I am sure you have at least heard about the GoPro Hero 3 camera? Well, if you have not heard about it, the GoPro is the little camera that has really introduced an entirely new type of video shooting to video producers worldwide. The GoPro is a small camera that can be mounted almost anywhere; helmets, motorcycles, surf boards, drum heads, car hoods, and just about anywhere conceivable. With the plastic housing the camera is fully weather proof and ready for some underwater shooting, which is always a good time.
What makes the cameras so attractive is the lightweight and compact build, combined with a high quality lens and a variety of shooting modes you can use, including: Time Lapse, Burst, and Full Video. Depending on the model you use, there are a wide variety of Field of View (FOV), Screen Resolution, and FPS options. My favorite mode for video is 720 and 60fps, and for time lapses, I like the 5 second interval setting.
The Latest generation is the GoPro Hero 3, which comes in White, Silver, and Black models. These new models are a serious upgrade fromt the prior generation (Hero 2). Most notable is the size, which is much smaller on the new version. Also notable is the addition of touch screen capability with the optional LCD back.
Some of my favorite things about the GoPro Hero 3 (Silver Edition):
- Small form factor, even smaller than the previous GoPro Hero 2. It is supposed to be 30% smaller.
- Improved lens (handles flares with more ease, so the sun is not overpowering)
- More field of view options over prior generations
- Audio is much improved, the recordings are more natural
- Built in Wi-Fi for remote camera start and stop
- More Megapixels (11MP) in burst and time lapse modes
We have used the GoPro camera on many recent projects, and find it to be an indispensable part of our video production workflow now. We simply cannot imagine doing a project without mounting the camera to something!