GoPro Hero: Wide or regular lens?

[1TallTXn]

I'm probably going to be acquiring one of the GoPro HERO cameras in the near future.
My question is, do I want the wide angle lens, or the regular one?

The Wide angle lens is a 170* lens while the normal uses a 54* lens. Otherwise they are identical.

Links to their respective pages
GoPro Motorsports HERO Wide (http://www.goprocamera.com/index.php?area=2&productid=2)
GoPro Motorsports HERO (http://www.goprocamera.com/index.php?area=2&productid=5)

My source for the cameras uses a wide lens on mountain bikes and says he wouldn't buy the normal lens as it feels too closed in.
I'm thinking that if I want to use it for anything other then putting it on the motorcycle and pedal bike, I'd want a normal lens.
I'm sure GoPro would tell me I just need one of each :deal:

Anybody have any experience with either these cameras or something similar?

Thanks

[BeemerBob]

I just purchased a GoPro hero camera. I got the regular lens but I think I should have gotten the wide angle. I have only tested it a few times but so far I have been very disappointed. It is supposed to be 5MP but really only records still pictures in 1MB and are of poor quality. The video is also not very impressive.

Like I said, I’ve only used it a few times. I’m about to leave on an extended m/c trip in the morning and in a few weeks I should be able to give you a more accurate update. But if I had time, I would probably return it and get something better but now I guess I’ll see how this works out.

[1TallTXn]

Thanks for the input.

I've seen some of the footage my friends shot off their MTB trip to CO a few months ago and while it doesn't compare to m XL1s, it doesn't look too bad.
I'm curious to hear your report.
Have a fun, and safe, trip!

[gotdurt]

I haven't used the GoPro, but have lots of helmet cam experience. Go wide. Narrow slows things down, and even wide lenses don't feel quite as fast as you'll think they should. Another problem with narrower lenses is they exaggerate vibration, movement etc, often to the point of being unwatchable. The only downside to wide is that it plays-down the scenery.

[stan817]

FWIW, I have not used the GoPro- so I can't offer an answer. Saturday I was given an EPIC camera. It is smaller and lighter than the GoPro. And the directions say it can be switched from wide to narrow view.I used duct tape, safety wire and industial hook and loop tape to secure the camera to my helmet; never knew it was there. Made a decent movie.

[1TallTXn]

FWIW, I have not used the GoPro- so I can't offer an answer. Saturday I was given an EPIC camera. It is smaller and lighter than the GoPro. And the directions say it can be switched from wide to narrow view.I used duct tape, safety wire and industial hook and loop tape to secure the camera to my helmet; never knew it was there. Made a decent movie.
These EPIC (http://www.epicstealthcam.com) cameras?
Look kinda interesting, but the provide basically NO information on their site.

I'm curious how you like yours.


Side note, I've done some work for a GoPro dealer and was going to swap a camera for payment. Thus the GoPro being the current top of the list

[stan817]

I'm curious how you like yours.



I have used it one time. It worked OK. I don't have anything else to compare. It is difficult to get aimed correctly unless you lug a monitor with you. But the size and simplicity is nice. I know people who have the GoPro and they love it. Sounds like you have a solid plan to me. I'll look forward to your posted VIDs.

[gotdurt]

I'm curious how you like yours.



I have used it one time. It worked OK. I don't have anything else to compare. It is difficult to get aimed correctly unless you lug a monitor with you. But the size and simplicity is nice. I know people who have the GoPro and they love it. Sounds like you have a solid plan to me. I'll look forward to your posted VIDs.

The key is to aim up a little from where you think it should be, otherwise you'll end up with a lot of video of just the road in front of you. Once you get it figured out, make marks on the camera, mounts and helmet so you can get it exact every time.

