GoPro

[Tommy3putts]

dont let me influence you, but im not 100% happy with the hero camera. dont get me wrong, its fab for our 10 year old and as a second camera on some shoots i have done. It does restrict you with not having the wifi, and the limiting settings, but i guess i am spoilt by the 3+ black a bit.

 

 

 

having the second camera is fab though, and its going to be great to get an 11 year old view of our cruise and cocoa beach vacation!

 

 

Oh no. I've got the 3+ black and have my eye on the 4 for night videos. Going to wait a few months to buy before February 2016 cruise. We are going to UK for an 11 day land vacation in June. Only need one Gopro for that.

[ellis101]

Oh no. I've got the 3+ black and have my eye on the 4 for night videos. Going to wait a few months to buy before February 2016 cruise. We are going to UK for an 11 day land vacation in June. Only need one Gopro for that.

 

 

Yes I have my eye on a 4 but might wait to buy it until the 5 is out and it will be a bit cheaper! Using two cams is fab but can't beat a gopole and one camera for sight seeing!

 

Where abouts in UK are you tripping Tommy? Some great sightseeing to be had!

[Tommy3putts]

5 days in London then a train ride to Edinburgh for six nights in Scotland.

[ellis101]

5 days in London then a train ride to Edinburgh for six nights in Scotland.

 

 

Great trip! Hope you enjoy. We love our weekends away in the UK as well as big vacations. I love London. We only live an hour away by train so we often go for the day

[gopro63]

congrads on your 1st and not last cruize

[gopro63]

the gopro can be a perfect cam for a cruise it allows a excellent POV to capture closed quaters

[ellis101]

the gopro can be a perfect cam for a cruise it allows a excellent POV to capture closed quaters

 

 

Totally. Can't wait. Have to look into the need for shallow water filters for when snorkelling. Anyone had experience ?

[websiteauthor]

Bumping this thread to keep it current.

 

Feiyu-Tech has released the 3-axis G4 (US$330-ish on Amazon), which has some software and hardware updates. Most interesting to me is they've internalized those wires that stick out all over the place on the G3. They've also addressed the awkward battery situation.

 

At nearly 2x the price, the Shape ISEE I looks a heck of a lot more solid. But it is around $600 and is only a 2-axis.

 

Personally, I'm considering the G4 with a couple of their carbon fiber extension bars.

 

I shoot with the Feiyu-Tech G4 Ultra and PilotFly Funnygo Gimbals and love them both. I've done a ton of test and sample video posts at YouTube about the two gimbals, particularly the G4. I tested the G4 while standing still, while walking around, on the extension poles you mentioned, and in a moving vehicle. You can see those at https://www.youtube.com/channel/UC6lnxN62NN3HY5gUjayaNWw/videos

 

Just yesterday I returned from a 7-day cruise on the Navigator of the Seas. I took a ton of video using the G4 in particular - I'll be posting several YouTube videos in the several weeks.

[Maligator]

I shoot with the Feiyu-Tech G4 Ultra and PilotFly Funnygo Gimbals and love them both. I've done a ton of test and sample video posts at YouTube about the two gimbals, particularly the G4. I tested the G4 while standing still, while walking around, on the extension poles you mentioned, and in a moving vehicle. You can see those at https://www.youtube.com/channel/UC6lnxN62NN3HY5gUjayaNWw/videos

 

Just yesterday I returned from a 7-day cruise on the Navigator of the Seas. I took a ton of video using the G4 in particular - I'll be posting several YouTube videos in the several weeks.

 

Very helpful footage and information, Jeff. Thanks.

 

I was also interested to see your Navigator footage. We've never been out of Galveston, as the western Caribbean itineraries haven't been on our radar. But the upcoming year will have us steering some of our "play money" from cruising to home projects, so if we go on a cruise, we might give Navigator (or whatever RCCL boat is in Galveston in Fall 2016) a try.

[ellis101]

Excellent footage! Great to see some really comprehensive testing there. I was not really bothered with hand held gimbals before but now I'm intrigued!

[gopro63]

Feiyu FY-G4 gimba + CNC extended bat pole + 2x18650 6000mah bats + charger + all day long fun.

 

not an Feiyu FY-G4 bat kit extension, but a lot less then its started price.

 

Feiyu uses 2200mah's and a matching bat pole.

 

remember the 6000k you get must fit the pole, and that will be your job to get the right ones

[websiteauthor]

Very helpful footage and information, Jeff. Thanks.

