Author Topic: My action cam evolution  (Read 3301 times)

obxDave

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My action cam evolution
« on: January 07, 2021, 03:36:10 AM »
I had fun reading the Davinci Resolve video edit thread (well, maybe more the videos than than the reading) and it made me think about my own history with action cam self filming and editing and just how much things have progressed. I’m purely low tech simpleton but I still enjoy mucking around with it as new technology evolves.

This was an early vid made around 2004 using a little waterproof Nikon Coolpix 100 mounted on a tripod in shallow water (Lakes Bay in NJ). The very first Gopros were just showing up. About as low tech and low res as you could imagine. I vaguely remember trying to line up jumps in line and close enough to the camera without smacking it. On the plus side the joints were still working good.

https://youtu.be/-QBCDulxD4k

This is a latest video I made from various clips this last year with all my new gadgets including a shiny new SKYdio2 drone, Staaker drone, GoPro Max, and GoPro 7. Edited with LumaFusion on an IPad Pro. I probably don’t use 1/10th of what’s available in Luma.  Retired on the OBX. My, how technology has improved! If only the same thing could be said for the body joints,.......hence the action is not quite as actiony  :P)










Wetstuff

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Re: My action cam evolution
« Reply #1 on: January 07, 2021, 05:55:34 AM »
Woah... some nice kit, Dave!  I spent a lotta hours fiddling, making mounts for skydivers and some contest rated water-skiers. Attached to a knee of a waterskier, the water pressure would blow the seals on early cams.  They were also hard to find in weeds when they came off skydivers... 'Still, lotsa fun.

My big inspiration was Rob Pirie (Piros) like with SUP and now, Foils ...he was well ahead of most everybody in water-proof cams.  Without being on anyone's F'ing payroll.

I had my fun; 'moved on.  This is newish—about 6yrs old. (I stole this idea from Piros)

https://vimeo.com/manage/112208352/general

Jim
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Beasho

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Re: My action cam evolution
« Reply #2 on: January 07, 2021, 10:30:54 AM »
This was an early vid made around 2004 using a little waterproof Nikon Coolpix 100 mounted on a tripod in shallow water (Lakes Bay in NJ). The very first Gopros were just showing up. . . . .

In the end it just comes down to one thing. 
You can't run from the wind you face the music you trim your sails and keep going. 


I am guessing your progression, to the Outer Banks in North Carolina USA, was similar to mine.  You grew up and fell into a wind sport.  I lived in the Northeast.  NY, Boston, Philly.   There are only so many places with truly good wind in the US and the World.  Cape Hatteras, The Gorge, San Francisco Bay Area, Corpus Christi, and Hawaii.  I got a summer internship in San Francisco in 1997 and would windsurf every weekend day and some afternoons when I could.  Then I concluded "I have to move to San Francisco."

And so I live in Half Moon Bay, CA 500 yards from the Pacific Ocean.  One extreme sport has evolved to the next and the next and the next . . . 

Lakes Bay 1995, Cape Hatteras, Upstate NY 1990, Cap May, Nantucket . . . Be glad you have something to use the GoPro for.

PS: Great old school stuff.  At the time it was remarkable.   

https://youtu.be/E1ksEAQJZ64

« Last Edit: January 07, 2021, 10:38:02 AM by Beasho »

LaPerouseBay

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Re: My action cam evolution
« Reply #3 on: January 07, 2021, 01:08:45 PM »
There are only so many places with truly good wind in the US and the World.  Cape Hatteras, The Gorge, San Francisco Bay Area, Corpus Christi, and Hawaii.

South Africa is king when it comes to big downwind. 

https://youtu.be/tv_3mxUAcnU
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supthecreek

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Re: My action cam evolution
« Reply #4 on: January 07, 2021, 06:59:50 PM »
obxDave...
Skillz!
On many fronts  :)

Making great use of an awesome retirement retreat!
Enjoy it all  :)

obxDave

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Re: My action cam evolution
« Reply #5 on: January 08, 2021, 12:41:57 AM »
This was an early vid made around 2004 using a little waterproof Nikon Coolpix 100 mounted on a tripod in shallow water (Lakes Bay in NJ). The very first Gopros were just showing up. . . . .

In the end it just comes down to one thing. 
You can't run from the wind you face the music you trim your sails and keep going. 


I am guessing your progression, to the Outer Banks in North Carolina USA, was similar to mine.  You grew up and fell into a wind sport.  I lived in the Northeast.  NY, Boston, Philly.   There are only so many places with truly good wind in the US and the World.  Cape Hatteras, The Gorge, San Francisco Bay Area, Corpus Christi, and Hawaii.  I got a summer internship in San Francisco in 1997 and would windsurf every weekend day and some afternoons when I could.  Then I concluded "I have to move to San Francisco."

And so I live in Half Moon Bay, CA 500 yards from the Pacific Ocean.  One extreme sport has evolved to the next and the next and the next . . . 

