You are starting to read an article in which I intend to gather all the information related to the action cameras in general and to the GoPro cameras in particular.
In this article I am going to solve all your doubts and answer the most frequently asked questions related to GoPro cameras and action cameras in general. From the ideal user to tips for photographing with them, including, of course, recommendations from what GoPro to buy.
If you are looking for information on this type of cameras, this is your site. Make yourself comfortable and take note or save it as a favorite so you don’t lose sight of it, because all this is what we are going to see.
INSIDE THIS ARTICLE… 📖
And if what you are looking for is an original gift for a photographer, here are many more ideas.
What is a GoPro?
A GoPro is a camera for photos and videos with a particularly compact body and extremely light weight. These types of cameras are usually very resistant to shocks and splashes of water, which makes them an ideal camera for action, extreme sports, underwater photography and any other extreme situation.
The term GoPro originally referred to a brand concrete, but nowadays it is also used to designate a type of camera, regardless of its brand.
Who are GoPro cameras for?
If your thing is to get pictures wherever you go and whatever you do, whether you’re in the water, in the air, or skiing at high speed, it’s for you. Although the GoPro is not the only camera model oriented to extreme situations or sports, it is the best known and, probably, the best in its most advanced models.
In fact, GoPros have become the name used for virtually all action cameras. If you hear someone saying that they have bought a GoPro for 20 euros, they have actually bought a cheaper action camera from another brand, then we will go deeper into this topic. But for you to finish situating yourself, saying GoPro to action cameras is like calling clÃnex (Kleenex) to tissue paper, or Nocilla to cocoa cream.
I think the reason why action cameras are so successful is because they are aimed at anyone who likes the style of the images they take. Thanks to its Super Wide Angle lens, you can bring a lot of surroundings into the frame. That allows you to include the protagonists with a good portion of landscape, or to put a good bunch of people within the same image.
In addition, as we will see right away, thanks to its accessories you can create images with points of view, and in situations, that you would not be able to with any other camera. You don’t have to be a fan of the freestyleWhether you like to swim in the summer, ski in the winter or go for a walk in the mountains from time to time, you can already find many uses for these versatile cameras.
Of course, if you are also a fan of adventure sports and want to show how fascinating the environments and situations in which you move, an action camera is your ideal camera, without a doubt.
Now, if such a small size, resistance to shocks or adverse weather are not your priority and what you are looking for is image quality and advanced options, then you will have to look for an advanced compact camera or even an EVIL.
What can you do with an action camera?
I have already told you enough, but to give you ideas and clarify more, here is a list of some of the utilities of the gopro cameras, we are going to call it that since we are among friends, even if we talk about action cameras in general.
- Record a parachute fall, your experience in raftingrappelling, bungee jumping, wingsuit flying or any other extreme sport that ends in -ing (or not), but let your adrenaline rise to obscene levels…
- Capture the sequence of how you surf a wave.
- Immortalize the seabed or, for that matter, the mouth of a shark 😉 .
- Photograph your relaxed bike ride or your descent down the mountain with your Mountain Bike at full speed. Or even on a motorcycle if extreme speed is your thing.
- Capture street scenes at impossible angles without being seen.
- Take the craziest selfies with your friends.
- Place it inside your guitar and record how your fingers strum the strings.
- Put it on the collar, or on the back of your pet and know what it does, where it hides or “how it sees the world”.
- Or know what your baby sees from his stroller while you walk.
- Even, why not? Use it as a spy camera.
In short, everything that you would like to record and/or photograph but cannot do with your reflex, evil or compact camera, surely with an action camera you can.
Features of action cameras
As I have already anticipated in the introduction, GoPro cameras are designed and prepared for extreme scenarios such as snow, water and high-speed sports. Thanks to its small size, its light and waterproof body, and its attachment accessories, it adapts to almost any extreme situation you face.
But… be careful! Not all action cameras are waterproof, although those that are not can be with a waterproof case, that is, a case to submerge them, like the one in the following image.
Since there are different models, it is clear that the specific characteristics vary from one to another, but there are some general ones that apply to all action cameras:
- Size: more or less they move around 6.2 x 4.4 x 3.2 cm.
