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GoPro Black or Sony


rob999

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IMO, GoPro 3 Black edition, mainly because I don't think the Sony can do anything better than the GoPro (now niggles are mostly iron out), whereas I can think of a few things the GP3 can do that the Sony cannot ie 12mp stills, which are actually useful. 4k res albeit only at 15fps, but I think that means you could freeze frame at any point and remove a 12mp still. More support for the GP3, more toys based around the GP3 ie Phantom quadcopter etc

I haven't got my GP3 yet, so if anyone can offer a compelling argument to the contrary, I'd like to hear it now as opposed to a couple of weeks when I've bought mine.

Dan

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I haven't got my GP3 yet, so if anyone can offer a compelling argument to the contrary, I'd like to hear it now as opposed to a couple of weeks when I've bought mine.

Dan

I was just about to get a gopro 3 but my brother got one before me, it has been very unreliable full of problems and hassle, gopro's support has been almost non existent.

Put "gopro hero 3 problems" into google search and you will see what the problems are and how poor the backup has been from gopro. I am leaving it for a while until they get themselves, their software/hardware and their customer services issues sorted out.

I believe it is the best camera out there for what I want but reliability is key and it would appear that is not a word that can be used in the same sentence as gopro at the moment.

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  • 2 weeks later...

I might be able to help a little here as I've been researching this question.

It appears to me to come down to 3 main choices, the Sony, the Contour range or the GoPro range.

Gizmodo has a great review of a bunch of cameras here:

http://gizmodo.com/5965732/the-best-action-camera

I don't consider that the end of the story though... I refuse to buy Sony because of their to my mind abhorrent business practices (see their complicity with and funding of the RIAA and the BPI, among others - truly evil organisations), not to mention their rootkit debacle and various similar incidents where one can come away with no other impression than they hold their customers in contempt.

I was seriously considering the GoPro - and was going to get it even though I really like the option to use your phone as a wireless screen on the Contour +2, then they started playing corporate silly buggers as well... threatening lawsuits for pictures used in reviews.

http://news.slashdot.org/story/13/03/21 ... ive-review

Given that the only thing these companies understand is voting with one's wallet, and given that the Contour +2 looks like a very nice product (and I like the look of their GPS mapping SW), I think that's what I'll go for.

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I am fairly sure that if you were to look deep enough you would find wrong doing in every one of the 'big players' in the corporate world at one level or another.

From a user point of view, both during use, and during the edit, the sony wins hands down. It also wins hands down with the pic quality (in my opinion)

Sounds to me like your going to miss out on an awesome camera... nose to spite face maybe?

SW :D

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Simon, you may be able to help here.

Can I draw stills from the Sony movies, and if so what megapixel are they ?

I think the GoPro will let you draw 12mp stills from movie. I thought I saw that Sony is only a 2mp resolution on stills?

It may be that Sony at 2mp is clearer than GoPro at 12mp due to better lens and softwear ?

I'm still on the fence here, just as well I'm in no rush...

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Good example of the Sony V the Go Pro when using steady shot.

Also look at things like the detail in the tarmac surface from each camera, and the colour of the sky.

Not sure about the stills thing as I have little to no interest in them, but I will pull a still out at some point soon and upload it.

[youtubevideo]

[/youtubevideo]
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I am fairly sure that if you were to look deep enough you would find wrong doing in every one of the 'big players' in the corporate world at one level or another.

Sounds to me like your going to miss out on an awesome camera... nose to spite face maybe?

SW :D

You are very likely right on both counts :)

On the other hand, I like to try and keep the bastards as ethical as possible, and this is the only way I know to do it, I think the price is one worth paying.

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Good example of the Sony V the Go Pro when using steady shot.

Also look at things like the detail in the tarmac surface from each camera, and the colour of the sky.

Not sure about the stills thing as I have little to no interest in them, but I will pull a still out at some point soon and upload it.

[youtubevideo]

[/youtubevideo]

You're comparing Sony's latest with GoPro's old model. The new GP3Black is good step up from the 2

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I've viewed lots of youtube back to back tests now.

I'd appreciate comments from those that have these cameras.... These are my findings so far....

The GoPro seems to produce images that seem very yellow. Corn fields are bright yellow and the sky and sea don't seem very dramatic.

The Sony produces a blue image that makes sea and sky look very vivid, but yellows and reds seem quite pale in comparison to the GoPro.

The image quality seems better on the Sony but blurrs at the very edges, the GoPro is not such a crisp image, especially on panning shots.

GoPro have many more mounting options than the Sony, and a remote unit. I do not have a suitable phone to operate either from, so this is a real bonus.

Both have a multitude of shooting options, most of which are way beyond me at the moment, but effectively do 1080p at 30fps which is the 'normal' shooting mode. I'd appreciate comments on if one cam has something really worth having that the other does not have.

I'm no expert and have no idea about editing, maybe the colour variation could be fixed in editing, I don't know as I've never edited anything in my life.

Thats my research so far. For me this would be a big investment at the moment, hence I want to get it right. So, any comments based an ownership and use are gratefully received...

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I too have just ordered the Sony. Hopefully it'll arrive in time for the weekend as Sunday looks flyable.

I've currently got one of the very early GoPro's (it's not even HD), which is well due replacing. Was considering either the new GoPro or the Sony.

After looking at this forum, various other reviews, and many clips on YouTube, the Sony Action Cam was a clear choice for me.

Hopefully will have some videos to upload soon!

:D

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Loads on eBay around £200 but after I ordered the sent me a message saying "the shipment had been damaged" said they could deliver in two weeks with a 10% discount or refund...

Wasn't sure it would ever turn up :-)

Sent from my iPhone using PMC Forum mobile app

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Well, my morning started off great - lovely weather, so got up early and thought i'd try to take off from a new location. Managed to find a farmer and asked if he'd mind if I used his field to take off. He couldn't have been more helpful and said I can use any of his fields, providing there's no livestock in them.

Unfortunately, the only spare field he had (because of lambing) was the smallest one, but I thought I'd give it a go anyway.

Got ready, switched on my Action Cam ready to record some footage, and attempted to take off...

Wing came up beautifully but wind took me slightly over to the left, towards some reeds that I hadn't looked at beforehand. Ran like buggery but didn't manage to take off in time, and ended up in a ditch. Equipment currently drying out at home :-(

Still, the camera worked well :-) May upload the footage at some stage, but it's not really that spectacular - just someone making an arse of themselves and landing in a wet ditch!

Lessons learnt for the day:-

1) Always look at a new field in detail, even if it's not in the direction you're planning to run in

2) Set an abort point and stick to it

Hey ho! Ever onwards!

:explode:

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