Tag: GoPro

Categories
Equipment

It’s upgrade time – Gopro Hero 5 black

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The time has come to move up with GoPro. I’ve had my trusty Hero 3 Silver since the start. It’s been everywhere with me, but as my experience and ambition has grown, it’s been struggling to keep up. 

GoPro or DSLR?

I’ve been umming and ahhing over what’s next. Do I get a compact DSLR, a full fat DSLR or stay with GoPro. If I stay with GoPro, then what’s best? Session or Black?

You’ve got to think about how you’ll use it. I’m inevitably an activity first, camera second kind of guy. Lofting a heavy DSLR round with me though would yes out perform a GoPro, doesn’t give me the flexibility of chucking it in your pocket and if you never use it, you haven’t wasted energy lugging it around. S’all good!

So that ruled out DSLR, but then if I continue you my rational of maximum convenience, then the GoPro Hero 5 Session is the one.  It does everything you realistically need. You’re not a production house. However even after 3 or so years of using my GoPro Hero 3, not having a screen did it in the end. Worth the extra doh? Yup. 

When it comes to whipping it out of your pocket to grab a snap before the sun passes over the hill, faffing about with getting your phone out, turning on wifi and using it as a view finder is hassle. Even now I get it wrong occasionally and end up missing half the shot when I can’t be bothered with the hassle. 

So, GoPro Hero 5 Black is the one. At this point, I do have to give a big shout out to GoPro – cheers!

What am I going to try first?

  • Sun. With the vast improvement of the image sensor from Hero 3 to 5, capturing something like the below has been high on my priority list. There is something about capturing some good old sun flair that seems so attractive. No matter what you’re doing, it’s always going to look good. 
  • Night and low light. Its been the one big feature that the Hero 3 really limited your creativity on. Capturing silhouettes, the night’s sky or the ambience of the evening has been on my list for sometime. 
  • Burst mode. Aka shutter speed. I like my mountain biking, which is generally a reasonable high speed bumpy affair. The slow to medium shutter speeds on my GoPro Hero 3 hindered you no end, as after attempt after attempt you produce blurry shots. So with up to 30 shots a second on the GoPro Hero 5 Black, the time has come to stop the action like never before.

I’m sure i’ll find plenty more on the Hero 5 above and beyond merely having a screen and a better sensor. Voice control will at least be a welcomed rest bite to having to get on and off the bike when capturing. 

So 2017. You’ve kicked off with some pretty shoddy weather, though now I’ll soon have a new tool in my arsenal, that may not be such a bad thing. 

Peace out. 

 

Categories
GoPro Hints and Tips

Four GOPRO angles to try this season

The season is almost here. The Ski season I mean. I was in Tignes, French Alps, earlier this year and have been counting down until the snows returns; And it’s making a return this weekend!

Fortunately, but unfortunately in this case particularly, i’ve just bought a house, so a ski holiday is well and truly off the cards this season.

So to imagine i’m there again, I thought it i’d put together a quick listicle on four angles to try this season with your GoPro. Last season was the first time I had my GoPro while skiing, previously it’s always been shaky, pixelated, cam corder footage, so it was good to finally get those Instabangers going. 

Anyway, without further ado, here are my top four angles to try this season;

3rd Person

Using either your ski pole with a handlebar mount, or in the below case, my GoPole, position the camera so that you’re framing yourself, the skis and ideally where you’re heading in the background of the shot. 

SKI Boot POV

 Not the obvious one here, but try strapping your GoPro to your ski boot or lower leg, in this case using a GoPro Chesty mount and capturing the pistes from the Ski’s perspective. This angle works particularly well when going through powder or with flick ups of snow. It gives the shot that sense of speed and energy.

Reverse helmet POV

Surely the whole point of skiing it to wear your pair of iridescent lensed Oakley goggles no? For those groups shots at the top of the lifts, on the chairlifts or at the restaurant enjoying the sun, get a group selfie by using the GoPro 3 way, or GoPole Arm in this case, to capture those groupies from a new perspective. 

The Chesty

Its your stablemate, can’t go wrong angle. Beware though, your typical chesty shot taken on the slopes will be pretty dull unless there’s something in the foreground to give the shot perspective. Whether that be your hands, or skies in deep powder as you crouch over, experiment with getting that true POV shot. My particular favourite is leaving the restaurant into the white out – it really captured the atmosphere.

With all four of these switch to time-lapse mode and away you go! 1 every 0.5 seconds ideally. These all do require various mounts so head to Amazon for a browse. 

Got anymore, any better? Hit me up at agravityman@gmail.com and i’ll add them to the article with credits – don’t forget your explanation. 

Peace out.

Categories
Mountain Biking

It’s been a while Llandegla

Headed back to Llandegal with Jamie Hewitt for the first time in 2 years. Last time I was there I was taken away in an Ambulance and spent the next 3 months trying to get my brain to work properly again – severe concussion, and yes I was wearing a helmet but rocks work in mysterious ways. 

Anyway its been a while, and it was good to be back. Llandegla is a fair play kind of trail centre; it pays you back for the climbs handsomely. The first proper descent section follows a fairly dull but pretty climb up that lasts about 30 minutes. This time round following the recent rain, allowed amble time for Jamie and I to capture various puddle wheelies with the GoPro’s – take a look!

“Heavy rain threaten yesterday’s ride round #Llandegla, leaving puddle plagued trails. So Go big or Go home i said to @orihe – I think you can work out what his answer was. 💪🏻”

Following that you head down a number of sections, the best being the black graded off shoot, which heads into some very fast and very dark trails. Keep your eyes wide open and your senses sharp and you’ll have a cracking time heading down. If you don’t, say hello to trees.

Onwards to the second best bit, now 2/3rds round, you start it by riding a long north shore section which Jamie and I decided to pause and spend the next 30 minutes taking shots. It was well lit and pending where you put the GoPro’s made for some cool point of views. After the prolonged Instabanger session, we continue down, and then down a bit further, over drops, pumping jumps and railing berms. This part of the trail gives as good as it gets. 

“Last weekend hunting down @orihe at #Llandegla – this is one of the best descents on the trail as we head downwards for a good KM at least.”

So 2 years later, Llandegla, still worth a visit? Absolutely, and if you like your trails fast, techy yet flowing you’ve come to the right place. Did I also mention it’s awesome bike park too? No? Maybe next time…

Check out Jamie’s Instagram feed for more awesome shots! Image 1 & 3 are his in this piece.