GoPro Hero4 Black

I use several of these for research purposes (recording social interaction for analysis) and the main reason I use it is for it’s extremely wide angle because this allows me to capture the whole room even in small rooms (where I can’t move back very far). In combination with the remote, it also allows me to start multiple cameras at the same time, which is very convenient. However, that’s already where the limitations start: the display on the camera is very limited so that it doesn’t even show you the recording time (although technically, it would be possible). Navigating the menus on the camera is also quite a chore and then you need to buy expensive pieces of equipment for every little thing so that an expensive camera becomes even more expensive. It took me quite a while to figure out how to connect a GoPro to an external microphone *and* and external power source (something not so uncommon even in the outdoor domain when you consider that an external power source can also be an external battery pack). The answer is: you need to buy the GoPro battery BacPac (even though you don’t actually need an extra battery pack, given that you want to connect the camera to an external power source) and connect the external power source to that while using the built-in USB port for the microphone. Haha. I’m not sure whether I should be happy because there actually is a solution, or annoyed given it’s clunkiness and cost…
Oh, and guess what: in order to plug in the external microphone you need to buy a 6 inch adapter cable (worth about $2) for around $25.
One big plus with the GoPro is not in the device itself but in the size of its user base which makes it easy to find all kinds of accessories as well as help with virtually any issue that comes up.

This is the first gopro i ever owned and after reading about all the problems people had with this camera freezing, i was nervous about spending the 600€ to get this camera. But realized the reason people had freezing problems with this camera was because they werent using memory cards with a fast enough (minimum 50 mb/s) write speed. So as long as you have a good memory card its fine. And one week into my gopro ownership, i am extremely happy with it. Its so much smaller than i expected it to be, which is a huge bonus and makes recording video at any time and any place so simple. Only problem ive had with this in the early days is how short the battery life is. Recording at 4k it lasts just over an hour. I did order more replacement batteries for it, so as long as you do that too, you shouldnt have any problems with this camera

First off, I want to address several things I’ve seen in the bad reviews of the Hero 4 Black.
1. SD card errors – Alright. Your getting a very powerful, very fast camera with the Hero 4 Black, and you need a very powerful, very fast SD card to match. I would NOT recommend buying the GoPro Recommended SD card if your planning on getting the Hero 4 Black. You might have issues with the most extreme filming rates, such as 4K (4K = 4X the resolution of 1080p HD), even though it specifically claims it can handle 4K, my experience differs. Get an SD card that can actually handle 4K and also says it in it’s product description. Sandisk makes a very good one (Extreme Pro), and although it’s more expensive, I believe it’s what is truly needed for 4K, and it’s 100% worth it to not have any issues at all, and to get flawless performance out of your Hero 4 Black at all times.

2. Battery Life – Yes, the Hero 4 Black does use battery faster than the previous models, but that is because of the updated features included in it (faster processor, faster frame rates). Go Pro batteries are very cheap (official GoPro batteries – $15, just as good knockoffs – $8-$10), and all you have to do is get an extra few batteries for more extended use. If your problem is you don’t want to (or can’t because of what your filming) switch out batteries like that, then just get the GoPro Battery BacPac (the new, 15% more capacity one) and you will basically double your battery life. You can even plug certain power banks into your Battery BacPac to keep it constantly running on that. Huge convenience.

3. The camera heating up – This camera is incredibly small, and can handle incredibly fast rates such as 4K and 2.7K, which a lot of bigger cameras can’t even do, and this of course will heat up the unit while it’s in use. This is true with almost any electronic with a battery (your smartphone, tablet, laptop, etc.) GoPro has a safety feature that will shut down your camera if it happens to get too hot, so that it can’t possibly do any damage to your camera. I don’t know what the exact temperature level is that it shuts down at, but it must be real high, because i’ve gotten mine really hot filming outside in the summer sun and it still performed flawlessly and didn’t shut down. My opinion – I wouldn’t worry too much about the overheating issue. It’s way overblown in some of these reviews in my opinion.

*NOTE* It’s a good idea to take the battery out of your camera while it is not in use. There’s a bug GoPro hasn’t patched yet that can possibly turn your camera on by itself if the wi-fi is left on, but I have only found this happen once. The simple fix – turn off your Wi-Fi before turning off your camera.

Here are some of the prime features of the Hero 4 Black:
-simplified menu, easy to scroll through and change settings.
-New Auto Low Light settings.
-built in Wi-Fi and Bluetooth, for easy viewing and sharing.
-Super slow motion frame rates – 1080/120fps, and 720/240fps.
-QuikCapture – turn on and start recording by pressing top button, turn on and take time lapse photos by holding top button for 2 seconds.
-HiLight Tag – My favorite. put a marker in your footage so you can easily take out/retrieve the part you want, just by pressing the side button during playback.
-Greater audio performance – The Hero 4 Black has 2x the dynamic range, and the built-in microphone is MUCH better than the previous models. Sound is crisp and clear.
– The Hero 4 Black also has another built-in feature that enables it to be used with a greater range of professional microphones than it’s predecessors.

Now, onto the actual review of the camera.
Right out of the box, it doesn’t come with much. Just the camera, dive housing, a charging/sync cable, and a manual. It DOES NOT come with a micro SD card, so your gonna have to purchase one when you purchase the camera if you want to be able to use it. Turning on the camera, it powers up in about 2 seconds and is ready to go.

One of the only cons i’ve noticed is the connection between the camera and the GoPro App (for live video streaming) can be spotty at times. It hasn’t given me enough problems to take a star away or mess up any of what i’ve filmed, but it was kind of annoying (until I got the LCD BacPac – now I have no issues). The App also cannot live stream the faster frame rates, such as 4K and certain 2.7K rates (or at least won’t over my connection).

Something I really love about the Hero 4 Black (and I guess GoPro in general) is the way the camera gets updated. You will get a little notification on your phone that an update is available. All you do is turn on your camera, turn on the camera’s Wi-Fi, click on the notification, and it will update through the Wi-Fi. No plugging up to the computer for updates anymore! I also love that with my update, I received new ISO settings (low light), as well as the ability to edit short clips directly on the LCD BacPac. Every update increases the camera’s performance and even gives you new settings to be able to film better. Can’t beat that.

In my experience, this camera is 100% worth the money, and you will love every minute using it. There are hundreds of accessories for the GoPro now, so you can really get the most out of your camera. It truly is a professional action camera, so I wouldn’t recommend it to anybody who has no previous camera experience. You’re gonna want to know something about manual settings for cameras and what they do when you manipulate them. This camera exceeded my expectations and more, and I would recommend it to anybody and everybody, especially those who are looking for a high quality camera with tons of capabilities.