What action cameras are you all using
- Thread starter simonwwfc
- Start date
I'm still on my trusty GoPro 8 , really good footage, easy to use etc etc 
militantmandy
Well-known member
I have an Insta 360r. I generally use the "normal" lens for MTB. It seems to work really well when mounted to chin or the top of a helmet. Less so when on a chest mount. Partly I think this is because trails here are often very dark, which impacts the stabilisation.
Have you got any footage uploaded? Interested to see how it looks compared to go pro.
militantmandy
Well-known member
There are a few on my youtube (I am not an aspiring youtuber!):
A couple didn't upload correctly and the quality is not 4k (Feed the Pony for sure), but most are in full quality.
A couple didn't upload correctly and the quality is not 4k (Feed the Pony for sure), but most are in full quality.
Insta360 One X2
Fantastic cam - and you can choose the viewing angle after finish.
Shoots 360 degree....so you just mount it, and the angle is not important.
Example shot. (it's me on my local trail)
Fantastic cam - and you can choose the viewing angle after finish.
Shoots 360 degree....so you just mount it, and the angle is not important.
Example shot. (it's me on my local trail)
- Thread starter
- #9
Awesome footage and videos
2WheelsNot4
E*POWAH Master
GoPro Hero7 white
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There are a few cameras that can deliver quality footage on a par with Gopro now but if you are reviewings options the most important features to look out for are video stabilisation, a build capable of withstanding some a buse ( mud, rain, heat, dust, occasional crash). The lens (outer) is the most vulnerable in terms of damage so a toughened glass or better still an easy to replace outer lens is a good option. Equally important as the camera itself is mounting options with chin mount or chesty being the best in my opinion...handlebar mount being the worst.
Then consider what options exist to actually view and share your footage in line with your skill, knowledge and ancilliary equipment.
Oh and dont be lured by things like 4k. It requires really good light, a very steady mount, a large micro SD card..........and you or your friends are unlikely to have any viewing device that is 4K!!
I have used action cameras for many years mostly using the various Gopro models including the original SD Gopro and the 960. I currently use the Hero 7 Black and have seen no reason to change to the later models. Most of my use was in sea water ( Windsurfing) and the Hero 7 survived winter seas and wipe outs without issue so I can attest to its ruggedness.
Then consider what options exist to actually view and share your footage in line with your skill, knowledge and ancilliary equipment.
Oh and dont be lured by things like 4k. It requires really good light, a very steady mount, a large micro SD card..........and you or your friends are unlikely to have any viewing device that is 4K!!
I have used action cameras for many years mostly using the various Gopro models including the original SD Gopro and the 960. I currently use the Hero 7 Black and have seen no reason to change to the later models. Most of my use was in sea water ( Windsurfing) and the Hero 7 survived winter seas and wipe outs without issue so I can attest to its ruggedness.
Rapido
Member
GP Hero 9, pretty happy with it
dcbullets
New Member
GoPro Black Hero 8. you can get these for a good deal on ebay since the 10 is out.
I use a chest mount and record in 2K, then edit in Final Cut Pro. Here are a couple clips:
Fountainhead - Meadowood Yard Sale -
I use a chest mount and record in 2K, then edit in Final Cut Pro. Here are a couple clips:
Fountainhead - Meadowood Yard Sale -
Levo Laland
Well-known member
Trusty old Hero 5 Session (cube) all you need, 2.7k with image stabilisation. I bought it as a GoPro refurbished unit and it’s never missed a beat.
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Decent is relative to the device you intend to play the footage on and who your intended audience will be. I use a Gopro 10 Black @ 2.7k/60FPS to record my videos and once they are edited, I upload them to Youtube at 4K which I think looks great on a 4K TV! Youtube will always compress your videos using their proprietary algorithm than diminishes the quality significantly if you dont upload in 4k. If you only intend people to watch your videos on a phone, no one will notice the loss in quality or any or your fine cinimatography/color correction either for that matter! It also depends on how much time you want to spend edting your videos.
This video shows how the GoPro handles going from light into shadows and was unedited:
This video was shot on the same day but was edited to reduce the contrasting light effects of light to shadows:
I'm using an Akaso Brave 6 Plus and it's just as good as the cheaper Go Pro's. Best at 60FPS @ 1080P and a real bargain. One of the reason's I bought it is because I have a load of spare batteries that are compatible with it. The files look great straight off the SD card but not so good on Youtube when they are compressed and processed, then again my son's GoPro 8 doesn't look any better on Youtube than mine does. Example: (13) Lady Cannings MTB Red Route - YouTube
I mostly video at 2.7k@50fps and render at 1080 for upload to YouTube. Both my PC monitor and TV are 1080p and 1080 also looks good on most phones and tablets. Using that resolution in my Goro Hero 7 the codec is still the widely accepted and best managed H264 codec, will provide good results in every light condition except really poor ( in which case I record at 1080), produces reasonably sized files, enables stabilisation to work effectively, is easy to edit in a NLE without conversion to proxy files, and produces less camera heat on extended edits.
