I've got mine last winter and been shootting quite a lot with it.
Now with new firmware it is more usefull for me due able to shoot on PAL so mixing material with rest of films is easier.
Small size and quite good quality in good light are best with camera.
Here small clip with youtubed quality:
www.youtube.com/watch?v=b-DRemnLvvU

I've been conducted to work with footage (off piste skiing) coming from either the original GoPro and the HD version.

Forget the original (SD), it's just an awful 512x384 MJPEG. The compression artifacts are visible, the images do suffer from heavy chromatic aberration, the AE control is so buggy you won't use it.

For the HD model: the images are much more better. I find the rolling shutter effect is much more perceptible in FullHD res than 4:3. The chroma issues are gone and the sharpness is good for such a little thing. I haven't had the chance to get one for more testing with hard contrast and other details that may reveal how one can reach the limits.

For outdoor sports it is a very useful and solid little cam. Check the web for amazing footage, there are many very nice small clips.

Yep, just finished an edit where the camera was attached to the lower qtr panel of a 1963 restored / modified Corvette hauling a** through the canyons of LA and the beach. I DIG this camera! (we don't have the newest one, we have the HD HERO from about a year ago) I've also used it underwater and strapped on my fat head parasailing. The included mounts, especially the suction cup for a car, have been great for us.

Footage edits nicely in Vegas and to my eyes looks great with just a touch of saturation.

There is a decent forum for GoPro users here: http://goprouser.freeforums.org/

HIGHLY recommended, and I have no affiliation with them. I'm looking for a business reason to buy another one.

<edit> Be sure to tether it in extreme conditions. We never had a problem with the car but from stories at the forum above, things like hard bumps might cause it to jar loose. And as Bob (farss) points out below, the mounts are fiddly.

I use the HD Hero for vacations. I just strap it to my chest and forget about it. Hands free and just let it run. I never videoed vacations because I didn't want to mess with a camera while having fun. I do that enough working. The HD Hero takes a beating and doesn't complain.

It is good up to 720P. It delivers 1080, but it gets pretty soft. Even at 720, there is a lot of compression softness. That said, with action footage, you do not notice and few cameras do the job it does at that price. Deadliest Catch uses a bunch of them. They take a licking in all environments and still deliver. For the price I have not found anything to compare.

Vacation footage here CLICK

Thanks everyone! I'm even more excited about that cam now!

Can't wait to go and check the links everyone posted! Sounds like this was a safe purchase! For the price, it seemed crazy not to give it a try.

The purchase was prompted by a new zip line course being opened up in my town! Can't wait to strap this puppy on and go ziplining!

Thanks again!!!!!!!

Jon

@ kkolbo

I just watched the vacation footage and saw the zipline and water slides! Look really great! and looks like lots of fun!!!!!!!

Thanks for sharing!

@ Pokkis

WOW! The ski footage is super cool!!!!!

So I have to ask...... how did you mount the camera to the pole?

Super cool!!!!

---------

Thanks for the link to the forum David! That looks like a GoPro goldmine of knowledge!!!!!!! SWEET!!!!

Watched Mythbusters last night and they had a couple of GoPro cameras strapped to Jamie as he was trying to escape from a police dog.

I can't see how they are manufacturing them fast enough. They are becoming as common a have to have tool as a reflector anymore.

@Jon Robbins
Typical way :) Duct taped that clip to pole.

LOLOLOLOL!!!!!

Thanks Pokkis! I was already WAY OVER THINKING how to do it!

Duct tape saves the day again!!!!!!

Hate that I missed the Mythbusters episode!!!! I'm a HUGE fan of that show! I'll catch it on replay!

I really hope GoPro keeps it going! Looks like they have added an expansion bay on the back for "bac pacs" they are calling them..... to do some add on accesories..... Like an LCD for preview!

One of the beauties of the HD Hero is its size and durability. I hope the backpacks do not depreciate that. Right now, most of us are using them in applications where I am not sure that a preview screen will help mush. The wide angle means it covers everything and they are mostly use unattended. (under a car, strapped to a chest, out on a ski pole, strapped to a crab pot)

Thanks for some more perspective on the camera K!!!!!!

Hard to see an LCD screen under a car!!!!! LOLOLOL

Man, this cam is gonna be fun!!!!!!!

I guess for the money one cannot complain too much about the GoPro, we bought 10 of them :(

The mounts are fiddly to change over, make sure you have a phillips head screw driver with you. It's rather confusing to use and with the latest firmware its possible to get it into a state where its very hard to work out how to get out of it.

Depending on your needs for a bit more money you can get better image quality and functionality. The RADCam HDPro at around $600 gives better pictures, live preview and remote control. In the early days of Top Gear they used these a lot.

RaceRecall sell just about all these cameras and from there you can get a comparative look at the various cameras on offer.

Bob.

GoPro HD Surf Hero - be sure to bump up to 720p

Really like this camera so far! Just got it last night.... haven't had a chance to do much "interesting" with it yet. But happy with the purchase.... for the money it is tough to beat.

When I get something "cool" I'll try and load up a short clip or two....

Thanks everyone for all of your input and ideas!!!!

Jon

I got it too a while ago and was happy to see theres a firmware update too that gives you PAL.

The only issue I have had with the GoPro is the trouble it has adjusting to very bright exposures. When filming skiing in a white-out or bright June sunlight, it took a lot of work in Vegas to make the footage usable. I did not use the center balance setting, which I will try next summer when the lighting is similar. I think the light averaging algorithm made the periphery OK but the center was really overexposed.

Anyone else who does any summer snow filming?

Otherwise, the colors are great and the footage is sweet when the lighting cooperates.

Mike

Mine does what I bought it to do. I'm surprised at the quality of the image. I did notice that immediately after submerging the focus gets soft, which Hero admits. They say they're coming out with a new lens cover to fix that.

The problem you mention is not unique to shooting in snow. The wide FOV of the camera doesn't exactly help with correct exposure either in many situations. Switching to centre weighted metering also seems unlikely to help where you've got sky and snow in the whole frame. As the user manual explains its usefull when your subject is in the centre of the frame and you've got say a bright window off to the edge of the frame.
From videos posted on Vimeo and YouTube I have to say the GoPro seems to be about the worst when it comes to handling difficult scenes. Even the only slightly more expensive ContourHD seems to produce more pleasant images when mounted on a helmet.

Just what you could do with your GoPro is hard to figure. A polarizing filter could well help reduce scene contrast howerer you need a way to mount it and you need a way to monitor what's happening so you can get the correct angle dialed in on the filter. The latest firmware does add live view and there's a new housing that facilitates this. If you can afford the cost and don't mind lugging extra kit around then a small monitor might help you get better control over your GoPro.

Bob.

I agree Bob, I was definitely pushing the limit filming in a whiteout (it actually hurts when you take off your sunglasses in our whiteouts in May it is so bright). I think in winter light (much less intense) it will do fine judging by the demo footage on the website.

I'd love to have a filter lens cover option (if the GP case cover could be swapped with a ND filter or a polarized lens cover) it would be sweet for summer snow shots.

Mike

This site has a lens adapter to correct the underwater focus shift:

http://www.eyeofmine.com/gopro/underwater/index.html


Video which demonstrates the rolling shutter effect (as seen on the prop):



For the price though its pretty amazing.