C6C3Vettes

My wife wants to buy me a Go Pro camera for me as a Christmas gift.

I've seen them at the track, but dont know too much about them. I mainly do autocross and road racing in NASA HPDE. Which camera and accessories should I ask her to purchase? I also heard they have a new model coming out soon - but not sure what the improvements are.


Thanks

crease-guard

Get the sport model, it has a bunch of different mounting options. Then get the extra battery pack and roll bar mount. The battery pack will have a different latch you can put on the camera case. The sport model comes with two case, one with holes and one without. You would use the one without for diving or mounting on the outside of the car. If you mount the camera to the roll bar, you can use the ones with holes and will be able record pretty decent sound with the built in mic.

This is the setup I use and can record 4 full sessions in a day then I go back to the hotel at night and download to the computer and watch.

Also make sure she gets you a class 10 card, you need a class 10 to record full speed full HD video. I would get two of them so in case you fill one you have a spare.

ltborg

They released the new one (Hero3) a short while ago. There's a good rundown of the specs here. I have never used the new ones so outside of the specs listed there that may be important to you (resolution, frame rate, etc) I can't really say if one is better than another.

It also looks like they no longer offer packages with them. You used to be able to order the Motorsports Package but that seems to be gone now. That package had the suction cup mount (which I use a lot) and then a handful of sticky mounts (which I haven't used any of yet since they are more permanent). You also have to by the memory cards. The new ones use micro SD up to 64 GB. The camera should come with the waterproof case.

Hope that helps.

GT Racing Tires

New Hero 3 black edition coming out later this month. Better mic, much smaller, remote plus more.

www.gopro.com

PaConehead

I have the HD 2 with the LCD back pack - that was hard to start when harnessed in, I got the WiFI remote - a little easier to start, but still have problem operator error (like not shutting off remote, camera, or pac and end up w/dead batteries. When it works, great video, but not easy to figure out.

Han Solo

Never been overly impressed with the gopro products. That said I just picked up an older HD Hero off CL and have played with it some. The video is clear but not liking the fish bowl lens it has. Guess to funnel more area in it has to have that rounded look.

Their demo video on the new Hero 3 is very impressive. I think they added an external mic port too but you should verify that. You would also want the bac pac addon that gives you a remote to turn it off and on with.

For years I used a Sony digital 8 camcorder that took great video in all light conditions and had a IR remote to turn it on and off with. The drawbacks I found to it was having to capture the video to process on the computer and the system automatically turned itself off if not recording for 2 minutes. I just had to cycle it off and on when in grid to prevent that. It also required proprietary batteries that didn't last that long. With enough tapes and batteries I usually came home with all my track footage in tact. It also had a plug in for the external mic so I could put a microphone out back or somewhere to pick up the exhaust sound without capturing the wind noise.

moespeeds

I was using a Samsung low def camcorder for most of the season, and I was happy with it but it wasn't HD. I mount the camera on the harness bar and my main concern is analyzing my driving, so I like to see the steering wheel and I'm not so concerned about the wow effect. I got a GoPro 2 Motorsports a few weeks ago, and when mounted in the car it washes out easily, and the super wide angle lens doesn't work so well.

Here are two videos I made, the first is using the Samsung:

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=KUR93McLuOs&feature=plcp

And the second is the GoPro2, and I actually zoomed it in when editing. The lens shoots so wide you can see out the side windows and the windshield looks a mile away.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=RFPMd2v3P30&feature=plcp

The GoPro is great because you can mount it anywhere, but I think I may buy another HD camcorder if I can find a good deal, and mount that inside the car, and use the GoPro outside somewhere.

I use an Iphone4 with Harrys Lap Timer, OBD interface, and a Qstarz GPS Antenna for the data, and a program called "Dashware" to overlay it on the video.

crimlwC6

The new gopros have built in wifi so you only need to have the remote, the wifi backpack is not necessary. I use a first generation hd gopro and you have to be aware of the light settings for inside vs outside of the car to prevent washout. I just started using a $5 lens filter to block sunlight in az. You can see my videos under acct name awlittle13 on YouTube. The newer gopros are suppose to be much better than mine. 2 cents.

