gopro lcd waterproof free sample

GoPro image stabilization has evolved with every generation. The HyperSmooth 2.0 stabilization technology in the HERO8 provides gimbal-like stability without extra equipment. When you combine this innovative feature with a housing that is waterproof up to 33 feet, you have the best waterproof action camera on the market. For deeper dives, add on a waterproof case to go down to depths of 196 feet.

The base uses a built-in system of folding fingers to allow for quick mount changes. It has a smaller design that fits easily into a pocket for safe storage. A lens that is 2x more impact resistant than its predecessors adds to the safety. With available mods that transform your camera into the ultimate vlogger setup, the GoPro HERO8 Black is the waterproof sports camera that satisfies all your video and photography needs.

The Hero+ LCD"s price, on the other hand, does not say "entry level." At $300 in the US and £250 and AU$430 in the UK and Australia, respectively, this is a somewhat pricey camera for the category given what it can do. The $130 (£100, AU$169) Hero model is truly entry level in price and features. That"s a considerable price gap between it and the Hero+ LCD.

That is, as long as you"re willing to put up with the rest of the Hero+ LCD"s design. Like the Hero, this camera is permanently in its rugged housing. Some might find this to be a plus since it means the camera can"t fall out and is always protected. However, since you can"t pull the camera out, if you damage the housing you"re not easily swapping it for a new one. While it can certainly handle a lot of abuse, if you manage to scratch the lens glass, you"re stuck.

With its standard solid plastic backdoor, the housing is waterproof to 131 feet (40 meters). There is also a waterproof touch backdoor that"s good down to 10 feet (3 meters) as well as a skeleton door that lets more sound reach the built-in mic. External mics, by the way, are not supported on this model.

On its own, the video from the Hero+ LCD is very good and stands up to other models priced around $300 such as the Drift Ghost-S and Replay XD Prime X, though only the former has a live-view screen. Sony"s Action Cam Mini with its Live-View Remote is another option and is better in image quality and features, though it"s not as easy to use.

For casual viewing on a smartphone or tablet and posting to YouTube, you likely won"t be disappointed with what you get from the Hero+ LCD. As with most cameras in this category, when viewed at larger sizes you"ll see compression and motion artifacts and details are pretty soft and mushy. These things only get more pronounced when shooting in low light.

It"s pricey for its shooting options and performance, but the GoPro Hero+ LCD is also one of the few action cameras available with a built-in live-view screen. That"s a feature that"s tough to beat, especially if you"re looking to simplify your shooting experience.

The HD HERO also offered an expansion port on the camera"s rear panel, branded the HERO Bus. Optional accessories included the LCD Bakpac, which offered a small monitor that displayed and played back video, and the Battery Bakpac, which doubled the battery life of the camera.

The HERO3+ camera models claim dramatically improved low light performance and have a waterproof enclosure which is 20% lighter and 15% smaller than the HERO3"s, according to the GoPro website. The HERO3+ camera housing is 20% smaller than the HERO3. The cameras are claimed to have improved image sharpness (close focus down to 7" vs about 3 ft on the HERO3, at the expense of distant focus which is slightly less sharp

In September 2014, GoPro released an entry level camera named simply "HERO", priced at $130, alongside the HERO4 Black and HERO4 Silver. It is built into a waterproof housing, unlike the HERO4 line.

The GoPro HERO (2014) can capture 5mp still images and has a 5fps burst option. It is able to record 1080P at 30 or 25fps and 720P at 60 or 50fps on to a MicroSD card up to 32GB. It has an LCD non touch display on the front and is waterproof down to 40m.

In June 2015, the company started to sell the GoPro HERO+LCD, which provides video recording at 1080p at 60 fps and 8 megapixel photos. The HERO+LCD is also built into a waterproof housing.

The HERO8 Black largely introduced several new functions into the camera. Physically, the HERO8 Black now incorporates the connecting prongs that are used to connect accessories, directly onto the camera. Originally, the cameras would only be able to access the prongs if the cameras utilised either the frames (for cameras HERO5 to HERO7) or the protective cases for HERO4 and before. Moreover, the GoPro logo moved under the LCD screen to make way for extra microphones. More additions to the camera most notably were part of the software aspects of the camera. These included an option to switch between various settings presets, including standard, activity, cinematic and action shots and adjusting on-screen shortcuts of the user interface. Most notably as part of software, was the introduction of the night-lapse video, which similar to the time-lapse video mode, automatically stitches the frames captured by the camera at set intervals, however with the addition of improved low-light performance.

