(Questions about GoPro Hero 3+)
V: How to turn on the camera?
O: To turn on the GoPro Hero 3+ camera, you need to install a charged battery into the body, then press button No. 5 (see photo) on the front of the camera once
V: Why is there a "white elastic band" (retainer) in the kit?
O: The latch is installed in the mount (see photo). In most cases, it is not necessary, because. the plug is very tight.
V: How to enable video recording?
O: To start recording video, you need to press the button on top of the camera once
V: Camera modes
V: How to enable Photo+Video mode?
O: Simultaneous Video and Photo mode allows you to shoot both video and photo at the same time. You can set the camera settings so that photo capture is activated every 5, 10, 30, or 60 seconds during video recording. Before setting Photo Capture in Video Recording mode, check that the appropriate video resolution is set and that Protune is turned off.
Note: You can shoot in Simultaneous Video and Photo mode only when the resolution is set to: 1080p at 30 and 24 fps, 720p at 60 fps, or 1440p at 24 fps.
V: How to reverse a record?
O: If you are mounting your HERO 3+ camera upside down but want the files to display correctly when viewed or edited later, you must enable this feature. It will avoid the need to flip video and photo files after recording.
To enable this mode, you need to turn on the camera, enter the general settings, then the Capture Settings section and select the required item marked with the icon
V: Why spot meter mode?
O: Spot Meter should be used when shooting from a dark area to a bright area, such as when shooting from inside a car.
To enable this mode, you need to turn on the camera, enter the general settings, then the Capture Settings section and select the required item marked with the icon
V: Why low light (auto low light) mode?
O: The GoPro HERO3+'s Auto Low Light mode automatically adjusts frame rates to find the optimal frame rate for use in both bright and dimly lit environments.
V: How to quickly exit the settings?
O: In order to quickly exit the camera settings menu without scrolling to the EXIT item, you need to press and hold button No. 2 (see photo)
V: Why are blurry photos?
O: Because the camera does not have an image stabilizer, flash, and / or other source of external illumination of the subjects being shot, the presence of good lighting in the shooting area is very important. On a sunny day, you will definitely get good dynamic pictures, but their quality will drop commensurately with a decrease in illumination (evening, twilight, night)
Advice: To reduce photo blur, use a Wi-Fi remote/smartphone with the proprietary GoPro app by pressing the capture button on it. Thus, the camera will remain more stable. You can also turn on continuous shooting in the camera settings, one of several shots should turn out clear.
V: How to enable/disable Wi-Fi?
O: In order to turn on the Wi-Fi module in the camera, you need to press the button on the end of the camera once
The fact that Wi-Fi is on is signaled by a blue LED on the front of the camera and an icon on the display.
To turn it off, press and hold the button on the end of the camera. Switching off is signaled by 7 flashes of the blue LED, as well as the absence of an icon on the LCD display.
Attention: remember that the wireless module works autonomously, even when the camera is turned off.
V: How to connect the Wi-Fi remote to the camera?
O: To connect the camera and the remote control, it is necessary to carry out the so-called pairing. First, turn on Wi-Fi on your camera.
You need to enter the Wi-Fi settings menu. To do this, click again on the Wi-Fi enable button.
Choose New
The camera will enter remote search mode
After that, you need to turn on the remote control by holding the red button. After turning on (2-3 seconds), release the red button - the remote control will go into search mode. After a while, the pairing will be established.
Can the remote control be submerged in water? is he water resistant?
It is dust/moisture/splash resistant. The remote control can not be submerged deeper than 3 meters under water
V: How to connect a smartphone/tablet to the camera?
O: To connect the camera and your device, you need to download the proprietary GoPro app. You can do this in the App Store (for IOS) and PlayMarket (for Android).
First, turn on Wi-Fi. Press the button again and go to the settings. Choosing a GoPro app
Let's move on to the smartphone / tablet. Open the WiFi connection settings and select the network with the camera name. Enter the standard password to connect goprohero(pay attention to the case of letters, this is important).
We open the application. We are offered to change the name of the Wi-Fi network and its password (this step is required).
A confirmation of the change with new data will appear on the screen
The connection is established, you can use the functionality of the application to control the camera.
V: What is the standard Wi-Fi password?
O: goprohero (no spaces)
V: Camera operating time. Charger
The charging time of the camera may be different, it depends on the output current of your charger. If you charge the camera through the original charger, the charging time will be 1.5 hours at 80% and 2 hours at 100%. Standard charging gives out a current equal to 1A, at a voltage of 5V. When choosing Z \ U, look at its parameters. Ideally, they should match the parameters of the original chargers. When using a charger with a higher current strength, battery wear increases. Non-original chargers can charge the battery up to 100% in two to three hours.
V: What is hard reset for GoPro?
O: hard reset is resetting the camera settings to default values.
V: Does a hard reset reset the firmware?
O: No, the firmware does not change, all your settings are simply reset to factory defaults
V: How to make a hard reset?
O: Turn off the camera, remove the battery, press the capture button and do not let go, insert the battery, press the power button. The settings will be reset.
V: How to format a flash drive through the camera?
O: You need to go to the settings and scroll to the last item with the trash icon. At this point select All/Format and confirm the action.
V: Why can't I delete files from the memory card when the camera is connected to a PC?
O: The Hero 3+ camera is protected against file deletion when the camera is connected to a PC via a USB cable. In order to clear the memory card, you can use the above method (No. 21) and clear the contents of the card in the camera itself. Or by connecting a memory card to a PC using a card reader.
V: How can I watch the captured video on TV?
O: There are several options, you can choose the most convenient:
1. By connecting the camera via an HDMI cable (the cable is not included and must be purchased separately)
2. By copying files from a memory card to a USB flash drive and connecting to a TV (smart), set-top box / player, etc.
3. By connecting the camera to the TV directly via the USB port, like a flash drive
V: Why does the video slow down when viewed on a PC?
O: The camera shoots video with a high bitrate and the computer can not cope with its decoding. There are several ways to fix this situation:
1. install the current (fresh) codec
2. try another player (VLC for example)
3. if possible, then use "hardware video acceleration"
4. change the computer to a more powerful one (upgrade the CPU, video card, RAM)
5. transcode the captured video into a less "heavy" format/bitrate and then watch it.
