Not every Class 10 memory card will work properly on GoPro HERO 3+ and HERO Black cameras, and in particular, failures are observed in ProTune mode and when shooting 4K video.
The GoPro HERO3+ and the slightly older GoPro HERO3 are particularly sensitive to this type of microSD card. If you notice that the video recording stops unexpectedly, then the memory card is definitely the problem (the only exception can be a battery that is almost empty).

The incompatibility of a memory card with GoPro equipment is precisely when you are trying to record video at the maximum resolution that the camera is capable of. The problem will be more visible if you use ProTune mode, which allows you to record more data than in the standard camera mode. Manufacturers of microSD 10 CLASS also did not announce its speed in advance, which further aggravated the situation. If you look at any packaging of memory cards from world brands, you will definitely find information that identifies speed data. Some manufacturers indicate the reading speed. Some indicate a label to indicate the write speed, such as 300x.

Both of the above GoPro 3 cameras need a microSD card with a fast write speed, and this CLASS 10 card does not meet this requirement. I used a Sandisk Ultra memory card. Although on paper its characteristics seemed to me more than high, in reality the video shooting was not carried out properly. But, as soon as I purchased a SanDisk Extreme memory card, the video “flyed” not just in standard mode, but even in Protune mode.

Both GoPro cameras, HERO 3+ and GoPro HERO 3, work on a CLASS 10 microSD card, but only up to 64 GB. However, not all CLASS 10 flash cards are the same. It would be great if the cards of this class were standard, but, unfortunately, this is not the case. Two different CLASS 10 cards from two different manufacturers can have different write speed parameters, and this is the main problem! But if you delve deeper into this problem, it turns out that there are different types of write speeds, which differ depending on the combination of hardware and software of the digital device used. Below is a list of memory cards that are officially recommended for use with GoPro HERO 3+ cameras.
And if you are wondering what is the difference between SDHC and SDXC, then this has nothing to do with speed. It's just that the SDHC card type has a storage capacity of up to 32 GB, while SDXC has more than 32 GB.

	SanDisk Extreme 64GB microSDXC Memory Card(Model No. SDSDQXL-064G) Includes microSD to SD adapter
	SanDisk Extreme 32GB microSDHC Memory Card(Model No. SDSDQXL-032G) Includes USB adapter
	Lexar 64GB SDXC 300x(Model No. LSDMI64GBBNL300R)
	Lexar 32GB SDHC 600x(Model No. LSDMI32GBSBNA600R) Memory card plus small USB adapter
	Delkin 64GB SDXC(Model No. DDMICROSDPRO264GB) Includes SD adapter
	Delkin 32GB SDHC(Model No. DDMICROSDPRO2-32GB) Kit with SD adapter
	Samsung 64GB SDXC(Model No. MB-MGCGB/AM) No adapter. Although this card is officially recommended by GoPro, some users are having trouble using this card due to the slow write speed.

New Versions of SanDisk Extreme Memory Cards

SanDisk Extreme cards, which are included in the official GoPro listing, have faster read speeds (60MB/s) and slightly slower write speeds (40MB/s).
The new map version seems to work perfectly in GoPro HERO3+ Black cameras. And while the new version isn't on the official GoPro list, there are two benefits to working with the new model. The first is the price. As stocks of the older model dwindle, some retailers are raising the price due to high demand. And some sellers generally inflate the cost by half compared to the new model. The second advantage is that the new model is much easier to find in the sales markets. So here are the newer versions.

	. Model No. SDSDQXN-064G-G46A. Included with SD adapter
	Model No. SDSDQXN-032G-G46A Included with SD adapter
	(Model No. SDSDQX-064G-AFFP-A) Included with SD adapter
	SanDisk Extreme Plus 32GB.(Model No. SDSDQX-032G-U46A) MicroSD to SD adapter

Other GoPro Hero models aren't as picky about their requirements, as their specs are lower than their Black Edition counterparts. However, there are skeletons in the closet here too: the problems of matching the card with some models and some shooting modes.

HERO3 Cameras: White and Silver

These two cameras are compatible with any CLASS 10 microSD card (both SDHC and SDXC). Under certain circumstances (see below), you can get away with a lower class card.

HERO3 Silver and HERO3+ Silver

Requires MicroSD CLASS 10 up to 64 GB to capture time-lapse at 0.5 second intervals; for continuous shooting (10 frames per 1 second - 10/1); to support Protune mode.

HERO3: White Edition

Requires a CLASS 4 microSD up to 64 GB.
Requires MicroSD CLASS 10 up to 64 GB for time lapse shooting at 0.5 second intervals.

HD HERO2

Requires SD 10 CLASS up to 64 GB for time lapse shooting at 0.5 second intervals; for continuous shooting (10/1); to support Protune mode (if you want to use any of these features, make sure your memory card is SDHC, not SDXC).

HD HERO Original and HD HERO 960

Requires SD 4 CLASS up to 32 GB.
SDXC type cards (more than 32 GB) will not work in these models.

