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The company was formed by [[Nick Woodman]]. Woodman said he was inspired to start the company following a 2002 Australia surfing trip in which he was hoping to capture quality action photos of his surfing, but could not because amateur photographers could not get close enough, or obtain quality equipment at accessible prices. His desire for a camera system that could capture the professional angles inspired the 'GoPro' name.<ref name="malakye1">{{cite web|url=http://www.malakye.com/asp/front/CMSPage.asp?TYP_ID=2&ID=2831 |title=GoPro with Founder/Inventor Nick Woodman |publisher=Malakye.com |date=2010-01-05 |accessdate=2011-07-27}}</ref><ref name="businessweek1">{{cite web|last=Burrows |first=Peter |url=http://www.businessweek.com/magazine/gopros-incredible-small-durable-camcorder-07012011.html |title=GoPro’s Incredible Small, Durable Camcorder |publisher=BusinessWeek |date= |accessdate=2011-07-27}}</ref>
The company was formed by [[Nick Woodman]]. Woodman said he was inspired to start the company following a 2002 Australia surfing trip in which he was hoping to capture quality action photos of his surfing, but could not because amateur photographers could not get close enough, or obtain quality equipment at accessible prices. His desire for a camera system that could capture the professional angles inspired the 'GoPro' name.<ref name="malakye1">{{cite web|url=http://www.malakye.com/asp/front/CMSPage.asp?TYP_ID=2&ID=2831 |title=GoPro with Founder/Inventor Nick Woodman |publisher=Malakye.com |date=2010-01-05 |accessdate=2011-07-27}}</ref><ref name="businessweek1">{{cite web|last=Burrows |first=Peter |url=http://www.businessweek.com/magazine/gopros-incredible-small-durable-camcorder-07012011.html |title=GoPro’s Incredible Small, Durable Camcorder |publisher=BusinessWeek |date= |accessdate=2011-07-27}}</ref>


Woodman initially raised money for his company by selling bead and shell belts out of his VW van. Each belt sold for under $20. While making the belts he came upon the idea of providing a fashionable strap to attach a camera. At the time most straps were rubber wrist straps that were awkward, painful or easily broken.<ref name="malakye1"/><ref name="businessweek1"/>
Woodman initially raised money for his company by selling bead and shell belts out of his VW van. Each belt sold for under $20. While making the belts he came upon the idea of providing a fashionable strap to attach a camerjshhshv tacos !!!!!!!!

In 2004 the company sold its first camera system—a [[35 mm film]] version.<ref name="malakye1"/>


The cameras evolved, going from 35mm to digital, where it started recording 10 second clips, to 3 Megapixel digital cameras to its current configuration of having fixed lens cameras with a wide 170 degree angle in high definition 1080p cinema quality video. Two cameras can be connected to create [[3D video]].<ref name="malakye1"/>
The cameras evolved, going from 35mm to digital, where it started recording 10 second clips, to 3 Megapixel digital cameras to its current configuration of having fixed lens cameras with a wide 170 degree angle in high definition 1080p cinema quality video. Two cameras can be connected to create [[3D video]].<ref name="malakye1"/>

Revision as of 19:28, 19 February 2013

GoPro is a brand of the privately owned San Mateo, California company Woodman Labs that features "wearable" camera/camcorders such as helmet cameras that are targeted at adventure video/photography.

Widely used by professionals and hobbyists. The cameras have been used to film inside of the mouths of alligators, sharks and polar bears.[1]

History

The company was formed by Nick Woodman. Woodman said he was inspired to start the company following a 2002 Australia surfing trip in which he was hoping to capture quality action photos of his surfing, but could not because amateur photographers could not get close enough, or obtain quality equipment at accessible prices. His desire for a camera system that could capture the professional angles inspired the 'GoPro' name.[2][3]

Woodman initially raised money for his company by selling bead and shell belts out of his VW van. Each belt sold for under $20. While making the belts he came upon the idea of providing a fashionable strap to attach a camerjshhshv tacos  !!!!!!!!