V: How and with what to process the captured video?
O: There are many programs for video editing, you need to decide which one will be convenient for you? Which one is right for a particular task?
The most simple to learn, but at the same time quite powerful in terms of functionality are:
Sony Vegas (Windows)
Final Cut Pro (Mac)
Further, more complex programs can be noted, such as Adobe products - Adobe Premiere Pro (not to be confused with Adobe After Effects, because AE for compositing and creating special effects). So are simpler ones, for example, standard Windows Movie Maker, etc.
V: What to do if the camera freezes?
O: If your camera freezes, it usually means that you need to update the firmware or you have some problems with the SD card. Below are the steps to help you troubleshoot the issue:
1. Make sure you have the latest firmware version installed. You can find out how this is done in item #30. If you have an old version of the firmware, or if you are not sure that you have the latest version, we recommend that you update it.
2. If you have the latest firmware, you may need to update it manually, as some failures may have occurred during installation.
3. Try reformatting the SD card using the "delete ALL" menu function.
Try another known good SD card. Try to use cards of quality manufacturers!
4. If your camera is still freezing, you need to contact GoPro Customer Support using the "Contact Us" form.
V: How to reduce the fisheye effect?
O: First, let's figure out what it is. Fisheye, fisheye (from the English fish-eye) - a distorting ultra-wide-angle lens. It differs from conventional (orthoscopic) short-focus lenses by a pronounced uncorrected barrel-shaped distortion and a field of view angle close to or greater than 180°. The use of a fisheye lens is most often reflected in shooting outdoor extreme sports (parkour, skateboarding, BMX, etc.). We can say that it is the "main" lens in such shootings, allowing you to capture from a short distance both the "rider" himself and the architecture used when performing tricks. Also, the use of a fisheye lens is very common in shooting spherical panoramas, since it allows you to get a full panorama sphere with a minimum number of frames.
We now know that this is the type of wide angle lens found on the Gopro Hero 3+. In order to reduce this effect with the settings, you need to take a few simple steps. Open the camera settings and select the menu with the settings for resolution and frames per second. There are 4 setting items in this menu: RES (Resolution); FPS (frames per second); FOV (angle of view \ field of view); LOW LIGHT (low lighting).
We need an item called FOV. The camera has three viewing angle settings: WIDE (wide) MEDIUM (medium) NARROW (narrow). To reduce the fisheye effect, we need to set the viewing angle to exactly NARROW (narrow). Note that as the viewing angle decreases, the picture will no longer be widescreen.
Reducing the viewing angle through the settings is not the only way to remove the fish. For those who process video, there are video tutorials on how to remove fish in editors. When using editors, some part of the picture will still be lost.
V: What should I do if the camera does not turn on?
O: If your camera does not turn on, then the problem may be either in the camera itself, or in the battery, SD card, or somewhere in the camera the contact is lost. Here are some tips to help you figure out what problem you have.
1. Disconnect all BacPac accessories, battery and SD card from the camera. Insert only one battery. If the camera turned on, then your camera just hung and now you can safely continue to work with it.
2. If the camera still does not turn on, remove and reinsert the battery and charge the camera using a USB charger or your computer. Do not try to turn on the camera while it is charging. You should see a red light on the front of the camera. Once the light is off, disconnect the camera from the USB and turn it on. If the camera turned on, then your battery was dead and just needed to be recharged.
3. If your camera won't turn on and it's a HERO3, look at the red light on the back of the camera. If it is dim, remove/insert the battery and try turning the camera on again. You may have to do this 10 times until the camera turns on.
4. Try to make a Hard Reset (item #20)
5. If your camera still won't turn on, you'll need to contact GoPro Customer Support using the "Contact Us" form.
V: How to find out the firmware version of the camera?
O: You can check the firmware version installed on your HERO2 or HERO3/3+ camera by looking at the version.txt file saved on the SD card in the MISC folder.
If you cannot find the file, follow these steps:
1. Reformat the SD card using the "delete ALL" menu function.
2. Record a short video or take one photo.
3. In the MISC folder you will find the version.txt file.
4. Open the file. For the HERO3 camera, you will find a firmware version line, "firmware version", and a Wi-Fi version line, "wi-fi version". For the HERO2 camera, you will find a line with the firmware version, "version".
V: Why do I need .lrv and .thm files on a GoPro memory card?
A: .lrv - These are video files in low resolution (Low Resolution Video).
.lrv can be used to edit video files on weak PCs, and in the final render, replace them with high-resolution originals. If you change the extension of these files to .mp4, you can view them with a simple player. These files can also be used by smartphones to display captured videos through a proprietary application.
.thm are thumbnails of recorded video files (Thumbnail Image File).
.thm can be used to display the first image on the camera's LCD screen, or preview it on a smartphone via the GoPro app.
These files may appear on the memory card if you shoot with: HERO3+ Black, HERO3+ Silver Edition, HERO3: Black Edition, HERO3: Silver Edition, HERO3: White Edition, HD HERO2, with LCD screen, or via the GoPro app
V: Why can't I view the captured photos and videos on iOS through the app?
O: In order for you to be able to view the footage through the application in an iOS smartphone, you must allow the application to save photos on the device when you first start the program.
Everything is solved simply: open "Settings",
and move the slider in front of the GoPro
I'll start with the main one.
What is an action camera and what is it for?
About terms. The phrase action-camera is understood as a small camera with a minimum of settings and controls, designed for shooting in various uncomfortable conditions, which dictates the basic requirements that such a camera must meet:
- minimum weight
- ease of mounting (ideally, an action camera can be mounted on anything, including a dog)
- a minimum of controls and, in general, a minimum of operator participation
- dust-, shock-, heat-, waterproof case
- the longest possible battery life (but not at the expense of weight)
It is indispensable for skydivers and other flyers, skiers, surfers, divers and other extreme sportsmen. I especially want to draw attention to divers: in their case, an action camera can be a very cheap and convenient alternative to a bulky camera in.
