We had someone arrive at our offices a few days ago claiming to have already bought the new GoPro Hero 3 camera but when he showed us the box I broke his spirits by explaining that this gopro cam is in fact called the GoPro Digital Hero 3 and not the Hero 3 and is in fact about 5 years old. We're not sure what specs the new Hero3 will have built in but this digital hero 3 certainly isn't the new one so please don't let anyone tell you that it is. We'll be posting a review and comparisons against other leading helmet cameras as soon as the actual GoPro Hero 3 is launched!
The long awaited GoPro App is now available for free download on the iStore! Get the iOS app now for iPhones and iPads, the Android App will be available soon too.
So, what's so awesome about this application from GoPro???
With the GoPro app on your phone you can log into the WiFi hotspot created by the GoPro camera and then do all kinds of awesome things to control it! As you open up the app it will bring up a live pre-view of what the camera is looking at, you can then simply start your video or take a bunch of photos and control this from your phone / tablet. Not only can you control all these important functions via the Go Pro App by you can also change all the settings remotely. Very cool!
So, if for example the camera with the wifi bacpac was mounted outside your vehicle or somewhere way out of reach then you can have absolute control over it through your phone.
The awesomeness of this app doesn't end there though. Now that you've taken a video you want to get instant reply right? Well, all you need to do it click on the GoPro app to download the videos and photos from the camera to your iDevice through the WiFi connection. It'll download two versions of each video and photo; one large size one for you to view in full quality, and another smaller version of that same file so you can quickly pop across to your facebook or twitter app and upload this smaller (easier and quicker to upload) file to your social networks for instant sharing online.
WOW!
Check out this video tutorial for more info...
GoPro App Tutotial - How to use the Gopro Application
Note: If this doesn't work immediately then you'll need to download the latest firmware from GoPro.
New details have emerged surrounding the action camera Sony hopes can match up to the likes of GoPro, Drift and other head cam specialists.
The new action trailer and exclusive hands-on video below give us more of a clue as to the Sony Action Cam's features, tech specs and video quality.
And indeed there are some awesome, unique features to raise eyebrows amongst head cam users and developers alike.
If you’ve never found yourself getting super excited about a lens before (understandable), that may be about to change.
The Sony lens will feature a backlit 16-megapixel Exmor R CMOS sensor for enhanced low-light sensitivity. And much like the high-end Sony DSLR cameras, the helmet cam will feature a Carl Zeiss Tessar glass lens, able to capture a 170° view with potentially some of the sharpest video we have seen from an action sports camera.
It will also feature Sony’s SteadyShot image stabilisation to cope with the inevitable vibration activities such as downhill riding, skydiving and motor racing entail.
In addition to this, an innovative feature called ‘3-Way Shake Cancelling’ adds electronic roll stability, in theory allowing more mobility in how you use and mount the camera, without having a detrimental effect on the video quality.
The next exciting feature surrounds the camera’s video modes. The Sony is the first of its kind to offer 120fps recording at HD 720p. So you should be able to produce an unprecedented quality of slow motion video, perfect for both improving the standard of sports video, as well as for helping refine the techniques and form of your chosen activity.
The Sony will also feature the resolutions one might expect from a top-spec action camera, with Full HD 1080p at 30fps, HD 720p at 30/60fps, as well as standard definition VGA 480p at 30fps.
Also, it now seems that there will be two versions of the Sony helmet camera. The only difference between the two cameras being that only one will feature WiFi capability (and will therefore be more expensive than the version that does not).
This WiFi allows connection of smart devices to the camera, so you can instantly upload video to the likes of Facebook and Twitter. You will also be able to use your smart device as a remote control and viewfinder, allowing you to change the cameras settings and line up the perfect shot.
We have also been given an indication as to the Sony’s base pack, and optional accessories and mounts that will become available.
When you buy the Sony Action Cam, you will receive the camera, a curved and flat adhesive mount, mounting clip, as well as the waterproof housing (up to 60m). The waterproof housing features a universal tripod mount to further extend your mounting options.
As for optional extras, Sony will offer head straps, handlebar mounts and a suction cup initially. And the amount of mounting options and accessories available will surely increase in the coming months.
A start/stop record button, built-in microphone, and LCD screen for battery, storage and settings info; the Sony Helmet Camera is proving a very intriguing product indeed.
And while you’re still reeling from the wave of awesome features the Sony has to offer, I’ll sign off and let the video quality do the talking! Check it out, and stay tuned to our blog and newsletter for the latest Sony information!
As of now... save R300 on the Go Pro Hero 2 cameras
only here at Action Cameras. They were going for R4000 but we've just
dropped that down to R3,699. Now that's a deal! Don't forget we're still throwing in the FREE 8Gb SD card and we'll even deliver it to your door with our overnight courier at no extra charge.
We would like to welcome Eric to the Action Cameras Team! He'll be heading up our Customer Support division so we look forward to you bombarding him with loads of technical questions on his first few days!
Go on, give him a test! Call us on 011 781 1323 or contact info@actioncameras.co.za with your queries :)
Did you hear us on 5FM? After submitting what we do to 5FM's "Mind Your
Own Business" team, it was no longer the a few minutes before we had
Catherine on the phone to us saying that she loves what we do and wants
to push us to the front of a 2 year waiting list to be on this slot.
Awesome!
On Monday the 19th of Feb David of Action Cameras went live on DJ
Fresh's show to give our company and our products a punt to a couple
hundred thousand people! Oh yeah!
