We all have heard of the saying, “Curiosity Killed the Cat!” Well, not in this case, but both the lion and the camera both escaped harm unscathed!

SKB i-Series GoPro Camera Case (Holds 3), Black

Get started right with this rugged case in which you can keep your GoPro camera(s) and accessories! This case is especially-made for the GoPros and PACKED with protective features!

• Ultra high-strength polypropylene co-polymer resin
• Accommodate 3 GoPro cameras and accessories
• Uni-body design for a lighter weight case. No metal reinforcement needed!
• Gasketed, absolutely waterproof and airtight, submersible design
• Resistant to UV, solvents, corrosion, fungus, and impact damage
• Custom roomy interior

Extreme-Class-Memory-SDSDX-064G-X46

GoPro Wi-Fi BacPac + Combo Kit by GoPro

Control your GoPro cameras without physically-interacting with them with this Wi-Fi Controller! Great for all sports and packed with features!

• Control up to 50 cameras a time from up to 600′/ 180m away with the Wi-Fi Remote
• Enjoy full camera control, including ON/OFF, SHUTTER and SETTINGS control
• LCD screen mirrors your camera’s status LCD screen
• Attachment strap, key ring, and charging cable included
• Waterproof to 10′/3m

GoPro Dive Housing for GoPro Hero2 with Battery & Charger Kits

GoPro LCD BacPac

Even More Lightweight!  The GoPro Hero 3 Debuts

GoPro Announces Its Latest  Sports Extreme Action Camera! 

Even more versatile than its predecessors, the new GoPro Hero 3 packs as much and more in its more compact design!

Look at all the new features and improvements over GoPro’s older Hero 2 Editions (which still blow away all the competition!)

• One-Third the Size
• Twice the Frames Per Second
• 64 Bits of Storage
• Video Resolution of Up to 4K (Black Edition)
• Built-In Wi-Fi
• Waterproof Up to 190 Foot Depth
• Two-Position Lock
• Improved Low-Light Performance
• Wide Side Distortion Reduced
• Captures Still Images at 12MP
• Improved LCD

Pricing starts at $199 for the entry-level White Edition (Not yet available,) $299 for the intermediate Silver Edition and for the works, the Black Edition coming in at $399.

For more information about specs, comparisons, etc, please visit the Home Page

Two of the best features in the GoPro HD Hero 2 Camera, in my personal opinion, is Time Lapse and Burst Mode! There are several reasons why I see this product as the best slow motion video camera available today.

For one, and the most important of all other reasons is the on-board image stabilization system. One look at videos shot with this digital high speed camera shows, not only stability when in use under rough, bumpy conditions show vividly when compared with shots made by other compatible brands.

Digital image stabilization is extremely crucial for small, lightweight cameras like the GoPro models. On top of being a “hands-off” camera, image stabilization does double duty in nighttime photography. Being mounted or in a harness by itself is far more stable than trying to hold the camera and take videos. The image stabilization system in the GoPro HD Hero Camera is professional-grade, therefore, outperforms most other sports cams.

A third attribute about these ultra high speed cameras is just that…very fast shutter speeds, insuring even more stability!

However, nighttime photography requires slower shutter speeds, and in Burst Mode (slow motion) the combination of harnessing/mounting the camera with its image stabilizing feature, puts GoPro on top for being the best best slow motion video camera out there for the price!

So, What of Life in Slow Motion Shot at Night as Realized by the Camera?

The GoPro Camera is hailed for many things…one being on top picks for a low light digital camera! Most cameras horrendously blur and produce shadowy, grainy results when trying to shoot video at night, This isn’t to mention what most other camera performances look like in slow motion, with inferior stabilization.

There are innumerable videos on the Internet shot by the GoPro HD Hero and Hero 2 Cameras. The straps, harnesses and other mounting devices hold fast and secure. There is no play with these accessories and this lends well to image stabilization, making video shooting a breeze night or day, slow, fast or normal speeds. Stabilization is realized in the roughest conditions too!

Making the GoPro HD Hero/Hero 2 Camera Even More Vesatile!

Prime Scuba, a company known for quality SCUBA gear and training, has expanded operations to manufacturing accessories for the more popular HD sports cameras and camcorders. Prime has two lighting kits available specified for all GoPro cameras, the nominal and the heavy-duty, both featuring aluminum construction and LED lighting.

