A Handlebar View From A GoPro Hero2

A few days ago a parcel arrived in the mail bearing a new toy that I had been looking forward to.  I ripped open the box postmarked from the Netherlands and in it was nestled a rather complicated looking package which contained the GoPro Hero2.

For those of you who have not heard about the GoPro, let me explain.  GoPros are adorable little cameras that have become the go to method for recording sports and outdoor activities from just about any perspective and in any condition you can come up with.

The camera itself is about the size of the palm of my hand.

While it may not look like much or have a lot of bells and whistles (notice the lack of viewfinder or LCD display), the GoPro makes videography and photography of just about any sport easy and a whole lot of fun.  It is particularly popular with cyclists (from commuters to cyclocross racers), surfers, skydivers, snowboarders and skiers...really whoever wants to capture the action of their fast paced activity.  A friend of mine took his along on a chest mount when he ran in a Warrior Dash event a couple years ago.  The resulting footage was hilarious and entertaining.

Now, while it is popular to use for video montages for athletes, bike commuters may also find a helpful use for them.  Not only can you record your commute to show people what it is like, but you may find the footage is indispensable if you have a problem with a driver.  The price tag of $300 for the Outdoor Edition (includes waterproof housing, helmet mount, head strap, and 4 adhesive mounts) may not seem too bad if you have a particularly tricky commute.  I definitely wish I had one when I was buzzed by one of Akron's Finest a couple years back.  In fact, footage from a GoPro may determine if you win in court after an accident.

Of course, having one can open up many doors in photography/videography too.  The optics are 2X Sharper Professional Glass Lens, f/2.8 Fixed Focus, 170º Wide FOV (Including 1080p), 127º Medium FOV (In 1080p), and 90º Narrow FOV.  

Video specs are:

• HD RESOLUTIONS:
• 1080p: 1920×1080, 30FPS
• 960p: 1280×960, 48FPS + 30FPS
• 720p: 1280×720, 60FPS + 30FPS
• STANDARD DEFINITION RESOLUTIONS
• WVGA: 848×480, 120FPS + 60FPS
• High Performance,1 /2.3” CMOS Image Sensor
• Light Sensitivity: .84 V/lux-sec
• Video Format: H.264 codec, .mp4 File Format
• Exposure Control: Spot, Center Weighted
• White Balance: Auto
• Audio: Mono, 48 kHz, AAC Compression, Auto Gain Control, Stereo External Microphone Input (3.5mm)

Photo specs are:

• RESOLUTIONS: 11MP, 8MP, 5 MP
• FOV: Wide 170º FOV, Medium 127º FOV
• CAPTURE MODES: Single, 10 Photo Burst, Time-Lapse, Self-Timer

For more details visit the GoPro Website.  There are several different mounts you can buy including chest straps for lower and more active looking perspectives and mounts for bicycles, surfboards, etc.  You can also get a WiFi remote pack that eventually is supposed to work with smartphones.

So, do I relish this little device?  You bet.  I may get some strange looks from the folks around here (honestly, I get strange looks anyway), but getting some great footage is worth it.  I look forward to using my GoPro to capture my rides here in Europe.  For now, here is a snippet of a brief trip to meet the husband after work as viewed from my handlebars on the FX.

September Bike Commute from CG Inlux on Vimeo.