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Thread: GoPro Alternatives - Any good?

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    Default GoPro Alternatives - Any good?

    I've watched for a few years now as 1000's of Go Pro style products flood the market.
    Just wondered if anyone here has used them and can recommend one?
    Or is it a case they all trying to be as good as a Go Pro?

    I still remember the video from yours weirdo, was good enough i thought.
    Was thinking of something for the road bike, but i'm not sure i want to spent $400+ for something i doubt i'll use much.

    Cheers
    If u want to go on an expedition get a Land Rover, if u want to come home from an expedition get a Landcruiser!



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    a lot of them are rubbish but there's some that are better than average, if you're wanting for bike use you can get something that's built specifically for that purpose

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    I've been reading for a year or so now on this subject as I don't feel I can justify the price for the usage & needed quality.

    So here is my minor experienced opinion.
    I have used a friends GoPro, I own a Mobius (latest version) & an iLook+.
    None of them come close to the picture quality on my big screen at home, to the Sony 1080p Video hand held cam I have & it's not that much bigger.

    As good as a GoPro? Not really; it is the benchmark for picture quality in the wide angle view range action camera, however value for dollars spent there are better options if you really don't need 4K @ 60FPS.

    For me I would be really pissed off if my $100 Mobius or $200 iLook+ got broken, but if it was a $400+ GoPro I'd be devastated.
    Now I attach my action cams to remote controlled drones, which can crash, catch fire or fly away, so maybe I'm being a bit conservative.

    Certainly my friends GoPro has produced some excellent footage from his bike trips; to dream of.

    So as I'm sure money is really not a consideration for you , get the GoPro.

    You also need to look at features, do you need WiFi, remote control (wrist mounted or handlebar mount), waterproof housings, camera mountings (helmet, chest, handlebar, gimbal fitting, etc.

    What you won't be able to do is compare YouTube footage of different cameras, as YT plays around with compression of your original file for streaming purposes & never looks as good as your original file on your big screen. Then there is what was done to it before uploading.
    I am really happy with the footage from both my cameras. I'd still get a GoPro if quality footage was the issue.
    Having said that the Sony might be as good for quality, they are the video camera specialists & not everyone wants wide angle fish-eye lens footage, so the Sony lens quality may be better in choice between wide angle & narrow angle..

    Action camera 1080p alternatives,
    Turnigy
    Mobius
    Sony Action cam
    Garmin Virb
    Monoprice
    Contour.
    Drift HD Ghost
    etc. + 1000 more.
    Cheers, Tiny
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    The information is out there; you just have to let it in."

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    Thanks Tiny.

    Geez, i had no idea GoPro units had got so $$$, the latest one is over $600! Infact, closer to $700!


    Might keep looking at alternatives
    If u want to go on an expedition get a Land Rover, if u want to come home from an expedition get a Landcruiser!

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    I got a little Ego

    Novelty wears off pretty quickly

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    Quote Originally Posted by LeroyPatrol View Post
    Novelty wears off pretty quickly
    Thanks Leroy, yeah this is my main reason for looking for a cheaper alternative.
    I can just see it ending on the pile of unused tech i already have
    If u want to go on an expedition get a Land Rover, if u want to come home from an expedition get a Landcruiser!

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    I bought an 'El Cheapo' video camera from the now defunct Clints/Crazy Prices/Warehouse store and used it to video a stage show at the State Theater in Sydney and once on a trip from home to Gosford, around 250kms.
    It has few features regarding focus etc but it worked and while the quality varied in both instances due to the ambient light and being hand held except in the Theater where I taped it to a walking stick for stabilty, it was as good if not better than I thought it would be.
    I am a total pisspoor photographer, I have no 'eye' or idea on subject matter and I have also managed in my ineptitude when using a Poloroid Land Camera to include my thumb in one exposure and somehow manage to double expose another one!!

    I currently have an Igo IGOCAM 850 'Black box' 3 cam type and excluding the dirty windscreen, it records good enough for me.

    Of course if your going to show a recording on a big screen I think you need the highest quality available because they make even the smallest imperfection look like a mountain.
    The first rear projection TV I saw soon showed this problem when golf ball sized blots appeared across the screen caused by the ignition system of a motor vehicle passing by which on a smaller screen would have been barley noticeable.
    I stand unequivicably behind everything I say , I just dont ever remember saying it !!

