17 Nov 8 Reasons Why You Should Travel With a GoPro
Way back before we started this site, Micah received one of the very first GoPros as a Christmas gift. We played around with it here and there and brought the tiny camera with on our trips to use for our adventurous activities. We used the GoPro to capture footage when jumping off cliffs in Curacao, snorkeling and white water rafting in Iceland and oh so many more adventures.
This past year, we decided to invest in a much needed upgrade and purchased a GoPro HERO3 Black to use on our travels. The only problem is now we want to upgrade and add a newer model to the mix—either a GoPro HERO4 Black
As much as we value our DSLR, the GoPro has been an essential part in our filming strategy for a number of reasons that we will share below. Because they are so versatile, we think they are perfect cameras to travel with, either in addition to your current arsenal, or just to use on its own. Most of our videos include at least some GoPro footage; in fact, every photo and video in this post was created with our GoPro!
With that said, here are our top 8 reasons why you should travel with a GoPro!
1. Durable and Great for Adventure
GoPros are built for adventure and they can withstand a proper beating. This past year, we have taken ours with on hiking trips, kayaking adventures, rock climbing, rappelling, white water rafting, ice climbing, snowmobiling, dog sledding and so many more activities. You don’t have to worry near as much about damaging a GoPro as you would a DSLR or other similar camera. It has allowed us to partake in more extreme adventures and not worry that we will either damage our camera or miss capturing the footage—both situations would be a huge bummer.
2. Good Quality
As the years go on, the quality of GoPro footage continues to get better and better. For example, the HERO4 Black shoots 12 megapixels, 4K video, and 1080p120, which enables for some solid slow motion action. Every version has different specs, so you can pick the one that best meets your individual standards and price point.
3. Small and Compact
When space is tight in your luggage (and let’s face it, when is it not?!), you need gear that is small and compact. Coming in at just a few inches in size, a GoPro can fit in your pocket or even in the palm of your hand with room to spare. It makes packing easy and it won’t weigh down your bags with too much additional weight.
4. Can Be Attached Anywhere
One of our favorite things about the GoPro is that they can be hooked up to so many different attachments, which enables you to capture a wide variety of footage. We use selfie sticks as more of an extended arm to gain a unique vantage point such as over the edge of a cliff or extended over the side of a boat. Some attachments we have are a headstrap mount
5. Waterproof
Having a waterproof camera takes the stress out of any activity where you are by the water or in wet conditions, and it makes underwater footage possible. It is also much cheaper than buying an underwater housing for your DSLR camera.
6. Easy to Keep Discreet
Because of the GoPros small size, it isn’t as noticeable as a larger camera, which is especially helpful when you are traveling in an area where you wouldn’t want to carry a large camera out in the open. Since it is much smaller than a DSLR, you will likely attract less attention than you would with a GoPro. Also, GoPros are allowed in more places as they are smaller and not viewed as a large professional camera.
7. Easy to Use
GoPros are super easy to use—there are several modes that you can flip between with the touch of a button. By keeping the controls down to only a few buttons, the settings are easier to learn and remember. You don’t have to worry about focus or exposure because the GoPro sets them for you automatically based off the environment you are in. Also, you can get a remote for the GoPro, which allows you to have control over the settings and take photos/video when your camera is out of reach.
8. Can Connect to a Smart Device Wirelessly
With the wireless connection, you can connect the camera to your phone and download photos in an instant. You don’t have to wait until you can import the photos to your computer. This makes posting to social media a breeze!
Do you have a GoPro? What are your favorite reasons for having one?
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