GoPro Motorsports: camcorder onboard review
We purchased a video camera for your autosite , positioned as an “extreme” one. GoPro Motorsports is probably one of the most popular models for shooting onboard-video. And although the camera is not a novelty, I decided to make a review in view of its interestingness.
In general, GoPro is considered a budget camera with very good features:
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HD video, aperture 2.8, viewing angle of either 127º or 170º .
Waterproof, protection from dirt, gravel, dust and other bullets. There is an automatic shooting mode every few seconds.
By the way, another important factor: the camera is extremely light , only 167 grams with a battery and a mount, which is often of great importance for sportsmen, because they like to throw out everything that does not help the car to go.
Here is the whole set: a camera, a waterproof and stone-protective shell (there is an additional cover with holes where sound is more important than waterproof), fasteners, a USB cable, an audio-video composite cable, and an HDTV cable. In addition, the battery, manual, one-year warranty and a mini instruction for mounting and care.
Separately, it should be noted that the SD-card in the kit does not go, it must be purchased separately and at the same time do not forget that the SD class 10 is best suited.
Front status indicator, a screen to view the current mode and settings, the power button and the lens. The power button also works as a setting control, but more on that below.
Side view of the camera, as you can see, all the connectors are completely open, because the camera is always used in a sealed enclosure.
Above the microphone and the button shushing:
Behind the battery cover and connector that serves to connect the add. batteries or LCD screen on a modular basis (they are not provided in the kit):
Since I haven’t bought the screen yet, I’ll show photos from the manufacturer:
Add. The battery is connected in the same way, here it will be necessary to choose, or to quickly plant a single battery with the screen, or to extend the shooting time with the help of add. batteries.
Side, apparently, add. microphone and SD card slot:
Protective sealed casing with rubberized seal very tightly fastened. It has two extension buttons. Water resistant - 60 meters of static water pressure.
By the way, in the next photo below there is an additional back cover with large openings, which naturally makes the camera no longer waterproof, but allows better recording of sound. According to the manufacturer's recommendations, at low speeds it is better to remove with a leaky cover, at speeds above 160 km / h - with a tight one.
The glass in front of the lens is built-in on the screws, so that as you wear it can be changed.
Camera dimensions in comparison with a matchbox and an SD card:
The lithium-ion battery lasts for 2.5 hours of continuous recording. By the way, the instructions say that it is extremely difficult to remove it, for this you need to squeeze strongly from above and below and pull, but do you need it ?! Only USB is provided for charging.
At the same time, according to reviews, in the conditions of Russian frosts, the battery quickly sits down.
It is this GoPro model that comes with one large suction cup with a dual-axis swivel head, as well as 5 mounts on 3M double-sided tape: 3 pieces for flat surfaces and 2 for curved ones. In addition, there are 3 easy-detachable mechanisms for attaching the camera to 3M-fasteners, two ordinary and one curved. They also provide additional. rotary mechanisms that can be fastened together and for rotation in two planes.
The suction cup is very comfortable and holds tight, but only on perfectly smooth surfaces such as glass or a car body. If there is the smallest texture, such as laminated chipboard, then over time the suction cup is lost and the camera falls.
3M-mount allows you to install the camera inside the car, and on the outer surfaces of the car or motorcycle, you can even helmet:
Of course, 3M mounts are consumable and will quickly become unusable, but you can buy an extra $ 4 per piece. In our realities, it is easier and cheaper to buy not fastenings, but a sturdy mounting double-sided tape.
According to the description, this sticky tape 3M reliably glues, but then it is easily peeled off with a slight heating, for example, with a hair dryer :)
If necessary, purchase additional attachments - on the head, on the chest, etc. :)
As mentioned at the beginning, the aperture is 2.8, which allows you to shoot in fairly weak light. The focus of the lens is fixed, from 6 meters to infinity.
The process of shooting video is extremely simple: either with one click the camera turns on and immediately starts shooting, or in another mode, first the power button, and then the second shooting button.
Depending on the settings, the video is shot either in HD or in 4 other resolutions:
The camera podrubaetsya to mini USB, after which it automatically begins to charge, well, and with ease you can merge video from it, as with a regular flash drive. The file format is MP4, it is immediately played on a computer or sent straight to YouTube or another video hosting site.
