Go pro ??s

[knowles]

I was looking at the Go pros on ebay and see a big price difference in them. Which is a good all around model. What a good price for one, is refurbished one ok to get or is paying 3 times as much the better thing to do. I now what a mega pixel is but that's about it as far as camcorders go. Does it come with all the software to edit or that another expense. I don't need the best or anything just a basic or middle of the road unit would be fine to start out with.

[Big Rich]

I think the newest model is the Hero HD 2 - I bought the original Hero HD around Christmas for about 200 bucks. The bare minimum in accessories IMO is the waterproof case (should be included), a USB cable, and the "seat post/ handle bar mount". Depending what software you have on your pc, you can store and edit your own videos.

One thing though - the videos get very large, very quickly. So a newer computer with a larger hard drive would come in handy.

[knowles]

Ok cool i was hoping that you would see this, being a camera person. Ya i have a newer computer with 500 gig or 1 tera bite hard drive. i dont have any photo editing software yet but when i get one i guess that will go on the list. not going to be able to get one till fall of x-mas, just wanted to know what to look for encase i see a deal, so i can snap it up. First on my list is to get the fairings for the bike, then tail, then go-pro.

[Big Rich]

Ha! Definitely not a camera person........but thanks.

I just bought a new computer about 6 months ago (I'm also not a computer person, so I can't give any details......) and I use the software that came on it.

If you want tons of info on the GoPro cameras, check out ADVRider - those folks take a LOT of really nice pics and videos. I remember there was at least one thread that was well over 20 pages long discussing all sorts of details.

[knowles]

I'm not that into it i just want a cam that i can put on the bike maybe in a few different locations at different times, and bring home and show the wife. thanks tho.

[hawaiianGS]

I bought a hero 2, maybe, a month ago. So far I am really enjoying it.  The only down fall so far is the audio. But hey, the videos are still great.  I chose the helmet version and it comes with Plenty of mounts.  For 200 bucks, I say stick with new. It's worth the few extra dollars.

[dougdoberman]

There was a bit of discussion recently in the odds & Ends forum.

http://gstwins.com/gsboard/index.php?topic=59273.0


The discussion wanders away for a bit at the end of the 1st page into the 2nd, but then returns to the topic of cameras. 

As you'll read there, I'm not a big fan of the GoPros.  They're pretty bulky hanging off your bike or helmet.  You can often find them refurbished (mine was) at a good price though.  Of course, if you look a bit, you can find the Drifts & the Contours for around the same price.

The newer models are not, IMO, a good value.  Most of them don't have a removeable battery, so you're stuck with whatever the charge gives you.  (I've got a couple spares each for my Contour & my Drift.  They were like $5 apiece as they're just Nokia cell phone batteries.  No need to buy the branded ones directly from the camera manufacturer.)  Stuff like the GPS in the Contour GPS might be nice to have, but it's gonna cut down on your battery life.  What they DO have though, is an external mic input which is great if you'd like to hear more than wind noise or your attachement ratteling.   

As Big Rich cited, there are plenty of forums out there discussing these things.  You can get tips & tricks and suggestions for all kindsa stuff.  Anything from kludges to cut down on wind noise to hacking your own external mic jack into a device that doesn't come stock with one.  (I'm taking apart my Contour and adding one tomorrow if the forecasted storms are bad enough to keep me from riding.    )

[dougdoberman]

I bought a hero 2, maybe, a month ago. So far I am really enjoying it.  The only down fall so far is the audio. But hey, the videos are still great.  I chose the helmet version and it comes with Plenty of mounts.  For 200 bucks, I say stick with new. It's worth the few extra dollars.

Where did you get a Hero 2 for $200?

[knowles]

On ebay (if im looking at the right ones) go for $310 new, and there is one for $50 i think the reserve is $80 It jsut a Gopro HD helemt hero camcorder, not the hero 2) . I have a gps with a ram mount on the front brake lever, also did a outlet to charge it off of. thats another reason i want to do the fairings so i can hide most of the outlet.

I know this is dumb but i dont know shaZam! about electric things for the most part. If i plug in the gps to the outlet that is direct wired to battery with a fuse-able link, does the bike charge the battery enough to keep the battery charged or is it going to give me a dead battery?

the battery is a new one from Walmart, but it has been working really good, it started the bike in 32* weather for my ride home from work.

[Funderb]

I went ultra cheap and got a fujifilm xp, and made a little clampy mount that can stick anywhere. gopros are definitely great cams, and all the cool kids use them on hero poles when we go climbing, but the xp is very tough, and i've taken it down to 30ft swimming, so its got something going for it.

and for audio problems, when in loud places that overload the mic, you should either a: change the mic sensitivity (if you can), or b: stick a square of blue tape over the mic port. The latter is what I do, works like a charm.

[hawaiianGS]

I bought a hero 2, maybe, a month ago. So far I am really enjoying it.  The only down fall so far is the audio. But hey, the videos are still great.  I chose the helmet version and it comes with Plenty of mounts.  For 200 bucks, I say stick with new. It's worth the few extra dollars.

Where did you get a Hero 2 for $200?

At the PX here on island.