Many companies are engaged in the production of action cameras, but here I will tell you about the camera of the company gopro, because it was she who was at my disposal.
GoPro Hero 3 action cameras
GoPro cameras have made their way into our market quite widely, and you can now find them in any more or less serious computer or photo store. They gained a large number of fans and received a diminutive name "goproshka".
The Hero 3 series cameras come in three variants (ordered in descending order of coolness):
- Black Edition
- Silver Edition
- white edition
They differ in capabilities and equipment, but structurally they are exactly the same. My camera, the one that is white (White edition) is the worst, but it also has quite pleasant, pleasing to the eye, properties.
Briefly about the technical characteristics of the GoPro Hero 3 White edition camera:
| bare weight, g | 74 |
| weight in a hermetic box, g | 136 |
| immersion depth in the hermetic box, m | 40 |
| video resolutions | 1920x1080 (25, 30 fps) 1280x960 (25, 30 fps) 1280x720 (25, 30, 50, 60 fps) 848x480 (50, 60 fps) |
| photo resolution | 5 megapixels (2592x1944) |
| timelapse (intervals), s | 0.5, 1, 2, 5, 10, 30, 60 |
| continuous shooting, frame / s | 3 |
| battery capacity, mAh | 1050 |
| battery life without WiFi | from 2 h 15 min to 3 h, depending on the mode |
| WiFi battery life | 15 minutes less than without it |
| governing bodies | 3 buttons |
| display | b/w LCD with mode indication and a couple of digits |
| memory card | microSD up to 64 GB |
| connectors | mini USB micro HDMI |
The camera comes in an incredibly pretentious box, most of which is empty space. The box is crowned with a transparent cap made of thick plastic, under which we see, in fact, a camera in a hermetic box, mounted on a special platform.
Inside the box is:
- sealed box door
- two platforms on double-sided tape (for mounting on a flat and convex surface)
- paper about the guarantee
- a piece of paper stating that there are no instructions here, but everything that is interesting - see the website
- a piece of paper telling us to make sure we have the latest firmware
- some "GoPro(r) Be a Hero" stickers
A huge, too cool box is, of course, overkill, but the lack of a multi-page instruction for downs, and replacing it with a piece of paper that sends us to the site is right, at least they saved a little wood and saved users from unnecessary waste paper, which most of them even won't open.
On the side of the camera are connectors and a slot for a microSD card.
There are 3 buttons on the camera:
- on/off/mode switching
- shooting/photo
- on/off WiFi
WiFi is used to connect to a WiFi remote control or a smartphone, on which you can install an application that allows you to remotely control the camera and see on the screen the same thing that it sees. Since I don’t have one or the other, this button annoys me, but if you have the appropriate devices, its benefits are obvious: after all, WiFi drains the battery 10-15% faster, so when it’s not needed, it makes sense to turn it off.
Video and photo quality, examples
Video quality I was satisfied almost completely (when it comes to shooting in good lighting). At least, it is much higher than that of a budget camera. The main mode I use is 720p at 30fps. One minute of video in this resolution weighs about 70 MB.
It's all about, basically, clarity and built-in deshaker which, by the way, works well. But with color reproduction things get a little worse.
The camera very noticeably "softens" the image, giving it a yellowish-pastel tone. Moreover, the color ratio is preserved, and when using autolevels in the editor, the picture acquires the lost blue and becomes much more similar to the original. But this is provided that there are no blockages in the frame, for example, a bright sun. If they are, all adjustments will have to be done manually. Here, for example, is the same frame taken on GoProshka and on a regular camera, see the difference:
GoPro Hero 3 camera features that won me over
Underwater photography
As you know, everyone who has ever dived with a mask in more or less transparent waters must have thought that it would be great to capture underwater beauty in a photo or video. Some citizens solve this problem with underwater shooting boxes, to which this site is dedicated.
GoPro owners get an amazing bonus of underwater shooting without any additional devices: because the camera is already supplied with a hermetic box! And what is especially nice here is the price. For example, a GoPro Hero 3 White camera (including case) costs $200, and aquabox for a Canon Powershot G15 camera costs more than $300.
Let's add here the ability to attach a gopro to any part of the body, freeing up your hands and focusing on scuba diving and contemplating the beauties, and not on whether or not we are currently filming and how uncomfortable it is to paddle with one hand.
This is what a person who knows the problem firsthand tells you: I have ever dived with a Canon SX100 camera in . Unfortunately, I can’t give an illustration of using the GoPro Hero 3 camera underwater yet, but I will correct it.
timelapse
For some strange reasons, the ability to shoot time lapses, with all the simplicity of its implementation, is not available in all cameras. And those in which it is implemented usually cost much more than $200.
Typical timelapse (3.2 Mb) - not shot on GoPro, but the essence is the same GoPro cameras capture a time lapse with a customizable interval between frames, which can be selected from the following set of values: 0.5, 1, 2, 5, 10, 30 and 60 seconds.
Actually, that says it all. After all, capturing how quickly the sun sets and how wildly the clouds rush across the sky is, perhaps, the second obsessive desire of all amateur photographers after underwater shooting and dew on the leaves.
GoPro Hero 3 White edition camera disadvantages
Yes, this camera, of course, also has disadvantages. I can draw your attention to the following:
1. The camera is designed exclusively for shooting in bright light, ideally on a clear day outdoors. When trying to shoot video indoors, an incredible amount of noise appears in the frame, and the overall video quality becomes indigestible.
2. Incorrect color reproduction, incl. in bright light (“softening” the picture, as mentioned above).
3. Very strange behavior of the camera when shooting a long time lapse, especially when the light starts to change (for example, the same sunset). From frame to frame, exposure and color balance can jump as they please. In low-light scenes, the camera can increase the exposure as it should be, or it can suddenly decide that enough is enough and set the parameters at which we can see only a black screen for the next thousand frames. Here is a good example illustrating all these jambs:
4. Camera GoPro Hero 3 shamelessly buggy. Maybe it's just my copy. But the glitches will be below in detail.
5. Of the less obvious and more controversial shortcomings: well, why not make more mounting lugs on the case? This would have made the structure heavier by a couple of grams, but how much more versatile the camera would have become in terms of mounting!
