# Go Pro questions.



## roremc (Oct 25, 2009)

So I'm pretty sure I want to get a go pro after having watched some random vids on youtube. Couple of questions.

Is it worth going the extra dollars for the Go Pro Helmet Hero

GoPro HD Helmet Hero 1080p Helmet Camera (CHDHH-001) : Pocket Camcorders - Best Buy Canada

or should just go the Go Pro Hero 960.

GoPro Hero 960 High-Definition Camera : Pocket Camcorders - Best Buy Canada

Can the cheaper one be fitted to a helmet as well? Is the only main difference the quality of video? (960 P - to 1080 P)

I would use this for snowboarding and scuba diving. Do they come ready for diving right out of the box or do they need add ons?

Sorry for all the questions but there is nowhere around here that I know who sells them.

Thanks!


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## TomasZ (Oct 17, 2010)

Have some experience with them...Definitely go with 1080. The first little bit of footage you get will more than make up for the extra cost :thumbsup:

And I think you'll need a waterproof case if that's what you're asking.


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## oldlady (Jan 11, 2010)

Difference btwn 960 and HD Hero per gopro.com

GoPro HD HERO 960 Video Camera: Compact, Durable, Wearable HD Cam



> The HD HERO 960 features the same professional grade 960p, 720p and 480p (WVGA) video & 5MP timelapse photo modes, and incredible sound recording system as its big brother, the original HD HERO camera.
> 
> Record up to 2.5 hours on a single charge and up to 9 hours total on a 32GB SD card (not included).
> 
> Missing from the HD HERO 960 are 720p @ 60fps, 1080p video, and the HERO BUS expansion port in the rear of the camera that will let you take advantage of GoPro’s forthcoming BacPac accessories – LCD screen & Battery Extension – both important features for filmmaking hobbyists & professional videographers that are compatible with the original HD HERO camera.



You'll be able to mount it to your helmet regardless. It's the same case. Seems like the 960 comes with all the required accessories to mount it to a helmet.

Now.. video quality wise. If you're not a HD snob 960 should suffice? Still looks great I'd think (I haven't tried recording in 960 yet)

With that said though, I did just receive my LCD BacPac for it which the 960 Hero CANNOT use. Definitely something else you may want to consider when you decide. I just took a day trip to Whistler and my helmet cam footage was useless since it was all covered in snow and not oriented correctly.

HTH


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## Tarzanman (Dec 20, 2008)

1080 resolution is overkill on these small camcorders. 720 or 960 is already better resolution than the video playback/compression delivers.

Of more importance if you are shooting good action is the 60 fps mode. It does make the movies very large (and brings many computers that try to play said videos to their knees), but I am a big fan of the smoother animation/video.

Having said that, 60fps isn't necessary either.... but I made the decision that if I was spending money on a dedicated video camera for activities (in addition to my cell phone, digital camera, and SLR camera which ALL record video), then I might as well spend money on something that had features that the other ones didn't..... except for my SLR camera... that thing even puts professional video cameras to shame, but I don't use it to shoot video on the slopes


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## roremc (Oct 25, 2009)

Thanks for the info guys! 

Has anyone had any experience using them underwater?


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## l burke l (Mar 1, 2009)

Def buy the 1080 camera. If your serious about using this camera alot or are serious about editing you will thank me. Its a action sports camera and if you dont have 60fps you will regret your purchase. The camera will come with everything you technically need if you buy the helmet version. You have to realized though that that is just what you "need". The under water housing will do great but i highly reccomend getting a new one from eyeofmine.com with the flat lense for scuba. The shots will come out much better under water. They also have a wrist mount which is great for scuba. As for snowboarding you can use the helmet cam or you can buy something like a monopod and get much more creative shots. There are a few of these on eyeofmine.com as well. The whole idea of pov camera and action sports is to think out of the box and the best way to do that is with multiple mounts. I also suggest buying a 16gb sd card as they are much cheaper than a 32 and will probablly last you all day. I usually go through 3 batteries during one day of riding and use about 12 gigs max. Its much easier to do this and then just keep emptying the sd onto my comptuer when i get home than to pay for a 32 gig card. I also have a back up sd but i never use it. The batteries are cheap so buy 2 extras of those because nothing is worse than realizing your friend left the camera on on the drove up or while in at lunch and your run out to early. eyeofmine.com also has a wallcharger so you can charge 2 at once. If you have any other questions please let me know. 

Heres my video we made from last year if you want to see how we use ours. YouTube - 09 - 10 season gopro hero HD snowboarding


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## bcasey (Jan 19, 2011)

Get the 1080p one for sure...
The 1080p one can do 1080p as well as 720p in 60fps as the fella above stated.
The 960 can only do 960 and 720p 30fps.. 60fps is needed for good slow motion.

here is a video I made, the driving was done in 720p 30fps and the riding was all done in 960p. This is however a 1080p model, I just chose to use 720/960 for this video. Sooo... if you choose to cheap out.. you should still be able to create a video on par to this.. (the original file on my pc is much better quality imo.. uploading a video to the internet degrades the quality a bit more.


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## surfinsnow (Feb 4, 2010)

*Batteries? Really?*



l burke l said:


> The batteries are cheap so buy 2 extras of those because nothing is worse than realizing your friend left the camera on on the drove up or while in at lunch and your run out to early. eyeofmine.com also has a wallcharger so you can charge 2 at once.


Shit, there are batteries? I took my GoPro out a couple weekends ago, powered up and *beep* it shut down, dead. I thought you could only charge it via the USB port. Where the hell are the batteries? I guess I have to look at my camera a little closer.

Also, gotta figure out he on/off thing...I keep forgetting whether or not it's on. Last weekend I went riding with my wife and kept asking her if the little red light was blinking on the front. She was wrong half the time, so I got just the opposite of what I thought I was filming -- IOW, ten minutes of video of us in the lift lines and on the lift, then it turns off just as we start a run. Oops.


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## bcasey (Jan 19, 2011)

It should beep does it not? The first couple times using it was tricky but once you get use to using the beeps you can control it pretty good.


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## hpin (Feb 11, 2010)

roremc said:


> Can the cheaper one be fitted to a helmet as well? Is the only main difference the quality of video? (960 P - to 1080 P)
> 
> I would use this for snowboarding and scuba diving. Do they come ready for diving right out of the box or do they need add ons?
> 
> Sorry for all the questions but there is nowhere around here that I know who sells them.


Both models use the same mounting hardware, so yes they can be fitted to a helmet.
Yes both come with underwater housing that can go up to 100ft. I think they are better for underwater videos than those underwater digital cameras because of the wide angle lens.
There is a booth in CrossIron Mills shopping mall that sells these gopro cameras and all the add-ons. Also my local retailer BDL Motorsports or Point of View Cameras.ca

My advise, if you want a point of view wide angle camera to take videos of your trips, get the 960. 

If you want to edit videos, do slow motion, post production zooming and crops, and all that fancy stuff for videographers, go with the 1080p. The better the source, the more you can do with the video.

I myself am on the fence between 960p, 1080p or a ContourGPS.


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## oldlady (Jan 11, 2010)

roremc, on second thought, spend the extra cash and go for the 1080p. I just got my LCD bacpac last night and this is something which the gopro should have came with in the first place! no more guessing how your footage is going to look :thumbsup:


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## roremc (Oct 25, 2009)

Thanks again for all the feedback! 

I'm going to go with the more expensive one. I think it may do a little more than I need but I think I may use some of the extra features occasionally. Now I just have to wait for my tax refund!


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