 

I was also interested to see your Navigator footage. We've never been out of Galveston, as the western Caribbean itineraries haven't been on our radar. But the upcoming year will have us steering some of our "play money" from cruising to home projects, so if we go on a cruise, we might give Navigator (or whatever RCCL boat is in Galveston in Fall 2016) a try.

 

We've done both the Navigator 7-day cruises out of Galveston . . . I don't anticipate them adding another option from that port so any future cruises we do will be on another line or from another port. The Navigator's routes were both good, but I think I liked Grand Cayman/Jamaica more than Belize/Roatan. Belize was a real disappointment.

 

I'll have a trip report and a few videos up for our Belize/Roatan cruise in the next couple weeks . . . just finished that cruise last Sunday. But the Navigator is a beautiful ship and definitely worth cruising on!

[websiteauthor]

Excellent footage! Great to see some really comprehensive testing there. I was not really bothered with hand held gimbals before but now I'm intrigued!

 

I waited a couple years to get a GoPro because of its lack of image stabilization. I just hate jittery video. The G4 and FunnyGo gimbals have made the GoPro a much more viable alternative for me - they can have a huge impact on the quality. I definitely encourage you to give one of them some serious consideration!

[ellis101]

I waited a couple years to get a GoPro because of its lack of image stabilization. I just hate jittery video. The G4 and FunnyGo gimbals have made the GoPro a much more viable alternative for me - they can have a huge impact on the quality. I definitely encourage you to give one of them some serious consideration!

 

 

Good points. I have tried a steadycam type stabiliser but that was terrible because the gopro is so light.

 

The gopro for me is all about capturing fun and action in places I don't want to take my dedicated Panasonic camcorder. I find myself using it more and more though and steadying the shots is something I am struggling with. Don't get me wrong, I'm doing ok using a pole and my arms to steady shots. I extend the pole, hang the cam upside down off the end and almost balance the pole on both hands which gives me some ok sweeps and pans but it's the walking shot that is not good for me.

[shootr]

I don't know if this helps, but some of the video editing programs have a stabilization setting. Personally it's been pretty hit or miss - sometimes it works well, other times I'll get a lot of edge artifacts and it isn't worth the time.

 

In a pinch it has made some of my Color Run videos bearable [emoji2].

[websiteauthor]

Good points. I have tried a steadycam type stabiliser but that was terrible because the gopro is so light.

 

The gopro for me is all about capturing fun and action in places I don't want to take my dedicated Panasonic camcorder. I find myself using it more and more though and steadying the shots is something I am struggling with. Don't get me wrong, I'm doing ok using a pole and my arms to steady shots. I extend the pole, hang the cam upside down off the end and almost balance the pole on both hands which gives me some ok sweeps and pans but it's the walking shot that is not good for me.

 

I'm with you completely. The walking shots are just painful without stabilization. I shoot at 4K with my HERO4 Black so I can crop to 1080 . . . effectively creating a zoom on the image. Of course, magnifying the video only exacerbates any shakes or jitters.

 

The gopro has been the funnest (most fun?) camera I've ever owned. It just challenges you to find new ways to use it.

 

On last week's cruise I used it so many ways -

 

1. On the gimbals, walking around the ship and on excursions

2. On a GoPole, when my wife wanted to get closer shots of a jaguar, but didn't want to get close to the jaguar LOL

3. Suction cup mount, doing time lapse video of us pulling out of port in Cozumel and Roatan.

4. Bobber mounts, used while snorkeling.

5. head and chest mounts - we wore these while going into one of the frenzied sales they hold on the Promenade. Really funny first person view of people going crazy over cheap watches.

 

I had my tripod, a gorilla pod and a clamp mount with me as well, but didn't use them.

 

I have a ball with the GoPros every time I use them!

[websiteauthor]

I don't know if this helps, but some of the video editing programs have a stabilization setting. Personally it's been pretty hit or miss - sometimes it works well, other times I'll get a lot of edge artifacts and it isn't worth the time.

 

In a pinch it has made some of my Color Run videos bearable [emoji2].

 

I tried one of those and it improved the video, but as you said, it can degrade quality in the process. I'll take a little loss in quality to get rid of the jitters though!

[gopro63]

Warp stabilizer and editor will be an option?

 

Crops your clip afraid of quality loss 2k7@60fps will not be a loss even hd1080P will not be a loss. standard DVD quality is what. HD720P.

 

Upconverting has been around for ages now an doubt you can tell.

[gopro63]

New cameras coming out. do we see a GPH4+BE??? no. but we see Alpha Editing from Gopro. soon.

[websiteauthor]

New cameras coming out. do we see a GPH4+BE??? no. but we see Alpha Editing from Gopro. soon.

