NEW GoPro HERO 3+ Black Edition Review, Unboxing, Essential Accessories and More

About two weeks ago I finally received the product that I have been anticipating the release of for so long: The new GoPro HERO 3+ camera that I ordered. This new generation of camera looks almost identical to the old model (the GoPro HERO 3) even though it received many hardware upgrades and is in fact 20% smaller and lighter. GoPro claims their new camera has a 30% longer battery time, 4x faster WiFi, improved audio, a 33% sharper image, and better low light performance. On top of all of those improvements, they also added a new "Superview" mode and increased the framerates at 720p and 1080p to 120fps and 60fps respectively.
Though I have never owned a GoPro before, it very apparent when unboxing the product that they had changed nothing in the packaging process. Along with the camera, you also receive the same extras in the box as previous generations, so expect a waterproof housing, Wi-Fi remote, li-ion battery, quick release buckle, vertical quick release buckle, 1 curved + 1 flat adhesive mount, 3-way pivot arm, and a USB charging cable. Check out the unboxing I did below for more information.

As soon as I opened it I couldn't wait to get shooting, and luckily since I knew that I would need a micro SD card (check GoPro's list of recommended brands) I had ordered one in advance so that I would be ready to go by the time my GoPro arrived. I had also gone ahead and bought some basic accessories for my new GoPro such as a case, flexible tripod, head strap, caps and doors kit, tripod adapter, and some extra batteries. For links to all the products I bought as well as a look at each item, check out my video below.

My first test of the GoPro was to test it's low light capabilities as well as it's time lapse feature. I headed out just at sunset to capture the setting sun and stayed out for a good while after it was dark snapping pictures and filming video. I was slightly disappointed with the low light video performance, however, the stills and the timelapses I took (which are just a bunch of pics) turned out great. Below I included a frame from both a time lapse and a video to give you an idea of how the two compare.

The video is cropped because of how the GoPro sensor handles video compared to pictures.

Already after using the camera for the short period that I did, I could see a need for a few more accessories, mainly to allow me to do longer time lapses than the built in battery allowed for. So I ordered an external battery from Anker along with the GoPro frame mount to allow me to attach my camera to my tripod while still having access to the charging port. I also picked up an awesome suction cup mount from RAM to allow me put my GoPro in more places; say a window or a car door.

With this new gear in hand, my next testing grounds for the camera was a service trip to Virginia. Since I brought no other camera along, this trip gave me the opportunity to try out the GoPro's capabilities as a standalone camera. I felt myself wanting my DSLR a lot initially (mainly for its zoom) but once I began to get a feel for the camera, I started to see more angles that would look good through the GoPro's extremely wide angle lens.

As the trip went on I began to realize why so many people say this camera can't take the place of a point-and-shoot. The main reason for this is the lack of a viewfinder. You can preview the image on your phone or tablet, which definitely helps some, but it was very time consuming to make sure a shot was framed right because of the 1-3 second lag. You can always purchase the LCD bacpac from GoPro, but that will run you about $100 and also increase the size of your camera while decreasing battery life.

A sunset pic with the GoPro

Though the GoPro comes up short in the "everyday camera" category, it excels when it comes to pre-planned shots and videos where you have enough time to properly position the camera. The time lapse mode still continued to impress me, and now with the added external battery I was able to shoot for over 4 hours (and that only discharged the external battery to about 75%). The video mode was equally good, though the audio with the full case on still sounds pretty bad. Again the lack of a instantaneous viewfinder was a negative, making it really hard to capture artsy or well proportioned shots. If you don't care about where the action is positioned too much, you will love this camera though. It's wide angle lens coupled with it's small size allow you to put it anywhere and capture everything. Superview mode was almost too wide for my liking, however it will definitely be helpful in cases where you can't setup the camera very far away from your subject.

Take a look at the video below to see some of the sample footage and time lapses that I took while on the trip.

Overall, I think that the GoPro 3+ does what it's supposed to do. It gives you a camera that you can put just about anywhere and still be able to capture great footage in various framerates and resolutions. The lack of a viewfinder makes it very difficult to use as an everyday camera though, so if you are considering buying a GoPro for this purpose I would advise you to look elsewhere. If you are looking for a camera to film yourself in extreme conditions, a camera to put in places you wouldn't want to put your DSLR in, or just want a new tech toy to play around with, then the GoPro HERO 3+ is definitely for you.