BWCA GoPro camera shooting tips? Boundary Waters Gear Forum
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08/21/2018 05:58AM   (Thread Older Than 3 Years)
I have an older model, it's the Gopro Session. I've never used it before but will take it along on my trip to Quetico next week. I have the head strap and want to try shooting while landing a fish and wonder if I should use the wide or the medium setting for the field of view? Same with portaging. I also want to try a time lapse and think the wide setting would be best for that.

Also, I don't think my cell phone would work as a monitor because of no wifi correct? So without the phone I have no way to see the results of what I shoot until I get out. Kind of like the old days of film cameras but worse because there's no view finder to look through. It's point and shoot and hope for the best!

Anyway, I'm excited to be bringing it I just don't want to be hugely disappointed when I see the results. Any tips are welcome, thanks.
 
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Savage Voyageur
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08/21/2018 09:00AM  
I have the same Hero Session GoPro camera. I use the medium setting for field of view so it’s not so distorted at the edges.

I also use a magenta snap on filter for underwater shots. Magenta filters out the green and give you a natural blue water color underwater.

Mount the camera directly onto the net for cool landing of your fish shots. Or you can hand off the camera to a friend and use the the folding selfie stick to shoot the fish going into the net from a side view.

Mount the camera on your fishing rod for a casting or fighting fish shot.

With the wide FOV you don’t really need to view your shots, just a waste of power on your cell phone and it doesn’t work underwater anyway. Just take a lot of video and edit later. If you keep the camera squared up to the subject you will get good shots.

I bring my card reader with me so I can view the video on my iPhone. I remove the card and put it in my card reader to view and back up my video onto another memory. I transfer the video and pictures to my cell phone and view in camp or on the way home. The card reader is cheap and sold at an Apple store or online. The card reader can also dump the video and pictures on other people’s iPhone or iPads so you don’t have to try to email the trip pictures to others.

I don’t know if WiFi works to view your live shots if you don’t have cell service, I’ve never tried it. Just take a lot of video and you will be fine.

Time lapse is fine for wide angle. Get a cheap tiny tripod if taking shots on land for this.

Might want to consider another power supply too so you don’t run out of power.

 
08/21/2018 09:51AM  
If the Wifi is like my Hero+, it creates a private wireless network between the camera and whatever the app is running on. You shouldn't need cell service or existing wifi connection for it to work, but you'll want to get it set up & tested at home before you go just in case you need to get information from the 'net for troubleshooting.
 
08/21/2018 10:02AM  
Extra batteries, at least with older versions. I use a 3 Black+ and it needs them! Solid mounting helps a bunch, but if at the canoe ends and your solo like me, I needed a remote. I use a Galaxy3 smartphone discard from my son. Remote and monitor with the GoPro app.

link to 2015 Quetico clip

Fly fishing Sylvania, well fishing does not mean catching all the time!

butthead
 
08/21/2018 04:12PM  
Mirth is correct--it is a private wifi, don't need cellular or regular wifi it should still work to view video and pictures on your iphone in the middle of no where.

If you use that option though it eats up battery on the phone and camera quickly so might be better to wait until you are back in civilization.

T
 
08/21/2018 08:09PM  
I got a goose neck clamp mount. It works on a multitude of positions on the canoe. Also I use the floating backer just in case
 
08/21/2018 08:35PM  
timatkn: "Mirth is correct--it is a private wifi, don't need cellular or regular wifi it should still work to view video and pictures on your iphone in the middle of no where.

If you use that option though it eats up battery on the phone and camera quickly so might be better to wait until you are back in civilization.
T"


That's good to know about the wifi. I'm bringing a decent solar charger with it's own power pack but will leave the cell phone home this time just for simplicity. Good info on using the med FOV unless it's a time lapse.

Thank you guys for the great ideas and information. The magenta filter is on my list as well as a 64 gb card. I've got a 32 gb but would hate to run out of card on a trip. Damn those things are small!

The only accessories I have are the head strap with mount and the floating swimming stick. I really don't like that you have to buy specific gopro tripods and such because of their mount. I'm going to jerry rig a goose neck with clamp and wrap the float stick to it and use that mount. I think I can make it work, should be fun. Now, I wonder if my dog will let me strap it on her head? :)

Nice videos Butthead. Who all was on that crew in the creek?



 
Savage Voyageur
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08/22/2018 08:08AM  
You don’t need to buy the GoPro tripod, just buy the tiny adapter that goes from the camera to any tripod that has a mount screw. Then you can use your tripod that you already have. I see you are going to buy the magenta filter, great shots underwater with it. You might want to try a polarizing filter too. They come in sets and are very cheap. A polarizing filter takes all the stray light out and you will have beautiful video.
 
arm2008
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08/22/2018 11:55AM  
From all the overboard GoPro stories I've read, a leash or float attached to it might be your best tip.
 
arm2008
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08/22/2018 11:55AM  
From all the overboard GoPro stories I've read, a leash or float attached to it might be your best tip.
 
08/22/2018 12:31PM  
Savage Voyageur: "You don’t need to buy the GoPro tripod, just buy the tiny adapter that goes from the camera to any tripod that has a mount screw. Then you can use your tripod that you already have. I see you are going to buy the magenta filter, great shots underwater with it. You might want to try a polarizing filter too. They come in sets and are very cheap. A polarizing filter takes all the stray light out and you will have beautiful video. "

An adapter! Great news. And yes I’ll get the filter pack. It makes a huge difference. Thanks for your help!
 
Savage Voyageur
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08/22/2018 01:41PM  
There are many people making these, here is what they look like Tom, Mount
 
08/22/2018 04:44PM  
These threads keep costing me more money :)

What filter do you guys suggest? Are they expensive?

T
 
Savage Voyageur
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08/22/2018 06:34PM  
timatkn: "These threads keep costing me more money :)


What filter do you guys suggest? Are they expensive?


T"


You really only need two filters, magenta if you film in fresh water and a polarizing filter for super bright days in summer or winter. I have red, yellow, magenta and a polarizing filter. They each have benefits for different situations. As far as cost unless you plan on doing a lot of filming with filters I would stick to plastic filters. They are very cheap for a set. They do make them in glass and are of course a better quality. The plastic ones are just fine. I have the tiny Session GoPro camera. The larger GoPro cameras are more expensive for filters because of size. Just google your camera for filters.
 
08/23/2018 06:21AM  
Savage Voyageur: "There are many people making these, here is what they look like Tom, Mount "


Thanks! Yeah that makes total sense. They probably sell a ton of these. Solves my biggest issue.

 
THEGrandRapids
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08/23/2018 03:54PM  
I like to use a gorilla tripod. come in pretty handy. this spring I mounted one of the legs into my life jacket to video a portage. Thought it was pretty fun to narrate along the way... when I went to review the film, I had forgotten to take the lens cap off... so it was 9 minutes of me talking with a black screen. Number one shooting tip is to make sure you turn camera on and if you have lens cap, take it off. (I really recommend not hassling with a lens cap.)
 
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