So you’re online, looking for action cameras and you ask yourself: Which GoPro should I buy, which one is the best, I can see different models but I’m not sure which one is suitable for me. Yeah I know it can be a little confusing at first because all cameras look the same, that’s why I want to share with you my personal experience with different models and I will break it down for you in three categories to help you decide.
1- You Are An Extreme Sports Junkie
Yes I know that modern smartphones are capable of taking great videos, but action cameras like GoPro are small, rugged and light, you take them in situations where using your smartphone is not really practical. Can you stick your phone to your chest while kitesurfing or to a board when snowboarding ? Would you take your DSLR camera and strap it around your head while surfing ? I don’t think so.
Whether you’re a skydiver, base jumper , extreme motocross driver or just any extreme sports addict then you have one thing in common (the eagerness to re-live the moment), the moment when you jumped or when you were 20 feet into the air, every small detail is worth recording. That’s the reason why you need to have the best possible video quality, and when I say the best, I mean a 4K Ultra High Definition video which is only available in the GoPro Hero4 Black.
The Black has the ability of shooting 4K (3840 x 2160) videos at 30 frames per second, so if you want your videos to look as great as possible then that’s the way to go. Be sure that your extreme footage will be worth every dollar you paid on this camera, just keep in mind that you need to have a 4K capable TV or PC in order to watch these videos. It also shoots 2.7K at 60fps. If you would like to have higher frame rates for slow-motion purpose then you can choose the 1080p at 120fps or “Prepare yourselves guys” the 720p at 240fps!!
Yes, 120fps and 240fps, can you just imagine how flexible the editing will be with these frame rates, you can get very very sweet and smooth slow-motion videos from a 120fps footage. I personally really enjoy shooting high-speed activities with the Black, I get a stunning detail that your naked eye cannot see.
2- You Are An Adventurer
You can be a climber, a kite surfer or a hiker, you like taking risks without going to the extreme, you like to explore mountains or surf beautiful beaches. If you’re like me, always trying to take videos while in action then you might need a good camera. The GoPro Hero4 Silver can do the job, equipped with a 12 megapixels sensor, the Hero4 Silver can shoot up to 1080p at 60 frames per second.
It can take pretty impressive still shots, its burst mode can take up to 30 photos per second, its time lapse and night lapse are awesome, you should definitely try these two features, you will love them, guaranteed! The silver is great for almost all activities where I don’t need the 4K quality or the very high frame rate of 240fps.
The good thing about this camera is that it comes with an integrated LCD screen, compared to the Hero4 Black that doesn’t have one. The advantages of the LCD are great, it helps you frame your shots, easily adjust settings and modes, playback videos/photos without connecting your camera to the app or PC. And because it’s an LCD, you can use it when its dark unlike the Black where you need light to see the front monochrome display.
It really makes your life easier to change modes and settings then to use the camera buttons. Let’s not forget the other awesome features the GoPro cameras have like the after dark setting which lets you customize the exposure settings, the auto low light mode that automatically changes frame rates based on the lighting conditions so you can move between light and dark places without worrying about changing any setting.
3- You Are An Explorer/Amateur
You don’t have to be a pro skydiver to own a GoPro. Even though it’s an action camera, it can be used for different purposes. You just have to keep in mind that all GoPro cameras has the fish eye effect because of their ultra wide lens which means that the shooting angle is very wide so it’s not recommended to shoot photos/videos from far away, but you can still shoot panoramic style landscape shots like sunsets with a stunning quality. You can use it as a dash-cam in you car, to take footage of any dangerous driving you may witness.
If you are a musician, you can attach it to your instrument and take footage of your skills! and with over 60+accessories and mounts, you can capture a wide variety of activities and perspective. This enables you to practically attach you GoPro to anything, you can even attach it to your dog or to your baby 🙂 to a drone or to a firework. And when you’re not using your GoPro for activities, you can use it as a webcam on you computer for Skype or live broadcasting, yes you actually can.