What’s Inside Prime Scuba’s Underwater LED Light Systems?

U/W LED Light System for the Hero Camera (Also fits the Hero 2)

Lighten up your diving experiences! Mount your GoPro HD Hero/Hero 2 Camera on the signature Bigblue lights & accessory kit and capture your underwater scenes in full color spectrum!

Each of the AL1x5 Plus, boasts an incredible 250 lumens with a burn time of up to four hours at full lumens. The light is housed out of an anti-corrosive anodized aluminum alloy, light in weight yet durable and perfect for your salt or freshwater ventures. With a magnetic on/off switch safe from flooding, and running on only 4AA batteries, this light is bound to be a perfect addition to your underwater video set up. The arms feature non-slip grips.

INCLUDES:

• BigBlue Camera Tray
• Qty 2 BigBlue Aluminum LED Lights 250 Lumens each
• Qty 2 Double Light Mounting Clips
• Rated Down to 330′
• LED guarantees a lifespan of 50,000 hours of burn time
• The 6500 °K white light reflects the true vibrant colors of the underwater world
• The twisting bezel makes turning the light on or off easy underwater
• Constructed from aluminum alloy, and is anodized, to be anti-corrosive
• Compatible with | GOPRO HD HERO and HERO2 CAMERAS | CONTOUR ACTION CAMERA | DRIFT HD CAMERAS

Camera Not Included. Complete Kit Shown

Need More Luminosity? U/W LED Light System for the Hero 2 Camera

The accessories and tray are manufactured from high grade TS6061 aluminum with stainless steel connects. The arms, which feature non-slip grips, employ standard ball joints on which the lamps connect. Capture the underwater world with perfect pictures every time with this ultra compact and powerful focus light, or use it as a hand-held light.

INCLUDES:

• BigBlue Camera Tray
• Qty 2 BigBlue Aluminum LED Lights 450 Lumens each
• Qty 2 Double Light Mounting Clips
• Power Source: 4 x AA batteries, Alkaline 1.5V or NiMH 1.2V (for each light)
• Safety Designs: Thermal protection system prevents the light from overheating
  Maximum Depth: 100m tested

A Juicy-Looking Deal on eBay...and I Went for It!

Things were really looking up! I had no idea what was coming right after purchasing this camera. Everything looked “all systems go!” Great feedback for this seller, all the details you would expect to find in a well-written auction, free shipping, what’s more, free shipping by name!

There was just one little thing bothering me…but I discounted it as perhaps, a little bit of negative thinking, so I dismissed it. I looked this auction over several times to confirm that however this special deal (camera almost $100 off what GoPro itself, offers on its own website.

Why not? It looks just too good to pass up. That feedback, at 98.8%, makes the thing believable. I purchased.

SLAM!

A bad illness hits! It knocks me out of the game in every area of life. I won’t go into any further details about this except, I’m not out of the woods with it yet. I’m working hard at regaining my health.

After a few days, I got out of bed and went, pain and all, checked on the progress of my purchase. Nothing so far. Well, leave it alone. It’s from China and there will be delays. Yes there were.

Finally! The Camera Arrives!

I found the UPS slip attached to my camper door. That was enough to make the sun shine through the pain. It was encouraging! I could not wait to get on my scooter and get it. I would have to wait the next day.

Next day finally comes…I make my way to the post office. It takes the employee there close to an hour to find the package. They could not find anything matching the description, size, etc of the package. Finally…finally! They determine that the package is on the post office premises. Another employee jumps in to help find it. They do…

It is NO camera by size…unless GoPro had microscopic ones! My countenance dropped. The whole line behind me knew this was NOT a camera. I got burned.

Once home with the package, I opened it. Out emerges some overlay belonging to a smartphone and a piece of pink plastic that belongs to an old transistor radio or the likes.

Green Has Gone RED!

I was shocked when I visited the seller’s feedback area! A picture is worth a thousand words…

eBay Quickly Responds to the Crimes Committed Here!

How It Turned Out…

eBay has a great system for helping folks get out of such situations. The first thing I did (sick or not) was report it to eBay and get the ball rolling. I three or four days (can’t remember now) I found the report that my money would be returned…and in a day or two more, it was safe and sound, back in my bank account.

