GoPro HD HERO2: Motorsports Edition Camcorder - Silver

The GoPro Hero2 is the best option for capturing the action in extreme conditions. Has everything you need to start shooting right out the box. The video and photo quality is very high, it is very easy to use for the intended main purpose (capturing video and photos in extreme sports or conditions) but don´t expect to use like a regular point and shoot camera, first of all, It doesn´t have a screen or view finder, so you must first make an idea of the POV in order to set the camera in the right angle and position you want to shoot. You can buy an additional display sold separately but I think that´s not the main purpose of the camera. It´s very nice at touch and small enough to set in several conditions. Feels robust and durable, that´s very important because that´s the main purpose, so you can be confident that it will resist a very harsh treatment.

As a Professional Videographer, I often times end up in situations where I need a shot, but am either unwilling to risk my pro rig or simply can not get the shot any other way. The original Hero was pretty good if you had enough light, the new Hero 2 is light years ahead. I use it with the flat port housing from Eye of Mine for stunning underwater video and stills. The great part is my old accessories still work with the new camera!!! Thanks GopPro for not making me buy everything again! Its Dynamic range (how well it handles contrast from deep shadow to bright sunlight) is pretty amazing. I had excellent details in a shadow under a trailer, that was parked in sun lit snow, and still lost no detail in the snow at the same time.

VERY Nice burst mode, Time Lapse down to every half second, truely an amazing camera and camera system for the money. I now don't think of traveling without one, for work or play. I dove one in Hawaii this year and it looked great at 40ft without a light, and at 70 I got away with just a small dive light to highlight some areas.

In addition, the ability to adjust Field of View, in the menu is great, you can do wide angle, normal or a mild zoom. (remember wearable cameras are mostly useable only because they are in a wide angle mode, reducing the viewer getting motion sick). Still, this mode is useful for getting rid of distortion, and if handled carefully allows you to gain a diferent viewpoint that doesnt suffer the distraction of the barrel distortion you see normally.

The GoPro Hero2 is an excellent value for the money. The pros are that the rolling shutter and moire have been greatly reduced from the original. The cons are that the camera does not have any type of mount attached to it and must be put inside the plastic case to mount it to anything. Once in the case, you can't access the ports on the sides of the camera. The Hero2 also does not have any display as delivered. You can purchase the LCD Backpack, but it is not included. The packaged mounts are very useful and the suction cup unit is very sturdy and stayed in place at speeds in excess of 100 miles per hour. Although the Hero2 won't replace a proper high definition studio camera, you can't beat the price. For the cost of one studio HD camera, you could buy several Hero2s and have money left over. I recommend the Hero2 to anyone that is looking for a good, cheap, HD camera with multiple mounting options and huge after sale support.

As you have seen from hundreds of "ThatWebsites" Hero2 videos, by now you know the quality of both the picture and sound. There are many more video and camera options than anticipated so this is a nice value to a compact camera. This model I purchased was a used version and included both the "Wi-Fi BackPack and Remote", both which I would highly recommend as you can add an app to your phone developed by GoPro to wirelessly connect to your camera and control what seems to be 100% of the settings. This is also a great bonus because now you have in your hand a personal monitor to make sure the camera is "centered" to your preference. The video downloads and erases a little slowly, but it's nothing to even worry about, but just wanted to mention, as I know some "of us" can be critical. The battery on both the Wi-Fi unit and Hero2 is comparable and "reasonable" when you use and fill a 32G memory card. So as far as bang for the buck goes you really can't go wrong with this 2-version.

The good: The GoPro HD Hero2 boasts improved optics, a few new video- and still-photo-shooting modes, and backward compatibility with current HD Hero accessories. Most importantly, its interface has been overhauled and is now much easier to view and understand.
The bad: As improved as it is, the Hero2's interface can still be a bit confusing for the first-time user.
The bottom line: The GoPro HD Hero2 is easily the best GoPro camera yet, with the ruggedness and quality that we've come to expect and a new user-friendly interface.
I've had a bit of a love-hate relationship with the GoPro HD Hero that we've used during the recording of the Car Tech Live podcast for the last year or so. On the one hand, the Hero takes phenomenal wide-angle video, is ridiculously durable thanks to its polycarbonate shell, and (when you get the settings right) relatively easy to use. However, that last bit is also my biggest point of contention with the first few generations of the GoPro Hero cameras; I'm a self-proclaimed techie who's recorded hours of footage using the HD Hero and I still have to break out the poorly written instruction sheet to change any of the settings. More often than not, I just leave the settings where I left them and just point and shoot.
So, when the new generation GoPro HD Hero2 landed on my desk boasting an improved interface, I decided to challenge myself to full-test the device without cracking the spine on its (also improved) 90-page user manual.