- Digital lenses: SuperView, Wide Angle, Linear, Narrow in the superior model, and Wide Angle in the most “basic”.
- Very light: all models move around an approximate weight of: 120g.
- Submersible without housing up to 10m and with housing (sold as an accessory) up to 40m.
- Resolution up to 20MP, depending on the model.
- Video recording, some up to 5k.
water resistant
More advanced features of GoPro cameras
In addition to the general features, among the most advanced models you can find these others:
- Touch screen.
- Voice control.
- Video stabilizer.
- GPS.
- Wi-Fi and Bluetooth connectivity.
- Application to edit videos and images and control the camera remotely.
What is the quality of action cameras?
The qualitative leap that these cameras have given in a few years is surprising. From being little more than curious cameras almost toy, to what they have become today. Cameras up to 20MP and recording in 5k, slow motion, with vertigo stabilization, time lapse or night mode, the truth is that the jump is surprising.
Being able to also have a fisheye lens that transforms into different focal styles, touch screen, voice control, GPS, and even being able to work underwater without a housing, all in just over 100g of weight that fit in the palm of a small child’s hand is a joy.
They complement each other through their many accessories, because these cameras are designed not only for you to take pictures by pressing the shutter button, but also to let them work automatically (video, burst) while you are yourself the protagonist of the action.
Thanks to this you can obtain images in circumstances and from unique points of view that would otherwise be impossible. On top of a helmet, on a Snowboard or Surfboard, on the handlebar of a bicycle, on the chest… Can you imagine how many different points of view you can get just thanks to GoPro accessories??
Because, it is not only with the cameras that GoPro has taken the initiative, but, above all, with everything that complements them and allows you to take it anywhere to do anything that comes to mind, above above the clouds or under the sea.
As for image quality, it will obviously depend on the camera. There are from 20 euros to 400, and the difference is obvious, obviously. Some cheap models offer quite decent quality, especially if it is for sharing on social networks. And if we talk about the most advanced GoPro, then they pass the exam with flying colors. Obviously, they will not reach the quality of a SLR of the same price, starting with the size of the sensor, but with a SLR you could never take the photos that you will take with an action camera. As I always say, there is no perfect camera, but the ideal camera for each user.
As a sample of what they are capable of doing, here is a gallery of photos taken with different GoPro models.
Examples of photos taken with a GoPro
Hero3 Hero4 Hero5 Hero6 Hero7 Black Hero8
As an example of the GoPro Hero9 Black, well, I’d better put this video on so you can clear up any doubts about what it can do.
Not bad at all, right?
Tips for photographing and recording with a GoPro
It’s time to see how to take advantage of action cameras, with these tips your photos will be more spectacular and your videos much more interesting:
- Adjust the appropriate settings depending on the type of photos you want to take and the situation. Always check the settings before recording or shooting.
- Clean the lens before you start recording or photographing. It is easy for it to get dirty from fingerprints, dust, or fog. A soft cloth and done.
- Photography with enough light. Since they have a small sensor, photos with light come out much better than when the light is poor. Although during sunrise and sunset you can also achieve impressive photographs.
- Think about what you want to record or photograph and how. Analyzing what you want to capture with the GoPro will save you not only having useless material accumulated, but also thinking about the composition or the quality of your video to obtain better results. Compose your photos or videos just as you would with a mobile or any other camera, in this article you will find composition tips and tricks to achieve impressive photos.
- And speaking of composition, it changes the angle from which you shoot on video. A long video all the time from the same point of view is boring. Change the perspective and the distance, to do this, use the accessories and, of course, your creativity! That’s right, the one that’s free and doesn’t weigh or take up space in your backpack!
- In the water these tips will help you.
- Stabilize the camera. There are a lot of accessories to stabilize your GoPro, all kinds of supports depending on the activity you are doing. Use them as they will give you the stability you need for photos and, above all, for videos.
- Take care of the funds. These cameras stand out for having a great depth of field, so I recommend you locate interesting backgrounds because they are going to be seen yes or yes, here there is no option to blur so much that the background is not distinguishable.
- Record yourself using accessories, such as a selfie stick, tripod or any other (you will see the number of available accessories later). In this way, the angle is better, there are less distortions of the face and, as I have already mentioned, a…