School me on what Gopro to buy...

[Positrac]

I'm looking for some feedback on what Gopro to purchase? Is it worth buying a used one or is this something where new and the latest model is the way to go?

I'm looking to be able to mount it on my Solar Inflatable Jet Tunnel while running some of the rivers around here this summer and coming fall. I run into all kinds of animals on the river but seldom get a picture and I'd also like a video of some of the side channel running or when in big water.

I'd be into any other kind of action camera but it does seem like the Gopros have a pretty good name.

[skoalzie]

I’m interested in this as well….. had a go pro 4 that I lost while snowboarding lake Louise…. I did like the app that it could connect to the phone instantly. I’ll be watching this.


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[Sleddawg]

Get the GoPro max for sure, its floating views and 360 is unbelievable. I do not have it as I had literally picked up an 8 1 month before it came out. Just seen the after product.

[Hunter65]

I have an old Hero 3 silver, still going strong after maybe 8 years? Works just fine for my needs which are simple. Sometimes these gadgets can get quite complex and do all kinds of things a guy will never need. For me its "keep it simple". Only you can decide if the latest and greatest is best for your needs. Figure out what you want it to do for you and go from there.

If/when this one dies, I will be looking at other options. GoPros are pricey for my needs.

[Jayhad]

Do yourself a favor and look at the Akaso reviews against go pros, for the cost they can't be beat. I have 3 I have used hard and they are still in excellent running condition. I have the V50 Elite and V50 Pros

https://www.akasotech.com/brave-7

[SamSteele]

I have 4 different GoPro models and have used several others as well. IMHO you want a GoPro 9 Black. It’s the only one that has a front facing screen and the horizon levelling and stabilization is unbelievable. Given what you are doing, it would be the most stable shot. You can have it setup to turn in and off with your voice, take pictures or video with voice commands, etc.

Nothing wrong with the older GoPros either, but if you are going to spend the money I would get the latest one. There were a few complaints around the touch screen on the GP9 not being sensitive enough, but they just did an update that appears to have fixed it. If you want an older one I would go with a Hero 7 instead of an 8. There were issues with the 8s freezing.

The only other option I would consider is the DJI Osmo Action. Advantage of the GoPro is availability of accessories and such. Batteries, lens covers, polarizing filters, etc are much easier to find.

[Stinky Buffalo]

I had a GoPro Silver several years back. Was really good, just found it ran hot and I had to really watch my battery usage.

You mentioned that you want to capture your animal encounters while rafting - you may want to consider getting something rugged with a zoom lens.

Of course, with the super-high resolution of modernt GoPros, you can crop the footage to quite a degree in post while still retaining a semblance of image quality, so there is that.

[SamSteele]

Big difference between the Silver and Black models. Silvers have a built in battery. Black models have a removable battery. That’s a big difference if you are looking to run it for longer periods.

[Stinky Buffalo]

Originally Posted by SamSteele

Big difference between the Silver and Black models. Silvers have a built in battery. Black models have a removable battery. That’s a big difference if you are looking to run it for longer periods.

Absolutely!

[Positrac]

Thanks for the info guys. Some good stuff to think about here.

[does it ALL outdoors]

Originally Posted by Jayhad

Do yourself a favor and look at the Akaso reviews against go pros, for the cost they can't be beat. I have 3 I have used hard and they are still in excellent running condition. I have the V50 Elite and V50 Pros

https://www.akasotech.com/brave-7

Interesting. Thanks for posting that.

I'm using a 4 Black right now, it does the trick but when it comes time for replacement I'll probably go with a different brand just due to how expensive the GoPro's are and so are their batteries and accessories.

They have made the companies owner Nick Woodman a billionaire.

I can't say anything bad about my unit though, it works well and is relatively easy to use, just way too expensive, I'm pretty confident I can find something very comparable for substantially less money elsewhere, there are a LOT of companies making 4K personal cameras now. Once upon a time GoPro was the only game in town, now competition is fierce. Again I can't say anything bad about GoPro's, they just cost too much. Just my opinion, YMMV.

Here is one brand that costs substantially less and records in 4K. Firefly
https://www.fireflycameras.com/

On a side note has anyone checked out the personal cameras that flies around you like a drone and follows you?

https://store.dji.com/guides/camera-...t-follows-you/

Pretty cool technology for sure.

[shakeyleg02]

Originally Posted by Jayhad

Do yourself a favor and look at the Akaso reviews against go pros, for the cost they can't be beat. I have 3 I have used hard and they are still in excellent running condition. I have the V50 Elite and V50 Pros

https://www.akasotech.com/brave-7

Videos are good with akaso cams but the audio sucks badly ive got the V50X and even with the external mic it still bad ..not sure on gopro models tho

[freeride]

Originally Posted by SamSteele

Big difference between the Silver and Black models. Silvers have a built in battery. Black models have a removable battery. That’s a big difference if you are looking to run it for longer periods.

My older hero 4 silver has a removable battery. I wasnt aware they changed it.

For recording animals on the bank a small point and shoot camera would probably be better to zoom in, at least I know my hero 4 doesnt zoom, but I have an adapter for my spotting scope. For recording you going up the river and down a gopro would be great.