The cameras evolved, going from 35mm to digital, where it started recording 10 second clips, to 3 Megapixel digital cameras to its current configuration of having fixed lens cameras with a wide 170 degree angle in high definition 1080p cinema quality video. Two cameras can be connected to create 3D video.[2]

The cameras have branched out from the surf crowd to be used by auto racing, skiing and bicycling as new adapters are created.[2]

The parent company includes financing by several venture capital companies including Steamboat Ventures (affiliated with the Walt Disney Corporation), Riverwood Capital, Sageview Capital, Walden International, and U.S. Venture Partners. [1][3][4]

On March 30, 2011, it acquired CineForm. In particular the acquisition brought the CineForm 444 Codec into its control. The codec (which was used in the film Slumdog Millionaire) according to the press release "makes HD and 3D editing faster and more convenient without sacrificing image quality." It was used to roll out the 3D HERO® System shortly after the acquisition.[5][6]

HD HERO cameras

A Gopro HD on a spearfishing mask

The company currently only sells three basic cameras, none of which in its native format have a viewfinder or zoom lens. The only menu is a 2-bit LCD that appears on the front of the camera and is cycled through by pressing combinations of the front button and a top shutter button. The cameras have dimensions of 1.6” x 2.4” x 1.2” (42mm x 60mm x 30mm) (HERO2). Ranging from capturing stills at 5 to 12 megapixels. The cameras are bundled with a clear polycarbonate HD Housing (with glass lens) that is rated shockproof and waterproof to 180 ft/60 meters. The housing consists of a quick-release buckle on the top and threads at the bottom which can be used with a special screw to connect to all of the GoPro mounts. The housing has metal buttons which are synched to connect to the camera's controls. The housing has a "skeleton" backdoor option to allow better capture of audio in situations where it is not necessary for the camera to be water tight or shock proof (but wishing to take advantage of the mounts)[7]

In addition to the usual camera features, the cameras also include an upside down mode to make the photo/video appear upright when played; interval shooting of every 2, 5, 10, 30 or 60 seconds allowing the camera to continuously shoot unattended; 3 photo burst; and self-timer. The camera spec sheet notes they have a proprietary 1050 mAh lithium-ion battery (HERO3), Aperture: f/2.8, and rated >1.4 V/lux-sec in video mode.

Camera lines

HD HERO3

Released November 2012. Woodman Labs is reusing the name "HERO 3" after three generations of cameras have superseded their former model called the "Digital HERO 3."

  • Available in three models: White, Silver and Black. All of which are wi-fi capable, uses a microSD card and have improved sound quality compared its predecessor HERO2. However, unlike the HERO2 there is no dedicated Mic input. This is solved by using a USB adapter. The Black Edition introduced a new sensor type claimed by its manufacturer to have "2x the light sensitivity". The Black Edition captures up to 240 frames pr second but at a limited 848x480 pixel resolution.
Go Pro Hero 3 Black Edition

HD HERO3: Black Edition

Capable of capturing digital video up to 4K and 2.7K resolution. Frame rate is lowered to 15 frames per second when capturing at 4K resolution.

Average Bitrates HERO3 Black Edition

Using white balance RAW format does not affect the average bit rates.

