Surely you know of the GoPro brand. First on the mini-camera market, it’s also one of the most expensive. For good reason. If you want to offer the best possible image quality to your subscribers so that they can enjoy your shows to the fullest, break out your piggy bank and treat yourself to a GoPro.
It’s good to want the best. But which should you choose, and how? To get started, you can find a table of the technical characteristics of all the models HERE. Even without being a tech expert, you can still understand the advantages and disadvantages of each camera. Once that’s done (or saved for later), here are the main points that make the GoPro THE camera to have for your shows.
GoPro, the ultimate on-board camera
For a bit of background, GoPro is the inventor of the on-board camera and has been marketing its action cameras since 2004. Since its beginnings, the brand has been the world leader in on-board cameras and continues to innovate and introduce new products. You’re already putting it there.
What’s more, since they offer plenty of accessories and the fact that you can easily take it everywhere thanks to its size, it’s easy to imagine the different plans you could make with these cameras. Imagine using a GoPro in a multi-cam setup or outdoors to give your fans little surprised. It’s also great quality gear.
Proven quality and reliability
If you have any doubts, ask the millions of users of this little camera and they will give you their opinions. It seduces so many people because it’s strong on so many points.
WATERPROOFING
The recent GoPros (HERO8 Black, HERO7 Black, 6 Black, 5 Black, Hero 2018 and Fusion) are waterproof without a case up to 10 metres! This feature is really useful when you hadn’t planned to get your GoPro wet (examples: thunderstorm in the forest, improvised swimming…). Of in the shower for a sexy show. And when you’re off on holiday, your feet in the sand. Get ready for a little swimsuit clip!
TOUCH SCREEN
GoPro equips its cameras with a 2-inch LCD touch screen with a smoothness equivalent to a smartphone and a very easy to use interface. On this screen, you have access to all camera settings as well as saved images and videos.
APPS AND SOFTWARE
GoPro offers two free applications to edit your videos, share them, and much more. You can find these below:
- GoPro App: This app allows you to manage, download and view your files via Wi-Fi or Bluetooth. In addition, it allows you to create video montages very easily from your smartphone.
- GoPro program: This program for PC/Mac has the same characteristics as the GoPro App. It also allows you to update your GoPro’s firmware.
ACCESSOIRES
A large number of brands have started manufacturing accessories and mounts for GoPro. Stabilisers, filters, mounts, supports, lights, poles, tripods, today there is a very wide catalogue to find the accessories that suit you.
These are the technical advantages of having a GoPro. Personally, these are the particular reasons why I have this camera. And because my subscribers spoil me. By the way, it’s a good idea to put it in your Christmas Wishlist for your fans. You never know…
Questions you need to ask yourself before choosing your GoPro
As the different models each have their own characteristics, and therefore also different prices, you should think about what sort of image you want to create before you buy. Also think about what you’ll be doing with your camera. Knowing what activities you want to do with them will help you make the right choice.
1 – 4K or not?
4k allows you to record your videos in super high definition. If that isn’t necessary, a maximum resolution of 1080p will usually be enough. What’s more, while the 4K produces a very nice image, it does have a few drawbacks. Like the large file sizes. This means that you will need a lot of space on your camera, a large memory card and a large capacity hard drive. Ditto for the screen. It’s good to want the best, but be aware of the downsides!
2 – What are you going to do with your GoPro?
As I said above, what is your camera going to do for you? Fixed shots? Moving around? Inside or outside? Will it be going in water?… And then, some of them have functions that allow you to create content to share with your subscribers on your platforms and networks, such as Timelapses or Timewarps. Will this be useful to you or not? In any case, think about how you’ll be using it.
3 – What is your budget?
From €219 to €529, there’s a GoPro for any budget. There’s no point in choosing the most expensive GoPro at the risk of losing out on functionality and not exploiting its full capabilities.
Also, don’t forget to keep some of your budget to buy GoPro accessories which can be more or less expensive according to your needs.
And now, which GoPro should I choose?
Whichever GoPro you choose, you’ll find at least all of these features:
- Taking photos (from 10 MP)
- Record videos at least in Full HD (and up to 5.2K)
- Time-lapse mode (taking X number of photos every N seconds)
- Ultra Wide-Angle Lens and SuperView FOV
- Set the number of frames per second
- A Wi-Fi connection
- Waterproof (between 5 and 60 metres depending on the model)
- Mounts compatible with all GoPro models
Now you know all the most important points, it’s time to make your choice. Of course, other brands make very good cameras, like the one you may already have. But GoPro cameras truly do offer so many possibilities that you can understand the price. With just one camera you open up a whole new world of possibilities in terms of creativity and quality of content. So, let’s hear it…