Moral of this story…If something seems too good to be true (a brand new $300 camera being sold new for $200) …well, you know the saying. It pays to listen to your insight in things even though appearances do not agree. This was so artfully done that it earned the crooks here at least one positive comment in a negative feedback for the mess they made across the globe for the 132 people deceived by this…

They Gained a Lot of People's Trust with a Very Good Feedback Rating Before Striking...

Be Careful Out There!

One of three Editions of the GoPro HD Hero 2, the Outdoor Edition, I feel will be the most economical way to begin.  This, of course, would depend on each person’s needs.  I find, right off, that there are two accessories I need with my outfit:

Chest Harness

I thought this might be especially useful when creating how-to videos.  With the Chest Harness, you would be able to do just that!  The camera’s height would be most naturally, right in line with the work being demonstrated (say for example, a wood-working project) and would give the vantage point of exhibiting the work as the viewer would see it in his/her own experience!

I would not always have a need for helmets, so the Chest Harness is a great alternative and point of perspective for many applications!

Viewfinder Backpack!

This was a pleasant surprise!  There’s a viewing screen that connects onto the back of the camera…and comes with the modified “door” that goes onto the camera’s protective housing.   It lends to the camera’s versatility!  The GoPro HD Hero 2 Camera is GREAT for birthday parties too!  However, it is also great for any kind of exhibit and demonstration in the arts as well as sports!

I will have more on the Viewfinder Backpack in a later  page!

Two more needs:

Extra Battery Power

I enjoy doing time-lapse projects and for some processes, I would need extended time periods for time-lapse recording.  Of course, it also means getting more footage and photography from the field!

Flat-View Lens

I am not always an avid user of the wide-angle lens.  I like my images to show as they do in real life, not the panoramic effect of the default “fish-eye” lens.  Having both would open the best of two worlds.   It depends on the production and/or presentation.

If you’ve purchased your GoPro HD Hero Camera, congratulations!  You’re in for some real treats!  If you have not purchased, I’ve included this post with video which will help familiarize yourself with this product, also to show you why this would be the perfect choice for you to take along on adventures.

The one thing I’m not too fond of about this product is the User’s Manual that comes with it.  Though what is found on it is suitable, I’ve found it best to have the camera in hand and actually go through everything with it.  In this way, I’ve been able to familiarize myself with this product, but the User’s Manual, in my opinion, could have been better laid out and more details given on some instructions found therein.

Out of a number of negative reviews (few there be compared to the great ones out there) quite a few of them are a result of not having read the documentation.  This is real important folks!  This camera is meant for hands-off action sports and is so designed.  Due to the camera’s size, some features needed to be downsized or omitted altogether.  In spite of this, the camera currently cannot be rivaled when it comes to features and quality in both the camera and the images it produces.

One example of this is the lack of a viewfinder (which is optional equipment; an available accessory should any users want it.)   To maintain the versatility and price range of the camera…and the fact that the job of the camera is to capture live action, GoPro has seen fit not to include a built-in view finder, whether it be a lens or LCD screen as many digital point-and-shoot cameras have.

It’s not enough to just read the instructions, which appear on a single two-sided sheet of folded paper.  As a user of this camera you will need to actually perform the steps with the camera to become familiar with it.  The cam comes equipped with an LED menu screen which allows you to navigate the camera’s optical settings, etc.  To get the absolute most out of your new GoPro HD Hero Camera, the menu screen is your best friend!  It also has audible “beeps” that tell you which mode or settings the camera is in when pressing the single button for this purpose.  The data it shows will be absolutely useless if you do not familiarize them by going through the instructions and familiarizing yourself with the menu settings.  Don’t let the old-school look of the menu fool you.  This camera’s performance is remarkable!

These things being said, I will now present a video visually going through the out-of-the-box set-up of the camera and very basic usage.  This is NOT meant to be a replacement for reading the provided instructions and practicing with using the camera.  In other words, do not rely on simply viewing the video and then rushing out into the field with the camera.  You will have disappointing results that can be easily avoided by getting to know your new GoPro HD Hero Camera.  Subsequent posts with videos will serve to get into more advanced instructions, but for now, this video will show you how to initially set up and use the camera.

Thanks for visiting!