Selecting a Video Recorder

[BlackRockBigfoot]

2 hours ago, wiiawiwb said:

Today, I received a new 256GB SD micro (the latest and greatest) that was tauted by a few folks on YouTube who are GoPro gurus.  I've been testing my GoPro with a 64GB micro from the same company.  When I recorded a few videos today(6) with the new SD card, every video was shaky. It was as though the Hypersmooth 4.0 didn't exist. Maybe it was a bad SD micro chip. I don't know. What I do know is it is isn't worth a hoot.

 

This is the classic concern of those like me who are not digitally astute. You happily pay extra for something to keep you out of trouble. It is supposed to be the latest and the greatest yet it doesn't work well and you now have to figure a work around.  Beats me.

 

Plan B.

What class is your sd card?  The read/write speed may not be capable of handling that quality of recording.

[wiiawiwb]

The one that is working fine is a SanDisk Extreme (top), which came with the camera, while the one that is acting weird is a Sandisk Extreme Pro (bottom) bought separately. The only thing I did different was to format the Extreme Pro through GoPro before using whereas the Extreme (top) was used right out of the box.

 

 

 

Edited September 29, 2021 by wiiawiwb

[BlackRockBigfoot]

8 hours ago, wiiawiwb said:

The one that is working fine is a SanDisk Extreme (top), which came with the camera, while the one that is acting weird is a Sandisk Extreme Pro (bottom) bought separately. The only thing I did different was to format the Extreme Pro through GoPro before using whereas the Extreme (top) was used right out of the box.

 

 

 

Where did you get the defective one?  Lots of counterfeit as cards out there unfortunately.  
 

Also, some devices have a max on the GB that it is able to handle.  I would expect a new model GoPro to easily handle a 256 go card though.

[Catmandoo]

^^^ Ditto.

Check the back of the cards for a serial number / production date.  Counterfeit units may be blank.

Review formatting.  Both cards should be 'exFAT'.

What is the card preparation procedure for your GoPro model in the way of formatting the card and then inserting in the camera for an "initialize" procedure before use?

[wiiawiwb]

By sheer luck, I figured out what was happening.  With the 64GB card, the last dozen videos were shot at 30 frames per second. I set the shutter speed at 1/60 and the videos were coming out looking good. When I put in the new 256GB card, I shot 7 videos using the 1/60 shutter speed and all were horrible.

 

This afternoon, I was fiddling around with the settings and unknowingly changed the shutter speed to "Auto" rather than 1/60. Bingo! I can't explain the reason but all 6 videos turned out beautifully. Why the Sandisk Extreme gladly accepted 1/60 shutter speed and produced nice videos while the Sandisk Extreme Pro revolted against it remains a mystery.

 

In the end, there are now three video settings I have that will all do well.

 

Thanks for your help with this!!

Edited September 29, 2021 by wiiawiwb

[wiiawiwb]

I do have a question about what is more important for sasquatching---is it resolution or FPS?  My guess is the most likely scenario would be a sasquatch darting across a trail or quickly moving back into the forest.  If I increase the FPS, the video could be shown in slow motion which might present important information.  However, does resolution prevail and should we always opt for the highest resolution?

 

Two standard settings I've programmed in are 5.3k @ 60FPS  and 4k @ 120FPS.

 

If you could have only one shot at a saquatch dashing by, which of those two settings would you prefer to be using?

[hiflier]

Depends on the amount of heat buildup a unit will tolerate before it's auto shutoff safety feature kicks in vs. the amount of time one wishes to have the camera on. My understanding is that it gets riskier at 5.3K? But for me, if I had the choice with the Hero 10, I would go for 4K @ 120 with, say, a decent hindsight feature setting?

[wiiawiwb]

Now that I'm comfortable with the settings, I'll set it for the 4k/120 with a 15 second hindsight and evaluate the heat build up time frame along with how quickly batteries are drained. If the heat build up requires it be shut down to cool off for a while, that's ok. Having hindsight available even for 1/3 of the time would be a good thing.

 

The battery can get pretty warm. Maybe I can remove the battery from the outset and run the unit by means of a cable from a power bank directly into the GoPro with the door slightly ajar. It might help keep the unit cooler for a longer period. That or get a door that has the opening for the cable already made.

Edited September 30, 2021 by wiiawiwb

[Catmandoo]

6 hours ago, wiiawiwb said:

If you could have only one shot at a saquatch dashing by, which of those two settings would you prefer to be using?

 

Maybe neither. Field testing is needed. One needs electrons and photons in that order. High resolution images require a lot of power. High FPS rates require a lot of daylight. A dark forest environment is difficult to deal with.  Then there is the mount: tripod,

helmet, backpack, chestpack and handheld are factors for image stability.  You have the Hero10 with new whizz-bang features: new processor, stabilization and low light performance. Ever notice that the demo videos seem to be made at solar noon?

We will be waiting to learn of your field tests. 

 

3 hours ago, wiiawiwb said:

Maybe I can remove the battery from the outset and run the unit by means of a cable from a power bank directly into the GoPro with the door slightly ajar. It might help keep the unit cooler for a longer period. That or get a door that has the opening for the cable already made.

Edited 2 hours ago by wiiawiwb

 

Not yet. Removing a battery greatly reduces the heat that is transferred to the camera electronics. For unknown reasons, no one has hacked ( made a dummy battery with power leads going outside ) the battery compartment so you have to have a battery installed. The add on-power supplies hook into the battery with a USB type connector. The add-on housings makes for a larger case but claims of 'all day power' are made. The camera is no longer waterproof.

 

Weekend is coming. GoPro10 time for you.  Good luck.