Well, since we're talking about fixing...
GoPro camera mounts - make or buy?
A little pleased with the acquisition, I thought. The two adhesive tape mounts included in the kit - one on a flat surface, the other on a convex one - did not impress me very much, because where to glue them, you still have to figure out, and then constantly live with the thought “what if it falls off?”
As a bonus third mount, a flat platform on which the camera stood during the sale can be used, but in my case this was also not an option, because. the length of the mounting lugs does not allow the camera to be positioned parallel to the platform.
Well, there is an easy way here - to buy. After all, a crazy amount of different accessories are sold for GoPro cameras. If you look at the Internet on this topic, then, literally, your eyes start to run wide. And, it seems, each gizmo separately is not so expensive. It turns out expensive when the leading eyes also want this mount on the steering wheel for $ 20 and this for the head for 22 and this for the chest for 30 ... As a result, the amount quickly exceeds 100 bucks. In general, buying is not our way. And I decided to do it myself.
Homemade GoPro forehead mount
The first thing that came to mind was to adapt the mount from a headlamp. No sooner said than done, since there were plenty of substandard flashlights in my household.
Not as beautiful and functional as industrial. The main two drawbacks are the impossibility of quickly removing the camera from the site and the periodic spontaneous loosening of the nuts, accompanied by “pecking”. The disadvantage, in principle, is removable, but for now it will do.
An important point. Pay attention to the metal plates hammered between the fixing ears of the hermetic box. It is necessary to select them so that the total thickness of the plates exactly matches the gap, otherwise, when tightening the nuts, you have every chance to spoil the product!
The disadvantage of this GoPro mount on the forehead is its non-rigidity. When driving on a bumpy road, the camera jumps quite a lot relative to the head, adding jitter in order. In this regard, the fastening must be reinforced with additional straps, although, in my opinion, it is impossible to ensure a sufficiently rigid position on the head with the help of a brace. That is why cameras are very fond of mounting on helmets: a properly selected helmet is practically a single whole with the head.
Homemade GoPro camera mount on the chest and other parts of the body
The forehead mount easily transforms into a chest strap. It is enough to slip it under the belt tightened in the right place.
The mounting platform from the flashlight turned out to be quite versatile. With shorter straps, it can also be attached to places such as the ankle and knee. In general, there is room for creativity.
In the following video, I give examples of mounting the camera on different parts of the body during a ski trip.
For some unknown reason, my camera always turns out to be tilted to the right. Moreover, if at first I thought that I always ride with my head tilted, then I suddenly discovered that the same tilt is obtained when attached to the knee, ankle, chest. What is the catch - it is not clear. Either the camera warps a little towards the battery due to imbalance, or I fixed it on the site with an offset to the right.
Sometimes you really want to attach a bubble level to the goproshka.
Summary
Although the manufacturer will not pay me a cent for these lines, I will say that gopro- an extremely convenient thing, completely worth the money (of course, I was doubly pleased to receive it as a gift, but we're not talking about that). The scope for capturing reality from a variety of angles and in a variety of conditions, this camera provides huge.
For example, there is a video on Youtube where one American DIYer attached it to a radio-controlled glider, on which he descended from a height of about 30 kilometers, so we have someone to take an example from. Although, this do-it-yourselfer is not the only one, Youtube tells us that only the most notorious lazy person has not yet tried to attach a gopro to an airplane / glider / balloon. For example, I’m going to make a report with, but I’ll wait for the wind ...
UPD: Problems with the GoPro Hero 3 White camera: the camera does not turn on
Despite the general enthusiasm for the product, I regret to add the following unpleasant remark here. If in the future there will be problems with the camera, I will add their description here.
Description of the problem
For no apparent reason, the camera suddenly refused to turn on.
The harbinger of strange behavior was the flashing of the WiFi light, which could not be turned off by pressing the corresponding button. It helped only to remove the battery, after which the camera no longer turned on.
How did they do it?
Since the camera is under warranty, I did not try to climb inside, and without this, all options for action boil down to the following:
- remove/insert memory card
- remove/insert USB
- remove/insert battery
- switch on switch off
- shake, knock, blow
And also to all possible combinations of the above actions.
Having resorted to all these measures at the time the problem was discovered, I did not get any effect, caught fire and went to bed, with the idea that now I need to look for warranty documents and ... in short, I lost my camera for a long time.
After about an hour I touched the camera - it turned out to be warm! In horror, I pulled out the battery, already suspecting that there was a short circuit inside, everything burned out, and the battery also died.
The camera worked after I blew into the battery compartment and then inserted the battery. After that, she began to turn on, turn off and shoot without any problems.
Causes of malfunction and disappointing conclusions
What was the reason is completely incomprehensible, but the incident leads to extremely unpleasant thoughts about reliability of GoPro cameras. And if this happened at the moment when it was supposed to be filmed the most valuable video in life?
For example, it was precisely because of these problems that the moment of flight from rescuers was not captured on video at the time, which is rather insulting.
I will definitely unsubscribe about further oddities in the behavior of the camera, although, of course, I really hope that the glitch was a one-time one, caused by the unsuccessful location of the satellites around Jupiter, and it will not happen again.
Continuation of a story
Alas, the disease progressed. About a month after writing the previous paragraph, the camera finally died: it refused to turn on and charge the battery when connected to USB. The “let it rest and try again” method, which worked well earlier, has now failed to produce results.
Recharging the battery outside the camera did not help either, and the methods of reviving the camera, which are in abundance at the request of “GoPro dead”, “GoPro won’t power on”, etc., did not work either.
Tellingly, there were no extraordinary actions with the camera, or its use in extreme conditions. The problem arose upon arrival home after a completely normal past video shooting.
In May 2014, the camera was handed over for warranty repair in Moscow and returned to me only in August. The fault is the motherboard that was replaced. As it turned out during a thorough examination, it was not the board that was replaced, but the entire camera as a whole (some characteristic abrasions on the case disappeared).
One way or another, let's hope that the problems are over. At the moment (December 20, 2014) — the flight is normal.
