GoPro HD Surf HERO Camera Review. « Katharyns Blog
GoPro HD Surf HERO Camera Description:
GoPro’s HD Surf HERO is the world’s only 1080p HD on-board video and still photo camera. Professional quality 1080p / 960p / 720p HD resolutions record at 30 and 60 frames per second (60 fps in 720p). Easily mounts to any surfboard in seconds. So light, even top pros claim they don’t notice the camera on their boards. The HD Surf HERO can also shoot 5MP photos automatically every 2 seconds while you surf. With the simple press of the shutter button on the paddle out you can capture photos during your entire surf. Other photo modes include 5 / 10 / 30 / and 60 second time lapse as well as single shot, triple shot and self timer modes. The batteries last for over 2.5 hours of HD video or automatic photo taking, so you can document your entire surf with a single push of the shutter button on the paddle out. The included adhesive base mounts in seconds and is proven in heavy surf from Hawaii to Tahiti, Southern Mexico to Northern California. Or you can install an FCS fin plug into the deck of your board and then use the patent pending camera mounting plug to allen key your HD Surf HERO into the FCS plug. Lighten your load on your next trip and use the HD Surf HERO for your non-surf related photos and videos, too. Optional accessories make it easy to mount the camera on your wrist, bike, scooter, jet ski or helmet. Tow surfing? A chest harness is available for that, too. Waterproof to 180′ / 60m and protected from rocks and other hazards thanks to its removable pol
- Amazon Sales Rank: #796 in Camera & Photo
- Brand: GoPro
- Model: CHDHH-001
- Dimensions: 1.90 pounds
Features
- Professional-grade full HD video up to 1080p
- 60 frames per second option in 720p and WVGA resolutions provides liquid smooth slow motion playback.
- Videos can be easily edited with iMovie or Windows Movie Maker
- Widest angle (170º) and sharpest lens captures more of the scene, including you. 127º wide angle viewing area in 1080p
- Includes easy-to-apply mounts for attaching camera housing to surfboards, paddleboards, etc. Impact-resistant housing is waterproof to 180 ft
- 30 frames per second recording option available in all HD resolutions (720p, 960p and 1080p)
Customer Reviews:
I love this camera.
I’m an off-roader that likes to capture stills and video on the trail. I have tried all sorts of cameras and attachments to make interesting video’s, but there was always something lacking in the sound and image quality……..until now! This little camera is perfect for off-road use. It’s dustproof, waterproof, appears to be shockproof and takes great video with sound. At first it seems pricy but if you try to put something together close to this in quality and funcuality it would cost a lot more. They are coming out with alot of add-ons so you can upgrade if needed. I find it very easy to use. Being an off-roader I found a mount that works well with the Gopro’s, It’s a billet gopro mount that is sold on the internet. I think this camera is great just taking with you to get family video’s or what ever sport your into.
Useless as an Underwater Videocam
The GoPro HD videocam is fundamentally a POV helmetcam for bikers, skiers, and boarders. It offers reasonable HD resolution, wide-angle, with a scan rate up to 60p, which work well for land, air, sailing, or surfing. For the money, it may merit four or five stars for those uses.
My tilt is from the vantage of underwater use, for which the GoPro HD is gol-durned worthless and merits zero stars.
Attractions:
Here’s what drew me to buy:
1) The device comes with a waterproof case rated to 180′, plus a wide-angle lens, which are intriguing features for a <$300 price. The elastic head strap mount can be worn above goggles. One can also buy dessicant strips to avoid fogging.
2) Dedicated UW videocams cost plenty, and the best consumer “rugged” digicams with HD video (the Panasonic T2 and Olympus 8100) rate only to 30′, have LCD screens that are hard to see underwater, and shoot no wider than 28mm, making it hard to frame shots.
Realities:
I used the GoPro HD while snorkeling and free-diving to about 25′. The Cozumel waters were among the world’s clearest. Lighting was mixed sun and clouds. The camera case was dry and clean, and it contained two fresh dessicant strips. I shot at the 1920×1080 30p setting. The full HD, I thought, would give me some room for digital zoom when editing, to bring key object to center frame. I avoided the 1920×720 60p setting, since that is a “fish-eye” mode best for very close POV shots, blurs more at the edges, and the faster frame rate superfluous for slow UW action.
1) The GoPro HD’s video becomes exasperatingly ill-focussed below the surface. The blur is far worse than my own short-sightedness. I could see far better without my glasses than could the camera. Coral formations were all blurry. Fishes, crabs, and rays appear only as blobs. People who see YouTube GoPro underwater samples that look tolerable probably saw shots of large objects taken with the standard definition models. The GoPro HD’s underwater video is anything but HD. It is worse than SD, worse than VHS, worse than MacGoo vision. GoPro has responded to some owners (but not in its product brochure or manual) that it is “aware” of the focus issue, but has yet to offer any optical or firmware corrections. My problem had nothing to do with condensation, since the case was dry and included fresh dessicant strips sold by GoPro.