GoPro Hero3 Black Edition

And so a couple of weeks ago I bought myself a GoPro Hero3 Black Edition, I will not describe the completeness of the camera and the picture quality of this is full on YouTube.
During operation, the camera heats up well to 55-58 degrees and you can’t hold your finger for a long time. The pain temperature threshold is on average 50-55 degrees, depending on the person and his skin sensitivity, there can be a difference, what is unbearable for a finger for a normal operating temperature chip.
The manufacturer answered the question about heating that a powerful processor is installed in the camera and such heat dissipation is within the permissible range, and that this is the normal operating temperature of the camera.
The base of the lens is metal, and it is this place that heats up strongly, and metal is not a bad heat conductor, and so in the protective case, the base to which the lens is attached is also metal and it passes through the entire box to the outside. It’s not for nothing that the manufacturer used metal there, which means it plays a role heat sink from the camera outside the box where this same metal part is blown by air, wind and cools down.

About the real time of the camera in different modes

Black edition with LEDs off and wifi

1440r 48fps 82min
1080p 60fps 71min
720r 120fps 80min
720r 60fps 86min
480p 240fps 80min

The camera with an Lcd touch BacPac connected to it worked for 57 minutes at 1080p 60fps, which is not bad at all
the camera with BataryBacPac in 720p 120fps mode lasted 190min.

Here is another very interesting article from Abe Kislevitz who is engaged in video filming, editing and video processing in GoPro.

Well, you have become the proud owner of a brand new GoPro HERO3 Black Edition! Luckily, GoPro has added about 137 different video modes(sic!), so every time you start shooting, you can involuntarily begin to doubt whether the video mode is the right one. But I will help you deal with these mysterious modes, the only thing is you need to be a little tech-savvy.

To begin with, let's understand such concepts as video resolution (resolution), frame rate (fps), and video quality. The quality of digital video recording is based on a lot of different values, for example, 1080p on a GoPro is VERY different from the same 1080p on an Alexa camera - and the culprit is not only the image sensor. A lot depends on the algorithm of the processors built into the cameras, thanks to which information is read from the image sensor and written to the SD card. There are various tricks that are included by the developer in the main algorithm of the processor to get all this wide variety of video modes.

So, how does video recording work? The sensor, like a film, captures the image, and the camera reads the necessary area from it - the "window" and the larger the reading area (the larger the window), the greater the load on the processor. To read the sensor completely means to get the fullest possible image coming through the GoPro's widescreen lens (i.e. the reading window is equal to the width and height of the sensor). The sensor in the HERO 3 Black Edition camera has a resolution of 12 megapixels and a 4:3 aspect ratio. So when shooting video in 4k mode, the processor reads information over the entire width of the sensor, but not over the entire height. the output video will be in standard 16:9 aspect ratio. Since it is necessary to receive video in 4k resolution, the processor does not need to compress it and it saves information without changing the image size (that is, we have 4k at the input and output). The sensor reading area in this case is the same as when shooting, for example, in 1080p WIDE mode, however, in the latter case, the processor has to convert the image to a lower resolution at the final stage. The size of the video output also affects the degree of processor load, so when shooting 4k we have only 15 frames per second, and at 1080p (I repeat, despite the fact that the same large area is initially read from the sensor as in 4k) up to 60 frames per second.

Regarding digital video shooting, it is worth mentioning another important term: digital video can be native (i.e., optimal in terms of the interaction between the sensor and the processor) for the camera and not. In the Hero 3 Black Edition camera, the processor reads the maximum possible area from the sensor (for a 16:9 ratio), and then downscales the image to 1080p, and does this 60 times per second (which is optimal for this kind of processor). 1080--60fps and 2.7k are some of the best shooting modes - the processor and sensor work together perfectly to get the best image quality for this camera. There are also modes when information from the sensor is received by the processor using other algorithms, which leads to roughness (uneven edges of objects, for example, it is noticeably noticeable if there are electrical wires in the distance on the video). Try 1440--30fps and then 1440--48fps and compare the resulting video. The way the processor reads information for 48 and 30 frames is slightly different (high processor load at a resolution of 1440 and also 48 frames per second does not affect the quality in the best way). The same problem can be seen with the Canon 7D when comparing 1080p versus 720--60fps modes. So the image obtained at 720 will be rough (let me remind you that you need to look closely to see these “roughnesses”). the processor is heavily loaded (high resolution means a large number of pixels, and the frame rate determines the speed of reading information from the sensor per second).

GoPro Hero 3 video modes in detail

WVGA--240fps--WIDE-- Well WVGA is WVAGA. If you look closely, the image is quite rough because of the low resolution, but it will do for youtube. If you don't care about video quality, then 240fps will make for incredible slowmotion.

720--60fps--WIDE-- Looks great, but why don't you try 1080--60fps?

720--120fps--WIDE-- I just don't like this mode. The rough edges (if you look closely) are nothing compared to the quality of the 1080--60fps mode, all this is due to the way the processor reads information from the sensor and processes it. But it looks great if your end goal is to upload the video to youtube (because the video has crazy fps).

720--120fps--NARROW-- Super! 120fps! There are no distortions! Absolutely clean video (the processor does not reduce the image received from the sensor)! If there's a mode that screams "I'm not a GoPro", this is it. The video is incredibly clear, as if shot at 50mm. Slowmotion is great! But comparing with 1080 and 2.7k, you will notice how softer the image is in this mode.
960--48fps--WIDE-- Not tested (because it's a rather peculiar format).

960--100fps--WIDE--The quality is the same as at 720-120fps. You can get rid of jagged edges by dynamically stretching to 1080. Otherwise, not a bad mode.

