I used to think that cameras designed for sports like the GoPro camera were made for people who wanted to record their jumps and spins. This weekend I got the chance to ski with some friends at Sunday River in Bethel, Maine, and one of them had a GoPro camera. He attached it to the top of his helmet, but we saw some other people with it strapped to their chest.
I never thought that I would want a camera like that, but after this weekend, I’m very tempted to spend the $200 that I don’t have! We didn’t use the camera to record any tricks or anything outside of the moguls, trees, big bumps, and normal rides, but I think that it will be really fun to look back and see some of our rides. Plus, we goof off a little bit while we ski.
The GoPro camera is a full HD 1080p camera designed to be used during sports. You can also take 5 megapixel still photos out of this camera’s super wide 170 degree wide-angle lens. All you have to do is make sure that it’s on!
This camera can be used by anyone – motorcyclists, snowmobilers, and more. It comes with plenty of accessories that allow you to customize your use. For example, there are cases that allow the camera to be waterproof up to 180 feet, but there is also a backing that allows for better sound recording except the back has a hole in it so it is semi-waterproof .
There is so much that you can do with this camera; you just have to buy the applicable accessories and do the actual sport! The battery lasts about 2 hours if you are recording continuously, and the battery actually powers a battery warmer pack that will help keep your camera up and running.
The camera has a shock proof design and is SD compatible. The only complaint that my friend has so far (which is not an uncommon complaint on the forums) is that if you place the SD card directly into your computer, the card often thinks that it is corrupt. My friend solves this problem by using a cord between the computer and the camera, and then formatting the card after getting the information off of it.
I’m extremely tempted to get one, even if I do look silly not recording jumps.
