[Jaguar]

Originally Posted by fine69

My requirements are -
1. I should be able to use it extensively underwater and in heavy rain/snow.
2. Should be able to mount it on my chest, hand and head.
3. Should be able to mount it on my car (both outside and inside)
4. Spare batteries, definitely!

Here is I would suggest based on my experience

1. The default case is good enough for both. I have used it extensively underwater and in heavy snow. Get a floaty backdoor.

2. I am not sure of the Chest/Head mount. The camera comes with a couple of sticky mounts for helmet and flat surfaces. Get the vented helmet mount, which seems versatile. As with handheld use, nothing beats the Gopole GrenadeGrip or Bobber.

3. For Car, the Suction mount kit for outside use and the frame mount for the inside. The frame allows you to charge the camera while being used.

4. Get the wasabi power battery charger kit.

Get an LCD backpack if you can afford one as well a tripod mount if you use a tripod regularly.

Of course, this costs considerably more than the kit you have linked, but nothing beats the quality of the items I have mentioned. And don't just depend on amazon. Hunt around for deals in other sites and you might land up a bargain.

[Steeroid]

You can get a Garmin VIRB for much less and get similar results (except for frames per second on HD quality), or even the Garmin VIRB Elite for close to $70 less than the Go Pro. Both of them are waterproof and submersible upto small depths without an extra case. Great chroma display that is easy to see even in bright sunlight.

And end up looking a lot less ridiculous than with a square box on top of your head.

[Rehaan]

Originally Posted by Tejas@perioimpl

( i liked the underwater shot the best)

Superb shot! Even the transition right after that shot was brilliant.

Originally Posted by fine69

So I decided to buy a GoPro Hero3+ Black Edition but as it turns out, its priced at $529 on their India website against $399 on the US website.

Something to consider: Get the older Hero3 Black (not plus) for about $70 cheaper. Sure, there are some small trade offs, but in reality you can use that $70 for some nice mounts instead - and image quality wise you really won't be able to tell the difference.

Originally Posted by fine69

But the dilemma is what all mounts do I ask them to get.

I'd say be realistic. Its easy to get excited and think that this GoPro will be making you jump off cliffs and swim with sharks, but the reality is that it will be sitting in the cupboard for most of your boring life (trust me, i have/had 3!).

Work backwards from what you actually think you will be shooting the most (rather than what you hope to be shooting someday). If you own a bike/car, get the suction mount for sure. If you go rock climbing, get the head-mount (though no need for the chest mount as well). etc etc.

Lastly, be prepared to edit the videos you take - else most people wont have the patience to watch them. GoPro's free Cineform studio has some nice templates you can use. Keep the videos short and tight.

Finally, as a Black owner, read this. It's the technical BIBLE : http://abekislevitz.com/understanding-your-new-gopro/

Originally Posted by Jaguar

Get an LCD backpack

There's a certain beauty to shooting without the LCD. Like all your footage will be a surprise to you when you finally get to see it! However, for more 'professional' or critical uses, there's no doubting the advantages of the LCD backpack... and the disadvantages too (even worse battery life!).

Originally Posted by Steeroid

You can get a Garmin VIRB for much less and get similar results

Mad Monkey has the VIRB and loves it.

The GoPro Black's advantage is really only the high-fps stuff (which most people don't actually use), and a barely-noticeable advantage in image quality.

cya
R

[Steeroid]

Originally Posted by Rehaan

Mad Monkey has the VIRB and loves it.

The GoPro Black's advantage is really only the high-fps stuff (which most people don't actually use), and a barely-noticeable advantage in image quality.

Ditto here - bought a VIRB Elite and its terrific. Was using a Contour HD earlier - still have it, but the battery has given up now, the rear cover went missing on the last trip and it took a real battering on a Ladakh trip which involved quite a few spills on black ice.

Contour was good, but I'm told the company has shut down now. Hence the search for an alternative that does not look ludicrous and doesn't require a bagful of mounts, cases and accessories - life is complicated enough as it is.