2) The angle is wide, but not wide enough to alleviate need for careful manual control. One’s tendency is to aim the thing a little too high. Since there is no preview screen to learn on-location, it would help if the brochure gave buyers some “heads up” on the problem. Essentially, one must set the head strap hinge about 25 degrees downward from the angle of one’s forehead, and NOT have the shooting angle match the foreward diretion of one’s diving mask. Alternatively, one should mount the cam on a pole and point it carefully. If holding it in hand with no pole, be extra careful about diretion, usually aiming below a 45% angle from the water surface.
3) No underwater color filters or white balance adjustments. GoPro sells no adapter filters and no generic or third party models fit. GoPro could introduce firmware that allows digital white-balance adjustments for blue or green water, but has not replied it will ever do so.
Bottom Line:
1) People in search of an action or helmet videocamera for land, air, or above-water use should survey the other reviews, plus comments at a user forum. Most are favorable. The most common complaints, meanwhile, are that the protective case latch can break and that GoPro failed to deliver a firmware update, without offering any new ETA. Go Pro’s wide-angle and 60p mode offer unique advantages for POV action video ABOVE WATER. A wide-angle conversion lens alone can cost plenty, and none of this sort exists for other small models. However, if you can get by with 28mm equivalent wide angle, various “rugged” P&S digicams are more versatile (for stills or video) and have preview screens. GoPro may soon introduce a preview attachment for its devices, but cost extra and require removing the cam from its protective case.
2) Those in search of a device for underwater HD video should explore other manufacturers’ models. Alas, there are few expert reviews that include proper underwater tests. Do not rely on any reviewers’ bathtub tests, home aquarium tests (especially if shot from outside, or samples transcoded or shot with SD models. In its present configuration, the GoPro HD is entirely unsuitable for scuba, snorkel, or other diving shots. The earlier SD models yielded more tolerable UW qualty, but anyone in search of HD results, and a $300 budget, might find an underwater enclosure or “marine pack” for a P&S digicam that performs. Circa $400 will buy the latest and best “rugged” digicams with HD video (Panny T2, Oly 8100) rated to 30′. If one intends to dive frequently, or below 30′, greater expenditure for dedicated equipment may be in order. Otherwise, avoid risk and expense and get a disposable UW still camera.
As a general, neutral word of advice, people who intend to EDIT GoPro HD video should have a multi-core PC with a recent dedicated graphics card. Sony Vegas Pro, FCP, and Pinnacle 12.1 / 14 support the MP4 h.264 files. Other editing packages may require conversion to another codec before editing.
My Husband loves his new GoProHD
Purchased for my husband for Christmas and he can’t stop playing with it. He has taken videos, skiing, biking, swimming. Loves it!! Wishes it had a remote and came with it’s own video editing software. He had to purchase QuickTime pro to edit the videos but they look awesome! Takes some practice to get the right tilt on the camera but that’s all part of the fun! Look for videos on youtube from skifam1. He loves his GoProHD!!!
From the Manufacturer
HD HERO cameras can shoot video or photos from your point-of-view, mounted on your surfboard, helmet, body, car, motorcycle, or other equipment. And GoPro’s 170° wide-angle lens (the industry’s widest) lets you take shots of yourself while surfing or doing other activities. All captured hands-free, while you stay focused on your sport. The cameras feature a quick-release mounting design, making it easy to mount the cameras in many different locations for a variety of angles and a stunning professional look.
The HD Surf HERO is the surf-specific HD HERO camera model developed specifically surfing. Included is the HD HERO camera, 180′/60m rated waterproof housing, and a mounting kit that attaches to your board in minutes. For quick setup, the included 3M adhesive base mounts to your board just like a traction pad. Clean your deck, apply the adhesive base, click your camera onto the base…and paddle out. It’s that easy. Proven in heavy surf around the world by GoPro’s professional team of surfers, you can be sure the HD Surf HERO is designed to charge as hard as you do. Another included mounting option is the FCS fin plug compatible mount. This sleek, patent-pending mounting option allows you to install an FCS center fin plug into the deck of your board and then allen-key screw your HD Surf HERO in place on the deck. When you remove the camera, all that remains on your board is the flush, smooth FCS fin plug. The HD Surf HERO is so light that even top pros riding ultra lightweight boards claim they don’t notice the camera on their boards. All this from an HD camera that is waterproof to 180′/60m.