Finally, the long-awaited novelty is in our hands. Of course, it could have appeared earlier (online stores are always ready to serve), but I really didn’t want to face the peculiarities, albeit rare, of the so-called “gray supplies”. Namely - with the lack of localization, software flaws and other unpleasant surprises. Fortunately, there are still official suppliers of this equipment in Russia, and the speed of their work is pleasantly surprising: the third GoPro Hero series officially entered our market shortly after foreign announcements. The difference of a few months can be considered insignificant - it is enough to imagine the difficulties that you need to go through to get just one certificate.
But let's leave the bureaucratic obstacles to those who, by the nature of their activity, are called upon to overcome them. After all, there is a much more interesting reason for the article:
Design, technical characteristics
The reader should be warned: in this article you will not see fascinating footage taken in the stratosphere. There will be no wrecked cars or broken limbs here. Exotic ways of attaching a GoPro to anything are also up to the owners of such cameras. We will focus on studying the technical features of the device: controls, shooting modes, methods of processing the resulting video. Everything that is not covered in the user manual or on the product web page.
Traditionally, the GoPro Hero camcorder comes in several variations, or, if translated edition Literally, publications. They differ not only in completeness. Before buying, it is recommended to carefully study the characteristics of each "edition" - this can be done on.
But everything is much simpler for us: the camera kindly provided for testing belongs to the "older" version - GoPro Hero 3 Black Edition.
The camera comes with a serious set of accessories (looking ahead, we note that even such a collection is probably not enough to implement all the ideas):
- multiple mounts including pad
- waterproof case
- replaceable back cover for the case (not sealed, with holes for better sound recording)
- radio remote control with charging cable
- Mini-USB-to-USB cable
- paper instruction in Russian
The concept of the camera remains the same as in . Design - yes, slightly changed. The battery has ceased to resemble a telephone, now it has the shape of a brick. Of course, the old batteries will no longer fit the new camera.
The included battery enables continuous recording for 95 minutes at 1280×720 50p with Wi-Fi off. Wireless communication takes a lot of energy, the battery is depleted literally before our eyes. Not knowing this, the author, going to shoot and having charged the camera, did not pay attention to the flashing blue indicator, and arrived at the shooting site with an almost empty battery. It turns out that turning off the camera is not enough - you also need to make sure that Wi-Fi is also disabled: the wireless network adapter in the camera is turned on and off separately.
The body of the device, as usual, is made of impact-resistant plastic. On one of the ends there is a Wi-Fi on / off button, on which the corresponding icon is applied.
The camera screen still does not have a backlight - this is a serious minus. And, just like in previous versions, navigation through the menu is carried out with two buttons. This way of managing parameters cannot be called comfortable; however, it is a matter of habit. It is enough to work closely with the camera for a week to change, for example, the recording mode with your eyes closed, focusing on sound signals and the number of clicks. But, we repeat, for a beginner such an unobvious method of control may seem inconvenient and antediluvian.
The service interfaces of the camera are covered with a removable cover: Micro-HDMI, Mini-USB, and a slot for a microSD memory card (up to 64 GB).
The remote control screen also does not have a backlight; in active mode, this screen completely copies the screen of the camera itself, repeating all the set parameters and icons. Device information is exchanged over the same Wi-Fi. The remote control works stably, the maximum distance at which the camera is able to receive a control signal and transmit information can be 200 meters in line-of-sight conditions.
To recharge the remote control, a special connector of a cunning shape is used; charging is carried out from a USB port or from a similar adapter. During charging, remove the metal eyelet from the remote control, for which the remote control is designed to be attached, in order to avoid losing it.
The main technical characteristics of the video camera are given in the table:
| Dimensions, weight | (W×H×D) 59×41×29 mm, 77 g with battery |
| Battery life included in the kit | up to 95 minutes of continuous 1280×720 50p video recording with Wi-Fi off |
| Carrier | microSD card (up to 64 GB) |
| Video formats | |
| Photo Format | JPG, 12 MP, 7 MP, 5 MP |
| optical zoom | |
| Interfaces |
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| Other characteristics |
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Video/photography
First of all, you need to know with what resolution it makes sense to shoot. It would seem: if you want to save events with maximum detail, use the 4K available here. But the frame rate when shooting with this resolution, alas, is not yet high enough - only 12.5 frames per second (hereinafter we will use the PAL standard as the main one in Russia and most other countries).
But how to measure the resolution of a given camera? The test chart we have, printed on an A3 sheet, is not suitable for this. The fact is that the lens of the camera in question has a fixed focal length. Simply put, objects as far away as a meter from the lens and up to infinity will be in focus; objects that are closer than a meter will leave the focus area, blur.
What's the way out? Of course, a huge-oh-ohm test chart! True, to print (and place) such a rather expensive. In addition, it doesn’t make much sense: after all, the main zones of the table, by which you can quite accurately determine the resolution of the camera, fit only on six sheets of A4 format (the entire table could have been 3 meters wide).
To print the required six sheets, we split the "virtual" table into sheets. After that, only the desired area was printed - in the next figure it is highlighted in color.
Having glued the resulting sheets and placed them on a vertical surface (wall), we thought about it. Dilemma: How far away should you shoot? After all, it is required not only to remove this object. The main thing here is to maintain the desired proportions. It would be possible to use a simple calculation, but alas, the optical distortions introduced by the camera lens are so strong that the usual geometry is not suitable here. There is only one way out - sequential shooting made from different distances from the table will help us. Armed with a tape measure and choosing a step of five centimeters, we made the necessary shooting, making several dozen takes.
Now it is enough to combine the freeze frames obtained from each take in the graphic editor with the image of the table itself in the original and select the most suitable frame in size, where the key table objects of interest to us coincide with the original ones in location and size. Ready!
The shooting was carried out, of course, in 4K 3840 × 2160 mode. This mode was chosen because the aspect ratio in it is standard 16:9 - exactly the same as in the test table. The calculation showed that the actual resolution of the camera reaches 2800×1600. Here it is hoo! I recall Carlson with his sincere surprise: “Such a big housekeeper - in such a small box?” What is this processor inside our camera that allows you to encode a picture with a similar resolution? Look, it heats up like an internal combustion engine? Let's measure this parameter.