[Jaguar]

Originally Posted by Rehaan

Something to consider: Get the older Hero3 Black (not plus) for about $70 cheaper. Sure, there are some small trade offs, but in reality you can use that $70 for some nice mounts instead - and image quality wise you really won't be able to tell the difference.

The Hero3 Black was plagued with firmware issues. I doubt if they have sorted those now. The plus on the other end is much more stable.

[Rehaan]

Originally Posted by Jaguar

The Hero3 Black was plagued with firmware issues.

Mine has been much better and extremely useable since the last update (last year sometime, if i remember right).

Hero 3+ Black on the other hand has been plagued with "focus" issues!

End of the day it is somewhat luck of the draw. GoPro support has been very helpful to me though (eg. they mailed me a replacement broken latch once and a threaded screw another time - at no cost).

cya
R

[fine69]

Originally Posted by Jaguar

Here is I would suggest based on my experience...

Thanks a lot. Following is what is finalized -
1. Wasabi battery kit.
2. GoPole Grenadegrip
3. Suction Mount
4. Frame mount
5. ??<which body mount>??

Tripod and LCD backpack I don't want at this stage. However, any idea what would be best place to mount the camera on one's body (head/shoulder/chest) and what kind of mount I'm looking at for this. I go rafting & trekking often so a mount that's not too odd-looking yet captures the first person view would help. The head-strap mount is too risky.

Originally Posted by Rehaan

Something to consider: Get the older Hero3 Black (not plus) for about $70 cheaper. Sure, there are some small trade offs, but in reality you can use that $70 for some nice mounts instead - and image quality wise you really won't be able to tell the difference.....

The 30fps picture burst mode is something that'll help me and since its the latest product I wanted to get the 3+ Black, not to mention that my parents are getting this from US so its already cheaper than the retail price in India.

You are right that with GoPro people tend to buy it thinking what all they'll do once they get it but I already travel a lot, go rafting and hiking so this will help. My humble DSLR & Nexus 4 has been doing the duty so far but I can never imagine taking them out for any videos in water or dusty areas or mount them in/outside the car.

BTW would the Indian GoPro team support warranty for the camera that I get from US?

EDIT: I almost forgot, what about memory cards and covers/lens protection. I haven't read much about these two, bhpians inputs will help, thanks.

[Rehaan]

Originally Posted by fine69

2. GoPole Grenadegrip

Hmmmm....

Originally Posted by fine69

4. Frame mount

$40 for a plastic frame?!?! Why man why??

Personally I'd scrap the above 2 and buy this instead : http://gopro.com/camera-mounts/3-way

Originally Posted by fine69

5. ??<which body mount>??

I would say the head mount - its definitely the best and least boring body mount. However, it can come off during high intensity stuff so i guess its not a great fit for you. I haven't used any others, so can't really comment, though i think chesty would be the next best. Wrist will have too much movement and you'll have to actually focus on where you point it. Not something that's easy to do when you're busy concentrating on your sport/activity.

Originally Posted by fine69

BTW would the Indian GoPro team support warranty for the camera that I get from US?

No clue if they even handle any support at all?

Originally Posted by fine69

EDIT: I almost forgot, what about memory cards and covers/lens protection. I haven't read much about these two, bhpians inputs will help, thanks.

Am not too worried about lens protection, since the lens can be replaced easily with a replacement kit.

I am considering picking up a polariser, as i think it would help in the harsh Indian sunlight. Watch some example vids, impressive results.

cya
R

[Jaguar]

Originally Posted by fine69

However, any idea what would be best place to mount the camera on one's body (head/shoulder/chest) and what kind of mount I'm looking at for this. I go rafting & trekking often so a mount that's not too odd-looking yet captures the first person view would help. The head-strap mount is too risky.

