360° Coverage GoPro HD Motorsports Hero Camcorder Review
Filed under: Reviews | Digital Camera
GoPro HD Motorsports Hero Camcorder Review
Jul 5 2010, 12:00am CDT | by Shane McGlaun
Today I am going to check out the GoPro HD Motorsports Hero video camera. This camera is designed for all sorts of uses with a waterproof case and a bunch of different mounting options to secure the camera to your vehicle. This is the perfect camera for the motorsports enthusiast that needs for recording their favorite type of race. Read on for all of the details on the GoPro HD Motorsports Hero camera.
Benchmarks
Specifications
The GoPro HD Motorsports Hero cameras has several mounting options including a suction cup mount and mounts with adhesive backing and quick release clamps. Power comes from an 1100mAh battery good for up to 2.5 hours of recording. Charging is via USB and the camera can record in 1080p, 960p, and 720p resolution and can record in 30fps and 60 fps resolutions. The camera can record in up to 170 degree wide angles.
In Use
The GoPro HD Motorsports Hero is a great camcorder for recording all types of motorsports. The camera can be used for kart racing, motocross, hiking, and all sorts of automotive racing. You can secure the camera to various vehicles using different types of mounts. Included mounts are a suction cup and various 3M adhesive mounts for curved surfaces and for flat surfaces. The camera itself is very small, is housed inside a waterproof housing, and comes with a non-waterproof door as well.
Focus is fixed at 4-feet to infinity and you can set the camera for center metered mode for recording from a dark car to a bright outdoor. In all resolutions except 1080p, the camera has a 170-degree ultra wide angle field of view. In 1080p, the field of view is 127-degrees. The downside to that wide 170-degree field of view is that the videos have a very distinct fisheye view. I would like to see a 720p resolution with the standard 127-degree field of view.
In addition to recording video, the GoPro HD Motorsports Hero camera can also shoot snapshots. The waterproof housing of the camera has external controls that allow you to access all of the video format and still shot options. Still shots are taken in 5MP resolution. You can also set the camera to take three shot bursts or to shoot an image every few seconds.
The camera can be connected directly to a TV vie included component cables. Video is recorded to SDHC cards up to 32GB and you have to provide your own memory card. I did find that the camera records better to name brand cards than generic cards. One of the generic 8GB cards I used was not fast enough, despite being rated a Class 6 card and the video jerked and froze. I installed a SanDisk 8GB SDHC card and all video recorded was absolutely fine.
I used the suction cup mount and even at highway speeds with bumpy roads the suction cup held firm. The camera will wiggle a bit, but it never fell off the windshield. I found that when recording with the suction cup mount below the camera lens, you end up getting the mount in the video, which is annoying.
You can mount the camera upside down and flip the recorded video over with free software you can get online such as MPEG Streamclip, which is what I used. GoPro is working on a firmware update that will make the camera automatically record in the correct orientation when the GoPro HD Motorsports Hero is upside down. The video recorded is clear and looks fantastic in 1080p mode and the audio is very good as well. You can hear voices and the car clearly.
Watch a sample video recorded with GoPro HD below. The car is a 2010 Mustang GT with a Roush M90 supercharger.
Verdict
Conclusion
Pros
- Great video quality
- Lots of mount options
- Priced well at $299
Cons
- 170-degree FOV adds fisheye distortion
Verdict
The GoPro HD Motorsports Hero camcorder is a great camera for recording motorsports that is waterproof and can be used in lots of places. The price is good considering how small the camera is and all the functions it offers.
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Shane McGlaun
Leading our review center, Shane McGlaun (Google) knows technology inside out. His
extensive experience in testing computer hardware and consumer
electronics enable him to effectively qualify new products and trends. If you want us review your product, please contact Shane.
Shane can be contacted directly at shane@i4u.com.
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