Reviewed: The Go Pro Hero 2

The Go Pro has been used to shoot footage for over 60 shows ranging from Mythbusters to Sarah Palin's Alaska. It has filmed the inside of the mouths of Alligators, sharks, and polar bears. The camera has even seen the outer reaches of space from weather balloons; and did I fail to mention all in high definition.

Since it's appearance on the market a few years ago, Go Pro has delved into the professional and consumer market alike. The company is the primary brand of the privately owned Half Moon Bay company Woodman Labs, that was started out of a basement. All in all, this camera is incredible, so here is my review of their latest upgrade the Go Pro Hero 2. 


As an owner of the first Go Pro HD Hero camera, I feel it is important to post the comparable specs of each model to accurately differentiate between the two:

The Original Go Pro HD Hero

The Original Go Pro HD Hero Camera: ($199)

Camera Optics

• Lens Type: Fixed Focus (2ft/.6m – ∞), glass
• Aperture: f/2.8 (high performance in low-light situations)
• Angle of View: 170º ultra wide angle in WVGA, 720p, or 960p mode
• Angle of View: 127º wide angle in 1080p mode

Video

• HD Video Resolution Modes: (subject to change, pending final firmware release)
  
  • 1080p = 1920×1080 pixels (16:9), 30 fps, 15 Mbit/s data rate
  • 960p = 1280×960 pixels (4:3), 30 fps, 12 Mbit/s data rate
  • 720p = 1280×720 pixels (16:9), 60 fps, 15 Mbit/s data rate
  • 720p = 1280×720 pixels (16:9), 30 fps, 8 Mbit/s data rate
  • WVGA = 848×480 pixels (16:9), 60 fps, 8 Mbit/s data rate

Photo

• Resolution: 5 megapixel
• Capture Modes: Single, Triple shot burst, Time-lapse (1, 2, 5, 10, 30 or 60 secs), Self-timer

Audio

• Microphone: Built-in, mono
• Audio Format: 48 kHz, AAC Compression, Automatic Gain Control

The Go Pro HD Hero 2

The HD Hero 2: ($299)

Camera Optics

• 2X Sharper Professional Glass Lens
• f/2.8 Fixed Focus
• 170º Wide FOV (Including 1080p)
• 127º Medium FOV (In 1080p)
• 90º Narrow FOV

Video

• HD RESOLUTIONS:
• 1080p: 1920×1080, 30FPS
• 960p: 1280×960, 48FPS + 30FPS
• 720p: 1280×720, 60FPS + 30FPS
• STANDARD DEFINITION RESOLUTIONS
• WVGA: 848×480, 120FPS + 60FPS

Photo

• RESOLUTIONS: 11MP, 8MP, 5 MP
• FOV: Wide 170º FOV, Medium 127º FOV
• CAPTURE MODES: Single, 10 Photo Burst, Time-Lapse*, Self-Timer
• * Now supports time-lapse photo every 0.5 seconds. Requires Class 10 speed SD Card.

Audio

• Mono, 48 kHz, AAC Compression, Auto Gain Control
• Stereo External Microphone Input (3.5mm)

So sitting down to review this camera some of the biggest improvements to the new HD Hero 2 come hidden under the hood. According to GoPro, the Hero 2 is two times as powerful in every way. That means "two times sharper image, 11MP Photos (up from the original's five), ten photos per second (up from three), time lapse down to 0.5 second increments (previously 1 second), max fps 120 (up from 60), and 170 degrees FOV all the way up to 1080p (previously 170 stopped at 960p, dropping to 127 degrees at full resolution.) Aside from these improvements the same 1,100 mAh battery should give you about 2.5 hours of use, and still acts to heat your camera in case of cold arctic expeditions you might decide to capture. 


So all in all it seems either camera is a fantastic choice for the mount and go shooter. In addition, both cameras come with a plethora of mounting options and brackets to secure your camera in every way imaginable. Though the camera has been knocked for often unrealistic color reproduction and white balance issues, I still hold firm to the notion that the camera is a powerful device in a video buffs toolkit. If you are looking for the best price you cannot go wrong with the original HD model, but if you are looking for the most options and creative control, the HD Hero 2 is an easy pick.