That is why I suggested the vented helmet strap mount. While kayaking, I suppose you use a helmet which has vents can you can securely mount the camera. I remember reading during my research (can't find the link) that this mount can be strapped to the backpack shoulder strap, which would come in handy for trekking.

Also, consider the bobber instead of the grenade grip. Google comparison videos.

Originally Posted by Rehaan

$40 for a plastic frame?!?! Why man why??

Personally I'd scrap the above 2 and buy this instead : http://gopro.com/camera-mounts/3-way

Ok, the "new" frame is costly. The one I have cost half this much. But if you want to charge the camera while in use, you don't have any other option.

The 3-way mount does looks nice but won't replace the frame IMO. Man! so many new accessories like the blackout housing. If only I could afford those....

[Dry Ice]

Originally Posted by fine69

...
Tripod and LCD backpack I don't want at this stage. However, any idea what would be best place to mount the camera on one's body (head/shoulder/chest) and what kind of mount I'm looking at for this. I go rafting & trekking often so a mount that's not too odd-looking yet captures the first person view would help. The head-strap mount is too risky.
...
EDIT: I almost forgot, what about memory cards and covers/lens protection. I haven't read much about these two, bhpians inputs will help, thanks.

No personal experience about the body mounts, but have seen some videos with the chest mount. Looks good and feels "safer" than the head or shoulder mounts.

About the LCD backpack, use the wifi+app till you get one. I have a basic white edition, has inbuilt wifi and the app on your phone works as the viewfinder. I just setup using this and then let it record. Don't monitor constantly.

Lens caps, hmm - search Aliexpress for your particular model - pretty cheap ones available for as low as $2! - in a pack of 2/3!

Originally Posted by Rehaan

I am considering picking up a polariser, as i think it would help in the harsh Indian sunlight. Watch some example vids, impressive results.

Polariser is definitely good to have. Any particular brands or any generic one?


I am looking for a suitable suction mount to install it on the car's exterior - on the hood/roof or the front quarter panel. Should I go with GoPro official one or do the 3rd party ones work just as well?

Don't want to stick the default "stick-on" mounts that came with it to the car permanently.

[Rehaan]

Originally Posted by Jaguar

Ok, the "new" frame is costly. The one I have cost half this much. But if you want to charge the camera while in use, you don't have any other option.

I've seen some 3D printed and 3rd party frames for ~$5-10. Honestly I'd rather buy 2 of those than GoPro's $39 one!! My reasoning is that if you're using the frame mount, your camera is probably in a non-dangerous position, and hence even if those mounts break - it should still be okay.

Originally Posted by Jaguar

The 3-way mount does looks nice but won't replace the frame IMO.

I meant put the frame + grenade money together and buy that instead

Originally Posted by Dry Ice

Polariser is definitely good to have. Any particular brands or any generic one?

I've lost track. I remember seeing one really nice one, but that was for the Hero2. The last time i looked, there didn't seem to be too many polarizer choices for the Hero 3.

Originally Posted by Dry Ice

I am looking for a suitable suction mount to install it on the car's exterior - on the hood/roof or the front quarter panel. Should I go with GoPro official one or do the 3rd party ones work just as well?

I'd say go for the GoPro one. Two reasons:

1) The latest design is very low-profile. This keeps the camera's center of gravity lower, which also helps reduce vibrations/shake and leverage against the camera due to wind-force at high speeds.
2) If you buy a cheap one and your camera falls off, you'll regret it!

Speaking of the suction mount falling off, here's some tips i wrote elsewhere on using the suction mount effectively :

Panel flex: When mounting cameras on body panels, mount closer to the edges of the panels, or where they are re-enforced internally. These are the locations where the whole panel will flex less. If you mount in the middle of a panel (eg. door), there will be a lot more flex and the mount will move a lot more. A flexing panel will induce all sorts of vibrations and camera shake into your footage when the car is in motion. Avoid mounting on the bumpers (they are not metal, so they usually flex more - and they have less 'flat' surface area).

