Go Pros and Surfing

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Teepee
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Go Pros and Surfing

Post by Teepee » Fri Jan 17, 2014 3:54 pm

G'day, I just wanted to have a few opinions on what others thought about all this go pro footage being splashed over the Surfing world as of late. Especially Pipeline. For me, the footage is ordinary at best and clearly does not do justice to tube riding, pretty much looks like they aren't even getting a cover up most of the time. Also, doesn't it ruin the pure stoke for everyone yet to actually get in the green room? Just seems everyone is so go pro conscious these days, reading the comments sounds like everyone is loving the things?? NOT ME!!!
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Re: Go Pros and Surfing

Post by Beanpole » Fri Jan 17, 2014 9:51 pm

Hand held:great.
On board: you may as well wave it around in the air while you dance under the shower. Totally random.
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speedneedle
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Re: Go Pros and Surfing

Post by speedneedle » Fri Jan 17, 2014 10:16 pm

I bemoaned the loss of actual cinematography with the advent of Gopro...

The Dick Hooles and Warren Bolsters of hanging-in-the-lip-at-pipe-with a $10,000 camera are gone, and possibly the talent with it.

But then I watched this - these guys at Skeleton bay have at points got three Go-pros going at once, in the gob, in the hand, and on the board.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=T3dxhwd0vS8

JD

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Re: Go Pros and Surfing

Post by spork » Sat Jan 18, 2014 12:41 pm

fongss wrote:Just so long spork doesn't get one and start making his promotion videos im fine with them. :roll:

If u don't like it I just don't watch it but if ppl are loving using them and it adds a new dimension too there enjoyment of surfing....who gives a fig :idea:

The $50 cheap ones im told are great :shock:
Sold all mine Fongster, I rekon they are really only good in the barrel and I'm crap at barrels and who wants to see me surf anyway. Iv got the $40 Aldi 'action cam'. I use it on my pushy. I must know at least ten people who have em and to a man they all used em for about a month then threw them in a drawer somewhere.
When it gets to this level of self important stupidity I lose interest.
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Teepee
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Re: Go Pros and Surfing

Post by Teepee » Sat Jan 18, 2014 1:09 pm

speedneedle wrote:I bemoaned the loss of actual cinematography with the advent of Gopro...

The Dick Hooles and Warren Bolsters of hanging-in-the-lip-at-pipe-with a $10,000 camera are gone, and possibly the talent with it.

But then I watched this - these guys at Skeleton bay have at points got three Go-pros going at once, in the gob, in the hand, and on the board.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=T3dxhwd0vS8

JD
Good to see some people are in favour of them, though not me, I honestly think that footage of skeletons isn't the greatest. They just don't do any justice for tube riding for me. Best footage of skeletons I have seen has been from the beach.

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Re: Go Pros and Surfing

Post by speedneedle » Sat Jan 18, 2014 9:49 pm

Teepee wrote:Good to see some people are in favour of them, though not me
Don't get me wrong Teepee - the things have gone cheap and gay and well past their use-by date. Facebook selfies for surfers.

Though again I enjoyed the Skeleton bay footage I linked you to, in some part because of the multi-camera angles, including as you say, from the beach which shows there's more than a pissweak head-dip going on.

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Re: Go Pros and Surfing

Post by Teepee » Sun Jan 19, 2014 5:47 am

speedneedle wrote:
Teepee wrote:Good to see some people are in favour of them, though not me
Don't get me wrong Teepee - the things have gone cheap and gay and well past their use-by date. Facebook selfies for surfers.

Though again I enjoyed the Skeleton bay footage I linked you to, in some part because of the multi-camera angles, including as you say, from the beach which shows there's more than a pissweak head-dip going on.
Yes Speedneedle, I agree on the Facebook, selfish revolution. All a fame game these days. As for the footage shot from the beach at skeletons, I wasn't aware this was done from a go pro? How did you know this?

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Re: Go Pros and Surfing

Post by speedneedle » Sun Jan 19, 2014 7:56 am

Teepee wrote:How did you know this?
I don't. In saying camera angles, I did'nt make the assumption that the land camera was a gopro.

Is it possible to get any depth of field for distance shooting with one of those weeny 'lil things? I don't know.

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Re: Go Pros and Surfing

Post by admin » Sun Jan 19, 2014 9:13 am

speedneedle wrote:
Teepee wrote:How did you know this?
I don't. In saying camera angles, I did'nt make the assumption that the land camera was a gopro.

Is it possible to get any depth of field for distance shooting with one of those weeny 'lil things? I don't know.

JD
Interesting thread everyone.

In answer to your question, because GoPros combine very wide angle (equivalent of 19mm on a 35mm camera) with a very tiny image sensor (5.75 × 4.28 mm!) the depth of field (ie in-focus zone) extends from the surface of the lens to infinity. Although they are astoundingly good at what they do, they are extremely specialised devices. The very wide-angle lens means that objects closest to the camera (eg the deck of your board) are radically larger than even comparatively close objects (eg the wave). Unless you're actually in the barrel, even really big waves look like nothing much at all.