The GoPro camera allows you to take 5-megapixel JPG images, with the same aperture settings, focus.
There is a shutdown timer, and there is a separate autofocus mode - every 2, 5, 10, 30 or 60 seconds. You can also configure 3-frame series.
But on the whole, you shouldn’t pin your hopes on the camera, it’s not for this camera. On sensations, the pictures are obtained as on a budget soap box, only very wide-angle, almost “fisheye.” Here is an example of a photograph taken in the evening, without any processing:
It's amazing how this little one allows you to control a variety of settings with just two buttons. The instructions quite clearly and simply describes the process. So, what is available from the settings:
GoPro Motorsports is a top model in the GoPro lineup, with its cost hovering around Ebay at around $ 300. Delivery we had the usual USPS Priority Mail, because the seller messed up and did not send USPS Express. Shipping cost was about 40 dollars.
And a couple of video clips taken (no, not yet by us) from the GoPro cameras installed on the machines:
Well, again, the developers have thought out extensibility well, for example, a kit for shooting in 3D with the help of two cameras has recently become available:
- There is no viewfinder, you have to fix the angle at random.
- To get to the connectors, you have to remove the camera from the sealed shell.
- All plastic mounts are rumored to be quite fragile.
- It is not always easy to fasten hermetic casing, sometimes there is an unpleasant sound, as if plastic breaks.
PS I didn’t paint separately, but in principle the camera is suitable for a very wide range of active sports: parachuting, climbing, snowboarding, surfing, swimming and much more ... Mounts for various needs are purchased separately, or they are invented independently :)
Via iDrive
In general, GoPro is considered a budget camera with very good features:
')
HD video, aperture 2.8, viewing angle of either 127º or 170º .
Waterproof, protection from dirt, gravel, dust and other bullets. There is an automatic shooting mode every few seconds.
By the way, another important factor: the camera is extremely light , only 167 grams with a battery and a mount, which is often of great importance for sportsmen, because they like to throw out everything that does not help the car to go.
Options GoPro Motorsports
Here is the whole set: a camera, a waterproof and stone-protective shell (there is an additional cover with holes where sound is more important than waterproof), fasteners, a USB cable, an audio-video composite cable, and an HDTV cable. In addition, the battery, manual, one-year warranty and a mini instruction for mounting and care.
Separately, it should be noted that the SD-card in the kit does not go, it must be purchased separately and at the same time do not forget that the SD class 10 is best suited.
Front status indicator, a screen to view the current mode and settings, the power button and the lens. The power button also works as a setting control, but more on that below.
Side view of the camera, as you can see, all the connectors are completely open, because the camera is always used in a sealed enclosure.
Above the microphone and the button shushing:
Behind the battery cover and connector that serves to connect the add. batteries or LCD screen on a modular basis (they are not provided in the kit):
Since I haven’t bought the screen yet, I’ll show photos from the manufacturer:
Add. The battery is connected in the same way, here it will be necessary to choose, or to quickly plant a single battery with the screen, or to extend the shooting time with the help of add. batteries.
Side, apparently, add. microphone and SD card slot:
Protective sealed casing with rubberized seal very tightly fastened. It has two extension buttons. Water resistant - 60 meters of static water pressure.
By the way, in the next photo below there is an additional back cover with large openings, which naturally makes the camera no longer waterproof, but allows better recording of sound. According to the manufacturer's recommendations, at low speeds it is better to remove with a leaky cover, at speeds above 160 km / h - with a tight one.
The glass in front of the lens is built-in on the screws, so that as you wear it can be changed.
Camera dimensions in comparison with a matchbox and an SD card:
The lithium-ion battery lasts for 2.5 hours of continuous recording. By the way, the instructions say that it is extremely difficult to remove it, for this you need to squeeze strongly from above and below and pull, but do you need it ?! Only USB is provided for charging.
At the same time, according to reviews, in the conditions of Russian frosts, the battery quickly sits down.
GoPro Camera Mounts
It is this GoPro model that comes with one large suction cup with a dual-axis swivel head, as well as 5 mounts on 3M double-sided tape: 3 pieces for flat surfaces and 2 for curved ones. In addition, there are 3 easy-detachable mechanisms for attaching the camera to 3M-fasteners, two ordinary and one curved. They also provide additional. rotary mechanisms that can be fastened together and for rotation in two planes.