1080--30fps--WIDE-- One of the best modes, very high image definition (similar to 2.7k 30fps).
I tested shooting the same scene at 1080-30 and 2.7k30. When 2.7k was reduced to 1080, the amount of detail and sharpness was almost identical to 1080-30. So I really like this mode, but you have to ask yourself why not shoot in 2.7k mode and have higher resolution video (for the future). Anyway, 1080--30 has one of the cleanest images on camera.

1080--60fps--WIDE-- Loss of clarity compared to 1080-30fps, but it's barely noticeable (the image looks more "soft"). There is a rollin-shutter effect (just a little bit!). Great for shooting fast moving subjects.
Comparing 1080--30 and 1080--60, you will notice that at 60FPS the image is slightly softer than at 30. But you won't notice this if you upload the image to youtube, but how the camera receives this video is slightly different. In the end, I choose this mode for shooting action scenes. The roller shutter effect is noticeably reduced when shooting at 60fps, due to the fact that the exposure time is reduced.

1080--60fps--MEDIUM-- Very clear image, less distortion, video doesn't look like standard GoPro video, great slow motion. Great for shooting with mechanical mounts when the camera moves very smoothly. But be careful with shooting from the first person. in Medium and Narrow modes, camera shake is very noticeable.

1080--60fps--NARROW-- This mode is incredible! Still an incredibly clean image, however, there may be noticeably more pixels and noise. Since the image received from the sensor is not reduced by the processor, the video quality will not be very good in low light. However, the details will be softer. Narrow mode looks like shooting DSLR video, which is very interesting in a GoPro environment. It's funny, but in the final GoPro video, we did not include a few moments shot in this mode, because many simply would not believe that the video was shot 100% on a GoPro.

1440--30fps--WIDE-- I love this mode. Firstly because of the high sharpness and very clean video. If you shoot from the first person, it really seems that you see the world through the eyes of another person. Processing can be tricky because the ratio in this mode is 4:3, but if you know how to dynamically fit an image to 16:9, that's great. So if you're shooting a video that then just relive those moments, this mode is the bomb!

1440--48fps--WIDE-- The high frame rate is great, but if you watch the video in full resolution, you can notice the roughness around the edges. This is due to the processor's high frame rate algorithm. However, few people look at full resolution and peer into the edges. Looks great on youtube!

2.7k--30fps--WIDE-- Amazing! This mod is just crazy! Incredible picture clarity! The image is read from the entire sensor! The only negative is that there is a roll-shutter effect since 30fps. If you shoot in this mode, with the camera on something steady at high speeds or in low light, you'll get pretty good motion blur. In general, in conditions of lack of light, this mode is very good.

2.7k--24fps--CIN-- Same as 2.7k--30fps--WIDE, only with cinematic cropping (top and bottom).

4k--15fps--WIDE-- Great for time lapse (with subsequent refinement in CineForm).

4k--12fps--CIN-- Same as 4k--15fps--WIDE, only lower frame rate and with cinematic cropping.

Protune mode

Auto This is my lifesaver when I use Protune. The camera does a great job of reading the brightness and light and adjusting the mode as needed. This allows you to get a visually coherent material, which is especially important when shooting in the snow. I'll briefly describe Protune's other color temperature modes below, but I don't really use them much.
3000K This mode should be used in very warm light, such as at sunset or sunrise. In a neutral environment (in a room with white walls), the video will have a blue tint.
5500K This mode should be used for brighter light, during the day for example. With a neutral environment, the video will be in warm colors.
6500K This mode should be used when the sky is overcast, in a neutral environment it has an even softer tint.
cam raw This mode does not correct the color balance, but simply records what the camera sees in a given situation. This mode can give you incredible possibilities for further editing (but videos shot under different lighting conditions will be very mixed, so in post-production you can face a huge amount of work!)

But there are a few important things to note about how Protune works - Protune won't make video better at night! With Protune in the dark, you will see a little more detail than you could with a camera of this size, but the price for this will be the noise that will be present where there should be complete darkness. So as soon as the sun goes below the horizon, it is better to turn off Protune. What's more, there is virtually no digital noise reduction in Protune mode, so you get both more detail and more noise. But as I said, in low light conditions, the sensor in this camera works great (for a camera of this size). However, if GoPro added the ability to control the level of noise reduction to the camera, then it would be possible to get even better video in low light.

To summarize, for me - Protune+AutoWB + 1080-60, 2.7K, 1440-30; 1440 48 & are the most popular modes. I am also experimenting with 720-120 Narrow, 1080-60 Medium & and they seem to be great for me too.

As the owner of the GoPro Hero3 Silver Edition, I passed by the “horizontal” update on , and after another year I am holding a camera with an index of 4. And this is already a vertical take-off.

Hero3 vs. Hero4 briefly

I'll save you time. The two pictures below will show the advantage of the four over the three. Thanks to the updated optics and processor.

First, Hero4 is more accurate in color reproduction, while Hero3 is yellow.

Secondly, Hero4's noise is several times lower, and the resolution is higher (attention to vertical elements).

In addition, the 12 megapixels of the Hero4's sharp 10 megapixels are better than the 10 megapixels of the Artifact Hero3. Forgive me the owners of Hero2, but you are generally sad.

This short tour is over :)

Now a little more.

GoPro Hero 4Black or Silver Edition?

