While on vacation or out climbing mountains, catching waves, or carving slopes, adventurers (and even casual travelers) hoping to record amazing action videos know better than to put their bulky, potentially breakable DSLR cameras in danger. They bring a GoPro instead.GoPro is a company known for tough, cutting-edge cameras that record incredible footage in a palm-sized compact, and it is regarded by many photography professionals as the gold standard of action cameras.
What to Think About Before Buying a GoPro
All action cameras, including those in the GoPro family, have different levels of features that have a big impact on the quality and type of footage you get. Before you buy something, you should find out what features are most important to you.
Video Resolution
Capture Every Adventure: Hands Holding a Small Action CameraImage source: Alex Erofeenkov/Shutterstock.com
Like a TV, the higher the resolution of an action camera, the clearer and sharper the footage will be. Most cameras shoot in 1080p full HD, but the newest GoPro models can shoot in 4K or 5K, which have 7 times as many pixels as 1080p and are currently the best standards for image quality.
Also important is the frame rate. Most photographers are happy with 30 fps (frames per second), but others look for 60 fps to 240 fps, which lets them play back super-clear slow-motion videos.
Image Stabilization
Capturing the Action: GoPro Camera in Hong KongImage source: leungchopan/Shutterstock.com
When you’re biking down a mountain or skiing through a snowstorm, it won’t be easy to keep a camera steady. That’s why image stabilization is so important to keep videos from being shaky or blurry. The newest GoPro cameras have HyperSmooth technology, which is a cutting-edge system inside the camera that automatically smooths out motion.
Battery Life
Adventure Awaits: GoPro Hero 9 Black in Avola, SicilyImage source: Speedbrake91/Shutterstock.com
When shopping for an action camera, the battery life is one of the most important things to think about. Since you’ll be filming outside, you probably won’t have many chances to switch batteries on the fly. Most batteries for action cameras only last between 1 and 3 hours, which is a shame. The small technology that keeps the film going uses a lot of power, especially if you increase the resolution or use Wi-Fi all the time.
For cameras that let you swap out the batteries while you’re out and about, extra batteries are always a wise purchase.
Waterproofing
Capturing Water Adventures: Hands-on GoPro CameraImage source: Volkova Vera/Shutterstock.com
Although most GoPro models are declared waterproof up to 10 meters (33 feet), not all action cameras are water-resistant. It’s important for a camera to be water-resistant if you’re going to use it near bodies of water, in the rain, or even in a swimming pool.
Accessories
Adventure Awaits: GoPro Hero 3 and AccessoriesImage source: Andrii Zastrozhnov/Shutterstock.com
Action cameras are just like other toys in that they come with more toys. In the case of GoPro, the different camera mounts, tripods, handles, and modifications are all extra costs, but they can help you get the perfect shot, improve your camera’s specs, or just make your gadget as easy to use as possible.
