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GoPro Hero3

n5lp

fugio ergo sum
I am new to the GoPro scene. I received my 3 this week and did a quick and dirty test. Using the included mounting hardware I stuck it to the front of back part of the tip-up canopy frame.

IMG_0635.jpg

This was without any thought at all and of course the vibration was too much most all the time. A few Gs would smooth it out though. The vibration issue will be easy to cure with a brace and wire or maybe just a velcro mount.

GoProShot.jpg


When I looked into the difficulties of editing software that can take GoPro files and when I considered the already known difficulties of finding legally usable music, I looked at the still photo in a new way. The photo above isn't even a true frame capture, it is a screen capture that I got by pausing the video and using the Mac screen capture utility. With all that I think the quality is pretty amazing. The GoPro3 has many options and I am thinking that some of the sequential still photo options may get very nice results.

When I put the above photo on Facebook a friend said "Were you flying upside down and taking your own picture at the same time? Well sort of.

IMG_0638.jpg
 
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Looking forward to getting mine. Only due to arrive first week in December:(. Hope to be able to make some nice videos of our future family trips in the RV10. Can't wait to see your results once you get the mount supported properly.
 
Im also looking into getting one of these. I see on the Gopro site they have 3 models white, silver and black. The black model looks to be the best one out so far. Now with wifi, I just hope they will soon sell a filter to remove the prop wobble in HD.
 
I've had an original Gopro that I love. Just purchased a HERO3 silver, but it arrived DOA. Ugh. Got to deal with returning it - hopefully I can just drop it off, they are apparently about a mile from my house.

Kevin
 
Thanks for the Pirep Larry. Any chance you could shoot and post some 12mp stills examples?
 
Mount picture

Here is a picture of one of my mounts for my Hero2. Works pretty good and solid. I dont trust the stick ons or suction mount outside the aircraft.

IMG_1022.jpg
 
Is that the standard gopro mount? almost looks billet.
Also, what length screws did you use there on the plate to the wingtip?
looks awesome.

Here is a picture of one of my mounts for my Hero2. Works pretty good and solid. I dont trust the stick ons or suction mount outside the aircraft.

IMG_1022.jpg
 
Thanks for the Pirep Larry. Any chance you could shoot and post some 12mp stills examples?

Here you go Ed.

Sample Stills

I just walked up and down the block. These are straight from the camera with no straightening (obviously) cropping or other modifications. Some are in cirrus filtered direct sunlight and some are in complete shadow. The closest subjects are around a foot away. Seems to get pretty soft that close.

This gave me ideas for uses of this camera that I hadn't thought of before.
 
After market mount

Is that the standard gopro mount? almost looks billet.
Also, what length screws did you use there on the plate to the wingtip?
looks awesome.

They are after market. Yes they are both billet. One is straight other is 90 degree mount. One I got off of ebay the other I dont recall where I got from. Just did a google search for GoPro mounts. They are very solid, GoPro case would break before they do. Dont remember length of screw, longer than tip screws for sure.
 
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GoPro Hero3 advice

Just tried out my new camera mounted on the inst panel shooting through the front windshield. Pictures great but prop spinning kinda wrecks the video..Is there a setting on the camera that will get rid of the prop turning in the picture?

If not it appears that for best results the camera would need to be mounted so it is not shooting through the prop. Any suggestions?
 
Just tried out my new camera mounted on the inst panel shooting through the front windshield. Pictures great but prop spinning kinda wrecks the video..Is there a setting on the camera that will get rid of the prop turning in the picture?

If not it appears that for best results the camera would need to be mounted so it is not shooting through the prop. Any suggestions?

Two answers:

For the prop turning, you can use one of the 60fps modes to decrease the effect.

For shooting locations, I've tried a few:
  • Cabin facing in towards the occupants (passengers seem to really like this)
  • Tail just in front of the tie down. I really like this view and no adverse aerodynamic effects.
  • Wing tip. Would not recommend - about a 1/4 ball of rudder needed to keep the plane straight.
  • Inboard wing using a fuel tank screw. This is my favorite way to get a forward facing 'upright' view. No prop problems.
 