The camera is available in two versions - Black and Silver.

If you are a land resident and shoot mostly children's matinees, then take Silver because it has a built-in touch screen. But on the other hand, it does not accelerate above 1080p 60 frames / s, like the GoPro Hero3. The difference with the model before last will be only in the quality of the picture.

For hardcore you have to take Black Edition, because it produces 1080p 120 fps and 4K at 30 fps, and its processor is more powerful than silver. But there is no screen.

Dimensions

You won't notice the size difference between Hero3 and Hero4.

Battery

The GoPro3 has a larger battery, but it doesn't benefit from that.

• Treshka: 1180mAh, 3.7V, 4366mWh
• Four: 1160mAh, 3.8V, 4.4Wh

And finally, in Hero4, the battery is inserted from the bottom.

The Chinese are already offering replaceable power supplies for $7. You should have at least one on hand. On dx.com, shipping to Russia is free.

Since the "treshka" has weaker iron, it works one and a half times longer. The manufacturer writes that 3 hours in 1080p / 30fps mode, but in fact it turns out to be an hour less. This means that the “four” will work for about 1 hour 10 minutes non-stop with Wi-Fi turned off.

Relax and watch promo video

So far, no one has been able to shoot a video better than GoPro itself does. Enjoy life in 4K, because it's wonderful. Since 2010, the camera has inspired many to get off their butts, get out of their smelly slippers and start living for real.

Cover, aka boxing

In fact, the changes started with Hero3+ and now the new box looks better than the old one. It has decreased in size, the latch has changed, unnecessary decorative screws around the perimeter of the bezel have disappeared.

The area of ​​the buttons has become larger, the pressing itself is smoother. On land, this is good, but for divers in dry suits and 7mm gloves, the Hero3 was more responsive underwater. And the third model turns on faster by 1 second, but then slows down by the same amount in Photo mode :)

Comes with two back covers. One for land, the other for diving to a depth of 40 meters. I dived to 45 meters and there was no leak. But there was an extra decompression stop due to such unnecessary pampering, because my Deep Diver certificate prohibits such depth.

Have you seen how divers get married? You can’t do without champagne under water -. GoPro has become my indispensable companion in all dives - diving in South Cyprus.

There are currently no alternatives to GoPro. The same one will not be able to shoot underwater, and for some reason Chinese craftsmen do not come up with additional accessories for it. Toshiba has a crisis of ideas without a twinge of conscience.

GoPro Hero4 is good on land and underwater. She again captured moments of life that you can never capture with an ordinary soap box. In fact, in front of us is a dog-friend, ready to follow his master anywhere. For this, she is loved all over the world.

My video is below.

The cost of GoPro HERO 4 Silver is 19,999 ₽.
The cost of GoPro HERO 4 Black is 24,999 ₽.

Benefits of the GoPro Hero 3 Black Edition Camera:

• This is the best GoPro camera ever.
• Wide range of shooting modes
• Burst mode 30 photos per second
• On-camera control and remote control
• High quality video and photo
• Good selection of accessories

GoPro Hero3 Black Edition Camera Disadvantages:

• Limited features of bundled software
• Too narrowly oriented built-in microphone

Key features of the GoPro Hero3 Black Edition camera:

• Wide range of shooting quality settings, including 1080/60p and 4K HD modes
• 12-megapixel matrix
• Burst mode 30 photos per second
• Continuous shooting mode with long pauses (for shooting slow processes)
• Built-in Wi-Fi and included Wi-Fi remote control
• Compatible with GoPro Android and iOS Apps
• Wide range of specialized accessories

Features and design of the GoPro Hero3 Black Edition camera.

What is the GoPro Hero3 Black Edition?

The GoPro Hero3 Black Edition is a small yet rugged camera designed for taking photos and videos in the most extreme conditions. If you've ever watched the reality show Deadly Catch, then you've probably guessed the harsh conditions it was filmed in. What equipment do you think was used for filming? Of course GoPro cameras. Why gopro? Because only they are able to work in such conditions.

With over a decade of experience in producing high quality action sports and adventure cameras, GoPro is undeniably the industry leader. Although she has worthy competitors.

The GoPro Hero3 Black Edition camera is the flagship product of the Hero3 series, which also includes the Silver Edition mid-range camera and the entry-level White Edition camera. In addition to the regular GoPro Hero3 Black Edition, there is a Surf Edition that comes with special sticky mounts that allow you to mount the camera on a surfboard.

But in all other respects, both cameras have completely identical characteristics and design.

Characteristic features of GoPro Hero3 Black Edition action camera, differences from Silver and White Edition.

As the flagship product of the Hero3 series, the GoPro Hero3 Black Edition has certain advantages over the cheaper versions. The first and most important advantage of the Black Edition models is the built-in Wi-Fi remote control, which allows you to comfortably control the camera when it is fixed on or in another hard-to-reach place and it is very difficult to press the buttons. Read more about management and settings in the article. Adventurers who install their cameras in hard-to-reach places will definitely appreciate the benefits of Wi-Fi remote control.

In addition to built-in Wi-Fi remote control, the Black Edition benefits from a 12-megapixel high-definition camera. For comparison, the Silver Edition has an 11 megapixel sensor, while the entry-level White Edition camera has only 5 megapixels. If necessary, the Black Edition can shoot not only in full resolution of 12 megapixels, but also in 7 and 5 megapixel modes.

