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Goin GoPro
- Category: Gear reviews
- Published on Tuesday, 19 October 2010 17:31
- Written by Josh
My recent funds drive brought me preciously close to the camcorder of my dreams, but alas, my very real need for 2 cams (not just one) made the goal unachievable within the Fraser Isl '10 timeframe, but it did bring me within reach of what I felt was the next best solution for my needs at this time. A combination of desirable attributes brought me to this most logical conclusion, though I have to say, it isn't a transition I'm making without some regret. The Holy Grail will have to come later... but I digress!
There are a lot of pros to the GoPro concept, listed following in no particular order: lightweight, compact, well protected from water, dust and impact within a small housing, capable of recording in 1080p HD, and of particular interest to me, 720p at 60 frames per second. The clincher in the end, was that so many of my video-hobbiest-yak-fishing-comrades are using precisely the same camera. This is pretty handy when and if it comes to splicing recorded from each others cams, which is something Paul, Holger, Carl and I will probably end up doing at Fraser Island in a few weeks in our annual week-long expedition.
There is a certain simplicity to these cameras that is instantly attractive to guys like kayak fishermen (who are typically having to contend with a jerking fish on the end of their line while managing the camera) simply because it is so basic to use. Admittedly, however, I find it all a little too basic. Whilst its great for mounting in a fixed position to record something, with a complete lack of zoom function, those humpback whales splashing around just a 100 metres away or so simply cannot be zoomed into view. This is definitely a limitation on my style. I also have to admit to really detesting the extremity of the fisheye effect, which gives a bubble-view perspective that although highly effective in surfing and BMX / motorbike stunt riding videos, is a little too distorting at times.
It would be true to say that although the HD version does a reasonable job of making this effect a little less subtle in 1080p, my greatest personal interest in this cam is it's ability to record in 60 frames per second, albeit at 720p. Unfortunately, the bubble-view effect is fairly noticeable at this resolution. For my immediate needs, however, I far prefer 720p at 60fps than I do 1080 at 30fps. It is far easier on the eye, providing a greater clarity of motion and also providing better performance in low and changing light conditions. Above all, because it is recording at 60 frames per second, not only is normal video more fluid, slow motion footage is also far more fluid. Thats a huge plus in my book, as I tend to make use of varying frame speeds in my clips, and this makes it all the more smoother and a lot less jarring.
Whilst the human eye can't see any faster than some 30 fps, the brain can certainly perceive it differently. And when frame motion dips down to 15fps (typical slow motion speed for 30fps video) the human eye certainly can detect the slowdown. So although a slowdown from 60fps to 30fps for slowmo will be noticeable on one level, the difference will be far less jarring to the human eye.
I know there's a lot of you chaps out there using these cams and I know most of you will be recording in 1080p HD. I implore you guys to look at 720p at 60fps and compare the difference. I did a test today with 2 GoPros - one recording at 1080, the other at 720p. I held them next to each other as I walked from within my lounge room out into my backyard, panned around at cars and buildings and then walked back inside. The 720p 60fps version was far far better quality throughout, smoother, sharper, better focus. If I bothered to slowdown this footage to compare the difference would be even more noticeable.
Moral of story - 720 @ 60fps is where its at chaps. Until something better comes along offering 60FPS at 1080p, that is.
As for my final thoughts on the GoPro, well, I haven't reached them yet. Fraser Isl will be the ultimate test and my conclusion will come after that. There will be a lot of material and results to compare, not to mention time spent in the field. Obviously, the limitation of muffled sound from the housings limit what can be achieved with on-board audio, though I've now moved to a dedicated digital audio solution that (although adding another layer of complexity) gets around the problem nicely.
5 minutes ago