The HERO8 Black also attempts to address vloggers who may wish to use the GoPro in such a manner. As such, GoPro has also introduced an external accessory known as the "Media Mod" which includes a USB Type-C port for supplying power to external microphones and accessories, a micro-HDMI port and a 3.5mm microphone port. Moreover, the accessory includes a mount to connect either external microphones, LEDs or an LCD screen.

It is now twice as smooth when reviewing footage and using live preview on the front LCD screen, and the rear LCD touchscreen interface is incredibly responsive.

Then there are the Light Mod (adds a light, surprise surprise) for when shooting indoors or at night, and a Display Mod, which adds another screen so you can see yourself, but the latter is kind of redundant now thanks to the front-facing LCD screen.

The GoPro HERO10 LCD touch screen almost felt as smooth as our iPhone, which is pretty remarkable. So much so that it made us even more frustrated with the screen performance on the 9.

This camera is perfect for travel, sports, lifestyle and even vlogging, and thanks to its waterproof body, portability and easy smartphone connectivity, it sits pretty high on the list of being the perfect all-round travel camera too.

Every part of the camera has been given an upgrade, and especially for people who like to vlog or take selfies, you’ll find the front LCD display a huge game changer over the HERO 8.

For just $299 you can get the Hero2 along with its waterproof housing, a variety of mounts, and a few straps that let you wear the camera on a helmet (or surfboard or dirtbike, depending on the package you buy). In this growing market of "wearable" camcorders, GoPro has one main rival—Contour—and you can read our review of the Contour+ camcorder here.

GoPro only sells two camcorders—the HD Hero2 and the original HD Hero. Those two camcorders, however, are available in a few different packages that cater to specific shooting situations. There"s the Outdoor Edition, which is the package we got for review, a Motorsports Edition, and a Surf Edition. Each package comes with a few different mounts and accessories, but all come with GoPro"s waterproof housing.

The camcorder itself is rather bland, with a few ports on both its left and right side, a battery that slips into a compartment on the back, and one button each on the top and front of the camcorder. The small lens, recording lamp, and tiny LCD also populate the front of the camcorder. It looks like an awkward security camera, but the design feels both light and durable. We had the utmost confidence in the camcorder"s waterproof casing as well, and we found most of the mounts and straps easy to assemble and work with.

In our experience, hands-free camcorders are always something of a challenge to get used to. At the very core they are different than traditional camcorders, and the lack of an LCD or viewfinder to assist with framing your video is always frustrating. But GoPro did a reasonably good job with the Hero2, and, despite its numerous quirks, it was much easier to work with (in our mind) than the Contour+ camcorder. The mounts were simpler to tackle and use, the settings were far easier to change, and we didn"t have to worry about connecting the Hero2 to our SmartPhone via Bluetooth (something that never worked smoothly on the Contour+).

The Hero2 has more settings than we anticipated for a compact, hands-free camcorder, and these settings are adjusted using a two-button system on the front and top of the camcorder. There"s also a tiny LCD display that lets you navigate the menu and controls, cycling through each with a click of the button. It"s clearly not the best or easiest menu system to go through, and we were frustrated by it at times. Since each push of the front button just cycles through options, it"s easy to miss the setting your looking for... which means you have to cycle through everything again. It kind of feels like you"re working with a digital watch, and we all know how frustrating that can be.

Words aren"t the best way to describe how the Hero2 "handles" as a camcorder. It"s best to simply look at the photos to understand, as this is a camcorder that is unlike most other camcorders. It fits snugly into a provided waterproof housing, and from there it can connect to a variety of mounts, straps, and holders that make the camcorder wearable and makes hands-free recording possible. Yes, holding the camcorder in your hand and recording in that manner is possible, but why would you want to limit yourself like that? If you want to do handheld recording, just get one of the other ultracompact camcorders that are flooding the market these days, and most of them are cheaper than the GoPro Hero2 anyway.