Edit: Oh, and set the helmet on something flat with horizontal and vertical reference subjects to adjust the side-side tilt, otherwise you'll end up with tilted video that will make you do funny things with your head while watching :lol2:

[NathanH]

Definitely get the wide. The narrow is virtually non-available from moto-related suppliers because the wide is what everyone wants/likes. They did do some upgrading later in the run of narrow angle ones, but I think most/all of the wide angle ones not only got a better lens, but better electronics, too. At least when it first came out, it was an upgrade over the narrow. Or, hold out a couple of months for the new 1080P version. It's supposed to run about $100 more than the wide angle, and the footage I've seen from the demo ones is INCREDIBLE. It moves to a rechargable battery pack instead of drop-in batteries, too. Plus, the new one will have an option for a wrist mounted remote control for starting and stopping recording. Very nice feature so that you don't have to get it started recording and waste time/space recording before you get to the good/twisty/track/scenic part you actually wanted to record. I played with a pre-production model a little and really liked it.

[gotdurt]

So you can't change the lenses on them like you can a bullet cam? If so, I wouldn't even consider wide.

[Loyd]

Wide!

[gotdurt]

So you can't change the lenses on them like you can a bullet cam? If so, I wouldn't even consider narrow.

Oops, I meant narrow... Fixed :doh:

[1TallTXn]

The lenses are not interchangeable. Would be nice, but not something I expect on a <$200 camera.

Thanks for y'alls input :thumb:

My source is a bicycle shop, not sure if that would help narrow-lens availability or not :shrug:

[poser]

one of the site sponcors has a pretty good deal on the GoPro wide @ $139.95
I think it's be cool to have one of these.
How water proof are they?

[Loyd]

Very much so I'd say. Have you seen the hd version yet?:trust:

[1TallTXn]

they claim the housing is waterproof to 100ft.
the housing I messed with looked almost as robust as the Canon housing I have for my A570IS.
I think I may wait for the HD version, unless there's some super good deals on the SD version to be had :deal:
Posted via Mobile Device

[mnapuran]

I had the GoPro... I hated it. Not very friendly to use, no preview, etc.

I do love my Sanyo Xacti (http://www.fxol.com/?l=122y) though :clap:

[gotdurt]

I had the GoPro... I hated it. Not very friendly to use, no preview, etc.

I do love my Sanyo Xacti (http://www.fxol.com/?l=122y) though :clap:

What did you use to mount it? I like the specs, but it doesn't appear very rig friendly....

Also, how wide does it go?

[mnapuran]

It has a standard camera threaded mount on the bottom, so I just use a RAM mount.

[Prophead]

Wide angle for sure; I have one & love it!

[ekms377]

I have the Epic.....I don't like it at all. However, I just bought an Flip Ultra HD. Very user friendly and easy to use. Not as compact as the other 2 but video is great!

[1TallTXn]

For those of you who might be interested in the HD GoPro, here's the info and order page: http://www.goprocamera.com/index.php?area=2&productid=30

:drool:
I think I'll have my source get me one of these little gems

[sloan]

This video is from a regular lens model. It's mounted to the side of my left saddlebag of my VFR via the suction cup mount.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ZDztoFzVHeo

[1TallTXn]

This video is from a regular lens model. It's mounted to the side of my left saddlebag of my VFR via the suction cup mount.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ZDztoFzVHeo
Nice vid. Really made me want to go ride the Dragon :argh:

[BeemerBob]

I just returned from an extended trip using the GoPro.

That unit is soon to be on eBay. It is a piece of &^&^(*&

Poor quaility video in changing light conditions, poor sound.

VERY dificult to use. You have to view camera upside down to see current mode, adjust settings etc. Sometimes it just stops recording and it is unclear if it was because of dead battery, out of space or sd card or just decided to take a break. You could have just completed a neat ride only to discover that it was not recording. It goes through expensive lithium batteries very quickly.

The inability to review what was recorded was also very difficult issue to deal with. Is the camera adjusted at proper angle, did your last ride record correctly? No way to know.

Not very user friendly at ALL.

It was inexpensive but still not worth the price. My recommendation is to pass on this and buy a quality piece of equipment or non at all. This unit turned out to be far more trouble than it was worth. Some other folks report they like this unit, but I DO NOT. I am sorry I bought it.