Go Pro Hero 4 camera

Two summers years ago my son got into Go Pro cameras. He was spending a lot of time at the beach and liked the idea of filming in the sea, surfing, kayaking and SUP. His birthday is in early August so we decided that we’d encourage this healthy interest.

A little online research and it seemed that the perfect device for his new interest were the products of Go Pro. I picked up this curious little cube and a floating handle that screwed into the base of the device with a lanyard so that there was every opportunity to film even in deeper water.

Delighted with his present my son hit the water.

I downloaded the Go Pro studio to edit the footage shot on the Go Pro and my son shot the most amazing in focus and vibrant footage on something the size of a cigarette pack. The crispness of the shooting – in the hands of a novice – and, despite being tossed around by breaking waves, this little camera remained gyroscopically still and really delivered big time. The fluorescent handle with lanyard turned the unit into a steady cam with quality to match.

So impressed with the Go Pro, and in an attempt to satisfy my curiosity for who developed this little gem, which within a few short years has become an iconic device and one which is destined to become a future classic, I decided to find out what I could about Go Pro.

In a moment of odd synchronicity, I discovered that the guy who was motivated to set up the company as Woodman Labs Inc in 2002 by Nick Woodman, was on an Australian surfing trip and had hoped to get some good – near to professional quality – surfing footage but was frustrated by the lack of reasonably priced equipment.

Raising money from friends and family to develop his new camera system resulted in 2004, when his company sold its first camera system that used 35 mm film. Digital still and video cameras were later introduced. By 2104 Go Pro were selling a fixed-lens HD video camera with a wide 170-degree lens.

In 2012, I defy anyone to be anything less than amazed by the Go Pro onboard capsule and on-bodysuit coverage of Felix Baumgartner’s 24 mile + jump from space. The crispness of their coverage watching the dot that was Felix leave the capsule, the curve of the Earth as he hurtles towards and the finally stumbles to a dusty stop.

The have been now six iterations of the Hero camera with increasing capacity and capability and in October 2106 the company released its much anticipated quadcopter drone called “Karma”.

By January, 2016, GoPro partnered with Periscope for live streaming – Go Pro seem to becoming more of a media company increasingly focussing on broadcasting the content that is filmed using their cameras.

Weekly I received a mailing from Go Pro featuring the gob-smacking work of other fanatics, BASE jumping off buildings with parachutes, turning somersaults off rocks with their Go Pro on the end of a selfie-stick or with a hemet mounted Go Pro following a mountain bike riding down the face of a mountain in Sao Paolo!

Image from Go Pro

 

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