GoPro or Garmin

rokt

I quite like the idea of getting a little video camera, not only to use out on the bike
(on & off road) but to use while climbing. Can anyone recommend one ?

bendertherobot

Garmin doesn't do 60fps whereas the (more expensive) GoPro does. So if you want that, only choice.

Garmin Elite has, I think, a nice GPS overlay option so you get speed, tracks etc on your video, that's quite nice.

Quality wise, pretty much the same.

I have a GoPro but, if I hadn't, and the Virb Elite had been round at £120 (as if often is) then I'd have gone for that.

At normal prices I think the Go Pro Hero 3 Silver Plus has the edge.

markhewitt1978

I've often thought about a camera but then I remind myself that I'm not even interested in watching my rides nevermind anyone else.

roubaixtom

I picked up the GoPro Hero, the basic £99 camera they released end of last year. I got it for £87 with platinum wiggle discount. Such a good camera for the price, 1080p at 30fps and 720 at 60fps. Unless you want 4k, go for this little camera. As its cheap, if it breaks, buy another.

bendertherobot

Roubaixtom wrote:

I picked up the GoPro Hero, the basic £99 camera they released end of last year. I got it for £87 with platinum wiggle discount. Such a good camera for the price, 1080p at 30fps and 720 at 60fps. Unless you want 4k, go for this little camera. As its cheap, if it breaks, buy another.

Yes. But it has drawbacks. With the more expensive Wifi GoPro I can set the settings via the App. Much easier than pressing the buttons on the camera. And, using the App, I can see if I've positioned it correctly on the bars because it has video feed. Very useful.

And, of course, the basic one can't be removed from it's case. Which could be a drawback.

wongataa

bendertherobot wrote:

Garmin doesn't do 60fps whereas the (more expensive) GoPro does. So if you want that, only choice.

The Garmin does 60 fps at 720p but not at 1080p.

meanredspider

I have the Hero3 Black Ed. I used to have a simpler version but the mount on my bike broke, it fell on the road and the case and camera disintegrated. I finally persuaded GoPro to offer me a 50% discount on the 3 BE. Honestly, though, I wished I'd gone for a simpler camera. Even at 1080, you end up with huge files (GoPro chops up the footage into smaller files) which my Mac grunts to process. 4k would generate humongous files. As for setting the camera up, the field of view is so wide (even on the narrower settings), worrying about where it's pointed isn't an issue (if it were a person, it could see its own ears). I hate the form factor. And, as demonstrated by the failure, the mounts are rubbish.

On the positive side, the remote (or app) is useful if you need to start it remotely (I use it when strapped into my race car on the grid). I use a manfrotto mount to stop the camera wobbling everywhere

To cut a long story short, think about what you really need from the camera before buying as some of the features aren't as useful as you'd think and just make the product more expensive and complex.

markhewitt1978

Is it just me or do all the cameras seem massive? Perhaps the tech isn't quite there yet? When I can put a mobile phone type camera lens on the front of something the size of a Garmin 510 then perhaps.

meanredspider

markhewitt1978 wrote:

Is it just me or do all the cameras seem massive? Perhaps the tech isn't quite there yet? When I can put a mobile phone type camera lens on the front of something the size of a Garmin 510 then perhaps.

Big chunk is the battery. Another chunk is the big lens. In fact, by volume, I'd think a significant part of a GoPro is the plastic case. The camera itself is small and light. I'd think the case pretty much doubles the volume and weight.

markhewitt1978

That's why if you have something which already has a case and a battery, like a Garmin, then adding a camera onto it shouldn't be too big a deal?

meanredspider

markhewitt1978 wrote:

That's why if you have something which already has a case and a battery, like a Garmin, then adding a camera onto it shouldn't be too big a deal?

Yup - I guess not many cyclists want a camera in their computer - i certainly wouldn't. Despite having had a GoPro for around 5 years, I think I've recorded only about 5 rides. And the only one I really wanted (descending from Glenshee Ski Centre on my V at nearly 60mph) I lost because of the later mount failure and loss of the memory card. It's probably the only ride that was properly interesting (especially as I got shimmy at the peak speed :shock: )

dabber

meanredspider wrote:

I lost because of the later mount failure and loss of the memory card.

Out of interest, what actually broke? The slotted bit of the GoPro case or the handlebar mount?

diy

Firstly its very easy to do GPS overlays with any existing GPS and a video. There are lots of options to do this. I use Cyclecam https://sites.google.com/site/verymadmart/cyclecam with my GoPro.

See here for example : https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=rHc_c0jitMA

Second Mac iMovie sucks for HD videos - I use OpenShot and its very easy to use. For example the overlays in these two vids were done with simple open office impress (powerpoint) export to 1080p jpeg and then imported to openshot (in the first one I hadn't exported to 1080p so the graphics are a bit zx81):
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=c9Ue71qqOS4
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=WElIDKxmyQo

bendertherobot

wongataa wrote:

bendertherobot wrote:

Garmin doesn't do 60fps whereas the (more expensive) GoPro does. So if you want that, only choice.

The Garmin does 60 fps at 720p but not at 1080p.

Yes. I should have made that clear. I was working at 1080p being the big resolution that most would use.

TBH, there's not a huge difference between 30 and 60fps at 1080p (apart from the file size!)

bendertherobot

Oh, just to add, if you want to take your GoPro in the rapids at Centreparcs, you just can. I think, for the Garmin, you'd need a case.

meanredspider

Dabber wrote:

meanredspider wrote:

I lost because of the later mount failure and loss of the memory card.

Out of interest, what actually broke? The slotted bit of the GoPro case or the handlebar mount?

The black plastic connector. GoPro claimed I'd overtorqued the screw. I asked them what the torque spec was. They said there wasn't one. Go figure.

Several tips.
1. Roughen the mating surfaces of the mounting arms so they don't droop.
2. Always tether the camera - making sure that the tethered camera falls safely and not into a wheel!
3. Should your camera explode on the road, remember to look for the memory card after you've picked up the case, the clip, the camera, the battery and the battery door.... :evil:

tomisitt

There's a very good test of both in the latest issue (March 2015) of Cycling Active. Definitely worth a read.

rudivoller22

bendertherobot wrote:

Oh, just to add, if you want to take your GoPro in the rapids at Centreparcs, you just can. I think, for the Garmin, you'd need a case.

The virb is waterproof as it is I think. DC Rainmaker used one in a swimming pool in his review.

bendertherobot

rudivoller22 wrote:

bendertherobot wrote:

Oh, just to add, if you want to take your GoPro in the rapids at Centreparcs, you just can. I think, for the Garmin, you'd need a case.

The virb is waterproof as it is I think. DC Rainmaker used one in a swimming pool in his review.

IPX7. 1 metre for 30 minutes. You'd probably be safe in a swimming pool. But the GoPro is, obviously, much more waterproof. 60 metres with no limit

NeXXus

Shimano Sport Camera? Tiny, brilliant quality, same mount as a gopro so mounting options are endless.

And waterproof out of the box with no extra £ on cases and boxes... Just swap to the included lense for submersed footage

northpole

I have the Virbe. Bought it for the Maratona last year and got some great clips - and some truly boring ones also!

Be sure to carry at least one spare battery - they tend to be quite heavy on them.

I sometimes wonder if there would be any trade for bike shops/ sportive organisers to offer daily hire of these cameras as in my case they spend 99% of their lives in a drawer, soon to become obsolete!

Peter

meanredspider

For sure - mine probably gets used 5-10 times a year

bendertherobot

Ditto, though I expect to use it a lot more this year on family (beach) holidays.