I am new to owning a GoPro Hero3 Black Edition and I want to make a thread that compiles all of the tips and tricks to owning a GoPro.
Status: GoPro Hero3: Black Edition Has arrived and I used it everyday for the past 15 days. I love it.
I will update this post with all of the good ideas as people reply below!
1.
Use an iPhone iPod USB wall charger to charge the camera / wifi remote. (apparently it works better and will not stop)
Quote Originally Posted by Correction
I do not recommend using an iPad charger because they are rated at a higher wattage than the iPhone/iPod chargers.
Not true. A very detailed response provided by BradM73, an electrical engineer, has corrected this statement. At the same time I assume no risk to using non GoPro Branded chargers. Here is his response-
Quote Originally Posted by BradM73
It boils down to Volts and Amps. USB is 5 Volts. Watts = Volts * Amps so a 10 Watt USB charger is capable of supplying 2 Amp of electrical current. A 10 Watt Charger usually put out a little more than 5 Volts. Maybe 5.1 or 5.2V, and 2 Amps of current. A 12 Watt Charger can supply about 2.4 Amps and the same voltage of about 5.1 Volts. Ultimately the GoPro camera itself is going to convert the voltage down a bit for charging purposes, but you can charge a 3.7V battery and 5 Volts without harm to the battery, and 2 to 2.4 Amps is well within the charging range of a 1050mAh Li-Ion battery pack.
PC USB Ports are generally 1 Amp these days, though older ones might be .5Amp or 500mA.
Anyway, you can easily do the math. If you're charging via a PC that's putting out 1Amp, and the battery is 1050mAh, then it's going to take about one hour to charge. If you have an iPad charger that is 10 Watts, then that's 2 Amps, or 2000mA, so the charging time should be more like 30 minutes.
2.
Use Rain-X or other brand water run off chemical to coat the case of the GoPro. Only put the chemical on the outside of the Housing. This will almost eliminate any drops of water staying on the front of the housing and interfering with the shooting. Make sure you let the chemical dry and set before you use it.
Warning: I do not take responsibility for any damage done to your property:
3.
Use "Rain-X Anti Fog solution" to coat the inside of the lens. It makes sense to only coat the inside of the lens rather than the entire housing this way if fog forms it will not form on the most crucial part of the camera (my two sense ) -NOTICE- Rain-X is (imo) the best brand to do the job. It has also been widely tested. If you would like to use another brand by all means do. This brand is known not to damage the window of the housing and keeps water from sitting on the window.
4.
Just a tip that all GoPro owners should know. Keep the seal around the housing clean of anything and everything. I do not even touch my seal with my fingers even when just washed. Any sort of debris or grime can cause the seal to fail at high pressure. If you dive it is extremely important that you ensure the seal does not have anything on it. Even the smallest hair can cause a leak when diving at depth.
5.
Quote Originally Posted by Echowl
For those coming from the previous legacy versions of the GoPro, your HERO3 does not need a special flat-lens dive housing to take clear underwater footage. The HERO3 range have aspherical lenses which work perfectly both above and below water.
6.
It is a very good idea to clean your GoPro Camera housing with fresh clean water after taking it in salt water or any dirty water. I recommend opening and closing the latches a few times to ensure that all dirt and dust is washed out of the cracks. -Modified version of Echowl's tip
7.
Quote Originally Posted by Echowl
In low-light situations, reduce your fps for better footage. A higher fps means the shutter needs to open and close faster which lets in less light to the sensor.
To expand on this, Many people who own GoPro cameras have some sort of camera experience. Me personally come from a strong DSLR background. The slower the shutter speed the more light can get to the cameras sensor. This also means that you have to stay absolutely still if you want a good picture. The Higher frame rates when used in great light will produce clear images even when you are shaky. If anyone has any more questions about this feel free to post about it below.
8.
Quote Originally Posted by Echowl
Firmware version number can be found in your "version.txt" file inside your memory card's MISC folder.
9.
This is the first time I have heard of this.
Quote Originally Posted by Echowl
Someone also said that they put small aluminium foil plates inside the case, because it has a higher conductivity than the housing so the moisture sticks to the aluminium rather than your case lens.
10.
Cool dry air will remove moisture faster than warm air.
Post your tips and tricks below. No tip/trick is too small. All tips/tricks will be added!
Feel free to comment and correct anything if I have made any mistakes.
Thanks.