Heat: If you're mounting on a cold location that is likely to get very hot (eg. engine cover of a rear-engined sports car), the chances of your suction cup seal breaking are higher.

Wetness: Whilst some moisture improves the vacuum seal, never mount on an extremely wet surface. The mount might hold well, but its likely to slide around on the surface it has been mounted to. This is the reason they don't use suction cups on surfboards!

Law of moments: Its simple physics. The further away from the base that the mass of your device is, the more leverage external forces (eg. cornering or bumps) have on it (once again, more likely to vibrate).

Use gravity (mount upside down): If you have the option of having the mass of your GoPro be placed standing upwards, or hanging downwards - choose the latter. When you hang something downwards, gravity helps keep it there, whereas when you mount it standing up, gravity can help pull it over as it goes off-center.


Also, most expensive "branded" mounts are usually made by the same suppliers as the more affordable generic mounts (eg. the old suction cup by GoPro used Panavise - though with a different camera mount).

I've even used some Chinese ebay mounts ($5-10 shipped!) and they were just as good, despite not being made of the highest quality materials.


Lastly, remember that if your externally mounted camera flies off whilst your car is going at even 60 km/h -- its has the potential to do huge damage to pedestrians and oncoming traffic. Make sure your mount is secure. Add redundancy if possible (eg. tie a string between the mount and a body part).

cya
R

PS - Most common cause of suction cups falling off is misunderstanding what position the "lock-flap" is supposed to be in once the mount is secured.

PPS - Double check that you've mounted in a place that wont interfere with other parts of the vehicle when in operation. Eg: hits a body part when the door is opened, prevents windows from rolling down, prevents wipers from making a sweep, etc.

[e-katz]

Hi clevermax, I am also from Trivandrum. Can you tell me where did you purchase this and how did you get it fitted? Thanks!

Originally Posted by clevermax

I have been using Gembird Dashcam-005 in my car. The camera records in HD, and has G-Sensor and motion sensor. Has battery back up for about 30 minutes. Here are couple of videos from it.

[Rehaan]

Originally Posted by Rehaan

I've seen some 3D printed and 3rd party frames for ~$5-10.

Here are the STLs if you have access to a 3D printer. As luck would have it, I shall be printing mine next week. Will let you know how it goes:

http://www.thingiverse.com/thing:39844

http://www.thingiverse.com/thing:76082

http://www.thingiverse.com/thing:369779



cya
R

[fine69]

I haven't been able to figure the Frame mount. If I'm going to get the suction cup mount why do I need the frame mount. I mean the only time I'll be using the Frame mount is when I want to use it as a dashcam but that I could do without using the Frame mount when I'll have the suction mount.

What am I missing here?

EDIT: May be I figured it out, does the frame mount exist because there isn't any way to mount the gopro camera by itself on the suction mount. I mean I'd either have to use the waterproof case or the frame because the camera as such doesn't get mounted on anything?

[Dry Ice]

Originally Posted by fine69

I haven't been able to figure the Frame mount. If I'm going to get the suction cup mount why do I need the frame mount. I mean the only time I'll be using the Frame mount is when I want to use it as a dashcam but that I could do without using the Frame mount when I'll have the suction mount.

What am I missing here?

EDIT: May be I figured it out, does the frame mount exist because there isn't any way to mount the gopro camera by itself on the suction mount. I mean I'd either have to use the waterproof case or the frame because the camera as such doesn't get mounted on anything?

Lol! Leave the car for a min bhpian!

Yes you are right in your deduction - it exists because without the casing, you can't really use any of the mounts of GoPro - camera doesn't fit them directly.

Suppose you wanna film something where you can do without the waterproof casing - say indoors. In such a case, you can mount the cam in the frame, attach the tripod mount, put it on a tripod and let it be in a corner (a safe spot basically).

This is what strikes me right now, apart from the dashcam usage as you mentioned. I guess others who have actually used this frame can comment further.