Region Resolution Frame size FPS Protune Aspect Average bit rate
Both 4K Cin 4096 x 2160 12 On 17:9 46 Mbit/s
PAL 4K 3840 x 2160 12.5 On 16:9 45 Mbit/s
NTSC 4K 3840 x 2160 15 On 16:9 46 Mbit/s
Both 2,7K Cin 2704 x 1440 24 On 17:9 46 Mbit/s
PAL 2,7K 2704 x 1524 25 On 16:9 48 Mbit/s
NTSC 2,7K 2704 x 1524 30 On 16:9 46 Mbit/s
Both 1440p 1920 x 1440 24 On 4:3 36 Mbit/s
PAL 1440p 1920 x 1440 25 On 4:3 36 Mbit/s
NTSC 1440p 1920 x 1440 30 On 4:3 36 Mbit/s
Both 1440p 1920 x 1440 48 On 4:3 46 Mbit/s
Both 1080p 1920 x 1080 24 On 16:9 36 Mbit/s
PAL 1080p 1920 x 1080 25 On 16:9 36 Mbit/s
NTSC 1080p 1920 x 1080 30 On 16:9 36 Mbit/s
Both 1080p 1920 x 1080 48 On 16:9 46 Mbit/s
PAL 1080p 1920 x 1080 50 On 16:9 46 Mbit/s
NTSC 1080p 1920 x 1080 60 On 16:9 46 Mbit/s
Both 960p 1280 x 960 100 On 4:3 46 Mbit/s
PAL 720p 1280 x 720 50 On 16:9 36 Mbit/s
NTSC 720p 1280 x 720 60 On 16:9 36 Mbit/s
PAL 720p 1280 x 720 100 On 16:9 46 Mbit/s
NTSC 720p 1280 x 720 120 On 16:9 46 Mbit/s
Both 2,7K Cin 2704 x 1440 24 Off 17:9 46 Mbit/s
PAL 2,7K 2704 x 1524 25 Off 16:9 45 Mbit/s
NTSC 2,7K 2704 x 1524 30 Off 16:9 46 Mbit/s
Both 1440p 1920 x 1440 24 Off 4:3 31 Mbit/s
PAL 1440p 1920 x 1440 25 Off 4:3 31 Mbit/s
NTSC 1440p 1920 x 1440 30 Off 4:3 31 Mbit/s
Both 1440p 1920 x 1440 48 Off 4:3 31 Mbit/s
Both 1080p 1920 x 1080 24 Off 16:9 31 Mbit/s
PAL 1080p 1920 x 1080 25 Off 16:9 20 Mbit/s
NTSC 1080p 1920 x 1080 30 Off 16:9 20 Mbit/s
Both 1080p 1920 x 1080 48 Off 16:9 31 Mbit/s
PAL 1080p 1920 x 1080 50 Off 16:9 31 Mbit/s
NTSC 1080p 1920 x 1080 60 Off 16:9 31 Mbit/s
Both 960p 1280 x 960 48 Off 4:3 31 Mbit/s
Both 960p 1280 x 960 100 Off 4:3 31 Mbit/s
PAL 720p 1280 x 720 50 Off 16:9 20 Mbit/s
NTSC 720p 1280 x 720 60 Off 16:9 20 Mbit/s
PAL 720p 1280 x 720 100 Off 16:9 31 Mbit/s
NTSC 720p 1280 x 720 120 Off 16:9 31 Mbit/s
Both WVGA 848 x 480 240 Off 16:9 31 Mbit/s

HD HERO3: Silver Edition

The Silver Edition retains the same features of the predecessor HD HERO2, but is smaller, lighter, and shares the same high quality sound as the Black Edition. The Silver Edition uses the same sensor type as the previous HERO 2.

HD HERO3: White Edition

The White Edition is a new entry-level model for Woodman Labs. Still pictures are captured at a lower resolution than the Silver and Black edition at 5MP. And the burst mode is reduced to 3 still photos per second (as opposed to 30 photos per second on the Black Edition). The White Edition uses the same sensor type as the first HERO HD.

HD HERO2 Professional cameras

On October 24, 2011 GoPro introduced the HD HERO2 Professional. Marketed as "Twice as powerful in every way", the Hero 2 has an improved image sensor to 11 Megapixels, improved low-light capability and records up to 120 frames per second (WVGA only). The HERO2 has an MSRP of $299.99[8] and is available with three different accessory packages: Outdoor Edition, Motorsports Edition, and Surf Edition.[9] Each package includes different camera mounts and accessories.

HD HERO

HD HERO Naked - shoots a maximum of 1080p video (5 megapixels) that is compatible with the electronic accessories that may be bought for additional cost including the 3D HERO System (connects two separately purchased Naked cameras to create 3D video);[10] Battery BacPac™ (can charge batteries separate from camera and can also be hooked to the camera to provide additional power);[11] LCD BacPac™ (provides a clip-on LCD screen to preview and play back videos as well as control the camera's menus)[12] (August 2011 suggested price of $199.99 )[13]

The Naked camera line forms the basis for other bundles which are differentiated by the types of mounts they have (HD Helmet HERO, HD Motorsports HERO, HD Surf HERO). It was first listed on January 25, 2010.