A more useful feature of the Black Edition's camera is its 30fps burst mode, which is significantly higher than the Silver Edition's 10fps and the White Edition's 3fps. In the fast-paced world of extreme sports, this is a very useful advantage, as the ability to capture 30 consecutive frames per second will allow you to get exactly the shot you want.

But if you don't need that much speed, the Black Edition also lets you shoot at 3, 5, and 10 fps. While not intended for the GoPro Hero3 Black Edition, it also has a long time-lapse mode of 0.5, 1, 2, 5, 10, 30, and 60 seconds. All this speaks of its wide possibilities and flexibility.

Still, most buyers of the Hero3 are more interested in its ability to shoot video than photos. And again, the Black Edition has certain advantages over the two younger models in the series. The Silver and White Editions support a maximum resolution of 1080p at 25 fps, while the Black Edition is capable of shooting Full HD 1080p video at 50/48/25 fps in PAL mode and 60/48/30 fps in NTSC mode . In addition, in 720p mode, the shooting speed is 100/50 fps (120/60 fps for NTSC), which allows you to achieve smooth slow-motion playback of HD video, which neither the Silver nor the White Edition can do.

In addition, the Black Edition can shoot in 4K at 15fps and 4K Cinema at 12fps.

Additional shooting modes GoPro 3:

• 1440p mode, 48/25/24 fps (48/30/24 fps for NTSC)
• 2.7K mode, 25 fps (30 fps for NTSC)
• 2.7K Cinema mode, 24fps
• 960p mode, 100/48fps
• WVGA mode, 240 fps

The choice of video recording modes is really huge.

Construction of the GoPro Hero3 Black Edition camera.

Considering that the GoPro Hero3 Black Edition is specifically designed for use in conditions that conventional cameras are not designed for, it is not surprising that this camera is extremely durable in every respect. Although Hero3 is quite compact - 60mm wide, 40mm high and 20mm deep - it is 30% smaller than its predecessor. Weighing just 74 grams, the camera is also 20% lighter than the Hero2.

The camera is housed in a rugged polycarbonate body and is equipped with three buttons: a mode button, a shutter release button, and a dual Wi-Fi button. At the back of the camera is at 1050 mAh. To get it, you just need to snap off the cover. In addition, there is a Hero Port on the back of the camera, designed to connect an optional $112 Touch BacPac LCD monitor, which transmits the image from the camera.

All important shooting information, navigation menu with camera settings and options is displayed on a small LCD screen, which is located on the front of the camera. Below the screen is a mode select button that also doubles as an on/off button. To the right of it are two indicators - a blue paired Wi-Fi indicator and a red status indicator. On the top panel of the camera there is another button that acts as a shutter button and start recording video.

Connectors and a place for a memory card are located on the side of the camera behind a protective plastic: a hole for installing a micro SD card, a micro HDMI port for video playback, a microUSB port for recharging and transferring files. The Hero3 Black Edition camera is compatible with cards up to 64 GB. Given the volume of files being processed, it is highly recommended to use cards of at least tenth grade.

Of course, the camera itself cannot be submerged in water, but it comes with a waterproof polycarbonate housing that can shoot underwater up to 60 meters and also protects the camera from bumps, scratches and drops. The camera is inserted into the back of the protective housing and is securely fixed using the latches located on top of the camera.

Inserting and removing the camera from the protective housing is quite simple - place the camera so that the lens is facing in the opposite direction, find the latch on top of the housing, slide it in the direction of the index arrow and then return it to its place.

You can control the camera when it is inside the protective case using three spring-loaded buttons on the case - the shutter button, the mode button and the on/off button, and the Wi-Fi control button. The buttons are pressed with considerable effort, which is done specifically to prevent accidental pressing of the buttons.

Action camera GoPro Hero3 Black Edition comes with a set of mounts and Velcro. Ours came with an "Adventure Kit" designed for use in dry terrain. If you are going to use the camera on the water, then order the Surf Edition.

Management, software, photo and video quality GoPro Hero3 Black Edition.

Control GoPro Hero3 Black Edition.

You can control your GoPro Hero3 Black Edition in a variety of ways: with the buttons on the camera itself, with the remote control, or with the free GoPro app for iOS and Android smartphones and tablets.

Hero3 Black Edition in combination with a Wi-Fi remote control can be installed anywhere you need. GoPro claims a Wi-Fi range of 100 meters.

Menu navigation is easy to master the first time - it is carried out using the mode button and the shutter button. The instruction manual is not included in the package - it is not in printed or digital format - it can be downloaded from the GoPro website.

This version of Hero3 differs from others only in the presence of a remote control. The two buttons on the remote control work exactly like the mode button and shutter button on the camera itself. Thus, from the remote you have access to all the settings and parameters of the camera. Another advantage is the presence of a keychain mount, which is located on the charging port of the remote control and allows you to clip the remote to yourself so that it does not accidentally get lost.

The GoPro app for Android and iOS allows you to control the camera from your tablet or smartphone, and has a preview window of the camera image (with a slight delay).

If you want to get a real-time camera image, you'll have to spend $120 on an optional GoPro Touch BacPac display. A less expensive method to solve this problem is the GoPro app, which is available for free on Google Play or Apple iOS.

