Action cam / 360 / GoPro etc. thread

[Andrew Reid]

As there are too many separate threads and topics about cameras that have fisheye lenses and small sensors, i.e. anything that goes on the end of a selfie stick, I will combine them all here and anything that gets posted separately will be moved to this post.

[maxJ4380]

Sounds fair. Lot of peoples first forays into video begin with an action camera of some kind. 

[Emanuel]

The best cam is the one you bring and can shoot with. No other camera industry segment has so many upgrades as this one from so many sources. Finally, a place here where we can post it without feeling or sound intrusive in the middle of our sacred college of filmmakers.

EAG :- )

[maxJ4380]

Might be a bit embarrassing if everybody starts running amok with action camera footage... Lots of youtubes out there done with action cameras. Still i think that there are many possibilities that can lead to making more informed content available and should they outgrow it, their already at the right place to ask questions.

[Emanuel]

Usually, action camera footage is crap. This doesn't mean the device itself is. Neither the possibilities we can get from. 

The fact the lowest price the more wider the basis of the users' skills is. A bit like audiences. You extend the range you'll lower the quality of your outcome, no many options ;- )

- EAG

[Andrew Reid]

19 hours ago, maxJ4380 said:

Sounds fair. Lot of peoples first forays into video begin with an action camera of some kind. 

I just think action-cam stuff belongs on a different website, and a different forum.

EOSHD is about mirrorless cameras, cinema cameras and occasionally the odd smartphone.

It's not about extreme sports shooting.

[Geoff_L]

1 hour ago, Andrew Reid said:

I just think action-cam stuff belongs on a different website, and a different forum.

EOSHD is about mirrorless cameras, cinema cameras and occasionally the odd smartphone.

It's not about extreme sports shooting.

And what about gopro as odd cinema camera replacement to shoot dwarfs extreme barrels sports😬

[eatstoomuchjam]

3 hours ago, Andrew Reid said:

EOSHD is about mirrorless cameras, cinema cameras and occasionally the odd smartphone.

It's not about extreme sports shooting.

Your site, your rules, of course!

Though I would say that depending on the definition of action cam, I've used them on set any number of times - even more now that the Osmo Pocket 3 is so good. 

But even for the more GoPro style... Someone's going to open up an old wood furnace door and peek in?  Chuck in an action cam.  It gets covered in soot?  No biggie for an action cam.  Director wants POV of a fist hitting someone's face and their POV as they fall to the ground?  Action cam.  Director wants to get the wheels of a car rolling through the mud from up close?  Action cam.  Really, just about any shot that I think has a high chance of breaking a nicer camera or where a better camera simply won't fit, I'll just drop in an action camera.  Half the time, the shot never gets used, but the other half the time, the director loves it.

There's no way in hell I'd use any current model action cam (except the Pocket 3 if that counts) to shoot more than a cutaway/b-roll bit, but they keep getting better and it's easier and easier to match their footage in a way that's not too jarring.  There are a lot of creative uses - many of which are arguably gimmicky or hacky, but that comes down to a matter of taste.

[eatstoomuchjam]

That said, if a new one comes out, my YouTube feed will definitely let me know - and there's not a lot of interesting conversation to be had around a new action cameras.  "So this one is a bit better than the last one and still has an obscenely wide angle lens?  Cool.  Cool cool cool."

(That and since I already have a couple of 1" edition Insta360 One R's (upgraded to the RS brain), it's also really unlikely that I'll be in the market for a new action cam any time soon, not unless someone comes out with something crazy good - 5.7k not-so-wide angle with a "Leica" lens on a great big (comparatively!) sensor is more than enough for the above mentioned gimmick shots)