GoPro Hero 3 Vs handheld?

[Andrew Clope]

Hey guys/gals,

I am new to the site and am trying to educate myself as much as possible this year before heading out and trying to get photo/video of some neat weather. I recently picked up a Nikon D5200, which I quite like so far, but wanted to pick up a video camera as well.

I see that a lot of you guys like the gopro's, I've seen some nice Canon/Sony camcorders and I wonder if the reason for liking the gopros is because of the ease of use? Do the handhelds offer a better video, but the gopros seems easier to use...? Is that the main draw to them? They seem to still offer 1080P and the Hero 3 now offering 4K, so I'd imagine that the video quality would be very good regardless?

Just looking for some input before I purchase!

BTW these forums are great, so much information! I love it

 

[Ty Traphagen]

GoPro cameras are awesome, because it's a very tough camera, and there are so many different attachments and mounts for it. You can get a suction cup mount for the windshield, stick it on, turn on the camera, and have a very decent dash cam for $300ish. They have LCD screens that you can attach to see what you're recording, which is cool. Plus, they have a great reputation. I would like to get a GoPro in the near future, but they're pretty expensive for my tastes. I think Vivitar makes a comparable "action cam" for around $30-$40 that is aimed more towards kids, but is still tough, and records in 1080p. Plus, from what I hear, the mounts for that one are the same as the GoPro mounts. There are several other action cams that are cheaper than a GoPro, and decent quality, you would just want to check Amazon. My only beef with GoPro is the lack of a built-in LCD screen. The cheap Vivitar has a screen built in. There are several similar cameras, just check Amazon or Ebay.

 

[Marcus Diaz]

Seeing as how I have both a Hero 3 Black and a Canon HF21 HD camcorder, I throw my opinion out there.

I love the Hero 3 Black. Tons of different features like Ultra High Def recording, timelapse shots, and the wide angle lens. So far I haven't had a problem with it. The biggest advantage about it, is the WiFi. I can plop that camera outside on my hood and control it via my cell phone. My phone gives me a preview of what the camera sees, and it lets me pic how I want to record. Its very convenient. I haven't had a chance to prove how tough it is, nor do I want to. But after seeing a GoPro survive a fall from 10,000 feet from a plan, I'm not too worried about it. I bought mine slightly used from a local on Craigslist. The full kit was $300 cash. So I made out pretty well.

The HF21 is a camera I purchased in late 2010 for $500 brand spankin new. It has 64GB of internal memory, plus a slot for extra storage. The camera is small, and fits perfect in my hand. I can record 1080p no problem. But the lack of a good image stabilizer makes every little movement visible unless you have a sturdy tripod. Still, the quality is very nice.

So which do I prefer? Both. The GoPro is obviously good in situations where you're parked and can watch a supercell churn ahead of you. Or if you get into some action stuff like hail core punching, its pretty nice. The HF21 is great for all action shots. But to switch the subject a little bit...a good DSLR with a 10-22mm (or somewhere around there) lens is basically the best you can do if you want some really great footage. But That's my personal opinion.

 

[Paul Knightley]

Whatever you purchase, please make sure you marry it with some form of tripod! OK, there are times when you can't use one but when you get lovely level footage from a tripod-mounted cam, you'll be so much happier!

 

[Daniel Rodriguez]

I am also getting ready to purchase a GoPro3 Black. I've had the second gen for years and am ready for an upgrade. GoPros are great because they are relatively hands off/hands free and are great for documentary purposes. You can pop it on the dash and leave it be for the most part while it does its work.

That being said a GoPro is GREAT for what it is (and very tough) however you will never get the image quality you will get out of a dedicated DSLR or video camera due to multiple reasons including the interchangeable lens, better sensor etc. IMO it's good to have both. I am generally bouncing between two DSLRs while chasing and its nice to have a video camera running without the need of having to setup/take down another tripod while we are bounding locations.

