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There are only two buttons – a power switch and a shutter release switch, which both double as selection buttons for the menu displayed in the little LCD screen on the back. As with any two-button menu-driven command system, this is a bit clunky, but thankfully there is another solution which I’ll get to shortly.
The next decision is how to mount the camera. Instead of a waterproof case, the Music edition is supplied with a skeleton case – enough to hold the camera in place and provide a connection point to the multitude of mounts available out there. The camera attaches to these via a kind of quick-release buckle that GoPro has adopted as its go-to system. Luckily, it ships with a bunch of adhesive mounts which allow you to stick the camera on virtually anything. The camera is the personification of point and shoot, especially since there is no viewfinder. But that doesn’t mean you’re shooting blind.
There’s a companion app which turns your iPhone or iPad into a wireless remote with the help of the Hero3+ WiFi capability. Using your i-device, you can adjust the settings, preview what you’re shooting and hit record and stop. Sure, there’s a bit of a delay, but it’s a fantastic solution that makes the camera truly handsfree.
In action
This isn’t a photography review, so I’ll limit this discussion to the GoPro’s suitability for e-drum recording. In this look-at-me world dominated by Facebook, YouTube and online forums, edrummers increasingly like to share videos of
their performances and most consumer video cameras have limited audio input options. Most rely on their built-in microphones and few have the capability of handling a direct feed from a module or audio interface. digitalDrummer’s videos are shot using either a Kodak Zi8 or a Nikon DSLR, both of which have Audio In jacks. The GoPro Hero3+ doesn’t have an audio jack per se, but the Music version ships with a special USB audio adaptor (normally around $30 as an accessory), which takes a stereo feed. Interestingly, the built-in camera is mono, but the device is capable of recording stereo, so it can be paired with a module (via the audio output) or any stereo mic set-up. For our tests, we used direct feeds from a couple of different modules and got excellent results using the line level feed. We also used the headphone out on some devices.
The other huge advantage of the GoPro is its exceptionally wide lens and huge depth of field (that, for the uninitiated, means the amount of stuff in focus).
I found it extremely useful for shooting the kit in a confined space – exacerbated by a short audio lead! The resulting footage was crisp and clear and nicely exposed despite the poor indoor lighting. Of course, there was quite a bit of distortion from using the wide-angle lens (think fisheye), but this was easily corrected using GoPro’s uncomplicated (and free) video editing software.
Overall
The GoPro Hero3+ is a compact but capable camera that not only captures extreme activities, but is now documenting the thrills of live music.
The special Music bundle is versatile, providing a number of practical mounting options which allow you to stick the camera on anything from a mic stand to your guitar, drum kit or keyboard.
POSTSCRIPT: After we completed our review, GoPro released a new HERO4. The HERO3+ Black reviewed here is no longer available, but the Silver edition is still on offer. digitalDRUMMER, NOVEMBER 2014
Its brilliant optics mean that the camera is as good at capturing a wide stage as it is for shooting your kit in a tight space. However, this is not a device for shooting a stage from some distance, nor for trying to capture a concert from the audience position in low light.
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