GoPro was inside the HD action sports and helmet cam game for a while now, with its Hero line proving a preferred sight atop many a daredevil’s lid. Now, you may add HD Hero 2 ($300) to the ever growing list of options now, as here is the newest (they usually say greatest) incarnation up to now. Last time we tested the Hero Original — as it’s now called — against the Contour HD , but now we’re pitting new against old, like for like, side by side. Not just do we discover how the brand new boy stands up against the camera it effectively usurps, we’ll also see the way it fares out inside the field. Chiefly, we’ll see whether a smattering of recent recording options, and a supposedly “twice sharper” image make it well worth the extra dollars.
Hardware
While you unbox the Hero 2, you will be greeted by lots of the same accoutrements as before. The packaging is identical Perspex-crowned cardboard box, the camera pride of place, while all of the accessories are tucked away down below. The kit you get depends upon which edition you purchase, with three available at launch: Outdoor, Motorsports and Surf. We’ve been testing the Outdoor set, that’s little greater than a brand new name for what was previously generally known as the Helmet Hero.
Within the box are four adhesive mount clips, an elasticated head mount, a padded helmet mount, three pivot arms, a water-proof case, a non-waterproof case door (for better audio), a battery and naturally the camera. All very familiar should you own any GoPro gear, loads in order that the brand new camera itself is nearly identical too. There are subtle differences within the size of the recording LEDs, HDMI port, 3.5 Mic input and naturally the product name emblazoned at the front, but apart from that they are identical, meaning that their cases are interchangeable also.
What’s new with the HD Hero 2 is what is going on beneath that unassuming little case. Consistent with GoPro, the Hero 2 is 2 times as powerful in every way. Meaning “twice sharper image” (however that’s measured); 11MP Photos, up from the original’s five; ten photos per second, up from three; time lapse right down to 0.5 second increments, previously 1 second; max fps 120, up from 60; and 170 degrees FOV each of the way as much as 1080p, previously 170 stopped at 960p, dropping to 127 degrees at full resolution. Fortunately you will not be expected to pay double price for all this additional spec, but more on that later.
Mounting
Accessory-wise, the pivot arms are there to will let you position the HD Hero 2 in a variety of different positions, but they’re somewhat fiddly, and limited within the selection of angles. You may have enough to get the camera extended, faraway from helmet obstructions, and alter the mounting angle must you want to. As before, the adhesive clips cling to anything with vigor; for this reason you need to be committed to whatever you’re sticking it to. In an effort to film your friend snowboarding, pray that she doesn’t mind you slapping this kind of on her board, as it will become there almost permanently.
Sometimes clipping the camera inside and out of those mounts may be difficult, especially if space is restricted, or your fingers are gloved / wet / cold, that can be ordinarily considering here’s an action sports device. Likewise, the pivot arms are screwed in place, and the little plastic screw heads would be extremely difficult to loosen manually with weather beaten fingers, mercifully the caps have an exposed Philips-head screw, so that you can get a screwdriver in to do the job when your fleshy digits fail.
The tie-up helmet mount pad is excellent for those lids with air vents, and means you do not have to take advantage of up certainly one of your four adhesive clips, however does leave itself more open to loosening or coming undone, so a bit of of a trade off. The pinnacle-mount makes you’re feeling wonderfully self-conscious whenever you adorn it, like some form of techno-miner, but it’s fairly comfortable and practical, that is by far the key thing here.
In use
Once you’ve worked out how you’re mounting it, the remainder of the set-up is a cinch. Like its elder sibling, the front button controls power and cycles through menu options, while the top button selects, and of course, sets the camera rolling. Once again you have to contend with a tiny LCD screen for navigating through menus, but the interface is a little more friendly than before, with slightly clearer icons and text replacing the calculator-esque codes of before.
Kicking off basic filming is easy: simply select movie mode and press go. Once you’re rolling the camera beeps and red LEDs on the front and top flash to let you know it’s still going. The previous model suffered from not beeping loud enough to be heard over engine noise, and it’s still the case with the Hero 2, meaning you aren’t always sure it’s shooting unless you can physically see it. Annoyingly, there is still no way of viewing what you’ve just shot until you either get home and upload it, or buy a the BacPac accessory at an extra cost. As a middle ground, if you have an iPad with a camera kit, the GoPro files play back just fine right off the bat. Other tablets should also handle them without a problem.
The resolutions available are the same as on the HD Hero Original, just with more frame rate options and FOV angles, conspiring expand the number of stylistic possibilities. For example, WVGA mode can now be shot at 60 and 120fps; 720p has three FOV options: 90, 127 and 170 unlike before where you just had the wide 170 setting; 960p gets a 48fps setting and up at the top 1080p again the two additional FOVs are now available.
The 1,100 mAh battery should see you through a good 2.5 hours of use according to its claims and in our tests it barely registered a loss of over half on the indicator while out and about, shooting regularly. Outputting the video you shot is now possible over HDMI which usurps the component cable offered with the last generation, but you’ll need the lead already, as it’s not supplied in the box like previously.
Video quality
The first thing you’ll notice if you have the luxury of having both cameras is that the HD Hero 2 is noticeably clearer. Many people tend to think in pure numbers: megapixels, resolution and so on, but then forget that a lot of it really depends on the piece of glass the image is coming through. We noticed that images were generally sharper, but this was most visible with more complex textures such as asphalt, grass and so on.
The additional resolution settings and FOV options are more of a luxury than a necessity, but combined with the higher level of sharpness do give the device a more complete and professional feel. Audio still suffers dramatically when inside the waterproof case, and fares mildly better with the more sound-friendly door.
The color balance between the two models is also notably distinct, with the HD Hero 2 reproducing much more authentic tones compared to the Original’s slightly brasher levels. Performance under lower-light levels also seemed to have enjoyed a marked improvement.
There are still times when you can sense that this is ultimately a click-and-go camera. For example, some jaggies are still noticeable at times, and white balance can be a little off on occasion, but all things considered, it generally puts in a solid performance.
The videos below were taken in two very different light situations, but give you a good understanding of how well the camera might perform under different weather conditions. The first was shot on a cloudy winter day about an hour or two prior to sundown and it holds up pretty well.
Next is some on-board (heh!) footage, we took on a brighter day. Pay close attention to the pavement, and you can see that at times definition of the asphalt isn’t always crisp, but given the amount of movement this is forgivable. It’s worth noting that the rocking back and forth is not due to the camera mount, but the rocking of the board it’s attached to. Sudden movements such as this can make the resulting material a little unpleasant to watch, so it’s worth bearing in mind when you consider your mount points.
Wrap-up
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Pound for pound, the HD Hero 2 is a marked improvement, and continues very much in the advancing footsteps of its predecessors. The price is not much more than the Original when that was new at $299.99. That said, some of our gripes remain, and they might be significant enough to change your buying decision depending on your requirements.
The main one, we found, is that the camera itself is quite heavy, especially when cased and mounted. Heavy enough that when you’ve got one slapped on your helmet, you definitely know about it, and sudden head movements can cause you to feel a tip in the balance – somewhat off putting when mid-action.
Likewise, the mounts themselves might lend themselves to larger, smoother surfaces, but if you want to attach it to something less regular, you might struggle. Sure you can buy different mounting kits and tools, but it soon adds up. Not to mention how fiddly it can be to get organize just right too. If you need to change the camera position at the go, you might find yourself missing some of the action. This can all be negated to some degree with the right preparation, but worth considering if prep-time isn’t a luxury that you might have. For the most part, GoPro has improved on what was already a popular product, so we expect newcomers to be pleased, but upgraders might want to consider if there may be enough net benefit.
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