 

[Todd Rector]

Don't forget your Nikon D5200 will shoot 1920x1080 @ 60 fps video with outstanding quality due to great optics (assuming you are using at least the nikkor kit lens) and a really good sensor. Of course you can't shoot video and take pictures at the same time, but switching between modes is simple and quick, and something to consider if you don't want to shell out the cash for a video camera just yet.

Use a tripod or monopod for video no matter what you use and you will get better results than hand-holding.

 

[Andrew Clope]

Thanks for the replies!

So those of you that are mounting the GoPro outside of the vehicle, I guess I'd be afraid of it living in rain/hail. Wouldn't that destroy it rather quickly? Or is there some sort of protective box/case that you can put it into?

Thanks

 

[Rob H]

Thanks for the replies!

So those of you that are mounting the GoPro outside of the vehicle, I guess I'd be afraid of it living in rain/hail. Wouldn't that destroy it rather quickly? Or is there some sort of protective box/case that you can put it into?

Thanks

There's a waterproof case that's 1/8" thick acrylic(?). Mine has taken a few golf ball sized pieces of hail and has been fine.

 

[Matt Hunt]

I second (or third) using a tripod or some form of camera mount on your vehicle. If you have to do handheld, support your arm at the elbow, using your forearm as a monopod. I've seen so many potentially fantastic videos ruined because the camera is bouncing around all over the place, showing the dashboard, the chaser's lap, etc.

 

[Marcus Diaz]

Thanks for the replies!

So those of you that are mounting the GoPro outside of the vehicle, I guess I'd be afraid of it living in rain/hail. Wouldn't that destroy it rather quickly? Or is there some sort of protective box/case that you can put it into?

Thanks

The Hero 3 Black comes with a waterproof case, and another case that's a bit open in the back to open the mic up. And I wouldn't worry about hail too much. I've heard of them surviving a blow with tennis ball sized hail. Of course, I wouldn't recommend hanging out in the vault. But I think the suction mount will give up before the camera's case does.

 

[Mark Ellinwood]

GoPro cameras themselves should not be handheld unless you're just taking a quick picture... handheld video is often too shaky to be usable. It should always be mounted to something that's at least semi-stable.

I actually have two GoPros... one I usually have mounted to my dash, and another I have attached to the shoe on my camcorder (which I tripod as often as possible). It looks a little funky to have it on top of the camcorder, but multiple times last year I was glad I had the GoPro and camcorder as one unit to cover both the wide angle and the tighter shot at once. I am consistently pleased with the quality of the footage from the Hero3 Black Edition, and IMO it is definitely worth the money to go with the top-end model.

 

[JamesCaruso]

On a related note and in response to some of the earlier posts: I am in the market for a new handheld video camera, but my DSLR is also quite old (Canon Rebel) so seeing some of the posts above I am wondering, is it a better idea to buy a new DSLR with video capability and kill two birds with one stone? I saw the comments about the Nikon, is the video really as good as a dedicated handheld video camera? In my experience with just about any device, a device that tries to do more than one thing does nothing well...

 

[Todd Rector]

On a related note and in response to some of the earlier posts: I am in the market for a new handheld video camera, but my DSLR is also quite old (Canon Rebel) so seeing some of the posts above I am wondering, is it a better idea to buy a new DSLR with video capability and kill two birds with one stone? I saw the comments about the Nikon, is the video really as good as a dedicated handheld video camera? In my experience with just about any device, a device that tries to do more than one thing does nothing well...

Nikon actually shot a TV commercial for the D5100 *using* a D5100 a few years ago (google it - it featured Ashton Kutcher). Unless you are using high-end video equipment, the DSLR has much better and brighter optics - the 18-140mm lens alone on a D5xxx costs more than the GoPro Hero 3. I think the video quality on my D5300 is outstanding. That being said, I would prefer to have a dedicated video cam on a tripod and just shoot stills with the DSLR. Since I have no interest in mounting outside the vehicle and don't need the rugged/waterproof features of the GoPro units. I am opting to save my money and get a decent mid-range video camera to go with my DSLR for next year.