 

Cool! Where did you read about this?

[gopro63]

gopro can be read, nah it can be used.

Edited May 29, 2015 by gopro63

[shootr]

[gopro63]

 

nutting new

[Tommy3putts]

I shoot with the Feiyu-Tech G4 Ultra and PilotFly Funnygo Gimbals and love them both. I've done a ton of test and sample video posts at YouTube about the two gimbals, particularly the G4. I tested the G4 while standing still, while walking around, on the extension poles you mentioned, and in a moving vehicle. You can see those at https://www.youtube.com/channel/UC6lnxN62NN3HY5gUjayaNWw/videos

 

 

 

Just yesterday I returned from a 7-day cruise on the Navigator of the Seas. I took a ton of video using the G4 in particular - I'll be posting several YouTube videos in the several weeks.

 

 

I am interested in the G4. Seems to be very popular and the videos are impressive.

 

Two issues are making me be cautious about pulling the trigger.

 

1) software/firmware updates. Everything says its windows only and doesn't support macs. I drank the apple Kool-aid years ago. My wife has a HP laptop but so I guess I have a work around for the issue. However it bothers me that they don't support Mac. It also looks like the updating process is a pain. Any of you have experience with updating the firmware?

 

2) traveling with it. I like to travel light. How does it pack and travel? I am worried that the gimbal could be fragile and break easily.

 

With the exception of cruises, I quit checking luggage years ago. When I travel I prefer the one carryon bag approach. So for my 11 day UK land trip in a few weeks I'm taking my Redd Ox Air Boss and the last thing I need is an extra camera bag to carry around. Can I wrap it in something and toss it in the middle compartment without it breaking?

 

Thanks!

 

Cheers!

[websiteauthor]

I am interested in the G4. Seems to be very popular and the videos are impressive.

 

Two issues are making me be cautious about pulling the trigger.

 

1) software/firmware updates. Everything says its windows only and doesn't support macs. I drank the apple Kool-aid years ago. My wife has a HP laptop but so I guess I have a work around for the issue. However it bothers me that they don't support Mac. It also looks like the updating process is a pain. Any of you have experience with updating the firmware?

 

2) traveling with it. I like to travel light. How does it pack and travel? I am worried that the gimbal could be fragile and break easily.

 

With the exception of cruises, I quit checking luggage years ago. When I travel I prefer the one carryon bag approach. So for my 11 day UK land trip in a few weeks I'm taking my Redd Ox Air Boss and the last thing I need is an extra camera bag to carry around. Can I wrap it in something and toss it in the middle compartment without it breaking?

 

Thanks!

 

Cheers!

 

Hi Tom -

 

I've done calibration with the FunnyGo and read through the process for firmware updates and calibration with the G4. The FunnyGo is more difficult in that its control panel is much more involved. (It comes from a drone background where people understand things like pitch, yaw, altitude, etc. LOL) The G4 was more simple on the options for calibration - again, based on what I've read and watched at Youtube. I'm about to do a calibration on the G4, which will necessitate a firmware update, so I'll know more on that shortly.

 

Here's a video on the firmware update process to give you a better sense on what's involved:

 

Your integration of the gimbal with the computer happens so infrequently that it really shouldn't be a big issue. If you do it more than a couple times a year I'd be surprised. If I were a Mac user I'd probably be irritated as well, but you have the HP you can use on the rare occasions where you need to do it.

 

Both gimbals feel like they were built very well, but they do have sensitive motors that control the motion. The more they get tugged and banged the more often you'll have to calibrate them; you're thinking along the right lines about transporting them safely.

 

The G4 is about 9" long. The FunnyGo is closer to 13" long - so the G4 is smaller to carry around.

 

I carry both my gimbals in a backpack camera bag. I put a Crown Royal bag over the head of each one to keep the gimbals' frames from getting snagged by something else in the bag. I had that happen with my G4 on the cruise . . . and now I have to calibrate it LOL

 

If you don't have bags like that, perhaps a cover for your driver or 3W out of your golf bag?

 

If you're not using a camera bag, you can still transport it in your suitcase. If I were doing that I'd wrap in in a couple layers of bubble wrap with rubber bands to hold it in place. I wouldn't be comfortable with just putting it into the suitcase without some legitimate protection though. Those gimbal motors are built to very close tolerance, so a good thump could cause problems.

 

Along with the gimbal you'll have to carry extra batteries, a charger and a cable - also a USB / AC plug if you don't want to charge the batteries with a computer. The G4's extension poles are super light and easy to throw into a suitcase.