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GoPro HD video camera and RC car racing
Eric Seals, Photographer
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Detroit | MI | United States | Posted: 1:03 AM on 06.17.10 |
->> http://tinyurl.com/fastRCcars
I'm constantly amazed at the ruggedness and the quality of the 1080 and 720p video from the GoPro HD. The possibilities of this in sports especially if you shoot video are endless. Used often by motocross, car racing and skiing, x-extreme sport types, I decided to try a couple out on remote control cars.
I shot and edited video feature I did for my newspaper on a group of guys that would rather race these cars for competition than spend their Saturdays on the golf course
Here is link to the video;
http://tinyurl.com/fastRCcars
GoPro website; http://www.goprocamera.com/
The RC cars go from $300 to $2,000 and can reach speed of 60 mph
The GoPro retail is about $300 shoots to an SD card, I have a 16 gig in there and a great view angle of 170 degrees. It also shoots 5 mb pictures although I have not tried it out yet but have seen some nice stuff from it especially in daylight conditions.
Waterproof as my kids can attest to; http://www.vimeo.com/channels/ericseals#12307346
I still shoot stills :-) once in awhile but love the thrill and challenge on new visual storytelling.
A lot of very creative people on here if anyone has one or plans on getting one for their work I'd love to hear and see what you come up with.
Eric |
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Michael Schwarz, Photographer
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Decatur | GA | USA | Posted: 8:53 AM on 06.17.10 |
| ->> Nice work! |
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David Harpe, Photographer
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Denver | CO | USA | Posted: 9:48 AM on 06.17.10 |
->> Nice job. You used but didn't overuse the cool on-car footage. Pacing was good.
"...I don't even like to EAT vegetables..."
LOL... |
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Bryan Hulse, Photographer
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Nashville | Tn | USA | Posted: 1:01 PM on 06.17.10 |
->> Hi Eric! How ironic!
I was looking online AGAIN this morning at the GoPro HD Hero. I can’t decide between it and the vHoldR Contour HD.
I’ve read and read and both are great, and each does something a little better and a little worse than the other.
I want to use it mostly on my street bike (motorcycle), and maybe on the mountain bike occasionally. Both units now have waterproof housings.
AHHHHH DECISIONS! |
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Eric Seals, Photographer
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Detroit | MI | United States | Posted: 2:26 PM on 06.17.10 |
->> Thanks!! I think the guy who owns that track and I are related somehow even though we are different colors cause I don't like to eat vegetables either :-)
Bryan, I'll tell you to go with the GoPro HD. I 2 motorsport editions. Comes with several mounts for your helmet, a very sturdy suction cup test at 200 mph (I know you won't go that fast) and there are many accessories for the GoPro, handle bar mounts, a chesty strap so GoPro fits between your rib cage.
When I was researching what to buy I looked at both GoPro and vHoldr and the things that sold me on GoPro were the hard plastic housing that is waterproof to 100 feet and durable (one of my GoPro's flipped several times) it has a really good 5 megapixel camera.
Check out http://goprouser.freeforums.org and http://www.eyeofmine.com
Lots of talk and info. Honestly you would not regret it plus it is on sale at Amazon right now.
Let me know what you decide and thanks for checking out the video :-)
Eric |
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David Harpe, Photographer
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Denver | CO | USA | Posted: 8:29 AM on 06.18.10 |
->> I have a ContourHD and I'm not impressed. First two units had dead/hot pixel problems. They exchanged them, but it took awhile. The power on/off button is wonky and not confidence-inducing. Finally the mount is just a funky thing to deal with. They have a rail system which pretty much forces you to stick with only their accessories. There are ways around it (you can actually use one of their railed pucks with a common Manfrotto quick release head), but it's awkward all the same.
A lot of people like the GoPro and I've seen some video from it. Really really nice. Will probably pick one up soon. |
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Bryan Hulse, Photographer
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Nashville | Tn | USA | Posted: 8:57 AM on 06.18.10 |
->> That's good to know David.
The one thing about the ContourHD I really like are the lazer pointers. Some say the GoPro is hard to aim and their shots are often off center, and other says it's not a big deal at all.
Overall, it does sound like the GoPro is a better and more versitile unit. |
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Eric Seals, Photographer
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Detroit | MI | United States | Posted: 2:51 PM on 06.18.10 |
->> The aiming with the GoPro is very easy. When you're shooting at 720p it is always at 170 degrees so framing and centering is not as bad as some people say or think.
I agree with what David said about the Contour HD and there is no way my in car camera video on the RC cars that I did would have looked as good with that camera as it did with the GoPro
They are suppose to be coming out with an LCD back for the GoPro that fits inside the waterproof housing, not sure the date. |
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Myung Chun, Photographer
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Los Angeles | CA | USA | Posted: 3:55 PM on 06.18.10 |
->> Fun video. Makes me want to unpack my Losi.
