Author Topic: GoPro Session 5 Tips and Tricks  (Read 10706 times)

Beasho

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GoPro Session 5 Tips and Tricks
« on: February 15, 2017, 07:48:49 AM »
Just bought a GoPro Session 5 for a trip.

It is still relatively new.  Does anyone have tips or tricks for using it?

I am coming from 5 years of rather extensive use with the Hero, 2, 3 and 4.  Each have their nuanced appeal. 

I am wondering how people are adapting to the Session.  Voice Control, Stabilization, Battery Life, no battery swap out.

Oh - and how for example do you tether it.  It appears to have a small access near the front but this could be goofy if the tether is flopping around.

Off-Shore

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Re: GoPro Session 5 Tips and Tricks
« Reply #1 on: February 15, 2017, 08:46:29 AM »
Beasho. I don't have the Session but did upgrade to the Hero 5 Black from the 4 and previously the 3. Here are some learnings which may be applicable to the Session

1. The image stabilisation is great for SUP although it reduces the FOV and blurs and distorts the shots slightly. I now always use it for when I am creating vids but not if I want to capture stills from my vid files.

2. Voice control. I don't use this as I found it switching on and off and changing modes when I was not speaking to it. Whether it is picking up noises on the water or other people around me I never figured out but I find if it is headmounted it is just as easy to switch on and off without voice.

3. Battery life was terrible to start with but upgrades in software have improved this. Switch off wireless to extend battery life if not using

Clay and Robert from Blue Planet use the Session and should be able to give more details.

Look forward to seeing the results!
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APPST_Paddle

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Re: GoPro Session 5 Tips and Tricks
« Reply #2 on: February 15, 2017, 09:06:43 AM »
I'm thinking of getting one since my original Session is at the bottom of the Pacific. I really liked the form factor, performance, and toughness of the original Session.

Any deals on the Session 5 right now? I used the handlebar mount with it quite a bit, and found that it works best on the opposite side of the paddle (away from the stroke). Just make sure to use a floaty!!!
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Beasho

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Re: GoPro Session 5 Tips and Tricks
« Reply #3 on: February 15, 2017, 10:57:58 AM »
First trip is for snorkeling and diving. 

What I like about the Hero 4 & 5's is shooting in 4K.  At this resolution the stills look fantastic.  If image stabilization is going to degrade the stills then I will turn it off.

With 30 frames to choose from the options for stills is enormous. 

Any concerns with Battery life, Micros SD card or heating issues shooting at 30 frames per second in 4K?

For surfing stills are fun to grab, but more likely using the video. 

APPST_Paddle

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Re: GoPro Session 5 Tips and Tricks
« Reply #4 on: February 15, 2017, 11:46:50 AM »
Yeah, here's a few stills from video from the old non-4k Session, 1080p/60. 
7'6" JL Super Frank Lean
8'2" JL SuperTech 
10'1" JL Black and Blue
14' BIC WS Tracer
6'5" JL Flying-V/GoFoil Maliko 200
Kenalu Ho'oloa 95, Werner Rip Stick 79

Bulky

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Re: GoPro Session 5 Tips and Tricks
« Reply #5 on: February 16, 2017, 10:48:49 AM »
I got the Session 5 and like it.  Probably don't have much to contribute--mainly participating so I can pick up tips from others on this thread.

The voice control feature is really nice on the Session.  Surprised it works as consistently as it does although sometimes splashing or ocean noise interferes.  In testing it, I've been able to jump through all the options (video, photo and timelapse) using just my voice.  One funny quirk--if I'm playing back a video on phone or iPad and the footage concludes with me giving a voice command, the camera sitting there often starts recording, etc.

I'm playing around with settings as most of the reason I'm carrying it is to get footage of stuff I seen in the ocean (whales, etc)  What's the best setting for this that eliminates so much of the fisheye effect?

Perhaps the only contribution I can make at this point is the prototype cap mount I hacked together with gorilla glue and rivets--actually used the mount that came with the packaging as it was molded to a bigger piece of plastic I could rivet under the brim.  Works pretty well.  My typical AM conditions are pretty tame, but I probably will create a daisy-chain tether (attaching the camera to the hat and then the hat to me).

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yugi

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Re: GoPro Session 5 Tips and Tricks
« Reply #6 on: February 16, 2017, 11:20:24 AM »
no propellers?

surfafrica

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Re: GoPro Session 5 Tips and Tricks
« Reply #7 on: February 16, 2017, 01:30:01 PM »
Perhaps the only contribution I can make at this point is the prototype cap mount I hacked together with gorilla glue and rivets--actually used the mount that came with the packaging as it was molded to a bigger piece of plastic I could rivet under the brim.  Works pretty well. 