Han Solo

Just read the specs on the new BLACK version and it seems to come with the remote and all. Damn thing is up to $400 though. Getting into SLR price range now. I still see that fish bowl look in some of the illustrations.

RDnomorecobra

yea, price is surprising. there's no way to deal with that fish bowl issue? the lens is not adjustable, or can't use a different one? I have to go read up on these. Looks like a good option except for price.

anyone familar with Drift HD? that has a remote as well and a bit cheaper.

nolimits

Easy to deal with fish bowl for any video, there are editing tools that take it out. Just search or check your camera vendors forums/tech support.

m3bs

Personally, I like the wide angle lens on the GoPro2. You can see the scenery go by on the sides which gives a good sense of speed. It does need to be mounted as far forward as possible, or all you see is the inside of the car. I'm using the built in mike, and mounted the camera to the cage bar at the top of the windshield.

http://vimeo.com/38668539

Aardwolf

That google docs link doesn't work for me. Have it on youtube? I've been thinking about a gopro as well.

m3bs

Try the Vimeo link.

Obviously, I haven't figured out Google drive yet...........

nolimits

Keep in mind the fish eye and width you see in your shot are both a function of camera resolution selected when shooting. Don't know if Go has adjustable resolution and frame rates, assume it does. With the Vholdr I have you can increase or decrease resolution size, and thus amount of fish eye, frame rate can change too.

Aardwolf

That works! It looks like the lens is very tall but not wide.

RC000E

I highly suggest that anyone that is interested in gopro check out ReplayXD. The camera is billet, much smaller frontal area for less wind noise, remote "exhaust noise" mic's, TONS of mounting options without dealing with all the bulky arms of gopro, no lens distortion, nowhere near as bulky...and costs the same...actually it's cheaper than the black edition go pro.

Only thing you lose video-wise vs the black edition go pro is 1080 at 60 frames, but with in-car auto and these type of applications 60 frames is not gonna be very valuable because it's more for smooth slow motion. Also the black has 4k at 12 frames...but noone is using that...that was developed more for Lucas Films than anything.

Check out replayXD...I'm switching...after much thought and years of dedicated gopro purchasing.

cruzin2

I have a gopro2 and a gopro hero. The main difference that I see is ease of use of the 2. easier display, blinking red light when on, more menu choices.

both the fish eye and the narrow view are 1080p with very good resolution. Here is a video of several laps fished together and using both cameras at the same time. Don't care what camera you use, you need telemetry to help the viewer determine speed.

I may get a gopro3 but haven't decided. telemetry is needed first

Han Solo

I've been using a 808 #11 keychain camera that cost $32 mounted on a piece of plastic I drilled and taped 1/4-20 and stuck on a $30 suction cup mount for some of my autocrosses. You have to mount it close enough to push the button to start but it's very small, light, and cheap. I've even mounted it on my door to take shots of the tires and road side action. Shoots 720P with decent sound quality and records in .MOV format.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=f7ZwerGyKk8&feature=plcp

Canam

I had a hero and the video and sound quality was good. Wind suppression good. What I didn't like was the user interface, the MP4 format only, and lack of viewing screen.
I sold it and bought a Samsung Q10 bullet cam. Super light with an easy user touch screen interface but its brutal so far. Shakes like a bastard and video quality is marginal so far. Maybe I'm setting the camera up wrong or something.

There are a bunch of new sports cameras out now.
JVC Adixxion
Sony action camera
Polaroid XS
Swann freestyle HD
Veho Muvi HD.
Hitcase I phone case for I phones.

most have lCD screens. Companies have figured out that this was the go pros biggest drawback and you had to pay extra for the equipment to get it. Stuff worth checking out before buying.