Let’s also not forget about the awesome additional GoPro features like burst mode and quick capture. So if you are an explorer, amateur, musician or just anyone, you can still enjoy a GoPro and you might want to consider the Hero4 Silver or even the Hero which is the cheapest of the GoPro series.
There you have it folks, I hope you liked this article!
Are you an extreme sports junkie, an adventurer or an amateur? I would love to know your answer.
Feel free to leave me a comment in the comments section below and if you have any questions I’ll be more than happy to help 🙂
November 14, 2016 at 11:25 pm
Hello there,
I was thinking about buying myself a GoPro since I do a lot of sports that I could actually film as well. Scuba diving especially. Is there a limit on how deep you can go with the GoPro. Also as GoPro is quite expensive, do you know if there’s an equally cheaper alternative that I could buy, since I am short on money at the moment ?
November 15, 2016 at 6:36 am
You can go as deep as 40meters with the GoPro waterproof case which I guess is more than enough for scuba diving. I agree that the prices may be a bit high but don’t forget that GoPro delivers the best video quality for an action camera. You can find other cheaper alernatives on my other article here. Thanks
October 5, 2016 at 2:13 pm
Great article, so much information. I would definitely qualify myself as an amateur/explorer. I didn’t know about that fish eye effect yet, this will come in handy when shooting my first goPro vids next year. I’m planning on making a big trip and having one of those would be awesome.
Thank man keep up great work
Vincent
October 6, 2016 at 7:48 am
Thanks Vincent! Happy you found the right category! I would qualify myself as an adventurer. This article really helps you choose the right GoPro so you don’t have to spend extra money on a camera you won’t really need.
August 24, 2016 at 6:45 am
A very informative post. I’ve wanted a GoPro before but wasn’t sure as there were a few to chose from. Thank you for making my decision for me. I’m more of an explorer/adventurer so the hero option sounds good to me. I did wonder though how simple are they to use?
August 30, 2016 at 12:17 pm
Hey Owain, I’m happy to help you find the most suitable camera for you needs, that way you can save money instead of spending more on a functionalities that you won’t use! Using a GoPro is easy and straight-forward. I have created few posts on how to use a GoPro camera, check it here: GoPro Hero 4 Black And Silver Tutorial and How To Use A GoPro Hero 4 Session
January 31, 2016 at 9:19 am
Hi Michel! I myself am an avid climber and have been looking for a more efficient way to document my climbs without the need of bringing along my bulky camera. This post has been really informative and I’m now considering the purchase of a GoPro. The night lapse feature that you mentioned particularly intrigued me –is this the mode I should be using to try to capture the stars while I’m on a mountaintop? Thanks so much!
January 31, 2016 at 9:24 am
Hi Julie!
We both share the same hobby, as I’m a climber/hiker as well! GoPro is the way to go if you are willing to document your climbs, you can mount it anywhere (chest, head, backpack, practically on anything..).
Yes you need to be in the night lapse mode to capture the stars while you’re on the mountain top. I have done it many times and let me tell you that the result was AWESOME!
Let me know if you have any more questions!
Thanks
January 31, 2016 at 9:16 am
I’m so glad you wrote about the Go-Pro Cameras. I’ve heard about them and seen some of the footage from them but I didn’t know very much about the specifics, wha kind is the best for what kind of shooting and so forth. The shots on your site are amazing and make me very interested in finding out more about the cameras. I’m sure i will be visiting your site again.
January 31, 2016 at 9:28 am
Hi there Michael!
I’m glad you enjoyed the article about which GoPro to buy and hope it helped make a decision of which model to choose. Thank you for your kind words, the second photo was taken by myself at 6am, on a mountain top called Jebel Sumayni in Oman.
January 29, 2016 at 10:37 pm
Oddly enough I do a lot of physical activities that can be recorded thru gopros but I don’t. Most of pics or video recordings are of my son. He does a lot of physical activities like me tho. Thesedays i see ppl with different recording device everywhere. So it did catch my attention as well since I do all my recordings with my iPhone 4s.