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    We bought a gopro hero 3 for last xmas that was on sale for $248, i wouldnt spend any more than that on one.
    Best thing i like about the gp is the app on my phone can be used as a view finder so you can have the camera out of sight and see what its recording, and you can playback or change all the settings remotely.
    We bought a knock off accessories pack from ebay for $35 that has everything you would want for almost the same price as 1 genuine acc.
    I'm yet to try it out on my bike but will when the weather gets a bit better.

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    Quote Originally Posted by loanrangiel View Post
    We bought a gopro hero 3 for last xmas that was on sale for $248, i wouldnt spend any more than that on one.
    Best thing i like about the gp is the app on my phone can be used as a view finder so you can have the camera out of sight and see what its recording, and you can playback or change all the settings remotely.
    We bought a knock off accessories pack from ebay for $35 that has everything you would want for almost the same price as 1 genuine acc.
    I'm yet to try it out on my bike but will when the weather gets a bit better.
    That is a great feature, i had a lady at the snow showing me exactly that
    Camera was on her helmet.
    If u want to go on an expedition get a Land Rover, if u want to come home from an expedition get a Landcruiser!

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    Quote Originally Posted by oceanboy View Post
    I've watched for a few years now as 1000's of Go Pro style products flood the market.
    Just wondered if anyone here has used them and can recommend one?
    Or is it a case they all trying to be as good as a Go Pro?

    I still remember the video from yours weirdo, was good enough i thought.
    Was thinking of something for the road bike, but i'm not sure i want to spent $400+ for something i doubt i'll use much.

    Cheers
    yeah, I couldn't see the use of spending big. If it stuffs up, just buy a new one.
    Bought one of these over a year ago and I'm very impressed with the pic quality
    Sofar it's been on a remote control car, the dog and very briefly on a quad (still a work in progress)
    I even wore it to work once but had to fast forward the playback as it didn't look like I was moving
    now, over a year later there are probably better/cheaper ones again
    some come complete with all sort of brackets and mounts
    with others you might have to buy them separate

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    Quote Originally Posted by loanrangiel View Post
    Best thing i like about the gp is the app on my phone can be used as a view finder so you can have the camera out of sight and see what its recording, and you can playback or change all the settings remotely.
    Since they are (mostly) all wifi cameras, you'll find that they can all use that.
    My cheapie has that feature too

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    Quote Originally Posted by weirdo View Post
    Since they are (mostly) all wifi cameras, you'll find that they can all use that.
    My cheapie has that feature too
    I think they do. The ego has WiFi as well and you load an app on you phone to view and can change more settings as well. Full hd. Ok for $140

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    gearpest

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    I see most will only except a max of 32Gb SD card?
    I guess thats heaps of room if you are recording at 1080p 30 or 60fps.
    If u want to go on an expedition get a Land Rover, if u want to come home from an expedition get a Landcruiser!

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    Quote Originally Posted by oceanboy View Post
    I see most will only except a max of 32Gb SD card?
    I guess thats heaps of room if you are recording at 1080p 30 or 60fps.
    on some even if they only officially support 32gb it is possible to use larger cards but there can be a trick to making it work

    32gb will get you around four and a half hours recording on most models

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    My iGo records all the files in selectable time segments of up to 5 Minutes which means in most players you play one at a time but you can 'load' a number into their player and it runs them with an eye blink pause between each one.

    How does the GoPro ones playback, do you need their 'Player' or does anything like WMP run them ?
    I stand unequivicably behind everything I say , I just dont ever remember saying it !!

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    I use the app on my android media player or put the sd card in it to view.

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    I own and use both Go Pro Hero 3 for a couple of years and chose to purchase a SJCam SJ4000 wireless to go with it. For AUD $ 140 with two batteries and SD card , water proof housing , compatible with all Go Pro accessories, on board screen, 12 month warranty, regular firmware and wireless app updates i can live with the slightly narrower field of view and 5MP sensor (specified as 12MP). I liked the fact the firmware incorporates auto ignition on and car cam functionality. This was my disappointment with Go Pro.

    Funnily enough SJCam copied Go Pro and now all the other Chinese are copying SJCam and they are truly horrible devices in many but not all cases I've been reading about.

  • 25-10-16, 01:06 AM


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