Nice! Now you have me thinking. I've always used a paddle cam view (with a custom little mount I built), but would love to get a head view that doesn't feel like a huge contraption.

I guess if I'm lazy and don't want to DIY I could try something like one of these....

https://www.amazon.com/Ballcap-Permanent-Mount-cameras-Streamaroo/dp/B00OF8I6K4

https://shop.gopro.com/International/mounts/head-strap-plus-quickclip/ACHOM-001.html
« Last Edit: February 16, 2017, 01:32:44 PM by surfafrica »
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Bulky

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Re: GoPro Session 5 Tips and Tricks
« Reply #8 on: February 16, 2017, 02:21:08 PM »
no propellers?

I think that would be ruled as illegal assistance if I ever wore it during a race.   :D


Nice! Now you have me thinking. I've always used a paddle cam view (with a custom little mount I built), but would love to get a head view that doesn't feel like a huge contraption.


That's exactly what I was after.  Previous to this I used an aftermarket headstrap pulled over my ball cap, but it was cumbersome.  Didn't even think to look online--figures someone else would have thought of it.   But I'm also really cheap.
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Naish Glide 14' (2012)
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clay

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Re: GoPro Session 5 Tips and Tricks
« Reply #9 on: February 16, 2017, 05:24:49 PM »
Hi,

I am loving the session 5, looks to me like a big image quality upgrade from the original session.

I had a couple issues that have been fixed.
1 - SD cards that worked in the original don't work in the session 5.  I updated to the latest firmware and only use faster/fastest cards.

2 - the capture app had this ridiculous requirement that we needed to login (even where there is NO internet connection) in order to use the software.  Earlier this month gopro finally released an update to the app that adds an offline mode:
https://community.gopro.com/t5/GoPro-Apps-for-Mobile/mandatory-login-after-upgrade/m-p/15292

Below is a still grab from 1080.  I have yet to use 4k, I imagine it is quite good.   No problems with overheating that I have seen.  I am using the 1080@90fps video mode and the battery life takes a noticeable decrease from what the original session offered at 60fps.

All in all I really like the cam and am amazed at how much camera they managed to fit into a tiny little cube.
Aloha, I welcome and appreciate all responses of positivity and good feeling.

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JEG

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Re: GoPro Session 5 Tips and Tricks
« Reply #10 on: February 16, 2017, 08:48:53 PM »
ok now I want one of this little cam for my sup evidence.

APPST_Paddle

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Re: GoPro Session 5 Tips and Tricks
« Reply #11 on: February 17, 2017, 05:49:12 AM »
ok now I want one of this little cam for my sup evidence.

What mount is that? Homemade?
7'6" JL Super Frank Lean
8'2" JL SuperTech 
10'1" JL Black and Blue
14' BIC WS Tracer
6'5" JL Flying-V/GoFoil Maliko 200
Kenalu Ho'oloa 95, Werner Rip Stick 79

surfafrica

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Re: GoPro Session 5 Tips and Tricks
« Reply #12 on: February 17, 2017, 09:04:42 AM »
I'm a little choked that the Session 5 didn't come with a low profile housing frame (see my paddle cam pic above) like the Session 4 did.  You can get them cheap online from 3rd parties, but they are all shipped from China or Hong Kong and take a month to arrive.
50 years old, 5'7", 150 lbs, intermediate
Infinity RNB: 7'6 x 28, 95 L https://goo.gl/SqlWR4
Kronos LB: 8'10 x 26.5, 84 L https://goo.gl/4iQdps
Kronos Nano: 7'4 x 26, 81 L https://goo.gl/kAM8W6

NateNate

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Re: GoPro Session 5 Tips and Tricks
« Reply #13 on: February 23, 2017, 04:13:40 PM »
Some reviews say the session 5 batteries don't last long. Is anyone having this problem w/ the session 5?  Anyone have the 5 black & see the $100 difference?

surfafrica

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Re: GoPro Session 5 Tips and Tricks
« Reply #14 on: February 23, 2017, 04:28:55 PM »
If you are going to video other people out surfing, being able to shoot in 2k or 4k really helps (ie, Session 5).  It gives you a lot more room to zoom in on the surfer for the final cut of a video or zoom in on export stills from the video.

The top shot below is a zoomed in still from an export shot in 1080p.  The bottom is a zoomed in still from an export shot in 4k.  I then shrunk both to 817px wide (click the image to get full size).  Both were shot from the same Session 5.
50 years old, 5'7", 150 lbs, intermediate
Infinity RNB: 7'6 x 28, 95 L https://goo.gl/SqlWR4
Kronos LB: 8'10 x 26.5, 84 L https://goo.gl/4iQdps
Kronos Nano: 7'4 x 26, 81 L https://goo.gl/kAM8W6

 


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