This photo was taken half an hour after the start of recording in 720p mode, while the camera was in a room with a temperature of 24 ° C. As practice has shown, it is possible to avoid reaching a critical temperature by refusing to use Wi-Fi and providing the device with the maximum possible ventilation. That is, shooting in the heat with a camera placed in a sealed box threatens to overheat and then turn off the device - this aspect is covered in detail in the user manual. One thing pleases: due to the presence of a thermal sensor in the chamber, you should not be afraid of the device breaking due to overheating.
But back to resolution. So, 2800×1600. Those numbers are pretty damn similar to the frame resolution you get when shooting in 2.7K mode. Conclusion: you can get maximum video detail and at the same time avoid unnecessary waste of disk space by using one of the 2.7K modes: 2.7K (2716×1524, 16:9) or 2.7K Cinema (2716×1440, 17:9) . Moreover, the frame rate of such a video is already close to normal: 25 or 24 fps.
You can visualize the difference in the detail of each of the recording modes using the following video:
To view in full resolution, click on the button "Original size"
A huge number of shooting modes available in the camera in question makes it necessary to display their description in a separate table - it is impossible to fit all the parameters in the main table of technical characteristics. Here you can also download still images and original clips shot in these modes.
| Mode | Video resolution | fps (PAL) | Codec, parameters | Viewing angle | Protune | Download |
| 4K Cinema | 4096×2160, 17:9 | 12 | AVC [email protected] 50 Mbps | Wide | Yes | frame, roller |
| 4K | 3840×2160, 16:9 | 12,5 | AVC [email protected] 45 Mbps | Wide | Yes | frame, roller |
| 2.7K Cinema | 2704×1440, 17:9 | 25 | AVC [email protected] 45 Mbps | Wide | Yes | frame, roller |
| 2.7K | 2704×1524, 16:9 | 24 | AVC [email protected] 45 Mbps | Wide | Yes | frame, roller |
| 1440p | 1920×1440, 4:3 | 48 | AVC [email protected] 32 Mbps | Wide | Yes | frame, roller |
| 25 | Yes | frame, roller | ||||
| 24 | Yes | frame, roller | ||||
| 1080p | 1920×1080, 16:9 | 50 | AVC [email protected] 32 Mbps | wide, medium, Narrow | Yes | frame, roller |
| 48 | AVC [email protected] 32 Mbps | Yes | frame, roller | |||
| 25 | AVC [email protected] 20 Mbps | Yes | frame, roller | |||
| 24 | AVC [email protected] 32 Mbps | Yes | frame, roller | |||
| 960p | 1280×960, 4:3 | 100 | AVC [email protected] 32 Mbps | Wide | Yes | frame, roller |
| 48 | AVC [email protected] 32 Mbps | Not | frame, roller | |||
| 720p | 1280×720, 16:9 | 100 | AVC [email protected] 32 Mbps | wide, medium, Narrow | Yes | frame, roller |
| 50 | AVC [email protected] 20 Mbps | Not | frame, roller | |||
| WVGA | 848×480, 16:9 | 240 | AVC [email protected] 32 Mbps | Wide | Not | frame, roller |
Here you should decipher what the column called "Protune" means. This shooting mode is activated in a separate item of Capture Settings, and there is a choice between automatic white balance, manual setting (3000 K, 5500 K and 6500 K) and shooting in Cam RAW mode. The latter mode, apparently, allows you to get the picture as it is, without software color processing. We will deal with this feature of Protune a little later.
It can also be concluded from the table that some shooting modes allow the use of different frame rates. It is hardly necessary to convince the reader to always use the highest possible frame rate, especially when shooting fast-moving subjects. And since we're looking at an action camera, that's just the way it's supposed to be done.
Another burning question concerns angles. Those that are now for some reason not indicated in degrees, but have a more understandable designation: Wide (Ultra-wide), Medium (Medium) and Narrow (Narrow). Let's try - clearly, of course - to see and evaluate the difference in the angles of view of the lens. As you can see from the table above, not every recording mode allows you to change the angle. Just two: 1080p and 720p. In general, these formats are the most popular today, so in the future we will shoot in the older one, 1080p. With the highest possible frame rate, of course.
To measure angles, a lot of free space is required. And therefore we will go to the open air, armed with a shovel for clearing snow (we are in Russia, but now it’s not summer).
What's the verdict? It looks like the camera has a 150° angle of view in Wide mode, 110° in Medium mode, and narrows it down to 80° in Narrow mode. The most preferred is the medium mode, Medium. And the field of view is wide enough to cover the main scene, and at the same time, geometric distortions do not hurt the eye as much as in the maximum Wide mode.
By the way, about distortions. How to fix them? The answer is unlikely to please: it is difficult to overcome this distortion. However, it is possible. For example, in Photoshop. Do not be surprised, this program works well with video (Processing Video in Adobe Photoshop: Part 1, Part 2). There is also a way to correct distortion using open source software: a filter for VirtualDub. Unfortunately, in both cases, the video will have to be recoded or repacked into a format that is understood by the corresponding programs (Photoshop and VirtualDub) before processing.
However, you can do without preliminary recoding or writing AVISynth scripts. So, in After Effects, there are several ways to partially overcome distortion, here is one of them:
As we have already seen, the camera in question has a rather big MOS-matrix. In this regard, it is quite reasonable to expect a terrible rolling shutter from her. Let's check this, we will shoot the passing transport in different modes.
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If there is a rolling shutter, it is so weak that it does not attract attention even in the maximum 4K mode. Not every camera is capable of this.
The WVGA mode also promises considerable benefits. Recall: shooting in this mode is carried out at a frequency of as much as 240 frames per second. By slowing down such a video by 10 times, you can get a result that is rare in terms of spectacularity. Let the following scenes be rather banal, but the potential of such shooting is not difficult to understand.
Now, as planned, consider the Protune shooting mode. The manufacturer promises that the video shot in this mode lends itself much better to color correction - let's make a preliminary conclusion that the Protune mode allows you to shoot with an increased dynamic range. To confirm this theory, we will conduct another experiment: we will shoot a contrasting scene.