GoPro designs its mounts and casings quite well. It was easy (but not too easy) to pop off the lock on the waterproof case and set the camcorder in place. After some time with the waterproof casing, we did notice the locking mechanism started to loosen a tiny bit, which is not a good sign, so the case needs to be treated with care if you want it to last.

The GoPro Hero2"s more traditional on-board control system is far more reliable. And the buttons, while nowhere near perfect, aren"t all that bad. We especially like that the buttons are still accessible even when the camcorder is inside its waterproof housing (thanks to a cool exterior button pushing creation). You can also simplify the Hero2 by turning it to "one button mode", which makes the camcorder automatically start recording when it is turned on (and stop recording only when it is turned off). If you have no need to set any controls during your shoot, this is the easiest mode to use (and you can start recording without even looking at the camcorder to make sure you pressed the right combination of buttons).

But unlike most ultracompact models, the Hero2 isn"t meant to be slipped in and out of your pants pocket. It"s meant to be strapped to your head while you go water skiing. And that brings up another concept of portability: the rugged design and waterproof factor of the Hero2. The waterproof casing that ships with the camcorder is easy to use, looks cool, and functions extremely well. It allows you to plunge to depths up to 197 feet. Contrast that with most waterproof camcorders, which can be taken to depths of 10 - 30 feet on average, and you"re staring at a huge difference. The waterproof case does add bulk and weight to the overall package, but together the Hero2 and its case only weigh 188g (6.6 ounces), and that"s not bad for a consumer camcorder.

GoPro"s most direct competitor, the Contour camcorders, are almost equally as portable as the Hero2. Contour, however, charges an extra $40 bucks for its waterproof case (while GoPro includes one free with all Hero2 packages). We also give an advantage to GoPro with the design of its provided mounts and straps, which are more versatile and easier to use than Contour"s.

Technically, the GoPro Hero2 does have an LCD, but the screen is only used for menu navigation and control selection—it does not provide a visual display for framing or viewing video content. The tiny LCD on the front of the camcorder simply tells you what mode you"re working in, and by pressing the buttons on the front and top of the camcorder you can cycle through various settings and make changes to your recording options.

This leaves us with a daunting question—how in the world are you supposed to frame your shots if you can"t see what they look like beforehand? Well, because of the Hero2"s wide angle lens you don"t really have to frame your shots that carefully. The view is so wide that it"s fairly likely you"re gonna capture interesting footage within the frame. If you"re really concerned about getting the right shots, however, you can purchase the GoPro LCD BacPac, which straps to the back of the Hero2 (via the proprietary Hero Port) and functions as a normal screen for previewing or playing back content. The BacPac costs an extra $80 and we can"t attest to how well it works because we didn"t get one with our review unit.

Since the camcorder also has HDMI and AV outputs, you can also connect the Hero2 to a television to preview your content. Additionally, in March of 2012, GoPro has announced it will start selling a WiFi BacPac kit that will enable you to sync the Hero2 to a smartphone, tablet, or computer running a free GoPro App (for live streaming and remote operation). This is similar to the (somewhat finicky) system Contour has put in place on its hands-fee camcorders—you can [read about Contour"s LCD solution here.](https://www.reviewed.com/camcorders/content/Contour-Plus-Camcorder-Review/Hardware.htm#lcd)

The Hero2 isn"t big on audio controls, but the camcorder does come with a built-in mono mic and a 3.5mm external mic jack. GoPro recommends using the open back door on the waterproof case if you want to capture better sound, as this allows the mic to pick up more audio (it does make the case no longer waterproof, though, so make sure not to submerged the camcorder in this setup).

Perhaps our favorite thing about the Hero2 is that, despite being an ultracompact model, the camcorder still has options for changing controls and shooting modes on the fly. You don"t need to use special software or link the camcorder to your smartphone to access the menu system—you can do it all by using the tiny LCD on the front of the Hero2 and by pressing the camcorder"s two buttons to cycle through the menu options. It"s not the simplest system, and all that button pushing kind of made us feel like we were setting a watch or alarm clock, but at least the ability to adjust controls on the fly is an option. Important features include: multiple recording resolutions and frame rates, a bundle of still image controls (up to 11-megapixels), and an adjustable field of view for recording.

