GoPro advice please

[Magwood]

After much deliberation I have decided to buy a GoPro or similar video camera which I will use to record my walks both on camino and off. I have looked at reviews on the web but am still finding it difficult to decide what model/make to go for.

Price is an issue, but I don't want to buy a basic entry level model if I am likely to regret it down the line. If the overwhelming advice is to go for a more expensive model then I will take that on board.

Thank you in advance for your help.

 

[KinkyOne]

After much deliberation I have decided to buy a GoPro or similar video camera which I will use to record my walks both on camino and off. I have looked at reviews on the web but am still finding it difficult to decide what model/make to go for.

Price is an issue, but I don't want to buy a basic entry level model if I am likely to regret it down the line. If the overwhelming advice is to go for a more expensive model then I will take that on board.

Thank you in advance for your help.

Hola, Margaret!

I'm film&TV director in my "real life" and I used GoPro for many situations (kayaking, climbing etc.) and it was great. Mostly GoPro4 because the material was HD even when in "narrow" mode which is the widest I can stand watching. Just my taste though. To tell you the truth many friends asked me why I didn't use that on my Caminos... For me that camera doesn't give the "energy" I'm feeling while on Camnino. Maybe for cyclists it's different, but for us walkers I simply don't see any realy good reason to use it. But go for it of course. It will be nice to see your Camino from a/with a different perspective/camera.

Ultreia

 

[JulioY]

Hi Magwood,

IMO, if you want to shoot videos to share with your family and friends on YouTube (I mean small screen sizes, like smartphones and notebooks) the New GoPro Hero (without any number on the name) will fit you well. If you intend to watch/share your videos on larger screens, like smartTV or desktop computer screens, I'd go for Hero4 due to the higher resolution. Maybe you can still find Hero3+ (now discontinued) which has a good value for the money and almost the same features of Hero4.

I have a Hero4 Silver that I use on my bike rides and like it pretty much, mainly because of the integrated LCD touchscreen and wi-fi capabilities. It's much easier to operate (you can even control it with your smartphone) and watch your movies and pictures on the fly. If you find these are unnecessary frills go for the entry-level which will make a good job as well.

In terms of brands, I'd stay with GoPro. It's the most popular action camera and have a lot of accessories from both GoPro and third parties, giving you more flexibility and room for creativity.

Hope it may help you!

 

[John Sikora]

I'm in the process right now of using my GoPro 3 to video my walks. There are a couple of problems:

1) When you walk, you bounce, so the videos themselves aren't really great. You end up using the videos to create time lapse or still pictures which you can then reassemble. Lots of work but may be worth it to you. You can also use the GoPro to video at just select moments and assemble those panoramas or action shots later. I've opted to just keep it running and stand still as long as required to capture the moment.
2) The gopro battery life absolutely sucks. I ended up buying a battery which would power the gopro for at least 6 house. This of course adds weight and there are some logistical issues about actually hooking the gopro to the battery (I've solved them but I won't go into that here)

No matter how bad some of the videos are, some are not and you may only get this one chance to do it.

Oh, last point. If you are video'ing make sure you ask people if they mind. Or tell them the GoPro is on and let them decide - just common courtesy.

 

[Enzo Sonny]

After much deliberation I have decided to buy a GoPro or similar video camera which I will use to record my walks both on camino and off. I have looked at reviews on the web but am still finding it difficult to decide what model/make to go for.

Price is an issue, but I don't want to buy a basic entry level model if I am likely to regret it down the line. If the overwhelming advice is to go for a more expensive model then I will take that on board.

Thank you in advance for your help.

Hi there Magwood,

After much deliberation I have decided to buy a GoPro or similar video camera which I will use to record my walks both on camino and off. I have looked at reviews on the web but am still finding it difficult to decide what model/make to go for.

Price is an issue, but I don't want to buy a basic entry level model if I am likely to regret it down the line. If the overwhelming advice is to go for a more expensive model then I will take that on board.

Thank you in advance for your help.

Hi Magwood,
We just walked the Camino Frances this June/July and I brought my GoPro 4 Silver. Did not want the Black because there was no screen on the backside of the camera which was a must for me. I also brought a spare battery, external GoPro battery charger and 2 GoPro camera housings (the weatherproof one that came with the camera in case it rained and the Frame for dry conditions), 6 storage cards because each card only holds 1:25 hours, a waterproof storage card holder, a telescoping pole and a case for all. Yes, it added weight and was kind of a pain but we wanted to film the journey. We did a short video and maybe 10 images each day and went through all storage cards! I am now processing the videos/images on the GoPro Studio software (free download) and it takes a lot of time but will be worth it. I bought my GoPro from REI because it had a $50 rebate at the time and bought the battery, charger, storage cards, card holder and case on Amazon. Aside from the weight and mass, it was a valuable tool.