Indeed, dark areas look more distinct with Protune turned on, and, apparently, a lot of color and light can be “pulled” out of such a wide-range video. There would be desire, skill and time. Or rather, a lot of time.
What is the difference between these modes in technical terms? Does the camera in Protune mode manage to encode video with a higher bit rate? No, in fact, everything turns out to be much simpler. The files differ only in bitrate (when Protune is on, it is 1.5 times higher) and GoP length (Group of Pictures, 15 frames in normal mode and 8 frames in Protune mode). Below is the keyframe rate for both of these clips.
As for color correction, it is not only possible, but necessary. The reader has already noticed that the camera noticeably “yellows”. In any scene, wherever and in whatever conditions it was filmed, a yellowish coating is clearly visible. Maybe the lens coating is to blame. Be that as it may, it is simply necessary to get rid of yellowness. This is easy to do in any video editor.
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| Without correction | With correction | Without correction | With correction |
Due to the loop recording mode in the camera, the device can be used as a car DVR. True, in order to simultaneously shoot video and recharge the camera, you need a box with open interface holes - after all, the camera itself does not have any attachment devices, it can be attached to something only under one condition: when it is in the box.
After reviewing these videos and still images, we can say with confidence: in terms of detailing, none of the car DVRs existing today can be compared with this video camera.
At night, under street lighting, the camera also behaves very well. In the case of video recording, the fixed focus of the camera plays an extremely positive role.
Interval shooting is only possible in photo mode: the camera is capable of taking photos of a user-specified size at the following intervals: 0.5, 1, 2, 5, 10, 30 and 60 seconds. Thanks to this mode, it is possible to get a pretty beautiful video sequence by combining photos in a video editor.
A lucky chance made it possible to test the considered camera in underwater photography. Of course, in an artificial reservoir. The result is quite expected: flawless operation in all modes and, most importantly, the almost complete disappearance of distortion. In principle, it is understandable: water is an excellent corrective lens.
The photographic abilities of the camera are worthy of respect, but only in terms of excellent detail. Of the shortcomings - of course, the wrong geometry and the lack of a small depth of field so beloved by many photographers (or those who consider themselves a photographer) and, accordingly, “bokeh”.
Software
The software built into the camera on an external monitor looks much more convenient and logical than on the screen of the camera itself. If not for one thing: menu navigation is possible only in one direction - forward. Damn missing another button that would allow you to go back instead of scrolling through the entire menu again and again with the risk of missing again.
The camera's wireless adapter creates an access point with a specific name when you turn on the GoPro App mode. To control the camera using a smartphone or tablet, you need to install the GoPro App on your smartphone (versions for both iOS and Android are available), connect the device to a specified point, and launch the installed application.
It's a pity, but on the Android devices we have, this application did not really work. Three different devices were tested: a smartphone, a tablet and a media player running Android 4.0. The connection was established, the application was launched, but things did not go beyond this: despite the seemingly reliable connection and even the appearance of a video stream in the viewing window, the application stops working after a few seconds, displaying a message on the screen about the need to check Wi-Fi for correct connection. Why check it, if the camera even manages to display a picture - it's not clear. We hope this bug will be fixed soon.
No matter how much we would like to evaluate the work of the application in the iOS version, we do not have such a device in the foreseeable environment.
Comparative testing under the same conditions
In the almost complete absence of light, it seems much more preferable to shoot without using Protune. The actual resolution of the camera has already been mentioned above - it approaches 2800x1600. This figure is an absolute record, not a single amateur full-format camera has such permissions today - what can we say about such microscopic bricks as the hero of this review.
conclusions
Surprised by the camera, do not say anything. Honest 2.7K at a tolerable 25 fps - isn't that a miracle? As for the 4K mode, it is introduced here rather “for show”, because the real resolution does not reach such an indicator. And the frame rate in this mode is not at all conducive to its use.
The second important positive point is the presence of the Protune mode, in which the image is not subjected to color correction (often incorrect) and software noise reduction, but is taken directly from the matrix.
Finally, one more aspect: rolling shutter. It is practically non-existent, which is at least surprising. A matrix with so many pixels should - no, just have to produce the most terrible rolling shutter in the form of slanted lines and a jelly-like picture. However, we do not observe this.
Speaking about the minuses that characterize this device, two points should be noted. The first is the risk of overheating. True, only theoretical. In practice, during testing, we never encountered overheating - but it’s understandable, it’s winter outside. The second serious minus is inconvenient, archaic control. This two-button blind control is long overdue (though some might consider it a GoPro-only gimmick). And finally insert some kind of backlight into the screen!
These shortcomings are quite serious, but other qualities of the camera, positive, undoubtedly outweigh them: excellent resolution, minimal rolling shutter, the presence of Wi-Fi. And they do not just outweigh, but force us to mark this device with our award. Quite deserved.
The official cost of the GoPro Hero 3Black Edition camcorder in Russia is 20,500 rubles; the current average price (number of offers) is $369(10).
As the owner of the GoPro Hero3 Silver Edition, I passed the “horizontal” update on , and after another year I am holding a camera with an index of 4. And this is already a vertical take-off.
Hero3 vs. Hero4 briefly
I'll save you time. The two pictures below will show the advantage of the four over the three. Thanks to the updated optics and processor.
First, Hero4 is more accurate in color reproduction, while Hero3 is yellow.
Secondly, Hero4's noise is several times lower, and the resolution is higher (attention to vertical elements).
In addition, the 12 megapixels of the Hero4's sharp 10 megapixels are better than the 10 megapixels of the Artifact Hero3. Forgive me the owners of Hero2, but you are generally sad.
This short tour is over :)
Now a little more.
GoPro Hero 4Black or Silver Edition?
The camera is available in two versions - Black and Silver.
If you are a land resident and shoot mostly children's matinees, then take Silver because it has a built-in touch screen. But on the other hand, it does not accelerate above 1080p 60 frames / s, like the GoPro Hero3. The difference with the model before last will be only in the quality of the picture.
For hardcore you have to take Black Edition, because it produces 1080p 120 fps and 4K at 30 fps, and its processor is more powerful than silver. But there is no screen.
