCD - http://www.unsponsored.co.uk/press/?p=5345&
Battery bacpac is awesome. I've been hammering it lately to take some time lapse shots of scenery and it has doubled the normal run time.
Battery Bacpac - http://www.unsponsored.co.uk/press/?p=1808
Battery life - http://www.unsponsored.co.uk/press/?p=10005&
Mounts are being released all of the time by GoPro and others. Gopro have recently released a system so you can attach the camera to a dog!
Get a good SD card - http://www.unsponsored.co.uk/press/?p=13140
Huge fan. Loads more stuff on my site - http://www.unsponsored.co.uk/press/?cat=27
I have tested most other makes other than the new Garmin and will be sticking with the GoPro setup. The new 4 was supposed to be coming out but rumours say it has been delayed. Many shops have been running stocks low on most models in prep but may have been caught out. If going for GP get the best you can afford at the time.
Thanks for all the views.