History of GoPro Hero Cameras
The GoPro series of helmet cameras came out after the originators of this market segment, the Vio POV cameras were being used for extreme sports fanatics. While the Vio was considered a premium camera at a premium price catering to a small niche market. GoPro decided to go the other way and produce a quality camera at a much more affordable price while trimming back some of the higher end features. That turned out to be a good move for GoPro as they have far surpassed the Vio's in terms of sales and helped bring helmet cameras to the masses.
The latest iteration of the popular GoPro Hero series is the GoPro HD Helmet Hero. The outer shell is similar to the previous version, albeit slightly thicker but still comprises of a camera that sits in a waterproof and super tough clear plastic shell.
The major changes are all in the guts of the machine. As per it's nomenclature the GoPro HD Helmet Hero is a HD capable video camera that can shoot 5mp stills. Unlike the previous Gopros that filmed at standard resolution the new GoPro HD's all can shoot at a multitude of HD resolutions and speeds.
New Gopro HD Features
The GoPro HD Helmet Hero features three new HD recording resolutions: 1080p (1980 x 1080), 960p (1280 x 960) and 720p (1280 x 720). At 1080p and 960p resolution video is captured at 30 fps, while at its lowest 720p resolution video can be captured at 60 fps for play back of video in smooth slow motion to easier make out high speed motion so often desired in action sports videos. Even the lowest resolution is as high as the best video captured by many other brands. Videos are encoded using the popular and high quality H.264 video compression format and stored on the standard SDHC memory cards good for up to 32gb of video data. The video quality is so good you can see the individual blades of grass on each side of the trail when riding at full speed.
The new GoPro HD cameras retains the previous versions' popular wide angle 170 degree lens, small size, waterproof case, 5 mega pixel still photo capabilities while upgrading many of the older components under the hood.
GoPro HD Hero Camera Specs At A Glance
1080p = 1920x1080 pixels (16:9), 30 fps, 15 Mbit/s data rate
960p = 1280x960 pixels (4:3), 30 fps, 12 Mbit/s data rate
720p = 1280x720 pixels (16:9), 60 fps, 15 Mbit/s data rate
720p = 1280x720 pixels (16:9), 30 fps, 8 Mbit/s data rate
WVGA = 848x480 pixels (16:9), 60 fps, 8 Mbit/s data rate
Large 1/2.5" HD Cmos sensor
Waterproof camera housing good for up to 160 feet/60 meters depth
5 megapixel sensor
single and burst mode still photo options
H.264 codec, saved as PC & Mac-compatible MPEG4 (.mp4) file
Auto exposure controls with user selectable center weighted average and spot metering settings
Auto white balance
127 to 170 degree wide angle lens
AAC audio, 48khz compression
built in mike with auto gain control
SDHC memory card support up to 32GB for up to 8 Hours of video
Rechargable lithium Ion Battery - Up to 2.5 hours per charge
Charging via USB to computer or optional power adapter
HDTV Out: HD NTSC and PAL, component cable included
Audio Out: Combo 2.5mm jack, includes combo stereo audio and composite video out cable
Full line of mounting accessories
Innovative Hero Bus expansion port accepts LCD and extra battery Bacpacs with more on the way
For more information on the GoPro Hero cameras check out the sig box below.
| Price : $189.99
