GoPro HD Hero Camera

Am I reading this correctly? We now have to use Cineform Studio to update products.

What happened to the old way of downloading the update, putting it on the memory card, and letting the camera load the file on startup?

I'm still using the HD Hero and that's how I updated when I added the LCD back.

Sounds like things have changed as far as updates go.

Jon...

I wasn't aware of that method, my HD hero got updated through Cineform early on.

Well at least for firmware updates on my HD Hero I've always gone to this page and downloaded the update.

http://gopro.com/support/hd-hero-firmware-update

From this page use the pull down list to select the camera.

http://gopro.com/support/product-updates-support

It appears that the Hero-2 units and the WiFi stuff do indeed use Ciniform.

And then the Hero-3 either updates through your browser (needs Java) or you can do it manually from this page.

http://gopro.com/support/product-registration/hd-hero3-cameras

I much prefer to not have to use other software to update a product but things seem to be going that way these days.

Jon...

Hero HD updates via firmware saved to the sd-card.

Hero HD 2/3, remote, wifi back pac all can update via Cineform.

After riding today and pointing the camera down, I now remember why it was always pointing too high. With it it tilted down where I want I can't get the camera out of the housing because the mounting arm blocks the door from opening. So I'd tilt it up to get the camera out then forget about tilting it back down

Just did the update yesterday, went the manual route. Does anyone know what this update is addressing bug-wise.

There's a recent update to the H3 Black?

I'm thinking of getting a GoPro, primarily for mounting to my helmet and taking pictures (maybe some video, but primarily pictures). I've seen people say the battery life is about an hour for the Hero3. Is that true for still pictures as well? As in, if I leave it on and get a wireless remote, will it still only have ~1 hour of battery life even thought it's not recording or taking pictures constantly?

I did a ride a couple of weeks ago where I set my H3 Black to just take a still photo every 60 seconds. WiFi off. LCD BacPac off. It seemed to last roughly an hour or so. I'd have to look at the photo timestamps to really be sure and I can't get to them right now.

I have mine with a helmet configuration, and yes, it is short period of battery, with the battery expansion, i have a little more, but dont get that enthusiastic, time lapse is the best bet, just make sure to stop it for the boring moments like, waiting for the people left or drinking water during the enduro sessions, and the best thing for the time lapse sessions is to try to keep the camera in a single place, i have tried my head, but when the video is running confuses allot. And the best energy bet is to get the extra batteries and charge them all before leaving, lots of bags there, expansion batteries, mounts and things, not a simple camera after all, and i still have to make sure that i can use it well.
That seems like unhappy, but just to let you know the only thing i dont like, but it is a great camera, with memory enough with the 32 GB easy to use, practical, brilliant resolution and many more.

On pause, it drains the battery just as fast.

Maybe find a Hero 2.
2.5hrs battery life (5hrs with battery back pac and no wifi/remote).

With a Hero2 is it possible to get a remote at all? Also, how do the still pictures compare between the two? If there's a difference, is the difference worth the extra pain in dealing with the batteries?

It kind of sounds like the 2 is the way to go for me and my lengthy rides

I have three Hero II, all with WiFi Bacpacs and remotes and each lasts about 3 hours while taking interval pictures at 5 or 8 megapixels. Very satisfied with mine.

Just to confirm, the first picture I took yesterday afternoon was time stamped 1:03pm, and the last, before the camera shut off, was 4:08. So it did go for three hours.

The first, at 13:03:



Got lots of these shots...



Then this last one at 16:08:

WOW.....I guess I have not been following this thread as close as I thought.

I did not realize the battery life was so low on the new version of the camera. Since I have the original HD Hero I was thinking of upgrading to the new "Black".

With all the power hungry features they put into the camera I can't believe they made it smaller instead of staying with the same size or slightly larger and going to a higher capacity battery.

Very disappointing since I know the camera produces great video.

Has anyone come up with a way to run the camera directly off 12v that's reliable? I thought I read that some folks had tried a few things but the results were mixed.

Jon...

From my research, if it's plugged into USB when turned on, it will run on the USB power (must have a battery installed) if you plug it into USB AFTER the unit is powered up, it will run off the battery. I've not tested this yet but seen it referred to more than once.

Yeah, just came out.

You can still do the old style update. My H3 doesn't play well at all with my Win 8 machine (go figure two buggy POS won't play well together ) . To do the manual update goto:

http://gopro.com/support/product-registration/hd-hero3-cameras

Then click manual, and put in your serial number and click next, next, next...blah blah. Sooner or later you'll get to a screen that let's you download the update and then you follow the old way from there.

Rob

Hey guys,


My GoPro Hero 2 lens is scratched, kinda smudged too. Its the lens on the camera, not the replaceable lens on the housing.


Do any of you guys know of a reasonably priced replacement lens?


GoPro does not sell the lens. Ragecams.com sells a direct replacement, buts it more then what I paid for my GoPro.


How about forums for GoPro's, can you recommend one or two?


Online research is not coming up with cheaper viable lens solutions.


Thanks,

Ed

Ended up buying a 3.8mm Megapixel, no fishbowl lens from ragecams.com.

$99, free shipping. It's not listed on their website, found it on ebay.

Its not a factory spec replacement, factory is 2.2mm, fishbowl, but I wanted less fishbowl anyway, so this should work out perfect. Its supposed to fit in the GoPro protective case, so I should be good to go.

I'm still surprised no one offers a $50 factory spec replacement lens, but I guess if people are willing to cough up $99 - $129, no one is in a rush to offer a lens at a lower price. But if they did I think they would sell a ton of them.

Ed

Ps: I will report back once I install it on how the install went and how it works.