Connecting a phone or tablet to a GoPro camera via Wi-Fi is not very difficult, but it takes a long time, since you first need to enter the GoPro Hero 3 Wi-Fi password on your mobile phone (default is “goprohero”), turn on Wi-Fi on the camera and use the wireless settings menu to switch the camera to sync mode with the GoPro app.

Then run the application on your phone or tablet and click "Connect and control", after which you will be taken to the main screen of the application, through which you have full control over the camera. By clicking on the menu icon in the form of a cogwheel, you can access the settings for the quality of photo and video shooting, continuous shooting, and other more complex settings.

You can take photos and record videos directly from the GoPro app - a small preview window shows what the camera sees in (almost) real time.

We said "almost" because there is actually a two second delay. If you control the camera through the GoPro app, then you will have to press the "record" button a little before the moment when you plan to take a picture or start recording video.

Even with this delay, this is very convenient, as it allows the owner to control the camera from a distance without being distracted from their work. According to GoPro, the Wi-Fi range is up to 100 meters.

GoPro provides its own CineForm Studio software, which can be downloaded for free from the company's website. Although it does not allow you to edit individual clips together, you can post-process individual fragments.

GoPro video editing software.

Software is not included with the GoPro Black Edition, but CineForm Studio's video editing software is available for download from the GoPro website. Of course, this is not the most modern video editing software, but nevertheless it allows you to apply a number of video effects, including the ProTune filter, which allows you to improve the color and details in the captured video.

Although CineForm Studio allows you to convert the original video from the camera, apply effects or slow down the video, but it cannot be used to merge individual clips. To do this, you need something like Final Cut Pro or Apple iMovie.

GoPro Hero3 Black Edition photo and video quality.

The quality of the photos is quite good, but the wide-angle lens of the Hero3 has a significant impact on the quality of the shots. It introduces barrel distortion that makes photos look like they were taken with a fisheye lens. The color and white balance are quite accurate, although they can always be changed later on the computer. Photo detail is also quite good.

In general, the video quality is good. As mentioned at the beginning of this review, the Black Edition has significant advantages over its cheaper counterparts in the form of a wider selection of shooting modes. Of course, the choice of settings is yours and different settings are optimal in different conditions.

We used 1080p Full HD at 50fps for testing. The main reason we chose these settings is because the vast majority of computers cannot play videos at higher settings. We also chose them because, with a source video of 50 frames per second, the video slowed down by half will be displayed at an acceptable speed of 25 frames and in good Full HD resolution.

Processing with CineForm Studio filters includes Protune technology (adjustment of contrast, saturation, sharpness) and other standard options.

One Black Edition feature that power users will definitely appreciate is GoPro's patented Protune technology, which is activated on the camera via the settings menu. It allows you to set a more neutral color palette and record video in Camera Raw mode, which reduces compression and increases the possibility of further editing. In addition, with the help of the CineForm Studio software, you can of course adjust the saturation and sharpness.

During testing, we used the GoPro Hero3 Black Edition in a variety of conditions. On the first day we filmed kite surfing with the camera on the kite so we could film the scene from top to bottom. The sky was gray and the sea pale green. The raw video looked a little gloomy, but we improved it significantly with ProTune technology, making it a little lighter.

On a second very bright and sunny day, we attached the camera to the windshield of a car to see how well it would perform in fast-moving, high-contrast lighting conditions. The camera did two things well, but the built-in microphone didn't perform well and couldn't capture music from our car's stereo even though the volume was set to high.

However, in other conditions, for example, while surfing, there were no complaints about the sound - GoPro did an excellent job of recording a conversation between surfers.

Conclusion.

If you are into extreme sports and want to buy an action camera that can both shoot video and take pictures and that you can tether to yourself wherever you are - on land in water or in the air, then at the moment the GoPro Hero3 Black Edition has no competitors in the market.

The remote control, along with the GoPro add-on for Android or iOS smartphones and tablets, only adds to the versatility of the Black Edition, making it the best choice at a very reasonable price.

I'll start with the main one.

What is an action camera and what is it for?

About terms. The phrase action-camera is understood as a small camera with a minimum of settings and controls, designed for shooting in various uncomfortable conditions, which dictates the basic requirements that such a camera must meet:

• minimum weight
• ease of mounting (ideally, an action camera can be mounted on anything, including a dog)
• a minimum of controls and, in general, a minimum of operator participation
• dust-, shock-, heat-, waterproof case
• the longest possible battery life (but not at the expense of weight)

It is indispensable for skydivers and other flyers, skiers, surfers, divers and other extreme sportsmen. I especially want to draw attention to divers: in their case, an action camera can be a very cheap and convenient alternative to a bulky camera in.

Many companies are engaged in the production of action cameras, but here I will tell you about the camera of the company gopro, because it was she who was at my disposal.

GoPro Hero 3 action cameras

GoPro cameras have made their way into our market quite widely, and you can now find them in any more or less serious computer or photo store. They gained a large number of fans and received a diminutive name "goproshka".

The Hero 3 series cameras come in three variants (ordered in descending order of coolness):

• Black Edition
• Silver Edition
• white edition

They differ in capabilities and equipment, but structurally they are exactly the same. My camera, the one that is white (White edition) is the worst, but it also has quite pleasant, pleasing to the eye, properties.

