used GoPro a good investment?

[TheWetArchaeologist]

On of my friends is selling his goPro Hero 3 for $150. My sister and I are planing to split the cost so it will be pretty cheap for me in the end. I'm new to Scuba but Ill be doing some wreck dives in Bermuda next month and I would like to get some video for my family and friends. I also plan to use it on dives in the future and as a video camera. Is the Hero worth the cost? To be more specific does it give good quality, is it reliable, passable battery life, etc? Its in good condition and I have a 64gb SD to use with it. Also how should I wear it? I saw their is a head band mount and I was thinking about getting that. Also from you guys experienced with the hero should I get anti fog strips for the case if I take it on a dive. If you think its worth the cost what accessories do you find essential for using it on dives, if any. Thanks in advanced.

 

[ronscuba]

Worthwhile. Which version will determine how good a deal you are getting. MSRP for white is $200, silver, $300, black $400

 

[billmosel]

I got the black last year and I love it. It takes great video with the red filter on. I have it clipped onto my BC so its out of the way when I'm not using it. I have the camera on a retractable pole which extends up to 3'. I can put the camera in holes where critters are hiding like morays etc. I say go for it!!

 

[tplyons]

Yep, a buddy of mine is selling a HERO2 and I will be picking it up.

If the one you're looking at is the white edition, let it go. Silver and black and its a bargain.

I personally feel the HERO3 White Edition is a bit of a technological letdown.

 

[diversteve]

If you wear a headmount, it sees what you see. So every time you look down quickly, check gauges, look over at your sister etc. you're going to generate unusable footage. Also you'll have no reference for composing shots with it above you on your head. Framing is somewhat of an educated guess anyway without the Bacpac.

I don't own one but I do shoot u/w video. I'd want it somewhere accessible so I could point it using my hand. Maybe clipped off facing forward on the front of my BC so it generally shoots what I saw when I wasn't holding it. Or a shoulder mount so your hands, gauges etc. don't enter the frame.

I've seen glove mounts that look intriguing but most people seem to use a bracket mount with a handle. It's a pretty small camera so in any kind of current/surge conditions stability is better. I've seen a lot of first time gopro video that makes you queasy to watch it. A mask strap mount doesn't strike me as a particularly good idea either.

Some of the earlier models had a problem with the case opening at depth once the pressure relieved the latch. A simple fix is a fat rubberband. A couple of the accessory makers even sell one. IDK if that's still an issue with the 3 series.

 

[mkhilario]

Nobody enjoys watching head mounted u/w video. Unless you're penetrating a cave or wreck, keep the camera off your head. You also won't be able to tell if it's recording properly. GoPros are fiddly enough to control even when you can see what you're doing. Get a GoPole Grenade grip and attach it with a retractable lanyard and clip it to your bc. Get a decent red filter and you're good to go. SD card should be a class 10.

+1 on giving the white edition a pass.

 

[PsyWulf]

Telescopic Pole or a Wrist/Glove mount is my weapons of choice,as for whether it's worth it,I'm of a tendency to shy away from ones without a warranty,seen enough incidents of Hero(1,2,3) Catastrophic failures or general niggles