January 29, 2016 at 11:05 pm
Hey Joon, many people use their iPhones to record action footage which is ok, but the problem here is that the iPhone is not made for this use, it’s fragile and can easily break,it’s also not resistant to water and dirt unlike the GoPro which was specially made for action use, it’s rugged and protected and can be used anywhere and will give you much higher quality than any mobile phone 🙂
Have a good day!
January 29, 2016 at 10:32 pm
Hi Michel,
I found this article very useful as I have been looking for a good camera. I had never heard of the GoPro so I’m very happy I came across your review. The pictures you posted are beautiful!
Do you happen to know why the prices are “hidden” on the amazon site?
Thank you for all the information you have provided! Have a great day! 🙂
Anna
January 29, 2016 at 10:40 pm
Hi Anna, thank you very much, I’m glad you liked the review.The GoPro is a great camera that you can use everywhere and in any condition, it’s rugged and protected and delivers awesome quality videos.
The prices are hidden in Amazon because their price on this item is lower than the manufacturer’s suggested retail price, the manufacturer does not allow Amazon to show you the price until you place the item in your shopping cart.
January 30, 2016 at 3:12 am
Oh I see – thanks very much for letting me know! It’s great that you can do videos too – BONUS!
January 30, 2016 at 11:51 am
You’re welcome Anna 🙂 Let me know if you have any more questions, I’ll be more than happy to help
January 28, 2016 at 6:11 pm
Hi Michel,
I have recently bought a drone and I am looking to buy a camera for it. I know GoPro is the popular choice but sometimes I feel that it is a little over priced. Is there one that is reasonably price or would you recommend an alternative manufacturer? If so what would you recommend?
January 29, 2016 at 9:59 am
HI Xander, I need to know which drone did you buy, I cannot tell which action cam is compatible unless I have the drone model and specs.
Thanks!
January 21, 2016 at 8:57 pm
Michel,
I want to use a Go Pro for my Nature photography. What one would work best for close ups of insects and birds. Can you recommend a proper stand to use. Does any of these models have the ability to be used remotely, blue tooth or be controlled with a smart phone.
John
January 22, 2016 at 1:15 am
John, I would recommend you to get the Hero4 Silver since it has a built in LCD screen that way you can see what you are shooting. I’m sure you will have amazing photos and videos, you might also need a tripod for stability.
January 21, 2016 at 7:42 pm
I love the GoPro. Had my grandsons at a water park in Orlando. Met a man from the UK using one. He was having a ball. If I had one it would be to make videos. (people talking) Can I wire my mic? Good job. Great pics too
January 21, 2016 at 8:01 pm
Unfortunately you cannot wire your mic on the gopro. The camera has a built in mic already but if you need to have clearer recorded voice, you will need to buy a compatible external mic.
Hope this helps!
January 21, 2016 at 7:17 pm
Michel,
Oh okay. So, yeah, definitely better not to take long distance photos unless you actually want the picture to look like that. Thank you for clarifying that for me.
January 21, 2016 at 7:28 pm
You’re welcome!
January 21, 2016 at 6:46 pm
Hi Michel, This was actually quite helpful. I love to take photographs and am always hearing how great GoPros are, but with all the options out there I have never been sure what to get. Now I am definitely not a dare devil so no skydiving or extreme sports, but that doesn’t mean I wouldn’t like to use a Gopro. So, I like the fact that you included that in your article. You mentioned the “fish eye” effect and not recommending taking photos from a distance, what exactly happens if you do?
January 21, 2016 at 7:13 pm
I’m glad you enjoyed the post Kristena.
Well, the fisheye effect is produced by the GoPro lens since it has an ultra wide angle which makes far away objects look very small. So if you’re taking a photo of a person from a far distance, he will appear very small in your photo.
I hope you got the idea!
Thanks
January 21, 2016 at 5:57 pm
Hey there Michel.
good post man…
which go-pro should i go, for flying drones?
January 21, 2016 at 6:04 pm
Hi Rosdy, I’m glad you liked it!
You should definitely go for the Hero4 Black since it has the 4K resolution that you will need it to get the best quality possible when taking videos from a drone!
I hope this helped