njxbean

Thinking about getting a GoPro. I'm looking at the Hero4 Black and Silver versions. Anyone have either?

I have heard really good things about these. The only camera i have is my iPhone 5 so i feel like this would be a good addition for the upcoming trips that i have. ^

ScottC

Depends what you want to do with it - the Hero 4 Black has the best image quality, the Session is the smallest, and the Hero 4 Silver has the most features (built in LCD).

Silver can't get an extra battery pack added on, neither can the Session
Black can get an LCD backpack OR an additional battery backpack AND can shoot in 4K

IMHO - the most flexible option is the Hero 4 Black, and I recommend ordering off Amazon, as they throw in some accessories for free.

That said - keep in mind that battery life on ALL models is pretty weak. At $400-$500, you'd almost be better off with a real waterproof camera or a high end prosumer camera like a Sony RX100.

But bottom line - they are fun cameras, shoot excellent video (in daytime) and can be a load of fun.

(Oh, and if you don't mind, I'll move this to travel photography).

macdonaldj2

I have a Hero 4 black, use it for underwater stuff and some wider shots on planes

njxbean

Thanks for the feedback thus far. From the research ive done tonight seems like i will be looking at the black vs the silver. I am leaning silver for the LCD. But the battery options on the black might be helpful. I dont do any video editing (yet) so i think the extra video quality of the black may be overkill.

sbm12

Lots more discussion here: http://www.flyertalk.com/forum/trave...ro-anyone.html.

The best accessory I got with mine is the skeleton case so I can connect an external battery pack via USB cable.

I control mine via the app rather than the on-camera controls. MUCH easier.

njxbean

Awesome thanks. You have some pretty cool shots in there. Does that suction cup you use to film takeoffs come with it or is it separate?

sbm12

It is a separate purchase. Well worth the $15ish I paid.

bmrisko

SJCAM makes an excellent cam that is similar to GoPros for under $100. The SJ4000 seems to be on par with some of the Hero 3s out there. I paid $80 for mine with the wifi capability and plan to use it for underwater videos while snorkeling. I couldn't justify $400+ for a Hero 4 as it will just be a novelty for now. If I use it enough, I'll look at getting a better model later on down the road.

TOMFORD

I have 3+ black. Does the job right, good enough for me.

obiterdictum

I also have the 3+ Black - a very capable piece of kit.

LemonThrower

post 14 on that thread is right on: the lens is ultrawideangle, which is its best feature and worst feature. you have a wide range of vision, but the depth of vision is distorted. they are best used in places where you have never used a camera before, such as while playing sports, rather than as a substitute for a conventional camera.

you can get the original GoPro on amazon for about $125. the newer models have slightly better optics, but its hard to beat $125. The GoPro 3 is about $300, and the 4 is about $400. The 4 has wifi but be warned that its gotten a lot of complaints about draining the battery. note that the battery in the GoPro cannot be removed, so battery life is a big issue.

njxbean

Thanks for the advice. I ended up ordering the hero4 silver. And got the battery bacpac which i believe you can put additional batteries into? Looking forward to playing with it. Now i need to find some cool stuff to do with it.

Gardyloo

Found this trip report on TripAdvisor - you could do worse...

imm2b

I brought the SJCAM for our trip to the Maldives. I used it for snorkeling and diving. While it has good videos quality, the battery life is too short, less than an hour. Also the iPhone app doesn't work most of the time.

Those who have the GoPro, how is the battery life?

DrewGzy

I don't have hard numbers to tell you but I was always happy with my Hero 3+ battery life.

Carried a few extra batteries but never had issues getting the shots I was taking - some underwater, mountain biking, and odd stuff at work (time elapse mostly).