The suction cup is very comfortable and holds tight, but only on perfectly smooth surfaces such as glass or a car body. If there is the smallest texture, such as laminated chipboard, then over time the suction cup is lost and the camera falls.
3M-mount allows you to install the camera inside the car, and on the outer surfaces of the car or motorcycle, you can even helmet:
Of course, 3M mounts are consumable and will quickly become unusable, but you can buy an extra $ 4 per piece. In our realities, it is easier and cheaper to buy not fastenings, but a sturdy mounting double-sided tape.
According to the description, this sticky tape 3M reliably glues, but then it is easily peeled off with a slight heating, for example, with a hair dryer :)
If necessary, purchase additional attachments - on the head, on the chest, etc. :)
Shooting video with GoPro
As mentioned at the beginning, the aperture is 2.8, which allows you to shoot in fairly weak light. The focus of the lens is fixed, from 6 meters to infinity.
The process of shooting video is extremely simple: either with one click the camera turns on and immediately starts shooting, or in another mode, first the power button, and then the second shooting button.
Depending on the settings, the video is shot either in HD or in 4 other resolutions:
- 1080p = 1920 × 1080 pixels (16: 9), 30 fps, 15 Mbit / s data rate
- 960p = 1280 × 960 pixels (4: 3), 30 fps, 12 Mbit / s data rate
- 720p = 1280 × 720 pixels (16: 9), 60 fps, 15 Mbit / s data rate
- 720p = 1280 × 720 pixels (16: 9), 30 fps, 8 Mbit / s data rate
- WVGA = 848 × 480 pixels (16: 9), 60 fps, 8 Mbit / s data rate
The camera podrubaetsya to mini USB, after which it automatically begins to charge, well, and with ease you can merge video from it, as with a regular flash drive. The file format is MP4, it is immediately played on a computer or sent straight to YouTube or another video hosting site.
Photographing
The GoPro camera allows you to take 5-megapixel JPG images, with the same aperture settings, focus.
There is a shutdown timer, and there is a separate autofocus mode - every 2, 5, 10, 30 or 60 seconds. You can also configure 3-frame series.
But on the whole, you shouldn’t pin your hopes on the camera, it’s not for this camera. On sensations, the pictures are obtained as on a budget soap box, only very wide-angle, almost “fisheye.” Here is an example of a photograph taken in the evening, without any processing:
Fine settings for connoisseurs
It's amazing how this little one allows you to control a variety of settings with just two buttons. The instructions quite clearly and simply describes the process. So, what is available from the settings:
- Exposure metering: center-weighted or spot
- Setting up a video broadcast via cable (to which, for example, the wireless transmitter is picked up)
- Shooting upside down if the camera is fixed on the ceiling or falling from an airplane
- Default mode setting: when turned on, ready for photo or video
- Fast deployment: with the power button immediately start shooting
- Video resolution selection
- Selecting the frequency of automatic photography
- Ability to cut off the red indicator while shooting a video (it is not always pleasant when driving, when every second you wink at the red eye)
- Silent mode, no signals when pressing buttons
- NTSC or PAL
- Delete the last file, the format of the entire SD card
- Auto power off to save battery
- date and time
Cost of
GoPro Motorsports is a top model in the GoPro lineup, with its cost hovering around Ebay at around $ 300. Delivery we had the usual USPS Priority Mail, because the seller messed up and did not send USPS Express. Shipping cost was about 40 dollars.
Video examples
And a couple of video clips taken (no, not yet by us) from the GoPro cameras installed on the machines:
Well, again, the developers have thought out extensibility well, for example, a kit for shooting in 3D with the help of two cameras has recently become available:
GoPro small cons:
- There is no viewfinder, you have to fix the angle at random.
- To get to the connectors, you have to remove the camera from the sealed shell.
- All plastic mounts are rumored to be quite fragile.
- It is not always easy to fasten hermetic casing, sometimes there is an unpleasant sound, as if plastic breaks.
PS I didn’t paint separately, but in principle the camera is suitable for a very wide range of active sports: parachuting, climbing, snowboarding, surfing, swimming and much more ... Mounts for various needs are purchased separately, or they are invented independently :)
Via iDrive
Source: https://habr.com/ru/post/117878/
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