Rocketscience66
Member
I've used the DJI Osmo action and a GoPro Hero10. Hero10 is technically a better camera, but the Osmo (discontinued) was easily 90% as good and I found the GUI was better to navigate. Gopro has frozen numerous times while recording (possibly card was not quite fast enough, but worked fine for first half hour). Never had an issue with the Osmo using the same sdxc card. GoPro battery/sd card door is annoying to open / close and the card is difficult to retrieve from slot - unless you have 12 yr old girl fingers. If on a budget, I'd get the Osmo for 1/2 the price of GoPro. Osmo also has a protective outer case included.
Gopro freeze is 99.9% a SD card problem. The card either has a bad sector in which case it needs a full format ( not the quick format) , and then be formatted in the Gopro. There are also thousands of fake Sd cards on the market.....invariably they have all the right labelling etc but if you test their speed they are rarely even class 4 reliably.
You cannot use the same micro SD card in Gopro and any other device (other than another Gopro) because Gopro has its own File Table format. You can swop between devices if you format the card in the Gopro before use. Connecting Gopro via cable to a PC can also result inthe PC putting unwanted files ontot he card without you knowing. Best practise is always to remove the card and put in a card reader and PC USB port. Copy over the files to the PC but do not delete anything on the SD card. Do any deleting you want to do after that with the SD card in the Gopro.
Manc44
Member
GoPro Hero 8.
The 7 doesn't have the near-perfect stabilization on it like the 8 does and the 9/10/11 or whatever it's up to, for me didn't do anything useful compared to the 8, while costing (in some cases a lot) more.
I also put one of these water repelling things on it and while it doesn't fully stop rain resting on the lens, it does stop any big drops sticking, so with some rain still on the lens, the footage comes out looking a lot clearer than without it:
getxclear.com
The 7 doesn't have the near-perfect stabilization on it like the 8 does and the 9/10/11 or whatever it's up to, for me didn't do anything useful compared to the 8, while costing (in some cases a lot) more.
I also put one of these water repelling things on it and while it doesn't fully stop rain resting on the lens, it does stop any big drops sticking, so with some rain still on the lens, the footage comes out looking a lot clearer than without it:
PRO-LEVEL (includes warranty)
The XCLEAR PRO-Hydrophobic filter is made for professional photographers who need to work with and rely on the best equipment. Our PRO-GLASS Lens protector is constructed from Gorilla Corning optical glass (the same material as the GoPro lens and features 16-layer ultra-nano coating and will...
getxclear.com
.........on the other hand.............a while a go whilst I was using the Hero 7 my son borrowed my wife's Hero 3 black ( my old Gopro) on the same trails in the Quantocks. Gopro 3 has no video stabilisation of course. On his footage we looked to be going twice the speed!! and it was far more exciting!! Moral of the story? Dont overdo stabilisation...it can kill the action........ps it also crops a bout 10% of the frame. The stabilisation on the 7 seems to me to be about right.GoPro Hero 8.
The 7 doesn't have the near-perfect stabilization on it like the 8 does and the 9/10/11 or whatever it's up to, for me didn't do anything useful compared to the 8, while costing (in some cases a lot) more.
I also put one of these water repelling things on it and while it doesn't fully stop rain resting on the lens, it does stop any big drops sticking, so with some rain still on the lens, the footage comes out looking a lot clearer than without it:
PRO-LEVEL (includes warranty)
The XCLEAR PRO-Hydrophobic filter is made for professional photographers who need to work with and rely on the best equipment. Our PRO-GLASS Lens protector is constructed from Gorilla Corning optical glass (the same material as the GoPro lens and features 16-layer ultra-nano coating and will...
I also use a Session 5 (I had the 4 previously). Brilliant little cam, I have no need for an LCD screen or any other gimmicks when out and it mounts perfectly under my full face visors. Run time is limited to other GoPros but I never use up all the available battery anyway. I do like the super smooth stabilisation of the later cams but nowhere near enough to make me ditch my cute trusty 5.
Serious question, what do you do with the footage, and who watches it?
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