Originally designed for the consumer market, GoPro’s wearable cameras have garnered praise from professional athletes as well as film and TV producers who demand convenience and performance from their filming equipment. The HD HERO line produces higher quality HD video than action sports cameras costing ten times as much, and as a result many video segments you see in action sports film and TV today are shot on GoPro cameras. As the #1 maker of wearable sports cameras in the world, GoPro has years of experience in developing cameras and mounting accessories for the most hardcore of sports. As a result, GoPro has won many coveted awards, including Motorcyclist magazine’s prestigious “2009 Product of the Year” award and the “Editors’ Choice Award” from both Popular Mechanics and Backpacker Magazine.
In the end, GoPro’s HD Surf HERO adds so much stoke to your session that arriving home to watch your footage is almost as much fun as surfing, itself. Here are some of the highlights:
Professional 1080p HD Video that Looks Great Even on a 52″ TV
Truly professional quality video that delivers the clarity and excitement you see on TV or in films. HD quality so good, GoPro’s cameras are used regularly by both professional athletes and film and TV production companies around the world. See the quality for yourself in these sample videos: click here.
Easy to Use
Turn the camera on and press the shutter button. Shooting your own HD action sports video is that simple thanks to the HD Surf HERO’s user-friendly default settings. Upgraded controls such as brighter LED icons and louder status beeps make the camera easier-to-use than ever.
Widest Range of Video & Photo Capabilities
For the more technically-inclined user looking for the latest in technology and options, the HD Surf HERO offers a remarkable range of video and photo modes, giving you more creative control:
- 1080p – “True HD” video at 30 frames per second produces maximum clarity and realism. To put it in perspective, 1080p video at 30 frames per second is the equivalent of shooting thirty 2-megapixel photos per second. Incredible realism you’re used to seeing only in the movies. The viewing area becomes a slightly less-wide (127º) at this resolution, wide angle view, making 1080p a slightly less wide-angle view than the other resolutions. Perfect for situations where you might want to focus more on objects in the distance than up close. It’s like having two lenses in one camera.
- 960p – “Maximum Wide Angle” 170º video at 30 frames per second. Certain sports like surfing benefit from 960p’s maximum top to bottom viewing area. This makes it easy to film yourself from head to toe while riding even your shortest shortboard. Document more of you, the wave, and your surroundings with 960p for the most immersive video possible.
- 720p – “Slow-motion Cinema” is possible thanks to the HD Surf HERO’s incredibly smooth 60 frames per second 720p video. 720p (1280 x 720p) can record in either standard 30 frames per second or 60 frames per second. While 30 frames per second pleases the eye, 60 frames per second straight blows the mind when played back in liquid smooth slow motion. Everything looks good in slow motion…including you.
Rich, Realistic Color with Fast Automatic Exposure Adjustment
The HD Surf HERO combines the industry’s leading DSP technology (digital signal processor) with cutting edge sensor technology to bring you the richest, most natural color available in a wearable sports camera. This powerful combination also results in the fastest automatic exposure adjustment of any wearable camera. This means you can move back and forth quickly between bright and dark settings (like sunshine and shadows) and still achieve smooth exposure adjustments that give your videos a professional look.
Professional Sound that Automatically Adjusts to your Environment
The best sound quality of any wearable camera, period. Professional quality sound with AGC (automatic gain control) tuned for action sports and motorsports. With the ability to reduce the sound of wind noise at high speeds, the HD HERO line of cameras are simply the best sounding wearable sports cameras available. Fully automatic with no manual settings or adjustments needed, the camera will adjust the sound level automatically to maintain and optimum sound recording.
Also includes an optional non-waterproof back door that can be used in activities where waterproofness is not needed. This feature allows more sound into the protective housing, resulting in fuller, more immersive soundtracks. That said, the AGC (automatic gain control) does an excellent job of automatically increasing the microphone’s sensitivity to provide impressive sound even when the camera is sealed in the waterproof housing with the waterproof back door.
Trademark Video Stability, only from GoPro
GoPro is famous for producing cameras that record extremely stable video. Video that is smooth even at highest speeds and during the most intense sports. The HD Surf HERO takes GoPro’s obsession with stable video to the next level, keeping the action amazingly stable with no wobble or “jello-cam” shakiness that plagues other wearable HD cameras. See for yourself in these sample videos: click here.
Shoot 5 megapixel Photos Automatically, a Feature Available only from GoPro
GoPro’s HD HEROs are the only wearable sports cameras to offer automatic photo-taking modes, making hands-free photo capture a reality. You’ll be amazed at the photos you’ll capture thanks to an ability to shoots a photo every 2, 5, 10, 30 or 60 seconds, automatically while you surf. Press the shutter button once on the paddle out and the camera will shoot automatic photos of you during your entire surf. It’s that easy.
Other photo modes include traditional single shot, triple shot and self-timer modes, making the HD Surf HERO the only camera you need to document not only the most active moments of your life…but also the more relaxed moments where a traditional photo is what you want. You’ll also appreciate the edge to edge sharpness of the 170º wide angle lens as well as the HD Surf HERO’s terrific low light performance (1.4 lux).