Lakes Bay 1995, Cape Hatteras, Upstate NY 1990, Cap May, Nantucket . . . Be glad you have something to use the GoPro for.

PS: Great old school stuff.  At the time it was remarkable.   

https://youtu.be/E1ksEAQJZ64

Great early video with all the requisite zoomed in video shake! Well at least you guys had a film crew. When I did that Lakes Bay video I had never even seen video of myself kiting before. I initially did it just to help my own progression.

Exactly right on the wind chasing thing. I learned to windsurf living in Columbus, OH, and I never got half as good as you at it. I blame it poor location! I learned to kite board living in State College, PA. Neither were exactly water Mecca’s. For kiteboarding I would get up at 2 am, drive the 5 hrs from State College to Lakes Bay (Atlantic City), work for 3 hrs in the van with my cell phone and lap top (I had a small semiconductor equipment startup company at the time), then kiteboard until I was completely spent (that is if the wind actually showed up), then pack up and load up on caffeine before making the 5 hr return trip home the same day. When I sold the company and had the chance to bail, I made a b-line to the OBX, with a very understanding wife and a 5th grader kicking and screaming the whole way...........

That 5th grader is now living in Melbourne, Australia with her significant other. I hear there are some awesome Gold Coast surf locations for winging, and their summer is our winter  ::) ::)
« Last Edit: January 08, 2021, 12:49:04 AM by obxDave »

obxDave

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Re: My action cam evolution
« Reply #6 on: January 08, 2021, 12:05:01 PM »
Woah... some nice kit, Dave!  I spent a lotta hours fiddling, making mounts for skydivers and some contest rated water-skiers. Attached to a knee of a waterskier, the water pressure would blow the seals on early cams.  They were also hard to find in weeds when they came off skydivers... 'Still, lotsa fun.

My big inspiration was Rob Pirie (Piros) like with SUP and now, Foils ...he was well ahead of most everybody in water-proof cams.  Without being on anyone's F'ing payroll.
Jim

Yeah Jim, sometimes mounting process is just as important as the camera performance itself, even if it looks pretty simple. Those kiteboarding clips I showed  use a line mount holder for the GoPro, set on my power lines a few feet from the control bar. You would think with the constant kite looping we do this mount would wreak havoc while the lines twist up and then untwist, but it works perfectly.  When you factor in the amazing image stabilization on these new cams, and even the automatic horizon compensation (especially for all the spinning they go through), they take an almost unusable film clip (or at least one that would require lots of post processing) and clean it all up from the get go. 





surfcowboy

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Re: My action cam evolution
« Reply #7 on: January 08, 2021, 07:44:33 PM »
Great thread guys. I don’t film enough and I’m making a resolution to change that this year. It’s gotten so easy.

Word is that I might be doing a gig for GoPro soon. Do you think they will mind if I had an Insta360 when we show up?  :D

I wanna hear Creek weigh in here.

obxDave

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Re: My action cam evolution
« Reply #8 on: January 08, 2021, 11:45:19 PM »
Great thread guys. I don’t film enough and I’m making a resolution to change that this year. It’s gotten so easy.

Word is that I might be doing a gig for GoPro soon. Do you think they will mind if I had an Insta360 when we show up?  :D

I wanna hear Creek weigh in here.

Which Insta360 model do you have?  Now with the Insta360 one X2 being waterproof, I think I would prefer it over the GoPro Max and even the modular 360 oneR. The raw output footage of both cameras seems pretty comparable, and I understand the basic reframe editing workflow is pretty decent for both (of course I only have experience with the GoPro Max). Where the Insta360 really shines is all the advanced editing features like Shot Lab.

I tried to do this  “clone trail” effect manually in Luma Fusion and it’s a royal PITA with a panning shot. This is my horrible looking quick and dirty first attempt. The Insta360 does awesome clone trails built in to the editor.  Might seem a bit gimmicky but it’s fun doing occasional effects.

360 cams are awesome for Watersports but one drawback are those vulnerable curved lens faces getting scratched pretty easily. My Max is already scratched. The protective clear  lens covers that came with it, can’t be used in water. Oh well, none of this new stuff is perfect

https://youtu.be/00MjEQ1mTAA



« Last Edit: January 08, 2021, 11:50:32 PM by obxDave »

stoneaxe

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Re: My action cam evolution
« Reply #9 on: January 10, 2021, 08:10:47 PM »
Great video...skillz for sure.
Bob

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surfcowboy

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Re: My action cam evolution
« Reply #10 on: January 16, 2021, 08:15:02 AM »
Dave, I’ve avoided buying one yet but I agree, the Insta360 supposedly beats the Max on software. That’s a big deal on these cameras.

However one tip for any wingers with a Hero 9. That Max lens mod is key since you can do full 360 horizon leveling. So if you mount to a wing, you can jibe and tack and not flip the image. That’s a lot of what we want out of 360 anyway.

 


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