Go Pro Advice - Confused!

Spiderdudeuk

Spiderdudeuk

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My lad is heading of skiing in January with school.

He is desperate to take a Go Pro with him this year as a few had them last time.

I've looked at the range and I'm none the wise as to which to go for.

I suggested to him that we get a Faux Go-Pro... But, this suggestion went down about as well as me asking him to wear flares & a tank top!

So, do I go for the cheap as chips bottom of the range or push the boat out to a Hero 4 or Hero +

All advice most welcome.... Thank is advance! :ty:
 
Hero 4 silver :)
 
Get a hero 3 cheaper etc not a lot more now than a clone
 
Depends on your budget and the budget of other children's parents. Your lad doesn't want to be the only one without a GoPro Hero 4 Black, does he?.............................
 
I used a Hero 4 Silver for a week - was pretty good - then sold it :) I wouldn't go for the most expensive one...
 
Hero 4 silver might be the one to go for. It has a built in lcd screen which is invaluable for setting up and reviewing when you don't want to use your smartphone screen.
 
Thanks for the comments... I am leaning towards the Hero 4 Silver... He's now saying he'll use it on his bike as well, so rear screen could prove useful.
 
Spiderdudeuk said:
Thanks for the comments... I am leaning towards the Hero 4 Silver... He's now saying he'll use it on his bike as well, so rear screen could prove useful.
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Or Zag a little and get a Garmin Virb X or XE. Not only will he get video but with built in GPS he'll also be able to overlay speed, distance and course information - and heart rate if he has a compatible HR strap onto the video. Makes the video far more interesting and a lot different to his friends. He can also use a Garmin cadence sensor on the bike or any ANT+ sensor like a power meter - all of which would provide data.

View: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=5i3WhjxToPQ

(Note: the G-Metrix tend to be static dials not the marketing style follow-the-action graphics - you'll find plenty of real life examples or PM me and I'll send you a link to one of my catamaran sailing videos)

The X and XE use the same attachment point and therefore accessories as the GoPro. The Virb has "Virb Edit" - similar to the GoPro Studio editing software and also free.

I use a couple on my catamaran - they are waterproof without a case, easier to control for video and photos, and IMVHO look better as well. You lose the screen on the back (one thing less to break), and I have never really missed having it (I traded in all my GoPros) - either set by eye, or use the smartphone app.

£250 at Wiggle (which is a bargain), for the higher spec XE which is pretty much the same as the Hero 4 silver. A comparison review is also on YouTube.

View: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Pii9Vb55Njk


Well worth considering.
 
The Virb is a great bit of kit, especially the Gps facility. You lose out on a few features that the GoPro has ( night time lapse, 4K video and a few others) but the Virb is very easy to use and a very solid bit of kit.
I bought one a few months ago but returned it as I wanted the extra GoPro features and bought a Hero 4 black and an lcd backpak, but the Virb video is very good.
 
Thats great info thanks, throws a different option into the arena.. Appreciated!
 
I had a similar dilemma a couple of years back - struggled to get my head round the price and then just bit the bullet and bought the then latest GP3+ Black. It was the right choice in my opinion.

I presume all GP4s are wifi these days, as this makes like so much easier for framing a picture and also operating (via app or fob). Wouldn't bother with the LCD backpack.

There are lots of alternatives, but the GP cameras are the yardstick they are all measured against
 
The Gopro 4 silver comes with the rear screen built in, you can use wireless + phone to setup but be aware that it drains the battery. Also if he is going off on a trip with others and they all have Gopro's then they can swap accessories and borrow batteries/cables etc if need be which they can't do if different manufacturers. Might be an idea to ask him what the others are taking?
 
Don't get the lcd back waste of time, just use smart phone to position it on the helmet etc.

FWIW the clones are good SJ4000 works pretty well, my brother has both on his bike and yes the go pro is marginally better, but if you don't see them side by side you would have difficulty seeing a difference.
 
oh yeah forgot about the sj4000 if all the others have gopros your boy will feel a bit left out though
 
owenb said:
oh yeah forgot about the sj4000 if all the others have gopros your boy will feel a bit left out though
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Not if he is clever enough to tell the others that the SJ4000 is superior to a Go-Pro for a lot less money!;) In fact he could almost take TWO SJ4000's for fore & aft shots! :whistle:
 
never underestimate a badge that costs £100's of pounds I'm learning with my teenage son lol :-(
 
owenb said:
never underestimate a badge that costs £100's of pounds I'm learning with my teenage son lol :-(
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Exactly

Giblets said:
Not if he is clever enough to tell the others that the SJ4000 is superior to a Go-Pro for a lot less money!;) In fact he could almost take TWO SJ4000's for fore & aft shots! :whistle:
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Like that's going to work ;)
 
Or, the original Garmin Virb or Virb Elite.

Different design to the X or XE and cheaper. Not sure what the technical differences are, but it's a more streamlined design.

The original Virb is £99 at SRS, Watford.
 
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JohnX said:
Or, the original Garmin Virb or Virb Elite.

Different design to the X or XE and cheaper. Not sure what the technical differences are, but it's a more streamlined design.

The original Virb is £99 at SRS, Watford.
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They are good units, and again I have an original Virb Elite. Might be more streamlined for putting on a bike, and maybe on the top or side of a ski helmet (not that I'd put one on there personally) or on a shoulder mount, but they don't work as well on the chest, which if I was skiing would be where I would locate mine.

The original Virb is a good price at the moment (can be found cheaper - SportPursuit for example) - but the base model doesn't have GPS which would be the key feature to drive you to a Garmin) - the Virb Elite does have GPS as do the X and XE models.

Technically - original has slightly better battery life, and 16MP camera rather than 12MP, has a live screen on top (hard to view in sunlight) but needs an adaptor to use GoPro accessories. The cradle system works well for a fast removal but means it sits very high compared to a GoPro/X/XE. But still works very well - good prices on eBay for Virb Elites if you have time to watch them.
 
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Have you looked at the Hero+? My daughter has now decided she wants a GoPro after a disastrous foray into a GoPro clone ( not the Sj4000) and she fancies the Hero+ for about £150
 
allanm said:
Have you looked at the Hero+? My daughter has now decided she wants a GoPro after a disastrous foray into a GoPro clone ( not the Sj4000) and she fancies the Hero+ for about £150
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Yeah, I've just been looking at this and I think money wise it seems pretty good. TBH I am not hopeful of it ever coming back from the skiing holiday, so maybe less spent the better. A group of 13/14 year olds on ski slopes with school doesn't instill me with confidence when it comes to not losing things!
 
allanm said:
Have you looked at the Hero+? My daughter has now decided she wants a GoPro after a disastrous foray into a GoPro clone ( not the Sj4000) and she fancies the Hero+ for about £150
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Having looked at this and the Session, the only draw back for me is that they last 2 hours at best. Given the memory of my teenage son, I would suspect it would get turned on then forgotten about. Resulting in 10 minutes skiing and 110 minutes of arsing around!

Might be better with a battery that he can swap out when the penny drops that its flat!
 
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