I have been enjoying using the new GoPro HERO 4 Black a lot recently (especially the 120fps/1080p and the new Night Photography mode) and hope to continue to put up videos which show both its abilities as well as its limits. If you missed the unboxing I put up of it, here it is:
Though I haven't had the time to do a full review of it (hey I'm a college kid, athlete, musician, and YouTuber, something's gotta give eventually), I have had the time to test out some of its abilities, namely the 4k video and the aforementioned 120fps/1080p.
Low light video may not be too improved for the new HERO4, but due to the addition of the Night Photography Mode, GoPro's can finally have a use after the sun goes down. And man can they produce some awesome (relatively noise free) images! While I haven't had a chance to really test out the NightLapse mode, I have been thinking of as many cool night picture opportunities as I can, ranging from lightning to long-exposure driving shots. Here a couple of sample images below.
So that's it for now. Remember to subscribe to my YouTube channel to stay up to date with my latest video releases as well as following me on my various social media (where you can usually see photos like these right after I take them). Feel free to ask me any questions you have regarding the GoPro 4 Black, GoPros in general, or really anything else. Also, I do have a giveaway coming up (but I'm still trying to decide what to giveaway), so if you know what you want I would appreciate the input.
I have had the new GoPro 3+ for about 3 months now, and over that time the one thing that has kept filming and taking pictures with it interesting (besides its go-anywhere capabilities) are the plethora of different settings, options, and recording modes that are available. In an attempt to show some of the different modes I have uploaded a few different videos which compare the quality of different resolutions and field of views.
GoPro HERO 3+ Black Edition Video Quality Test & Resolution Comparison
GoPro HERO 3+ Black Edition Photo Resolution Size Options Test & Comparison (12MB, 7MB, 5MB/Wide & Medium)
GoPro 3+ Black Edition FOV Settings: Wide, Medium, & Narrow Comparison Test
These are all I have up for tests/comparisons of the GoPro 3+'s capabilities for now, but I am definitely looking forward to making more in the future. If there is anything specific you would like to see, don't hesitate to let me know.
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.