As some of you may have noticed, I've been playing around with one on a shoulder mount rig. It's better than a board or head mount, and easier to manage than hand holding, but it's only mildly interesting (to me!) because it's capturing waves I've ridden. Maybe a rig that held the camera at arms length and shoulder height behind you would be more interesting.

If you like the look of GoPro footage, by all means get one. But be aware that you can't just use it for anything. I think one of the pocket-size waterproof zooms from the likes of Panasonic, Sony et al, would be far more versatile for the average surfer. Not only can you shoot GoPro style point of view stuff, but you can get quite good shots of your mates with the telephoto. Plus you can use them for regular old snap-shooting.

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steve shearer
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Re: Go Pros and Surfing

Post by steve shearer » Sun Jan 19, 2014 9:36 am

the new ones are insane.

super high speed.

better than a phantom for less than five hundred.

angles and FOV are up to you.
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Re: Go Pros and Surfing

Post by Elmako » Sun Jan 19, 2014 2:07 pm

I like the gopro and you can have different mount options and make it a bit more fun, these video I shot on the mod north coast of NSW all with my Go Pro 3:

https://vimeo.com/63386476

cheers

J

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Re: Go Pros and Surfing

Post by Teepee » Sun Jan 19, 2014 2:22 pm

steve shearer wrote:the new ones are insane.

super high speed.

better than a phantom for less than five hundred.

angles and FOV are up to you.
Better than a phantom??? ROFL :D

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steve shearer
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Re: Go Pros and Surfing

Post by steve shearer » Sun Jan 19, 2014 2:28 pm

What's the difference in practical viewing terms?
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Re: Go Pros and Surfing

Post by the prawn » Sun Jan 19, 2014 5:41 pm

admin wrote:I think one of the pocket-size waterproof zooms from the likes of Panasonic
I once tried to use my Lumix FT3 at Anakena beach on the north side of Easter Is to shoot me boogie-ing in towards the moai. Suffice to say it was a massive failure. Haven't really tried it in the surf since. Probably would have benefited from a head mounted go pro.
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Re: Go Pros and Surfing

Post by Elmako » Sun Jan 19, 2014 5:52 pm

Go Pro and surfing, my brother and I surfing Chicama the longest left in the world all filmed on Go Pro

https://vimeo.com/50506210

I say better to have these type of memories than not.

cheers
J

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Re: Go Pros and Surfing

Post by Teepee » Sun Jan 19, 2014 8:59 pm

Elmako wrote:Go Pro and surfing, my brother and I surfing Chicama the longest left in the world all filmed on Go Pro

https://vimeo.com/50506210

I say better to have these type of memories than not.

cheers
J
The Perfect example I was looking for. I was in Peru / South America in 2009. that footage was no good in showcasing what the wave is actually like, as per the reason I created the forum. Must be good to have for personal memories though, otherwise don't see the point putting it on public media.

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Re: Go Pros and Surfing

Post by Elmako » Mon Jan 20, 2014 2:17 pm

Good point Teppee, the camera does no justice and also I did not "wore it" on bigger days as I wanted to focus on the surf. The little camera can become a distraction when the surf is pumping, that is why I included a coupe of stills my mate took from the shore of the bigger days.

On a personal level, it does help bring back the memories of leg burning lefts that went on forever with little or no crowds.

I gave up trying to "impress" anyone with my Go Pro footage when I saw Peter Mel's tube at Maverick's last winter on a GoPro, the wave was 20+feet and it looked like a barrel at a local beach break.

The problem most of us mortals have is that we all surf and no-one is ready to stay in and shoot a mate, etc. I have friend with really expensive/cool camera equipment that could take kick ass footage however they overfroth as soon as they see any surf and never get the cameras out, I think the GoPro helps with this.

One final thought is that it is easy to carry and not that expensive so if you get mugged in one of those 3rd world destinations is not a huge loss.

cheers

J

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Re: Go Pros and Surfing

Post by Teepee » Mon Jan 20, 2014 2:49 pm

Elmako wrote:Good point Teppee, the camera does no justice and also I did not "wore it" on bigger days as I wanted to focus on the surf. The little camera can become a distraction when the surf is pumping, that is why I included a coupe of stills my mate took from the shore of the bigger days.

On a personal level, it does help bring back the memories of leg burning lefts that went on forever with little or no crowds.

I gave up trying to "impress" anyone with my Go Pro footage when I saw Peter Mel's tube at Maverick's last winter on a GoPro, the wave was 20+feet and it looked like a barrel at a local beach break.

The problem most of us mortals have is that we all surf and no-one is ready to stay in and shoot a mate, etc. I have friend with really expensive/cool camera equipment that could take kick ass footage however they overfroth as soon as they see any surf and never get the cameras out, I think the GoPro helps with this.

One final thought is that it is easy to carry and not that expensive so if you get mugged in one of those 3rd world destinations is not a huge loss.

cheers

Haha, fantastic summary!! Thanks

J

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