"

GoPro Hero Captures Your Fishing Highlights
  |  First Published: July 2009



I love watching videos of fishing trips I’ve been involved in. I suppose it’s the next evolution from those fantastic slide nights that bored the life from you when you were a kid. But moving pictures are so much more fun to watch.

About 12 months ago, one of our writers started to import a small video camera that was taking action sports filming by storm. The GoPro Hero Wide is considered by many as the world's smallest, wireless helmet and gear-mountable video camera for outdoor sports. The best part of all is that since the first cameras came into Australia, new, wider angled cameras have become available and in a small tinnie or on the back of a game boat, this little camera captures all the action.

Let’s take a look at the GoPro Helmet Hero Wide as this is the camera that most anglers who fish from smaller boats will love.

The Helmet Hero Wide quick-release attaches to vented and non-vented helmets, bikes, kayaks, skis, snowboards, and even includes a head strap so it can be worn like a headlamp. This little ripper features the industry's widest 170º wide angle lens and 5 megapixel sensor for the most immersive point of view video and photos possible from a wearable sports camera.

When we first used this camera I was flathead fishing and you literally capture everything – from the cast to the retrieve and then onto the strike and fight. It’s pretty interesting raw footage because you get to see everything – including the panicked look around for the net and the stumbles and trips over electric motor foot controls, tackle bags and other anglers! I’ll have to put that footage up on the Fishing Monthly website so you can check it out, it’s funny stuff!

For the technically minded the GoPro Hero Wide shoots 56 minutes of high-resolution video (with a 2GB SD card) and 5 megapixel photos automatically in the photo every 2 seconds mode. The photo every 2 seconds mode is pretty amazing too as it captures the fight in still frames and almost makes slide night bearable for those you inflict it upon.

Shockproof and waterproof to 30m, the unit is ideal for anglers as you simply do not need to stress about water splashes, rain or spray when travelling to and from your fishing location. Because the unit is waterproof it means you can capture some sensational underwater shots of the fish being landed or released, which adds up to some fantastic finished video.

This updated 5MP Helmet Hero Wide camera features improved video, photo, audio, and low light performance. And for anglers low light performance is mandatory as we are often out fishing the low light periods chasing our quarry. Reliability in ultra-high vibration environments has been improved with an entirely new internal circuit design. While this upgrade was designed for action sports such as motor cross and fast water kayaking, anglers will appreciate this feature when they are travelling to spots in any sort of chop or swell. The upgrade essentially stops that annoying jolt and jerk that older cameras experienced in rough environments.

The box comes with four quick-release adhesive mounts, a vented helmet strap, headlamp style head strap, and associated accessories. Adhesive mounts are removable but require purposeful removal by the user and that’s exactly as you’d want it because you certainly do not want this little unit flying off of its own accord. And best of all the adhesives are safe on painted surfaces.

The GoPro Hero Wide is a sensational video camera for anglers. It’s not going to replace your handy cam, but what it will do is provide an unbelievable amount of extra footage for you to use. When word of this great little camera gets out I can hardly wait to see all the footage it will add to the mountain of grass roots DVDs on fishing that are now available. Used wisely, and not overused, some GoPro footage would pick up the spectacle of these amateur DVDs markedly.

So what would you expect to pay for this waterproof video and photo camera? Maybe $1000, maybe more? Not even in the ball park.

The GoPro Helmet Hero Wide retails for the ridiculous price of $345. And that low price is the sole reason that every angler should have one of these little beauties on their boat. It’s cheaper than most reels and will provide hours of entertainment back at home.

For more information on the GoPro range contact --e-mail address hidden-- or log onto the international site at www.goprocamera.com.

Facts

Inclusions and Specs

5 Megapixel HERO Wide Camera with 170º Wide Angle Lens

1 Shockproof/Waterproof Quick-Release Housing rated to 30m

1 Headlamp-Style Head Strap

1 Vented Hemlet Strap

2 Curved, 3M Adhesive Mounts

2 Flat, 3M Adhesive Mounts

1 Three-Way Pivoting Side Arm Assembly

2 Quick-Release Buckles

1 USB/RCA Combo Cable

Warranty: One Year

Dimensions: 4.45cm x 5.84cm x 3.18cm (H x W x D)

Weight: 139 g

Resolution: 5 megapixel photo, 512x384 video

Video Format: MJPEG, 30 fps, saved as .AVI file

Optics: glass lens, f/2.8 aperture, with ultra-wide 170º angle of view

Modes: video, standard photo, photo every 2 or 5 secs, 3x photo burst sequence, self timer, upside down photo/video flip

Memory: 16MB internal, expandable to 2GB with SD card (not included)

Capacity: 56 minutes video (incl. audio) or 1,945 photos with optional 2GB SD card.

Power: 2 x AAA batteries (not included), lithium batteries highly recommended. 3hours. video recording with lithium, 2hours. with NiMH

RRP: 345

Reads: 5005

Matched Content ... powered by Google