We're waiting for them to send us the podcast and will upload it here as soon as we receive it!
The Go Pro Wi-Fi BacPac and Remote is on its way to South Africa soon. The Action Cameras Team traveled all the way to the Consumer Electronics Show in Las Vegas to see the new WiFi Backpack and remote from GoPro. Here's our exclusive shot from the event.
This GoPro WiFi BacPack and Remote is going to revolutionise the world of helmet cams. This will let you stream your video live to the internet or your smartphone anywhere! The remote will also work over hugh distances plus you can snyc up 50 Gopros to one remote. Nice!
Check out the Go Pro Wi-Fi BacPac and Remote for more info and availability in South Africa.
Mens Health (December Issue) is now out and features their Tested, Tallied, Ridden, Red-Lined, and Ranked 100 Best New Products for Men!
Alongside products like the iPad 2 and the latest Oakleys, you'll find two of the hottest products in South Africa... The Drift HD and the GoPro 2 action cameras! Awesome!
We're stoked to announce that 94.7 Highveld Radio and Standard Bank have selected Action Cameras as their Business of the Week for next week! Listen to Highveld at 8.15 this coming Monday (3rd Oct) as we'll be going live on air with Whackhead Simpson to talk about what makes our business stand out above others.
Here's a clue to what we'll tell them.... It's our AWESOME customers who keep referring their friends to us which has gotten us to where we are today!
Many of you would have heard about our friend Kim McCusker's recent accident in Jo'burg when a taxi ran her down and dragged her for several hundred meters before being forced to stop by her fiance.
It seems as though Kimmy is facing a long road to recovery, and a costly one at that. In order to help raise funds to help with the financial burden Action Cameras has jumped on board to sponsor the Ride for Kimmy 94.7 Cycle Challenge Team.
If anyone is interested in getting involved through donation or joining the team, please get in touch. Thank you.
It's great to see all of our blood, sweat and tears being recognised!
www.actioncameras.co.za has been selected as one of South Africa's top 40 e-commerce websites. Not only are we hoping to reach the next round of the Top 20 but we're aiming to take home one of the 5 awards up for grabs. Help us get there by voting for us as your favourite (by doing this you also stand a chance of winning a iPad 2!)
Part of the Action Camera Team braved the seasons first mountain bike race, the EQSTRA Spring Classic. For anyone who missed out, this is an awesome race to kick off the season and to explore the surprisingly vast farmlands hidden just beyond Johannesburg. You start in Helderfontein Estate and wend your way around dams, over hills, through paddocks, and all the way through to seemingly unspoiled african bush. Anyone with a keen birdwatching eye would also enjoy the birdlife in the area, we had a few nice sightings including the grey hornbill which isn't normally in the Jo'burg area.
There's a 10k race for kids and beginners, a slightly more difficult 20k route which is a good season-starter for most, and then the big 45k race for us people who didn't really understand how difficult that would be. It was an awesome race through and very worthwhile.
The cloudy weather was awesome to ride in but didn't really leave us with any awe-inspiring footage from our helmet cam. We'll post up some videos of the big downhills soon, but for now here's a pic of us exhausted at the end :)
At the starting line of South Africa's season opening mountainbike race, the EQSTRA Spring Classic, we heard the announcer saying that helmet cameras, chest cams, bike cameras and anything of the sort were not allowed at the race. What a bummer! They said this was a new rule passed by the UCI recently as the helmet cameras are referred to as non-essential items on a race.
What a load of ****! Of course they're essential! Essential for catching the awesomeness of the race and for bragging rights afterwards. This announcement didn't stop us as we promptly clipped our cameras back onto our helmets once we were passed the race officials on the start line.... And we got some awesome footage from the race!
After a bit of research it seems that this is not a recent rule of the UCI but was in fact put in place in 2009. Although this is in the rulebooks of the UCI it has never been seriously enforced - as you can easily tell from all the awesome helmet cam race footage popping up on YouTube and Freecaster from all the big races. Part of this rule is that they reserve the right to use helmet cams for TV footage purposes if they choose (this seems a bit unfair to us!).
I can understand some of the reasons for this rule such as some people struggle to stay on their bikes without having the distraction of trying to operate a camera mounted on top of their helmet during a race. Some people may also arguably ride a bit more flashy (risky) if they know they'll be showing the video off to their mates later on.
But what about the positives of these races being filmed by the riders themselves? Surely event organisers would love that the riders are posting in-action videos and photos from the mornings ride on facebook! This would almost definitely bring more riders to the next event or to the same event the following year.
Having videos of the course online can also help potential riders make up their mind as to whether the MTB race they're considering is too technical or not for them.
And lets not forget that having these helmet cam videos being shared freely online would be awesome for the mountain biking sport as a whole!
Cameras like the GoPro, Drift HD and the Contour cameras have been around for ages and I hope the event organisers aren't going to start spoiling peoples fun by banning the cameras at upcomming events. Because, as it seems, this UCI rule on helmet cameras is only as enforceable as each individual ride organiser wants it to be. They haven't been banned so much as frowned upon but this ain't going to stop us using the cameras over the rest of the upcoming races this season.
Action Cameras SA has been nominated for the top award in the competition for South Africa's Best E-commerce website! Please help support us by casting your vote for us as your best online store. By voting you also enter yourself for a chance to win an iPad 2!