Technically, the GoPro Hero2 does have an LCD, but the screen is only used for menu navigation and control selection—it does not provide a visual display for framing or viewing video content. The tiny LCD on the front of the camcorder simply tells you what mode you"re working in, and by pressing the buttons on the front and top of the camcorder you can cycle through various settings and make changes to your recording options.

This leaves us with a daunting question—how in the world are you supposed to frame your shots if you can"t see what they look like beforehand? Well, because of the Hero2"s wide angle lens you don"t really have to frame your shots that carefully. The view is so wide that it"s fairly likely you"re gonna capture interesting footage within the frame. If you"re really concerned about getting the right shots, however, you can purchase the GoPro LCD BacPac, which straps to the back of the Hero2 (via the proprietary Hero Port) and functions as a normal screen for previewing or playing back content. The BacPac costs an extra $80 and we can"t attest to how well it works because we didn"t get one with our review unit.

Since the camcorder also has HDMI and AV outputs, you can also connect the Hero2 to a television to preview your content. Additionally, in March of 2012, GoPro has announced it will start selling a WiFi BacPac kit that will enable you to sync the Hero2 to a smartphone, tablet, or computer running a free GoPro App (for live streaming and remote operation). This is similar to the (somewhat finicky) system Contour has put in place on its hands-fee camcorders—you can read about Contour"s LCD solution here.

It"s the proprietary Hero Port on the back of the Hero2 that may be the camcorder"s most interesting connectivity feature. This port allows you to attach accessories—like GoPro"s LCD BacPac, extra battery BacPac, and WiFi BacPac kit—easily to the camcorder. The Hero2 does not have built-in WiFi or Bluetooth connectivity (unlike the Contour+ camcorder), but the proprietary Hero Port does expand the wireless capabilities of the camcorder.

The Hero2 itself isn"t exactly rugged, but it comes with a waterproof casing that, much like a plate of armor, hugely increases the durability of the camcorder. The case also makes it possible to use the camcorder up to 197 feet underwater, which is far deeper than most waterproof camcorders are capable of traveling (regular waterproof camcorders—without a waterproof case—can usually function 10 - 30 feet underwater).

The waterproof case is designed well and its hard-plastic design feels very strong. After a number of uses, we did notice the locking mechanism on the top of the case would occasionally pop off of its hinges when we opened or closed the lock. This never resulted in water actually entering the case, but it was somewhat disconcerting, and it made us realize the case had a more fragile design than we first believed. Our point is, this case will probably take damage eventually, so treat it with care if you want it to last.

GoPro"s main competitor, the Contour camera company, also makes a waterproof case that allows its camcorders to travel to the same depths (197 feet). The thing we like about GoPro, however, is that this case comes free with all Hero2 camcorder package. Contour charges an extra $40 bucks.

At the base of the waterproof case is a small connector that can be linked with GoPro"s available mount systems. The camcorder comes with a few mounts that use a snap-connector system (kind of like the clips on a backpack) that are both easy to hookup and simple to remove. This makes swapping the camcorder to and from different mounts a very easy task, especially when compared to Contour"s somewhat frustrating mount system.

After working with both camcorders, we developed a quick preference for the GoProHero2 over the Contour+. It wasn’t better image quality that drew us in—both camcorders have their benefits and disadvantages when it comes to performance—but it was handling and user experience that made us prefer the Hero2. We loved the fact that adjusting settings on the fly wasn’t a challenge with the Hero2 and the tiny LCD that displays menu options was a welcomed feature.

In terms of what it can and can’t do, the Contour+ looks great on paper. Contour touts the ability to connect the camcorder to your smartphone via Bluetooth, which allows you to remotely control the Contour+ while also using the phone’s screen as a wireless LCD. But in practice we found this system almost never worked. The camcorder and our iPhone 3G were able to make a Bluetooth connection maybe one out of every eight times we tried, and the connection often failed after a few seconds. This forced us to connect the Contour+ to a computer whenever we wanted to change recording settings (something you don’t have to do with the Hero2).