Rechargeable Lithium-Ion battery lasts 2.5 Hours, Heater Included
The included 1100mAh Lithium-Ion battery lasts 2.5 hours and is rechargeable through any USB port. You can charge it with your computer or with any USB compatible wall or car charger. You can even use the camera while the battery is charging, convenient for filming road trips where you might leave the camera running for long periods of time. A second battery can be added to the back of the camera, doubling the battery life to 5 hours (see Battery Bakpac under Optional Accessories, below). AC/DC wall outlet and car cigarette lighter-based chargers are also available from GoPro.
For colder temperatures, an integrated battery heater helps keep the battery warm during winter sports, extending recording times beyond what’s possible with other camera systems.
Largest Storage Capacity of Any Wearable Camera: 32GB Capacity for 9+ Hours
Using up to a 32 GB SD card (not included) allows for 9+ hours of HD video or thousands of still photos when using the automatic photo mode. Also works with smaller 2, 4, 8, and 16GB SD cards. Write speed does not affect the performance of the camera, though GoPro does recommend using only well known, name-brand SD cards for maximum reliability.
Industry’s Widest Angle Lens (170º) Now Shoots 127º Wide Angle, Too
A sharp wide angle lens is critical to capturing your entire body, the wave, your board, and all of the details that capture the incredible experience of surfing. Finally, your waves will look as good as they really were. And you…you’ll look like a HERO.
GoPro’s cameras are famous for their wide angle lenses, the widest, sharpest, and highest performance lenses available in any wearable sports camera. Plus, when mounted on your board, the 170º lens is wide enough to capture yourself in the scene, to really record your exploits. But this is no “fisheye”…you’ll see remarkably little distortion, despite the wide angle.
Unique to the HD HERO line of cameras is the ability to shoot in both 170º and 127º wide angle modes. The 960p and 720p video modes utilize the full170º wide angle, while a lesser wide angle view of 127º is possible in the 1080p video resolution. This gives you more creative control and the opportunity to capture the action with different “lenses”…making for a more professional looking video. In reality, the lens is the same but the processing power of the HD HERO camera makes this convenient feature a reality.
Professional image quality, edge to edge sharpness, and the industry’s best distance focus makes for exceptionally clear HD videos and photos.
Shockproof / Waterproof (180′ / 60m) Housing Protects Camera from the Environment
Polycarbonate shockproof, waterproof housing protects the camera from rocks, rain, snow, and on dives down as deep as 180′ (60m). Proven in the giant surf around the world, you can be sure the housing will protect your HD HERO camera in even the heaviest surf.
Optional Accessories Available in Early 2010, Compatible with all HD HERO Cameras
A HERO BUS expansion port on the back of the camera allows you to click in expansion “Bakpac” modules allowing for add-on features, including:
- LCD Bakpac, a click-on LCD screen attaches to the back of the camera, allowing for instant preview / review of your footage as you capture it.
- Battery Bakpac, a click-in secondary battery allows for 2.5 hours more recording time, for a total of 5 hours recording time between charging batteries. Can also be used as a wall charger for additional HD HERO Lithium-Ion batteries.
HD Surf HERO Includes Mounting Hardware for Motorcycles, Cars, Etc.
The HD Surf HERO’s camera mounting hardware has been proven in the heaviest waves in Hawaii, Tahiti, Mexico, and Northern California…used by professional surfers looking to document their most heroic moments in giant surf. Industrial-grade 3M brand adhesive tape used on the Mounting Base holds camera securely on the board, and can be removed if desired. Or you can install an FCS fin plug into the deck of your board and then use our patent pending camera mounting plug to allen key your HD Surf HERO into the FCS plug. The camera’s quick-release mounting design makes it easy to re-position the camera for professional quality HD video or photos, shooting either forward in the direction of travel, or backward to capture your action. The HD Surf HERO comes with:
- 5 Megapixel HD Surf HERO Camera
- 1 Rechargeable 1100 mAh Lithium-Ion Battery
- 1 Waterproof Quick-Release Housing (180′/60 m)
- 1 3M Adhesive Mounting Base
- 1 FCS Plug-Compatible Mount
- 1 Quick-Release Buckle
- 1 Leash
- 1 USB Cable
- 1 Component Video (HDTV) Cable
- 1 Composite Video + Audio Out Cable
- Warranty: One Year
Replacement lens kits are also available for $20, so there’s little worry of scratching the tempered glass lens while going for glory. Trash the housing in a massive crash? Replacements are available for $40. It’s a GoPro…go for it.
Warranty: One Year
Tags: B002VA59DK, Camera And Photo, GoPro HD Surf HERO Camera, GoPro HD Surf HERO Camera Review.
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