Review: GoPro Hero3+ Black Edition Camera

The Most Fun Camera With Serious Ability
When I was a kid, I remember having so much fun with a small Polaroid camera.  Saving and instantly printing snapshots of life was awesome.  Digital cameras were fun when they first came out and then cameras included on our phones became the norm, but nothing compares to a GoPro, it is simply the most fun camera with serious ability to take amazing photos. 
It is the most fun because it is the most versatile camera.  Videos, stills, bursts, time lapses all in a super small yet powerful package.  If it was just the camera it would only go so far, but the waterproof cases and mounts are what really transform this camera into a joy ride.  The Hero3+ Black Edition is their newest and most powerful camera yet.  It comes with a WiFi remote included in the package as well as some basic mounts.  You can buy additional mounts to wear it or place just about anywhere imaginable.  I even have a mount for a DJI Phatom quadcopter for aerial photos and videos.

 

The camera specs are very powerful.  It can even shoot 4K video which is really impressive, as well as 12mp still shots in a variety of modes.  The frames per second are really great too so you can get that perfect action shot right at the perfect moment.  If you use a burst of pictures you can really capture the swing in sequence.  Because of all the mounts and interesting ways of holding or mounting the camera, you can capture golf action shots in a totally new and unique way.

The camera can function right side up or upside down depending on the mount and location.  You can select from lower resolution settings to higher settings depending on the use.  It is all stored on a micro SD card that can either be read via a USB cable or a card reading adapter for you computer.  The menu offers plenty of options to fit your picture needs.

Taking pictures is really easy with 3 different methods.  You can either point and shoot with the press of the shutter button, or you can connect it to the included WiFi remote and use it to take pictures of yourself or others remotely or you can connect it to the app and actually see Point Of View and tap your phone when the shot is just right.  While it doesn’t come with an LCD screen like most cameras, you can either buy an add on one, use the app or just learn what it is pointing at.

One thing that many people like about the GoPro is its very wide angle lens.  You can hold the camera very close to your subject and still get it entirely in the frame.  For the selfie lover, this camera is king, at arms length, you can get your entire body and background, yet still feel like the star of the picture.  The wide angle lens offers really great shots so that you don’t have to back up to get a better shot, most the time you can move closer.

The only slight negative that I have found is the battery life.  If you use this camera paired with the iPhone app in WiFi mode, it seems like the battery dies very quickly (not even 18 holes), even if you turn the power off, the WiFi is on, unless you turn that off separate.  I got a second battery right away because I knew I would be using it heavily and often times all day long with out a recharge.  At $20 I highly recommend picking up a spare battery.

I honestly feel like I haven’t even scratched the surface yet with the GoPro Hero3+ Black Edition Camera.  There are so many more ideas I have and look forward to using for future reviews.  Close ups, different angles, videos, stills, bursts; this camera is so much fun, but yet offers seriously good quality pictures for golf.

For more information: www.gopro.com

Quick Hits:
+Amazing angles
+Incredible quality
+So many uses
+Creative videos
+Just plain fun

-Short battery life on WiFi