If there is one thing to be said about GoPro, it’s that it’s changing the landscape of amateur, and even professional, photography and videography. If you’re looking to jump into the amazing world of GoPro, the first question running through your mind is probably which one is right for you?
We started out with the Hero3 Black edition a couple years ago and honestly never used it more than just a handful of times while skiing. While we were able to get footage of Whistler skiing at 3 years old with, I really had no clue how much I was missing out on by not playing with all it’s features.
With our upcoming trip to Turks and Caicos, another trip to Puerto Rico and then our return to the Dominican Republic all within the next couple months, we’ll be SCUBA diving as much as possible and I started looking at options for taking photos and videos on our dives. I was looking at underwater housings for my iPhone and rugged underwater point and shoots, all the while not even realizing I literally had the perfect device sitting in front of me – my GoPro. It comes with a waterproof housing that withstands depths of up to 197 feet (60 meters), mounts to just about anything and is small enough to not be a hindrance.
That’s when all the buzz about the new GoPro Hero4 (Black) release started up. It is the most advanced GoPro ever made. If you have big dreams and an adventurous spirit this may be the GoPro for you. It offers a 2x more powerful processor with 2x faster video frame rates – which means you can capture more flawlessly – along with the ability to shoot at 4K resolution! (YES, our 4K Samsung TV just got some new footage to play!)
So being the tech geek that I am, I went big and upgraded to the new Hero4 Black. We took it out for a test run while paddle boarding this last weekend and I’m thoroughly impressed with the quality of photos it produces! I’m seriously mad at myself for missing the many opportunities this year to take some amazing photos while traveling. (PS – half of these photos were taken by Whistler, my 4 year old!)
(click on any image below to see full size)
While the GoPro HERO4 Silver is the first-ever GoPro to feature a built-in touch display! If you’re a techie who likes to be in control, or perhaps a more advanced photographer, than this is the GoPro for you. With the Silver you’re able to control the camera, playback footage and adjusting settings is ultra-convenient—just view, tap and swipe the screen. The Silver offers both 1080p60 and 720p120 video, and 12MP photos at a staggering 30 frames per second.
The GoPro HERO is the entry level model and offers everything you love about the original GoPro with high‐quality 1080p30 and 720p60 video and 5MP photos up to 5 fps but now it has a 12x more powerful processor with 2x faster video frame rates.
Regardless of your choice, the GoPro camera lineup allow you to beautifully and authentically capture, create and share the experiences that bring purpose, adventure, and joy to your life. Which is why they make fantastic christmas gifts for anyone!
If you are gifting the GoPro, to yourself or someone else, start a GoPro bucket list for them to inspire their adventure, or your own. To get you started we have just a few of the ways you can use your GoPro, but the list is really endless.
Capture Yourself On The Water
Did you know the GoPro was originally designed for surfing and capturing pro camera angles? Hence the name!
It’s great for surfing, paddle boarding or any other water adventures. Just a heads up, while the GoPro is waterproof, it doesn’t float on it’s own so you’ll want to get the floaty backdoor. A waterproof monopod is also a good idea to have!
Take It Ziplining
One of the benefits of a ziplining course is that most times it offers stunning views of landscapes and if you go at the right time of the day, incredible sunsets too. Capture your Ziplining experience beautifully with a slow-mo video of the setting sun. Or speed it up to show your friends a thrilling adventure!
The last time I took mine ziplining, I ran out of battery so I highly recommend getting the battery backpack. I also had some issues with the humidity causing the lens to fog up (this can happen underwater too), so you should always have some anti-fog inserts on hand as well.
Create A Winning Science Project
Attach your GoPro to just about any object (thanks to its waterproof feature) and suddenly you have a new way of looking at the world. Attach it to the end of a sword and study the effects of velocity – while having a really good time! The possibilities for this are endless you just need you imagination.
A few of my other must have accessories are Peak mounting kit (an easy clip/release system allowing to you place your GoPro nearly anywhere for handsfree recording or within easy reach), some protective lens covers to keep everything scratch free, an organizing case and don’t forget your micro SDHD card. I find a 128GB card does well for all day shooting.
Best Buy is the home of the latest cameras and camcorders, including the full line of new GoPro cameras, plus a broad assortment of accessories. Learn more at www.bestbuy.com/GoPro or visit your local Best Buy to check out the latest cameras in person.
The reviewer has been compensated in the form of a Best Buy Gift Card and/or received the product/service at a reduced price or for free.
I’m thinking the middle of the road version is the one for me. It seems to have everything I’d need.
Great overview. I need a new camera, so I think I will send this to my husband with the subject “Christmas Gift!!” in it. Hopefully he will take the hint! :)
I would love to have a GoPro camera. They looks like so much fun. There’s a lot of action going on throughout my day.
For some reason I had no idea there were so many different types of GoPro cameras. My husband just told me he wanted one but didn’t tell me which one he wanted. Thanks for sharing such useful info.