Briefly about the technical characteristics of the GoPro Hero 3 White edition camera:

The camera comes in an incredibly pretentious box, most of which is empty space. The box is crowned with a transparent cap made of thick plastic, under which we see, in fact, a camera in a hermetic box, mounted on a special platform.

Inside the box is:

• sealed box door
• two platforms on double-sided tape (for mounting on a flat and convex surface)
• paper about the guarantee
• a piece of paper saying that there are no instructions here, and everything that is interesting - see the website
• a piece of paper telling us to make sure we have the latest firmware
• some "GoPro(r) Be a Hero" stickers

A huge, too cool box is, of course, overkill, but the lack of a multi-page instruction for downs, and replacing it with a piece of paper that sends us to the site is right, at least they saved a little wood and saved users from unnecessary waste paper, which most of them even won't open.

On the side of the camera are connectors and a slot for a microSD card.

There are 3 buttons on the camera:

• on/off/mode switching
• shooting/photo
• on/off WiFi

WiFi is used to connect to a WiFi remote control or a smartphone, on which you can install an application that allows you to remotely control the camera and see on the screen the same thing that it sees. Since I don’t have one or the other, this button annoys me, but if you have the appropriate devices, its benefits are obvious: after all, WiFi drains the battery 10-15% faster, so when it’s not needed, it makes sense to turn it off.

Video and photo quality, examples

Video quality I was satisfied almost completely (when it comes to shooting in good lighting). At least, it is much higher than that of a budget camera. The main mode I use is 720p at 30 fps. One minute of video in this resolution weighs about 70 MB.

It's all about, basically, clarity and built-in deshaker which, by the way, works well. But with color rendering things get a little worse.

The camera very noticeably "softens" the image, giving it a yellowish-pastel tone. Moreover, the color ratio is preserved, and when using autolevels in the editor, the picture acquires the lost blue and becomes much more similar to the original. But this is provided that there are no blockages in the frame, for example, a bright sun. If they are, all adjustments will have to be done manually. Here, for example, is the same frame shot on GoProshka and on a regular camera, see the difference:

GoPro Hero 3 camera features that won me over

Underwater photography

As you know, everyone who has ever dived with a mask in more or less transparent waters must have thought that it would be great to capture underwater beauty in a photo or video. Some citizens solve this problem with underwater shooting boxes, to which this site is dedicated.

GoPro owners get an amazing bonus of underwater shooting without any additional devices: because the camera is already supplied with a hermetic box! And what is especially nice here is the price. For example, the GoPro Hero 3 White camera (including the box) costs $200, and the Canon Powershot G15 aqua box costs more than $300.

Let's add here the ability to attach a gopro to any part of the body, freeing up your hands and focusing on scuba diving and contemplating the beauties, and not on whether or not we are currently filming and how uncomfortable it is to paddle with one hand.

This is what a person who knows the problem firsthand tells you: I have ever dived with a Canon SX100 camera in . Unfortunately, I can’t give an illustration of using the GoPro Hero 3 camera underwater yet, but I will correct it.

timelapse

For some strange reasons, the ability to shoot time lapses, with all the simplicity of its implementation, is not available in all cameras. And those in which it is implemented usually cost much more than $200.

GoPro cameras capture time lapses with adjustable frame intervals, which can be selected from the following set of values: 0.5, 1, 2, 5, 10, 30, and 60 seconds.

Actually, that says it all. After all, capturing how quickly the sun sets and how wildly the clouds rush across the sky is, perhaps, the second obsessive desire of all amateur photographers after underwater shooting and dew on the leaves.

GoPro Hero 3 White edition camera disadvantages

Yes, this camera, of course, also has disadvantages. I can draw your attention to the following:

1. The camera is designed exclusively for shooting in bright light, ideally on a clear day outdoors. When trying to shoot video indoors, an incredible amount of noise appears in the frame, and the overall video quality becomes indigestible.

2. Incorrect color reproduction, incl. in bright light (“softening” the picture, as mentioned above).

3. Very strange behavior of the camera when shooting a long time lapse, especially when the light starts to change (for example, the same sunset). From frame to frame, exposure and color balance can jump as they please. In low-light scenes, the camera can increase the exposure as it should be, or it can suddenly decide that enough is enough and set the parameters at which we can see only a black screen for the next thousand frames. Here is a good example illustrating all these jambs:

4. Camera GoPro Hero 3 shamelessly buggy. Maybe it's just my copy. But the glitches will be below in detail.

5. Of the less obvious and more controversial shortcomings: well, why not make more mounting lugs on the case? This would have made the structure heavier by a couple of grams, but how much more versatile the camera would have become in terms of mounting!

Well, since we're talking about fixing...

GoPro camera mounts - make or buy?

A little pleased with the acquisition, I thought. The two adhesive tape mounts included in the kit - one on a flat surface, the other on a convex one - did not impress me very much, because where to glue them, you still have to figure out, and then constantly live with the thought “what if it falls off?”

As a bonus third mount, a flat platform on which the camera stood during the sale can be used, but in my case this was also not an option, because. the length of the mounting lugs does not allow the camera to be positioned parallel to the platform.

Well, there is an easy way here - to buy. After all, a crazy amount of different accessories are sold for GoPro cameras. If you look at the Internet on this topic, then, literally, your eyes start to run wide. And, it seems, each gizmo separately is not so expensive. It turns out expensive when the leading eyes also want this mount on the steering wheel for $ 20 and this for the head for 22 and this for the chest for 30 ... As a result, the amount quickly exceeds 100 bucks. In general, buying is not our way. And I decided to do it myself.

