What's next after GoPro3+?

[icechip]

My GoPro Hero 3+ has been a great workhorse for me for years. I shoot video in 10-30 second bursts, download it all to a laptop after the dive and then just take a screenshot of something I want from the footage. For what I need and want, this worked. But the time is coming (probably sooner rather than later) to update this arrangement. The dive housing is pretty beat, the batteries don't hold their juice like they used to, etc. So my question is: should I look at the current crop of GoPros (7 or 15 or whatever they are now)? What are their pros and cons? I don't need/want the bells and whistles of Blue-tooth or apps (won't work with my flip phone anyway). A dive buddy mentioned Paralenz but I do not know if it would also work well for shots above water like my GoPro does. Interested in anybody's 2 cents on this...

 

[caruso]

Buy the best you can afford. Or just get a few new batteries and a housing on the cheap. I've heard great things about the Hero 7 and just upgraded from the 4.

 

[Barmaglot]

If you just want to keep doing what you do now, and you aren't chasing image quality, then I would guess that a new GoPro 7 at $500+ would be overkill - a $100 SJCAM or something similar will work just as well. However, if you're shooting primarily stills, and want a significant image quality upgrade, then perhaps it's worthwhile to look at something like a Sony RX100 + housing - while it will be considerably larger, it can shoot bursts of 20MP images in RAW with a fairly deep buffer (speed and depth depend on the model), and you can add strobes later on as well.

 

[victorzamora]

For a scuba-centric action camera, the Paralenz is great.

With the DJI Action Cam releasing, I don't think I'd buy a GoPro Hero 7 just yet.

Are you wanting to do more video? More stills? Better quality? As @caruso mentioned, above, a new housing and some Wasabi batteries would be a cheap way of getting your Hero3+ back in the water acting like new.

 

[icechip]

For a scuba-centric action camera, the Paralenz is great.

With the DJI Action Cam releasing, I don't think I'd buy a GoPro Hero 7 just yet.

Are you wanting to do more video? More stills? Better quality? As @caruso mentioned, above, a new housing and some Wasabi batteries would be a cheap way of getting your Hero3+ back in the water acting like new.

I could be sold into thinking of better quality but I'm not interested in making the cover of Nat Geo or anything like that. Why are you hesitant on the Hero 7?

 

[D_Fresh]

I've seen GoPro housing on Amazon for super cheap, like $15.... (mostly for the 7, without removing the lens cover, but I'm sure 3 is still available).

But my main input is that I would just buy more batteries. For my landscape photography with a Sony a6000, I purchased some Wasabi batteries and couldn't be happier. IIRC, they're within the same capacity of my factory Sony batteries and never had an issue. They last just as long, charge just the same.

 

[victorzamora]

I could be sold into thinking of better quality but I'm not interested in making the cover of Nat Geo or anything like that. Why are you hesitant on the Hero 7?

A VERY respectable "proper" camera setup can be had for ~$1000-$1500 and give you much better quality than the GoPro. However, if you're just looking for "more" of your old GoPro, then there's no need to spend that much. Of course NatGeo cover kinda cameras would be into 5-figures or more.

My hesitance on the Hero7 is that the DJI is cheaper than the Hero7 and with a lot of perks over it. DJI has had great cameras from their first trial and have done nothing but get better. DJI's stabilization feature is notably better than GoPro's. The DJI is even compatible with the GoPro-style mounts/clips.

I'm not saying DON'T get the Hero7...I'm sure it's great. I'm saying look into the DJI first.

 

[icechip]

I did just look and liked it, but did not see a case or cover for it that would allow it to go below 3m? Did I miss something off their website?

 

[victorzamora]

I did just look and liked it, but did not see a case or cover for it that would allow it to go below 3m? Did I miss something off their website?

It's good to 11m, and there are underwater housings on the horizon...including the first-party option that's good for 60m.

 

[Diving Dubai]

I had a Hero 3 and wasn't' fussed. My wife brought a Go Pro 7 and it's okay better but it still needs a lot of work to get something decent. I miss my G16 - I'd love something that I can white balance at depth and gets good enough results for me to put 15 - 30 second clips up on FB (I feel people get bored after that) of something really special, whilst being in and compact to hang off my BCD and not be in the way if I don't use it.

The images I've seen from the DJI suggests it's better in low light but I'm still not convinced