Dimensions
You won't notice the size difference between Hero3 and Hero4.
Battery
The GoPro3 has a larger battery, but it doesn't benefit from that.
- Treshka: 1180mAh, 3.7V, 4366mWh
- Four: 1160mAh, 3.8V, 4.4Wh
And finally, in Hero4, the battery is inserted from the bottom.
The Chinese are already offering replaceable power supplies for $7. You should have at least one on hand. On dx.com, shipping to Russia is free.
Since the "treshka" has weaker iron, it works one and a half times longer. The manufacturer writes that 3 hours in 1080p/30fps mode, but in fact it turns out to be an hour less. This means that the “four” will work for about 1 hour 10 minutes non-stop with Wi-Fi turned off.
Relax and watch promo video
So far, no one has been able to shoot a video better than GoPro itself does. Enjoy life in 4K, because it's wonderful. Since 2010, the camera has inspired many to get off their butts, get out of their smelly slippers and start living for real.
Cover, aka boxing
In fact, the changes started with Hero3+ and now the new box looks better than the old one. It has decreased in size, the latch has changed, unnecessary decorative screws around the perimeter of the bezel have disappeared.
The area of the buttons has become larger, the pressing itself is smoother. On land, this is good, but for divers in dry suits and 7mm gloves, the Hero3 was more responsive underwater. And the third model turns on faster by 1 second, but then slows down by the same amount in Photo mode :)
Comes with two back covers. One for land, the other for diving to a depth of 40 meters. I dived to 45 meters and there was no leak. But there was an extra decompression stop due to such unnecessary pampering, because my Deep Diver certificate prohibits such depth.
Have you seen how divers get married? You can’t do without champagne under water -. GoPro has become my indispensable companion in all dives - diving in South Cyprus.
There are currently no alternatives to GoPro. The same one will not be able to shoot underwater, and for some reason Chinese craftsmen do not come up with additional accessories for it. Toshiba has a crisis of ideas without a twinge of conscience.
GoPro Hero4 is good on land and underwater. She again captured moments of life that you can never capture with an ordinary soap box. In fact, in front of us is a dog-friend, ready to follow his master anywhere. For this, she is loved all over the world.
My video is below.
The cost of GoPro HERO 4 Silver is 19,999 ₽.
The cost of GoPro HERO 4 Black is 24,999 ₽.
GoPro Hero 3 Silver Edition is an action camera (or, as it is also called, “sports DVR”) of the third generation. Compact, somewhere three times smaller than the fourth iPhone, the camera is designed to shoot in the most unpredictable conditions where a conventional video camera simply cannot cope: water, dust, sand.
Thanks to its size and convenient mounts, GoPro can shoot while moving, in free fall or up to 60 meters under the water, even when your hands are busy with something else (wheels, for example). However, driving a selfie is not the best use of the GoPro Hero 3. Read on to find out where this miracle of technology can be used, what it can do and how it differs from a regular DVR.
What's the difference?
GoPro Hero 3 Silver Edition is the base model of third generation action cameras. It has a wider range of options than the White Edition (for example, a built-in Wi-Fi module), and is limited in comparison with the top Black. It also performs well as a video recording device (30 frames per second at Full HD and 60 at HD quality). Of course, the frame rate in 1080p is not enough to mount slow motion video from the footage, but in 720p you can do it. And a rather suitable “soap box” can come out of a silver GoPro - with an 11 megapixel matrix, it is capable of taking pictures in series or in time lapse mode. In the latter, you set the frame capture rate yourself - from 0.5 to 30 seconds.
Specifications:
- 11 megapixel matrix
- HD and Full HD video (60 and 30 fps respectively)
- photography in 11, 8 and 5 MP quality
- Protune mode (advanced color management capability)
- monochrome display on the front
- MicroUSB and Mini HDMI connectors
- 1050 mAh battery (enough for a little more than 3 hours of continuous shooting)
- microSD slot (supports cards up to 64 GB)
- built-in Wi-Fi module for remote control of the camera from a remote control (not included in the package) or from a smartphone (also not included :))
What's new?
So, we have already said that the new version of GoPro has a Protune shooting mode. Let's talk about it in more detail. In this mode, you can manually select the white balance and increase the amount of video stream capture from the standard 15 Mbps to 35 Mbps. Thus, GoPro Hero 3 can be brought closer in terms of shooting quality to professional cameras.
Hero 3 also introduced a video capture mode called Video Looping. It allows you to record a video fragment of a given length an unlimited number of times. In principle, it is useful if you know exactly how long the moment you want to capture will last.
Contents of delivery:
- the camera itself
- plastic protective box
- covers for the box - ordinary and waterproof (up to 60 meters deep). The waterproof cover also keeps your action camera well protected from dust and dirt.
- three-angle hinge
- flat mount
- stickers to fix the mount on flat and convex/concave surfaces
- USB cable
- brand name stickers
- instructions and warranty card
Camera remote control
As we already mentioned, Hero 3 Silver received a built-in Wi-Fi module. In an action camera, it is not needed at all in order to connect to the free Internet in cafes (and it doesn’t have such opportunities in principle). The camera can be remotely controlled via Wi-Fi. To do this, in addition to the camera itself, you can buy a remote control (remote control). It has the same two buttons as the camera and the exact same monochrome display. With the top version, the remote control is supplied, and for the silver version, you will have to pay another 80 euros for it. But this is not the most important thing. The camera can be controlled via Wi-Fi from a smartphone or tablet running Windows Mobile, Android or iOS. The remote control app is available for download on AppStore, Google Play and Windows Store.
IMPORTANT! Before installing the application, update the camera software from the official website! If you ignore the update, only android smartphones will work as a remote control.
And finally
Do not rush to order a camera "over the hill". Remember that the risk of such a purchase is $ 340 + shipping costs thrown to the wind. Firstly, you lose the 12-month warranty, and secondly, you can get an already broken camera.
To shoot video, it is advisable to install a class 10 memory card. It costs more, but it will affect the quality of the video.
One last thing: GoPro Hero 3 Silver Edition performs poorly in the dark, but better than second-generation cameras.
