Using a Go Pro in the parks. Tips?

[Twinprincesses]

We used a GoPro on our last Disney Cruise in February. I just wish the battery lasted longer, but other than that it was fantastic!

I bought 2 extra batteries on amazon. They are pretty cheap.

 

[Pacolovestacos]

One thing I will warn about a GoPro is that they are GREAT for video, but kinda lousy for still shots. I would recommend taking short videos of things and then you can cut out a frame from that crystal clear video to use as a still. A newer GoPro might be a little better with stills than the one I have used. Also, the LCD backpack is a must!

I'm not a GPro expert but isn't the best setting video + photo. That way you get them both and can decide later which you like better.

 

[sweetpee_1993]

My son has a go pro and I never even thought of having him bring it. I worry it could get damaged/lost on rides. I will definitely look into accessories for protection in the next week or two before we leave. It's weird because my husband has a video production company so he doesn't like to film our vacations in anyway(becomes work thinking of shots lighting ect) but might be super fun for my kiddo and we'd have more than pictures.

I think having your son's perspective would be fun. When our boys were little fellas a LONG time ago we gave them each a disposable camera to take pics with. We had no preview as to what they snapped and had to pay to have the cameras/film developed. At the time we weren't that amused at the pics of each other's butts and inside trash cans. I came across those pics a few months ago sorting old boxes. Absolute treasures now.

 

[sweetpee_1993]

I got a GoPro Hero4 Black w/LCD backpack last year for cruise photo & video. I had borrowed my late brother's from his daughters earlier in the year for a cruise & loved it. I got 2 extra batteries for a total of 3 + I bought the GoPro charger that will charge 2 at a time. There's also a GoPro wall charger thing with 2 USB inputs. I now can charge the 2 in the external charger + the 1 in the camera at the same time! Also, not GoPro brand, but I ordered a short handle grip that folds out into a table-top short tripod. Got it from Amazon. Nice to have.

I, too, returned from my cruise disappointed in my still pictures. At least half were blurry. I know that's me moving it. It's just on the go I don't always have time to find something static for me to steady on. This is another reason I spent extra on my Christmas present & went with a 256g iPhone 7+. I can take stills on the fly very nicely with this. The thing is, I've had bigger cameras. I hate carrying them. I need convenient. For this reason I'm interested in the prospect of trying my GoPro sans handle. That would make it very compact!

Question! Watching some of your videos, I saw filming on RnRC launch. Many years back I had a point & shoot that had a heavy-duty wrist strap. I had it strapped to my wrist & wanted to film the launch. The launch got delayed and a CM came to me & asked if I had a camera. I was told to put it away. Is this now an okay thing?

Now, if only I had some of the post-production skill y'all do! Tell me how you go about these things!

 

[LSUfan4444]

did you make that video with Quik?

No, i just use the GoPro studio. I'm not expert by any means but I find GoPro studio is fairly user friendly.

 

[LSUfan4444]

I'm not a GPro expert but isn't the best setting video + photo. That way you get them both and can decide later which you like better.

If I don't plan on printing them I just use screen shots from the video to make still images for the videos I create.

 

[PeasandCarrots]

i got a Go Pro for Christmas and was hoping I could just use this as my only camera. I really do not want to wear it on my head or chest but wanted to know what other accessories would be good to use in the parks. I know selfie sticks are not allowed but I saw a very small handle that attaches and was wondering if that would be allowed.

Thank you.

Grip handles, as long as they don't extend, are allowed. However, you will get asked a lot if it extends so just be ready for a polite no it does not.

 

[BrianL]

I'm not a GPro expert but isn't the best setting video + photo. That way you get them both and can decide later which you like better.

Oh, maybe. I either didn't know about that setting, or my Parents GoPro is older and didn't have that. Sounds like a good tip though.

 

[AEA1127]

the fisheye ruins the forced perspective the parks try to create.

I don't do the editing so I can't explain the steps, but I know that you can remove the fisheye after you upload the video to your computer.

 

[CaptainCook]

Hi there,

I have used a GoPro to film several Disney trips. I recommend a small handheld grip that does not extend. It helps to stabilize the video much more than holding the camera unit itself by hand. The one I use it The Bobber. It is relatively small, non-extendable, and floats, so you can use it at the water parks (not on the slides but in the wave pools and lazy rivers) and resort pools as well. It also includes a wrist strap. I take it on rides and secure the wrist strap so that I do not lose it even if I lose my grip.

Because the GoPro has a wide angle of view, holding it at arms length will allow you to get a good shot on the rides; you really don't need extension there anyway. Here's a sample photo taken on Big Thunder. I like to set the photo feature to time lapse at the start of the ride, maybe 1 FPS, and we always get a handful of good shots that way, or some great footage if you set it to video mode. Note that you really do need a bright sunny day for the GoPro to perform its best; it will not do well in dark rides and you will even notice a substantial drop in quality if it's overcast. So using my BTMR example, you get great footage on some parts of the ride, and others (around dark corners etc.) it can often be quite poor; you just edit it to keep the best stuff at the end. I would call the photo below 'medium' in terms of quality; it was a shady turn on the track, and the picture isn't as nice as some of those in brighter areas, but I like the looks on my family's faces here.

 

[CaptainCook]

We brought ours on a Royal Caribbean and got such great footage that that was the only camera I brought into the parks for the 2 days post cruise. Major regret. I got no good footage and zero good stills. I think because it is more close range in the parks vs the landscapes in the islands and the fisheye ruins the forced perspective the parks try to create.

I agree with this - it should not be your only camera in the parks. It is only good for major close ups. Any of the amazing sights in the parks, the castles and main street and the mountains, will look small and insignificant with the wide angle perspective, and you will be disappointed by it.

 

[Twinprincesses]

We just got back from a weekend trip. I just took snapshot videos so I am going to mess around with making a small video clip and see what happens. I saw a ton of Go Pros there!!

 

[madasax12]

Here is the thing with using gopro cameras for stills......don't use the 'one' shot mode. To get good stills just (as someone mentioned) use the time-lapse mode and set it for 0.5-1 sec. and you will get some good shots....sure you might get 100 that aren't great but some of the ones that turn out will be so genuine and fun that it will be worth it.
I have taken my DSLR and other cameras with me every trip; however, some of the images from my gopro are the best because of the look on our faces on the rides.
Not to mention depending on the model you can do Video+Time-lapse mode - this is an awesome way to get both video and stills with only one push of the rec. button!

 

[WiWe]

Interested in if anyone has used the GoPro gimbal ? Also if it is allowed in the parks ? Thank You

 

[madasax12]

I plan on taking my G4 gimbal with me....as long as it does not 'extend' I think you are fine.