Tom Moungovan Wrote:
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> Hope this isn't too far off topic....
>
> I have been considering the purchase of a GoPro
> camera, but know very little about them. Today's
> web search was of little help. What I am looking
> for is a model that I can clamp or attach to
> moving objects and acquire movie sequences.
Clamps and mounts are accessories for GoPro and other brands of cameras. Some come with the kit, while others have to be purchased or manufactured separately. As with most things in life, you get what you pay for. A cheaper mount or clamp will have tendency to vibrate the video shot, or come loose and fall off. Some vibrations and movement can be edited in post processing, but the better the root video files, the better the final product.
>
> What I have seen, and greatly admire, are the very
> wide-angle effects that are possible. Do all
> models have this same lens? I assume that the
> camera uses a card to store information and that
> this can then be converted to a DVD. That
> correct?
I am not sure about the lens, I would assume there is a spec page on go pro cams that gives you an exact mm. I believe 55mm is comparable to the human eye field of vision.
As for video files, this camera is like most digital video cameras. It will record "raw" video files to a flash drive, which can be edited by a separate program later to create a film. On the GoPro website you can currently download the GoPro Desktop, and the GoPro Studio for organizing and editing video. I do not know if it can make a DVD playable in most DVD players, but I bet it could. As for making a DVD or BluRay with a menu and selections, there are several programs out there that can do this for any price from free to expensive.
>
> If anyone has any personal experience with these,
> I greatly appreciate any help/advice. I guess
> that the narrow gauge link here is a 600mm private
> steam operation in WI that I have been invited to
> visit on Labor Day.
GoPro cameras are great for recording video in "rough" situations, but still are not the "perfect" camera (I dont know if this will ever exist). If, for example, you were to mount your camera to a side rod on an engine; at slow speeds would be neat video that was clear enough to see and produce. At high speeds, it still would be blurry or pixelated. GoPro type cameras are best for this scenario because of the ruggedness and the resistance against nature. Do Not get a HDD (hard disc drive) camera and try to do any extreme movements. I had one that would stop recording if the tripod was too close to the railroad tracks when a train went by. There are sensors to feel vibration on the discs and if they sense it, the camera automatically shuts down to save the disc from damage.
>
> Thanks for any help.
I hope this helps any
And you're welcome
Casey