The Samsung HMX-W200 isn"t a "wearable" camcorder like the Hero2, but it is a waterproof model with a rugged build. It"s also one of the best ultracompact camcorders we"ve ever reviewed, in terms of video quality and performance that is. The W200 simply surprised us with crisp footage, good color accuracy, and strong results in low light—all of which catapulted the camcorder to the top of our ultracompact rankings

But if you"re planning on taking the W200 to the slopes or on your water-skiing trip this summer, you may be in for a disappointment. While the W200 is waterproof, it can only handle a depth of up to 10 feet, and that"s 187 feet less than the Hero2 can travel in its provided waterproof housing. The Samsung also doesn"t come with any kind of mount, head strap, or device that lets you "hold" the camcorder without using your hands. So, if that"s something you really want to do, then you"ll have to spend a ton of extra money finding various mounts that will work with the W200 (or make your own).

The truly great thing about the GoPro Hero2 is that it comes in a complete package and is ready to go right out of the box. You get enough mounts and straps to keep you satisfied for a while, and it ships with its versatile waterproof housing that lets you take the Hero2 almost anywhere. The video quality may not be on par with the Samsung W200, but the shooting experience you get with the Hero2 is much more pleasing. Especially if you"re trying to capture rugged, adventurous moments with your camcorder.

The Kodak PlaySport Zx5 is another rugged, waterproof camcorder that is geared towards average consumers. It is not designed to be worn or used "hands-free", although Kodak does sell a Burton (yes, the snowboard company) edition of the Zx5 that comes with a unique color scheme (but no extra rugged features). It is a good ultracompact camcorder that, like the Samsung W200, is waterproof to around a depth of 10 feet. The PlaySport is also very easy to use, comes with good built-in software that helps you upload content to the web, and it has a simple, durable design.

If all you"re looking for is a simple, waterproof camcorder, the PlaySport Zx5 will probably do you just fine. Its video quality was good, but it didn"t quite have the performance of the Samsung HMX-W200. The real benefit of the Zx5 came from the camcorders simple design and easy-to-use interface. That"s something we can"t really say about the GoPro Hero2, as that is a camcorder that definitely has a steep learning curve due to its unique nature.

Realistically, performance plays second fiddle for the Hero2, as the most important feature on the camcorder is its go-anywhere design that is made possible by GoPro"s waterproof housing and variety of mounts and straps that ship with the camcorder. We specifically reviewed the Outdoor Edition of the Hero2, which means we got to play with a vented helmet strap (perfect for hooking to a bike helmet) and a stretchy, adjustable head strap that felt similar to wearing a headlamp. The Surf and Motorbike editions of the Hero2 come with a few different mounts, but the waterproof casing (which can handle a depth of up to 197 feet) is the same for all three editions.

In all, we liked GoPro"s mount and strap accessories better than what shipped with the Contour+ camcorder. The mounts were easy to work with, although we did notice some wear on the waterproof housing after a week of intense use. The straps and mounts will certainly wear down after repeated use, but the versatility of GoPro"s mounts impressed us—and you get more in the whole package than you do with the Contour+. This is particularly true with the waterproof housing, as GoPro ships the case free with all editions of the Hero2. Contour has a nearly identical waterproof case (that can also go down to 197 feet), but charges an additional $40 bucks for its inclusion.

From a usability perspective, our favorite thing about the GoPro Hero2 is its ability to adjust controls and settings on the fly right on the camcorder itself. The two buttons on the Hero2, in conjunction with the camcorder"s tiny LCD, allow you to cycle through menu options and control settings without connecting the camcorder to a computer. This means you can switch from video recording to still image mode with the click of a button. The system isn"t perfect, as using two buttons and a small screen to sift through various controls can be an arduous task. But we"re still happy the camcorder includes this function, and it represents a huge advantage for the Hero2 over the Contour+ camcorder.

With its whole package costing just under $300, the Hero2 is a fun, reasonably-priced camcorder that should please anyone looking for a wearable adventure-cam. The inclusion of the waterproof housing as part of its package is an excellent addition, and the camcorder comes with enough mounts and straps to keep you busy for a while. GoPro has a good set of optional accessories, including an attachable LCD that lets you view and playback your video, available for the Hero2 on its website as well.