Opinions Appreciated About A GoPro Camera On A Game Drive or Other Shore Excursions

[Keith1010]

We are going back on a Safari this Spring. Did one last spring. We used our DSLR cameras for photos and also to take some video.

 

Question........

 

Have any of you used a GoPro on say a safari (game drive) or even on other types of excursions on your travels and if so what is your opinion of it?

 

Keith

Edited August 5, 2014 by Keith1010

[GUT2407]

We are going back on a Safari this Spring. Did one last spring. We used our DSLR cameras for photos and also to take some video.

 

Question........

 

Have any of you used a GoPro on say a safari (game drive) or even on other types of excursions on your travels and if so what is your opinion of it?

 

Keith

 

 

They're a great camera for what they are built for, but the lens is too wide and the small sensor lacks to quality of an SLR.

[GUT2407]

We are going back on a Safari this Spring. Did one last spring. We used our DSLR cameras for photos and also to take some video.

 

Question........

 

Have any of you used a GoPro on say a safari (game drive) or even on other types of excursions on your travels and if so what is your opinion of it?

 

Keith

 

 

They're a great camera for what they are built for, but the lens is too wide and the small sensor lacks to quality of an SLR for something like a Safari.

[Keith1010]

Thank you Gut2407 for your post.

 

Would appreciate any additional comments that others may have.

 

Keith

[peety3]

Most people who go on a safari try to bring the very best telephoto lens they can arrange. Going into a safari with an ultrawide seems quite, um, counterintuitive. (Insert the old adage about taking a knife to a gunfight...)

[TLCOhio]

They're a great camera for what they are built for, but the lens is too wide and the small sensor lacks to quality of an SLR.

 

peety3: Most people who go on a safari try to bring the very best telephoto lens they can arrange. Going into a safari with an ultrawide seems quite' date=' um, counterintuitive. (Insert the old adage about taking a knife to a gunfight...) [/quote']

 

Wonderful, smart original question from super traveler Keith. PLUS, excellent insights and thoughts in the responses from GUT2407 and peety3.

 

Late last year when I got a new Nikon D7100 with a Nikkor 18-140mm VR lens for our Australia-New Zealand-Hawaii travels, I seriously looked at and considered dong something with the GoPro camera. Clearly this camera can do some pretty amazing things at a decent price.

 

BUT, then these realities set in to consider these questions.

 

1. What would I do with the results from this style of video shooting? How do I share and use the results and moving images?

 

2. With the time and effort it takes for doing this type of video, you are missing the focus and attention away from getting good stills, right?

 

Knowing that you have a Nikon D7100, like me, that camera gives us both a chance to capture very good quality video, when there are times when it is needed. With our grandsons, they love it when I have some video from riding trains, showing dockside boats being loaded, etc.

 

Great idea and technology with this camera, but how needed and used would it be for you as you travel? Don't think Keith is into those super adventure activities such as surf boarding and bungee jumping. Good thread and interesting concept to consider.

 

THANKS! Enjoy! Terry in Ohio

 

Back from doing a 14-day Celebrity Solstice, Jan. 20-Feb. 3, 2014, Sydney to Auckland adventure on this ship and getting a big sampling for the wonders of "down under” before and after this cruise. Go to:

http://boards.cruisecritic.com/showthread.php?t=1974139

for much more information and lots of wonderful pictures on these amazing sights in this great part of the world. Now at 70,713 views for this fun posting.

[shootr]

As others have said, single animals at any distance except within 20'-40' of your vehicle won't be best filmed with a GoPro, but running herds might be quite amazing.

 

What you might consider also is using it for "B" roll shots:

 

People mounting up and getting ready to go

 

People expressions as exciting things happen

 

Ground level shots of tires or hooves (I honestly don't know what the mode of transportation is in this activity) as ground is covered at speed

 

Sweeping side to side pans of the horizon with sky features

 

Use the footage to help personalize the trip, interspersed with other footage from other camera's that may allow more intimate views of distant animals.

 

I sure wouldn't leave it at home - I have a mount on the end of my hiking staff for mine, so it goes on hikes and walks with me all the time, yet is still unobtrusive to have at the ready. Being able to raise it a few feet over my head can really change the perspective of a normal shot and make it into something unique.

 

Sounds like a great trip - I sure hope you feel like posting the end result because that's going to be amazing.

 

EDIT: As far as stills, if you shoot at 1080/60fps in bright sunlight, you will be impressed with some of the individual frames you will be able to pull from the video - almost like a backup still camera shooting 60fps! Not anything you could blow up to a poster, but a decent backup to a missed shot from another camera.

 

EDIT EDIT: Also by shooting at 1080/60 you can speed up the footage, slow it down some - and add interest to a full video project that way too. Gentle fades from family member to family member to establish the "cast". Time lapse speed up of everyone hurrying to get aboard or heading out to the action, etc.

Edited August 7, 2014 by shootr