GoPro Cameras

Does anyone have any knowledge of the GoPro cameras? I am trying to decide to purchase a used GoPro HD HERO 2. It looks to be in good shape, but it looks like they have come out with a few new models so maybe I shouldn't buy this older model. I am just getting into this type of a camera and my idea is to film some archery hunts with the camera. Is this a good idea or bad idea? I shoot some video a clip is below to kind of see what we are doing.


Is the HERO 2 worth paying $200 with a few accessories or should I hold off and get the GOPRO 3 Black?
Any information is appreciated.

I have a GoPro. I intended on using it bowhunting this last season, I did wear it a few times, but no action with it. I have used mine mostly for Snowboarding and Wakeboarding and Adventure Races and stuff.
I think it could work well for archery hunting especially. The only draw back is there's no zoom and at 30-40-50 yards, an animal is going to look small and maybe tough to even see.
In conjunction with a regular camera, you could add different perspectives to a video clip if the hunter was wearing it.
It's worth it, if you can tolerate wearing it all the time. That part does get old real fast.

Brian Latturner
MonsterMuleys.com

Sounds like I need to have my hunter wear it most of the time. I see some videos with this camera mounted on a rifle videoing back at the hunter to catch his face. I am just looking to catch another perspective with a camera. I decided to pull the trigger on a used one that only got used a few times so I will see if I use it. I have purchased so many little gadgets over the years that I carry in my pack for a few years and find out that I never use it. I guess I will see if this is one of them this fall.
Thanks for your comments Brian! Keep up the good work on a great site! I like the mount contest, I need to post a couple this weekend.

The GoPros are pretty cool for those POV vids, or for those closeups on a single person... Brother-in-Law uses one as a helmet cam while doing MotorCross... Its pretty cool that way... I think for the use you are talking about it would be great. I know Melissa Bachman uses one on her bow to get a shot of her face while drawing back and shooting... its a pretty cool perspective when you get that side by side with the kill shot...

Like Founder said, for anything at even a short distance, they kinda lose their cool. They are best for up close and personal stuff IMO.

"Therefore, wo be unto him that is at ease in Zion!" 2 Ne. 28: 24

LAST EDITED ON Nov-17-13 AT 06:32PM (MST)[p]The footage I've seen from any of the action cams looks like anything beyond 20 yrds is pretty iffy. You can see legs sometimes you can forget seeing antlers past 20 yards. Just for another perspective/face shot of hunter should work fine. Another one I just saw is solvid systems that is a strap that goes on your hat that you can attach any camera too. So would give you the ability to have some zoom available if you wanted. Here's the link to there site.
solvidsystems.com

I have the older model GoPro. It's pretty amazing how good the footage is for such a small camera. My preference (from past bad experiences) is to use waterproof cameras. Unfortunately GoPros in the waterproof compartment have pretty horrible audio. If you want to add music to videos it's no big deal but expect horrible audio when in the plastic case. As mentioned above GoPro have excellent wide angle camera views but it's pretty tough to film animals over around 50 yards. Another thing I don't like about my gopro is the difficulty seeing exactly what you are videoing (no attached screen) and it's impossible to view video you take until you download it on your video.

I have a Lumix TS3 waterproof camera that takes INCREDIBLE photos and 1080 video. I actually prefer it over my Gopro because the video is just as good or better, it has super audio, screen to immediately view video/photos, and also has wide/telephoto lens. I've been looking for a way to strap it to my head. I think it will do a lot better job than the gopro because it has audio plus telephoto. It's a little bigger than the gopros but it's worth a try on a headstrap or other applications.
It's also possible to put Lumix on a tripod in a blind.

I do a lot of fishing and use both my gopro and Lumix for filming fishing...take underwater video footage with both. It's amazing all the attachments you can use for each.

Gopros are a lot of fun but have a number of disadvantages..and advantages and it's up to you and how you'll use it.