[MikeA]

So I bought a GoPro HERO3 White Edition from GoPro's official website last week. So I went for a ride around my neighborhood area to get a quick short video to check the quality. I recorded it in 720p 30fps, but it generally sucks in my opinion. Check out the video below, it looks the same pre-rendered, so it's not Sony vegas or YouTube making it bad.

(Ignore the bad driving and non-stopping at stop signs The roads in the area I live in are pretty empty since we're 15 miles outside the city)

The picture quality (single snapshots) are crystal clear, but the video capture seriously seems bad. I expected a lot more out of a $200 GoPro :/ In the video it looks like it's not even getting the full 30fps.

I set it to 1080p, so I'm going to test that out tomorrow to see if that helps the quality any. Any suggestions on how to make it better? Is there something I'm missing?

 

[ghost3772]

Thats odd, it really does suck. Maybe bc its not on 1080p...? thats my only guess... I see youtube vids way better than this.

Is this the HD model? maybe most people are using the HD model and thats what makes it look better?

I'm thinking its the 1080p problem, but who knows. let us know if ya figure it out!

 

[Dent04]

That model was made more for action sports like skateboarding, snowboarding, bmx riding, and skating where the center focal point is the main concern on the camera and the edges typically lack quality. If you want to race around the block or a track and have someone stand on a corner and film you driving by the camera would probably work remarkably well under those circumstances. But if your driving around filming things like in your video where there really isn't a focal point, you notice the exterior edges lack quality. It's a good camera, just bought the wrong one for your situation I think. Sorry :/

 

[MikeA]

That model was made more for action sports like skateboarding, snowboarding, bmx riding, and skating where the center focal point is the main concern on the camera and the edges typically lack quality. If you want to race around the block or a track and have someone stand on a corner and film you driving by the camera would probably work remarkably well under those circumstances. But if your driving around filming things like in your video where there really isn't a focal point, you notice the exterior edges lack quality. It's a good camera, just bought the wrong one for your situation I think. Sorry :/

I see, I guess I'll have to work my way up to a black edition

 

[Rick]

ummm just a quick question but were you NOT recording on 720p? because youtube is only giving me an option to watch in 480... and for what it is, it is NOT horrible...

 

[phrenetiK]

it looks like you uploaded it or rendered it wrong in sony vegas.

in sony vegas the pre render ALWAYS looks bad. make sure you are rendering at the correct level.

also the gopro white is not very good. you would have been better off getting a used gopro hero 2 for 160 and get much better picture quality.

 

[Rick]

it looks like you uploaded it or rendered it wrong in sony vegas.

in sony vegas the pre render ALWAYS looks bad. make sure you are rendering at the correct level.

also the gopro white is not very good. you would have been better off getting a used gopro hero 2 for 160 and get much better picture quality.

no no no he says he bought a hero 3 white edition... BUT he either didn't record in HD or didn't upload it because youtube is only offering me a maximum of 480p for his video...

 

[phrenetiK]

yes...did you see what i said about how he rendered it...?

if he rendered a 720p video in 480p on low settings it would come out like this...

however the gopro white edition is worse quality than a gopro 2 hd and more expensive.

 

[Rick]

yes...did you see what i said about how he rendered it...?

if he rendered a 720p video in 480p on low settings it would come out like this...

however the gopro white edition is worse quality than a gopro 2 hd and more expensive.

ok makes sense now i just woke up

either way youtube itself only offers up to 480p when he claims 720p native

 

[This Girl Rides]

I'm gonna have to go with PhrenetiK on how it could have been rendered wrong.

Maybe you could go back and retrace your steps to make sure everything was setup right?

 

[MikeA]

Well, even though it is 35 degrees and nearly snowing I went out to test the quality on 1080p I took a screenshot from each video, that's the best comparison I can do really since I didn't want to upload the huge 1080p file :/

720p: http://i.imgur.com/RgGxz.png
1080p: http://i.imgur.com/GT5Q3.jpg

Huge difference, there's no FPS drop either. Bought a helmet mount yesterday, so hopefully it works well when it's constantly moving