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11/11/2020 10:43am
I have a GoPro 4 Silver which I enjoy for filming and extracting HD pictures from the vids. Except for diving or selfie-filming, it is pretty much useless due to low fps and zero stabilization.
I need a new GoPro to film, and with the GP7 - 9 having stabilization and Hypersmooth, I´m going to get one to dabble at simple videos. The GoPro9 is in short supply at the moment, but is also brand new, and with future updates it can get really good. According to current tests the touch screen is slow to react and not that impressive an upgrade from the GP8. So I´m thinking the 8 is ok, it has poorer HDR, slightly poorer stabilization and timelapse, but could be ok for an amateur...? Another downside of the 8 is that you can´t remove the lenses, meaning you have to replace the entire camera if the lens is scratched. But I usually use a cover anyways...?
Anyone have any suggestions or experiences? The price difference is quite substantial, but I would go with GP9 for the future upgrades and new features. Also, buying "old" doesn´t always make sense. My wallet says GP-7 or 8 though. I will not be getting the GoPro subscribtion btw, as they don´t offer replacement cameras in my country for some strange reason.
Any advice or input is appreciated.
I need a new GoPro to film, and with the GP7 - 9 having stabilization and Hypersmooth, I´m going to get one to dabble at simple videos. The GoPro9 is in short supply at the moment, but is also brand new, and with future updates it can get really good. According to current tests the touch screen is slow to react and not that impressive an upgrade from the GP8. So I´m thinking the 8 is ok, it has poorer HDR, slightly poorer stabilization and timelapse, but could be ok for an amateur...? Another downside of the 8 is that you can´t remove the lenses, meaning you have to replace the entire camera if the lens is scratched. But I usually use a cover anyways...?
Anyone have any suggestions or experiences? The price difference is quite substantial, but I would go with GP9 for the future upgrades and new features. Also, buying "old" doesn´t always make sense. My wallet says GP-7 or 8 though. I will not be getting the GoPro subscribtion btw, as they don´t offer replacement cameras in my country for some strange reason.
Any advice or input is appreciated.
Not sure I need the front screen anymore, as it isn´t a touch screen, but ok for alligning the cam I suppose.
The extra fps and 20MP vs 12MP could make a difference in stills too, but not sure it is worth the extra money for an amateur like me.
Have you tried or compared the stills from Hero 3 to your new 8?
Just one question: Do you have the 9? All tests I´ve read and seen on YT claim the battery life on the 9 is better?
The Shop
If you have a pre hero 7, then its a no brainer to upgrade. If you have a 7 or 8. The 9 is a little better in some aspects but not worth the price tag imo
Here is a link Of some vintage racing at Thunder Valley in Colorado using the 8, the settings, and setup above. I did a few minor exposure, and color adjustments but it’s pretty close to right out of the camera. I am very pleased with the 8, and will skip the 9. For me personally I don’t need any of the newer features at this time. Good luck with whichever you choose.
I have seen from various tests and comparisons on YT that there is no proper wide angle feature on the 9, making all selfie shots very close, unless you pay $99 for the MAX lens. Do you find this annoying or is it workable?
Thanks for the feedback btw, agree on buying the latest if you keep it a long time. That was my initial idea too
Pit Row
When I select to record in 4K it says that stabilization is not supported. So.....does that mean I’m going to get a bouncing, shaking video that will look like crap?
And I use the ProShot mount which I love. Great point of view in my opinion.
They are very finicky with memory cards. And space is a premium. 128gb is about the smallest Id suggest. Costco has a 2 pack of Sandisk Extreme ultra's for about 50. Good for 2:31 each at 4K60
Extra batteries are mandatory. 4-6 seems to be about right if you want to shoot a 128gb card worth
And after that is all said and done, the above is the cheap part. A computer set up just to edit 4K is going to be north of 2K at the min. Terabytes of data, power hungry video, and so on. Plus learning curve to edit good videos.
Almost the best thing to do if you are not going to go head over heals in videos is to just buy cheap, edit basic videos on your phone and never even consider going all in.
make sure you understand the editing pipeline before you decide you need 4k video.
as others have said, g7-9 is worlds better than 6 and older, the stabilization was a huge advancement. biggest change on g7->8 was that most of the older mounts/accessories are now invalid as it has built in mount tabs. the g9 takes the accessories further with mics/lights/etc.
all 3 are fantastic cameras, but if you are really just wanting a helmet cam, look for a good deal on a g7/8, and save the money or get a handful of spare batteries, you'll be surprised how fast you burn through them, ecsp if you are shooting high resolution and also have GPS turned on...
Lastly the GPS data in the GoPro 8 does not work in the GoPro Quik App, so you can't add things like speedometer, or course preview. There is a user made program that takes the data from your camera's GPS, and makes it so those things can be used in your videos. I have only tried the free version but it's pretty cool to look at. Not sure why Go Pro has not addressed this, but if you want to check out your GPS data go here Go Pro Telemetry Extractor click the free link, and choose video than click the different links to see things like speed, and overlays of google maps and stuff.
Edited to add - The Reel Steady program will work with GoPro cameras 5 and up. So a good deal on a 5, 6 or 7 may be able to give you a good quality stabilized video for a lot less money.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ClaNfaC3j4M
I'm leaning toward a GP7 or 8 with a super suite (protective case) for recording helmet cam footage with the camera mounted under my visor. Just not too sure how to deal with cleaning roost in my 50 minute races.
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