Buying a gopro

[Lakesailor]

Yes they just reduce resolution by cropping the image area from the centre of the sensor (that is the portion of image from the centre of the lens) and making the smaller file fit the screen. So they have just blown up the centre of the image you would have seen in the Ultra Wide setting. Except the pixels will be bigger and definition lower. You will get the image that a 5mp camera with normal FOV would give. Provided the lens will match a normal camera's definition.

Photo Resolution & Field of View (FOV)

12MP Ultra Wide (Default)

7MP Ultra Wide, Medium

5MP Medium

 

[lustyd]

Thanks Dylan

I believe the GoPro has an optional external mike adaptor. I won't need to use a remote mike in conditions that need a waterproof camera, although splash-proof would be good.

I've been unable to find any camcorder with an external mike socket for under about £700.

Can you explain how the radio mikes work? I feel a bit dumb about these matters.

What I want to be able to do is film from, say, 3 - 5 metres away, possibly with wind or other people talking, but place a microphone where I'm pointing the camera at to catch what the people in the image are saying so that it's really clear and good quality.

Any advice gratefully received.

Why not use a sound recording app on your phone (or put one phone/sound recorder on each person) and edit the audio into the video later. Use something visual which makes a noise to line them up like they do in movies, whacking a couple of sticks together should suffice and is easier than making a proper board.

 

[dylanwinter]

Why not use a sound recording app on your phone (or put one phone/sound recorder on each person) and edit the audio into the video later. Use something visual which makes a noise to line them up like they do in movies, whacking a couple of sticks together should suffice and is easier than making a proper board.

a hand clap is simple enough

lining up the audio is easy enopugh in a modern editing system

bit of a fag though

and phone mikes are not usually that brilliant

D

 

[Paddydog`1]

Any thoughts on the new sony action cam as an alternative to the gopro and panasonic

 

[lustyd]

Any thoughts on the new sony action cam as an alternative to the gopro and panasonic

My first thought would be towards availability of accessories now and in the future. As several have pointed out the whole point of these cameras is capturing the action, and you can only do that if the camera is secure, waterproof, light, etc. I'm confident there are many better and cheaper cameras but the GoPro is far and away the most popular and that means you have a wide choice of accessory and that you'll be able to buy them for a good few years. If you're after quality then buy a different type of camera such as those Dylan recommends.

 

[lustyd]

a hand clap is simple enough

lining up the audio is easy enopugh in a modern editing system

bit of a fag though

and phone mikes are not usually that brilliant

D

The iPhone mikes seem effective enough - they've put several on there and use one for noise cancellation. Given we're talking about using a GoPro this audio should be high enough quality. As you rightly said, if good video output is important just hire a pro with their own kit which will be considerably better value

 

[dylanwinter]

The iPhone mikes seem effective enough - they've put several on there and use one for noise cancellation. Given we're talking about using a GoPro this audio should be high enough quality. As you rightly said, if good video output is important just hire a pro with their own kit which will be considerably better value

the problem with hiring a pro is that if the weather is horrible on the day you have booked her then you have to go ahead and film - so buying your own kit keeps things flexible and the second day of filming is cheaper too

the other option is to approach the media studies department at the local college

D

 

[lustyd]

second day of filming is cheaper too

Ah but what of the value comparison I was only agreeing about a pro in the case of quality being a requirement, good idea on the media studies though

 

[Halcyon Yachts]

Nice. Out of interest (and slightly off topic) what did you use for doing the maps with the moving red line to show progress?

James

Hi James,

The line is drawn over a picture of the chart (as an overlay in an image editing programme). Both images can then be taken in to the video editing software. Using chroma keying you can isolate the line (a bit like green screen). The line is then masked to create the moving animation...

Pete