I am using both and I like the GoPro for a couple of reasons. You can access the camera's settings through the menus and you can format the card in camera.
On the Contour, you have to hook it up to a computer to access its picture and audio settings. Also, you need a computer to format the card.
The plus for the Contour is the rotating front lens. It can be mounted in an awkward position but the lens can be rotated to level the horizon.
The picture from both are pretty impressive but I think the GoPro is a better overall package. |
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Manuello Paganelli, Photographer
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Los Angeles | CA | USA | Posted: 4:15 PM on 06.18.10 |
->> Eric great JOB! And strong angles and wonderful energy!! Also congrats on your Emmy award. Very inspiring to read things like that.
More 2 Come
www.ManuelloPaganelli.com |
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Eric Seals, Photographer
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Detroit | MI | United States | Posted: 5:27 PM on 06.18.10 |
->> Thanks Myung and Manuello :-)
Honestly Myung, I had to google what a Losi was, I thought you were talking about some type of video camera LOL!!
I'm taking my 10 year old to the same track at the end of the month to watch and ask around what is the best RC car or truck to buy for beginners, I'm hooked on this RC stuff now, what fun
So glad I never bought the Contour |
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Tony Leon, Photographer
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Whittier | CA | United States | Posted: 11:45 PM on 06.18.10 |
->> Nice job with the RC cars Eric, talk about unpredictable!
The video looks pretty cool.
Sportsshooter Donald Miralle did something similar only in a larger scale at the Long Beach Grand Prix with a GoProHD.
Check out the link to his blog.
http://tinyurl.com/2772sbr
Enjoy |
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Eric Seals, Photographer
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Detroit | MI | United States | Posted: 8:24 AM on 06.19.10 |
->> Thanks Tony and liked that point of view on the race car that he put on it for the race in Long Beach.
So many interesting places to put this camera on to get nice footage. Next I'm going to be putting one on a 72 year old man who is going skydiving to check off that on his bucket list before he dies and the other on another skydiver who will be chasing him down.
Take care
Eric |
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Jim Pierce, Photographer
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Waltham | MA | USA | Posted: 12:09 PM on 06.19.10 |
->> Eric,
Great video!!! being an RC'r myself I can relate...For me it is a stress relief and just pure relaxation.... and I have no problems when the Traxxas Slash or Rustler needs repair, it is simple and cheap and sort of like having a back up camera body.
Let us know when you get the skydiving video would love to see it.
Jim |
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Eric Seals, Photographer
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Detroit | MI | United States | Posted: 6:54 PM on 06.19.10 |
->> Cool Jim thanks and hoping to shoot and edit skydiving in mid-July.
Others have told me that Traxxas Slash is a good RC model to start with, can't wait to buy one (used I hope) and take my son to that same track and have some fun :-) |
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David Zapatka, Photographer
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North Kingstown | RI | USA | Posted: 9:23 AM on 06.21.10 |
->> I just bought three Heros to use on network shoots on a leap of faith that they'd fit with everyone's workflow. The largest issue we face is format compatibility, and as a freelancer, I often get calls for formats I don't own, sometimes for formats I've never even hard of. As for the Hero, I shot a story that aired last week on the CBS Early Show and they used one :02 shot from the Hero, but that's all that was needed though I sent them 20 minutes of footage from it. It appears at the :32 mark of the piece and was mounted on Sen. Scott Brown's motorcycle: www.cbsnews.com/video/watch/?id=6591237n&tag=mncol;lst;1
I'm impressed by the ability of the camera, am looking forward to eventually having a viewfinder screen for it, but most importantly, the client was happy. |
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Michael Myers, Photographer
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Miami | Florida | USA | Posted: 10:30 PM on 06.22.10 |
->> Eric, I've been running an r/c online magazine for many years now, along with a R/C computer conferencing system that I first got involved in back in the early 1980's.
I put a few links there, so people can see your video, and come here to read up on the discussion.
Here's a "link" that goes into my computer conferencing system, directly to the text I entered:
http://www.sgrid.com/cgi-bin/backtalk/peek:offroad2008,560
You mentioned that you're looking for a car for your son. If you (or anyone on Sportsshooter.com) wants to join up for the r/c car information, just go to:
www.sgrid.com/cgi-bin/backtalk
and fill out the "Create a new account" form. Don't send in the $25 which the site will ask for - just send me an email to "mikem @ rc-racing.com" from your Sportsshooter account here, and I'll validate the account. It's free to anyone who is a member here.
I've shot a lot of r/c videos, but none ever had the quality that you're getting out of this new camera. I guess I'm going to have to buy one for myself!