Homemade GoPro forehead mount

The first thing that came to mind was to adapt the mount from a headlamp. No sooner said than done, since there were plenty of substandard flashlights in my household.

Not as beautiful and functional as industrial. The main two drawbacks are the impossibility of quickly removing the camera from the site and the periodic spontaneous loosening of the nuts, accompanied by “pecking”. The disadvantage, in principle, is removable, but for now it will do.

An important point. Pay attention to the metal plates hammered between the fixing ears of the hermetic box. It is necessary to select them so that the total thickness of the plates exactly matches the gap, otherwise, when tightening the nuts, you have every chance to spoil the product!

The disadvantage of this GoPro mount on the forehead is its non-rigidity. When driving on a bumpy road, the camera jumps quite a lot relative to the head, adding jitter in order. In this regard, the fastening must be reinforced with additional straps, although, in my opinion, it is impossible to ensure a sufficiently rigid position on the head with the help of a brace. That is why cameras are very fond of mounting on helmets: a properly selected helmet is practically a single whole with the head.

Homemade GoPro camera mount on the chest and other parts of the body

The forehead mount easily transforms into a chest strap. It is enough to slip it under the belt tightened in the right place.

The mounting platform from the flashlight turned out to be quite versatile. With shorter straps, it can also be attached to places such as the ankle and knee. In general, there is room for creativity.

In the following video, I give examples of mounting the camera on different parts of the body during a ski trip.

For some unknown reason, my camera always turns out to be tilted to the right. Moreover, if at first I thought that I always ride with my head tilted, then I suddenly discovered that the same tilt is obtained when attached to the knee, ankle, chest. What is the catch - it is not clear. Either the camera warps a little towards the battery due to imbalance, or I fixed it on the site with an offset to the right.

Sometimes you really want to attach a bubble level to the goproshka.

Summary

Although the manufacturer will not pay me a cent for these lines, I will say that gopro- an extremely convenient thing, completely worth the money (of course, I was doubly pleased to receive it as a gift, but we're not talking about that). The scope for capturing reality from a variety of angles and in a variety of conditions, this camera provides huge.

For example, there is a video on Youtube where one American DIYer attached it to a radio-controlled glider, on which he descended from a height of about 30 kilometers, so we have someone to take an example from. Although, this do-it-yourselfer is not the only one, Youtube tells us that only the most notorious lazy person has not yet tried to attach a gopro to an airplane / glider / balloon. For example, I’m going to make a report with, but I’ll wait for the wind ...

UPD: Problems with the GoPro Hero 3 White camera: the camera does not turn on

Despite the general enthusiasm for the product, I regret to add the following unpleasant remark here. If in the future there will be problems with the camera, I will add their description here.

Description of the problem

For no apparent reason, the camera suddenly refused to turn on.

The harbinger of strange behavior was the flashing of the WiFi light, which could not be turned off by pressing the corresponding button. It helped only to remove the battery, after which the camera no longer turned on.

How did they do it?

Since the camera is under warranty, I did not try to climb inside, and without this, all options for action boil down to the following:

• remove/insert memory card
• remove/insert USB
• remove/insert battery
• switch on switch off
• shake, knock, blow

And also to all possible combinations of the above actions.

Having resorted to all these measures at the moment the problem was discovered, I did not get any effect, caught fire and went to bed, with the idea that now I need to look for warranty documents and ... in short, I lost my camera for a long time.

After about an hour I touched the camera - it turned out to be warm! In horror, I pulled out the battery, already suspecting that there was a short circuit inside, everything burned out, and the battery also died.

The camera worked after I blew into the battery compartment and then inserted the battery. After that, she began to turn on, turn off and shoot without any problems.

Causes of malfunction and disappointing conclusions

What was the reason is completely incomprehensible, but the incident leads to extremely unpleasant thoughts about reliability of GoPro cameras. And if this happened at the moment when it was supposed to be filmed the most valuable video in life?

For example, it was precisely because of these problems that the moment of flight from rescuers was not captured on video at the time, which is rather insulting.

I will definitely unsubscribe about further oddities in the behavior of the camera, although, of course, I really hope that the glitch was a one-time one, caused by the unsuccessful location of the satellites around Jupiter, and it will not happen again.

Continuation of a story

Alas, the disease progressed. About a month after writing the previous paragraph, the camera finally died: it refused to turn on and charge the battery when connected to USB. The “let it rest and try again” method, which worked well earlier, has now failed to produce results.

Recharging the battery outside the camera did not help either, and the methods of reviving the camera, which are in abundance at the request of “GoPro dead”, “GoPro won’t power on”, etc., did not work either.

Tellingly, there were no extraordinary actions with the camera, or its use in extreme conditions. The problem arose upon arrival home after a completely normal past video shooting.

In May 2014, the camera was handed over for warranty repair in Moscow and returned to me only in August. The fault is the motherboard that was replaced. As it turned out during a thorough examination, it was not the board that was replaced, but the entire camera as a whole (some characteristic abrasions on the case disappeared).

One way or another, let's hope that the problems are over. At the moment (December 20, 2014) — the flight is normal.