So you have your GoPro Hero3 and are wondering which accessories will pimp that shiny little camera and take your shooting experience to the next level? Here are five of the best GoPro accessories to get you started.
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1. Floaty Backdoor
The GoPro sinks. Fast. If you’re surfing heavy waves or just don’t want to lose your precious camera to the deep then this – while not necessarily a performance enhancer – is still a great idea. Available from GoPro for $20.
2. Ebairsoft TMC Silicone Case for GoPro HD Hero3
The GoPro housing is going to get scratched and damaged by the things we do to it. Recently the Surfd team lost their GoPro Hero3 on the second biggest water slide in the biggest water park in Europe. Four hours later the staff found it and besides some scratches on the housing the camera was, thankfully, fine.
If you’re going to be doing silly things with your GoPro (which you are) then these silicon cases will provide another layer of quite cool-looking armour for your camera. Available from Ebairsoft for $11.99.
3. Wasabi Power Batteries and Charger for GoPro HD Hero3
Running out of batteries is something you will do often with your GoPro, simply because you’ll be shooting more than ever before. Spare batteries are an absolute necessity. This little kit from Wasabi includes two batteries and a wall charger which is a nice addition. Available on Amazon
Note: You can also get official Hero3 batteries for $25 each direct from GoPro.
4. iPad or iPhone
Now it’s hard to call an iPad a GoPro accessory but if you had to ask me which I’d choose it would be an easy decision. If Apple made a tiny, waterproof HD iPad with surfboard mount then maybe that would change. Together, however, the iPad and GoPro make quite a team.
Simply download the GoPro app from the Apple App store. Take a deep breathe and make sure your Hero3 has the latest firmware (if you can read instructions it’s easy). During this process you will / would have created a wi-fi password for your GoPro Hero3. Remember it. Now make sure you disconnect your iPad from the net as you’ll be using the wi-fi connection for… you guessed it… connecting to your GoPro. Make sure the Hero3 wireless is switched on – you’ll see the little blue light flashing.
Launch the GoPro App. Breathe.
The iPad (or iPhone) will detect your GoPro. Enter your password. Boom!
You see your face with a dumb expression reallllly close-up on your iPad!
This is an awesome feature of the Hero3 and a very cool app simply because it allows you to preview what you’re shooting, albeit with a slight delay. It’s perfect for composing timelapse sequences and getting creative shots just right. You can also control the camera remotely and play back your content on the fly. Using the GoPro like this will suck batteries so make sure you have spares!
The app is, of course, free. The cheapest iPad (16GB Mini) starts at $329.
5. The DJI Phantom
The Phantom is a quadcopter purpose-built to take your GoPro to the sky. It features a built-in screw mount and the system is entirely optimised for producing smooth, professional results with a GoPro. The ‘drone’ looks easy enough to learn and operate and you get 10 to 15 minutes of flight time per charge so you’ll rack up flight-hours fast. There are some cool features such as the Naza-M autopilot system which uses GPS to bring the chopper safely home, should you lose contact.
The Phantom is without a doubt the ultimate GoPro Hero3 accessory and will be on the radar for filmmakers everywhere. The potential for capturing insane surf footage is there for anyone with the right tools. Imagine these things hovering around the mouth of hungry Teahupoo barrels (it’s been done). The sky is, literally, the limit.
The DJI Phantom is available on Amazon
The GoPro Hero3 is opening up all kinds of new shooting possibilities. These five accessories will help push your performance, capabilities and creative freedom even further.