Monday, January 11, 2010

Surf video camera



While thumbing through a confiscated Surfer magazine (yes, kids still try to bring these things into the classroom) I noticed an ad for a new "surf cam" from GoPro.com Prices seem reasonable: standard definition wide angle lens for US$160 and a High Def version for US$300. The videos on the website show lots of options: helmet cams, bow and stern mounted cams (and I'm sure it would be easy to do the masthead mount.)

So what are folks using to produce foiling videos?

3 comments:

Karl said...

The Hero is pretty popular. ATC from Oregon Scientific is OK too. Go for the widest angle you can get.

Geoff said...

Joe,

I have just started Mothing and have been using the Oregon Scientific ATC-3K on a Gath helmet.

http://www.gathsports.com/products.php?cat=2

Its field of view is approximately equivalent to a 28mm lens on a APS-C sensor size camera.

Wearing it on the helmet I occassionally catch it on lines when I capsize despite its compact form. As such, I think the Hero would be worse if mounted to a helmet.

Mounting the camera to the mast head will give a decent field of view. If you wanted any other angle I think you would have to mount it on an extension tube to get a large enough field of view.

Unknown said...

I've used the helmet hero wide a lot as headcam and mounted on the boat. Quality is good but battery life is poor if recording video. Would suggest rather than their HD surf one that a rugged compact would be the way to go - I have the toughened waterproof Panasonic Lumix which records HD but I haven't used it on the boat yet...