I want one! A Hero 3 that is!

My drift has been psuedo reliable at best...

Please pardon the thread drift but maybe this will be useful for Drift users---

My Drift HD170 has problems if using the standard battery. The battery adapter doesn't fit tight enough to prevent the battery from vibrating and losing electrical contact.

The solution is to use the long-life battery that doesn't use the adapter. It fits in the compartment tightly and makes the camera very reliable.
 
The stick on mounts are more secure than you think. We have a P-51 here that has a few of them stuck on and they have all held up at 300 knots and aerobatics +4Gs.

I've had em stuck all over a Cessna and a Starduster Too, and none have fallen off with good surface prep using alcohol.
 
Two answers:

For the prop turning, you can use one of the 60fps modes to decrease the effect.

For shooting locations, I've tried a few:
  • Cabin facing in towards the occupants (passengers seem to really like this)
  • Tail just in front of the tie down. I really like this view and no adverse aerodynamic effects.
  • Wing tip. Would not recommend - about a 1/4 ball of rudder needed to keep the plane straight.
  • Inboard wing using a fuel tank screw. This is my favorite way to get a forward facing 'upright' view. No prop problems.

You could try a camera lense filter like a Neutral Density ND4. Now that the lense is rectangle in shape and removable, see if you can make one fit.
 
No screwing on either one

The stick on mounts are more secure than you think. We have a P-51 here that has a few of them stuck on and they have all held up at 300 knots and aerobatics +4Gs.

I've had em stuck all over a Cessna and a Starduster Too, and none have fallen off with good surface prep using alcohol.

Yup it is all you need.

I have done both Drift HD and the Gopro. I use the stick on mounts. We have lost on a fiberglass wing.

Check out my Vids on Youtube under jws39. I have a gopro mount under wing and rear cabin wall. Drift on the top or the tail.
 
I spoke to the folks at a company called Airborne Sensor LLC at the AOPA Summit recently. They have a GoPro mount/housing called Eagle360 that will allow the user to install up to 4 GoPros all pointed in different directions in the housing. They are in the process of getting an STC that woll allow their product to be used on ceritfied aircraft. May be in interesting solution for some of the folks that are interested in using GoPros on the exterior of their aircraft and put some additional margin of safety in the installation.


www.airbornesensor.com
http://www.airbornesensor.com/Eagle360.html
http://www.airbornesensor.com/Use.html

I do not have any association with these folks beyond my conversation with them at the Summit.
 
Made this mount for the RV-8. Attachment is the four inboard #6 screws on the gear leg clamp cover plate. I was shooting inflight video back when we had to chisel stone tablets ;), thus the swivel mount for a tube camera. However, the base bolt is 1/4" coarse thread, so the $7 GoPro tripod mount is going to bolt right on later.

The inboard belly location is to shoot yarn tufts at the cowl exit.

102joyh.jpg
 
Larry, On the Mac the older QuickTime7 has some nice features missing in QTX. Export frame, and the ability to create a movie from a sequence of images. Great for creating time lapse.

For video editing I recommend Final Cut X. It's on the app store. Less than $300 now. Used to be $1K+. Learning curve a little steep, but worth it. Great tutorials on youtube.
 
...For video editing I recommend Final Cut X. It's on the app store. Less than $300 now. Used to be $1K+. Learning curve a little steep, but worth it. Great tutorials on youtube.

I've been looking at Final Cut but wow, three months hangar rent and so many great videos are being made now I think I would be spending money just to embarrass myself.
 
Here you go Ed.

Sample Stills

I just walked up and down the block. These are straight from the camera with no straightening (obviously) cropping or other modifications. Some are in cirrus filtered direct sunlight and some are in complete shadow. The closest subjects are around a foot away. Seems to get pretty soft that close.

This gave me ideas for uses of this camera that I hadn't thought of before.

Thanks for the samples Larry - appreciate you taking the time to shoot and post them.:)
 
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