HD HERO 960

HD HERO 960 - shoots a maximum of 960p video and is not compatible with GoPro's electronic accessories although the camera is compatible with all GoPro mounts. It was first listed on August 6, 2010

Digital HERO 5

The Digital HERO 5 (first introduced on December 5, 2008) had a 5 megapixel still photo sensor, and supported standard definition (640×480) video capture. It ran on two AAA batteries, had 16MB of internal memory, and could function with a 2GB SD card. It was the first GoPro HERO camera to use a 170° angle of view, ultra-wide lens.[14] Its housing was aggressively—and extraordinarily—rated to 100 ft/30 meters depth. Its dimensions were 2.6" x 1.75" x 1.25" (66.04 x 44.45 x 31.75mm). The camera is not designed to work with the newer HD HERO line of housings, although the standard screw mounts are indeed compatible.[15]

GoPro HERO 35mm, All-Season Sports Camera

The 35mm camera (model #001) became available on April 13, 2005. It had dimensions of 2.5 inches by 3 inches and weighed 0.45 pounds. It included the camera, a clear case with quick release, a camera strap and ski glove adapter lash. It could pivot "on the fly" and was functional to 15 feet of water. It was described as a "reusable wrist camera" and included a roll of 24 exposure Kodak 400 film.

Mounting System

The GoPro Mounting System is based around tough plastic components, joined together by a comb joint and nut and bolt.

Handlebar Seatpost Mount

Designed for use on mountain bikes, this mount can attach to any circular tube with a diameter of 0.75″ to 1.4″ (1.9cm – 3.5cm). The mount comes with a short and long 90 degree arm for flexibility when mounting.

Roll Bar Mount

Similar in Design to the handlebar seatpost mount, the roll bar mount is designed to clamp on to circular tubes 1.4″ to 2.5″ (3.5cm – 6.35cm), such as those found in the roll bars of most sports cars.

Helmet Mount

A simple mount that straps through the air vent in your helmet.

Chest Mount Harness (Chesty)

The largest mount GoPro makes, this chest harness (also advertised and packaged as 'Chesty') is designed to fit onto the body of a human and provide a chest eye view. The mount has also been used to attach the GoPro to dogs and other animals. Made from Plastic and Elastic.

Adhesive Mounts

The commonly used mounts are attached with 3M double sided tape to flat or slightly curved surfaces. Then a quick release is easily attached to the sturdy mount.

References

  1. ^ a b "The Wall Street Journal Features GoPro". Gopro.com. 2011-04-06. Retrieved 2011-07-27.
  2. ^ a b c "GoPro with Founder/Inventor Nick Woodman". Malakye.com. 2010-01-05. Retrieved 2011-07-27.
  3. ^ a b Burrows, Peter. "GoPro's Incredible Small, Durable Camcorder". BusinessWeek. Retrieved 2011-07-27.
  4. ^ Shankland, Stephen (2011-05-05). "Camera start-up GoPro secures funding | Deep Tech - CNET News". News.cnet.com. Retrieved 2011-07-27.
  5. ^ "GoPro®, Leading Activity Image Capture Company, Acquires Award Winning Video Compression Software Company, CineForm®, Inc". Gopro.com. 2011-03-30. Retrieved 2011-08-01.
  6. ^ Author Tony Reale, Mar 30th, 2011 (2011-03-30). "GoPro, sports camera manufacturer acquires CineForm, video compression software company". NextWaveDV. Retrieved 2011-08-01. {{cite web}}: |author= has generic name (help)CS1 maint: multiple names: authors list (link) CS1 maint: numeric names: authors list (link)
  7. ^ "Replacement HD Housing - GoPro Official Store: Wearable Digital Cameras for Sports". Gopro.com. Retrieved 2011-08-01.
  8. ^ GoPro Product Comparison http://gopro.com/product-comparison-hd-hero2-hd-hero-cameras/
  9. ^ http://gopro.com/cameras/hd-hero2-outdoor-edition/#specs
  10. ^ "GoPro 3D HERO System - World's Smallest 1080p 3D camera". Gopro.com. Retrieved 2011-08-01.
  11. ^ "GoPro Battery BacPac - Extend Battery Life & Easy Recharge". Gopro.com. Retrieved 2011-08-01.
  12. ^ "GoPro LCD BacPacâ"˘: Removable LCD Monitor for HD HERO Cameras". Gopro.com. Retrieved 2011-08-01.
  13. ^ "Waterproof HD Video Camera for Sports & Activities: HD HERO Naked Cam". Gopro.com. Retrieved 2011-08-01.
  14. ^ http://gopro.com/faq-sd-hero-cameras/
  15. ^ http://gopro.com/camera-accessories/replacement-standard-housing/

External links