I've got so many questions right now, but I think my next step is to read up on the camera. |
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Garrett Hubbard, Photographer
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Washington | D.C. | USA | Posted: 1:02 AM on 06.23.10 |
| ->> nice storytelling Eric. keep up the good work. |
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Eric Seals, Photographer
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Detroit | MI | United States | Posted: 11:01 PM on 06.23.10 |
->> Thanks Michael and Garrett :-)
Eric |
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Chris Peterson, Photographer, Photo Editor
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Columbia Falls | MT | USA | Posted: 9:29 AM on 06.24.10 |
| ->> I love the line about "I don't even eat vegetables." Did you record sound separately or with the camera? |
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Eric Seals, Photographer
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Detroit | MI | United States | Posted: 11:41 PM on 06.24.10 |
->> Hi Chris,
It was all recorded together (in camera) audio and video with a Panasonic hvx200, Sennheiser shotgun mic and lavs as well
Eric |
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Michael Myers, Photographer
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Miami | Florida | USA | Posted: 11:18 AM on 06.25.10 |
->> Eric, sorry about yesterday - I called the server people to make one "small" change in the settings, and woke up to find the whole system broken. Moral of that story, don't let anyone make changes in how to access a web page, as if they don't understand what you've got, it's too easy to break everything. That's why the page crashed when you tried to create your account.
Anyway, I posted the reference to you in the main off-road r/c area, and then created a separate video conference for all the existing video discussions. You can get to it by going here:
http://www.sgrid.com/cgi-bin/backtalk/peek:video,5
Or, you can sign up, and send me an email, I'll validate your account. (I know most people here probably don't have much interest in r/c car racing, but *anyone* who sends me an email from their Sportsshooter account, telling me their login name, can have access to the website for free, rather than the $25 sign-up that we used to collect.)
I haven't yet bought a camera like yours, but I plan to do it next week. It seems like the perfect video camera for me in SO many ways - I wish I had owned one for things I did in the past. |
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Curtis Clegg, Photographer
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Sycamore | IL | USA | Posted: 7:38 AM on 06.27.10 |
->> Here is a video of GoPro camera that some guys hooked up to a weather balloon and sent into space:
http://fstoppers.com/ok-now-i-have-seen-everything/
Very cool stuff... I might have to get one of those little cams. |
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Eric Seals, Photographer
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Detroit | MI | United States | Posted: 1:13 PM on 06.28.10 |
->> I saw that a few weeks ago, really cool Curtis. I like how the video opens and have been talking with the guy that did it, Francois Brahic about details.
I'm working on shooting a group of students at the University of Michigan that do the same thing launching a helium filled weather balloon 96,000 feet into the sky. Hoping to stick two GoPro's on the balloon basket tomorrow as a test to see how it goes. Thing is, that high up the temperature falls below 40 below so hopefully the GoPro battery doesn't drain.
Took 2 GoPro's a few days ago and put them on a Harley that this professional burnout artist used to burn some massive rubber and make lots of smoke
http://tinyurl.com/MotorcycleBurnout
Eric |
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Matthew Bush, Photographer
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Hattiesburg | MS | USA | Posted: 8:31 PM on 06.29.10 |
| ->> Just ordered the motor sports version off Amazon. Thanks for the heads up on the sale Eric. |
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Eric Seals, Photographer
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Detroit | MI | United States | Posted: 11:08 PM on 06.29.10 |
->> Cool man,
Did you get it for $229?
You've love the Motorsports one. The suction cup that you can attach it to is rated at 200 mph on a race car and the flat and curved mounts are rock solid.
A word of warning however, when you get a SD card don't go cheap. Get a SDHC card 8 or 16 gig and make it name brand like Kingston or SanDisk kind. The cheaper ones don't hold up with will all the high def video writing to it and you can get errors.
If you have questions let me know, you're gonna love it
Eric |
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Jason Joseph, Photographer
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Dublin | OH | USA | Posted: 11:59 PM on 06.29.10 |
->> I just ran across this....
http://echeng.com/journal/2010/06/15/3d-gopro-hero-hd-setup-for-rc-car/
FWIW, GoPro will be releasing a true 3D mount/enclosure for these cameras in the coming months. I saw it at NAB and the footage isn't a good as the big dog 3D rigs. But hey, its a GoPro and it cost 1/4000 of what any of the others cost. So, for the cost, the 3D looks damn good. And the cool thing is that you will just use the existing GoPro's. All you have to buy is the new enclosure and a free firmware update that will make the stereo cameras talk to each other via a USB connection while they are creating the 3D video. |
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Eric Seals, Photographer
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Detroit | MI | United States | Posted: 12:11 AM on 06.30.10 |
->> Yes that is really nice, I saw that last week and to be able to shoot 3D would be great.
Depending on the kind of video you'd shoot if you work for a newspaper it would be a good thing to shoot and produce something compelling and then promo the hell out of it and insert 3D glasses in the Sunday paper for people to log on and watch it.
GoPro is being really, really slow at releasing new firmware and accessories and I hope that changes. |
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