GoPro HD HERO2: Outdoor Edition (New Model)

by GoPro

Product Details

• Product Dimensions: 3.9 x 3.9 x 9.6 inches ; 1.7 pounds
• Shipping Weight: 2 pounds (View shipping rates and policies)
• Shipping: Currently, item can be shipped only within the U.S.
• ASIN: B005WY3TI4
• Item model number: CHDOH-002
• Batteries: 1 Lithium ion batteries required. (included)
• Average Customer Review: 4.0 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (99 customer reviews)
• Amazon Best Sellers Rank: #1 in Camera & Photo (See Top 100 in Camera & Photo)
  • #1 in Electronics > Camera & Photo > Underwater Photography > Camcorders
• Date first available at Amazon.com: October 23, 2011

Product Description

Style: Outdoor

From the Manufacturer

GoPro cameras are used by more professional athletes, sports filmmakers and core enthusiasts than any other camera in the world. The HD HERO2: Outdoor Edition is the most advanced GoPro camera yet. Wearable and gear mountable, waterproof to 197′ (60m), capable of capturing professional full 170º wide angle 1080p video and 11 megapixel photos at a rate of 10 photos per second, the HD HERO2 is the world’s most versatile camera. Whether your goal is to capture a great day out with friends or you’re gunning for the cover of a magazine, the HD HERO2: Outdoor Edition can help you nail it and look like a HERO.

2X MORE POWERFUL IN EVERY WAY:		What's in the Box
Simple Language-Based User Interface 2X Sharper Professional Glass Lens 2x Faster Image Processor 11MP Sensor Full Wide 170º, Medium 127º, Narrow 90º FOV (Field of View) in 1080p and 720p Professional Low Light Performance 11MP, 8MP and 5MP Photos with Full 170º and Medium 127º FOV	10 Photos Per Second Burst 1 Photo Every 0.5 Seconds Time-Lapse Mode Natural and High Wind Audio Modes 3.5mm Stereo External Microphone Input Wi-Fi BacPac + Wi-Fi Remote Compatible Long range remote control of multiple cameras Wi-Fi Video Preview + Playback on Smartphone / Tablet / Computer Live streaming to the web	1 11MP HD HERO2 Camera 1 Waterproof Housing (197′ / 60m) 1 HD Skeleton Backdoor 1 Rechargeable Li-ion Battery 1 USB Cable 1 Vented Helmet Strap 1 Head Strap 2 Curved Surface Adhesive Mounts 2 Flat Surface Adhesive Mounts 1 Three-Way Pivot Arm Assorted Mounting Hardware

Compare HD HERO Cameras

	HD HERO2 Professional	HD HERO Original	HD Hero 960
Features
Image Quality
Glass Lens Low Light Performance	2x Sharper Professional	Sharp Standard	Sharp Standard
MegaPixels	11, 8, 5 MP Wide 170º FOV Medium 127º FOV	5 MP Wide 170º FOV	5 MP Wide 170º FOV
Modes	Single 10 Photos in 1 Sec Time-Lapse every 0.5, 1, 2, 10, 30, 60 Self-Timer	Single 3 Photos in 2 Sec Time-Lapse every 1, 2, 10, 30, 60 Self-Timer	Single 3 Photos in 2 Sec Time-Lapse every 1, 2, 10, 30, 60 Self Timer
Video Resolution / FPS / FOV
1080p	1920x1080 / 16:9 Wide 170º FOV Medium 127º FOV Narrow 90º FOV 30 FPS	1920x1080 / 16:9 Medium 127º FOV 30 FPS	Not Compatible
960p	1280x960 / 4:3 Wide 170º FOV 48 FPS 30 FPS	1280x960 / 4:3 Wide 170º FOV 30 FPS	1280x960 / 4:3 Wide 170º FOV 30 FPS
720p	1280x720 / 16:9 Wide 170º FOV Medium 127º FOV Narrow 90º FOV 30 FPS 60 FPS	1280x720 / 16:9 Wide 170º FOV 30 FPS 60 FPS	1280x720 / 16:9 Wide 170º FOV 30 FPS
WVGA	848x480 / 16:9 Wide 170º FOV Medium 127º FOV 120 FPS 60 FPS	848x480 / 16:9 Wide 170º FOV 60 FPS	848x480 / 16:9 Wide 170º FOV 60 FPS
Usability
User Interface	Simple Language-Based Interface	3-Digit Code Interface	3-Digit Code Interface
LED Lights	4 (On all Sides)	1	1
Audio	Natural Sound Mode + High Wind Mode	High Wind Mode	High Wind Mode
Inputs	Mini-HDMI Port, Composite Port, USB, SD, HERO Port, 3.5mm External Stero Mic Input	Composite Port, Component Port, USB, SD, HERO Port	Composite Port, Component Port, USB, SD
Average Battery Life	2.5 hrs	2.5 hrs	2.5 hrs
Simultaneous Record + Charge	Yes	Yes	Yes
Compatibility
Wi-Fi BacPac + Remote	Wi-Fi BacPac + Wi-Fi Remote Compatible Wi-Fi Remote Control via Smartphone / Tablet / Computer App Wi-Fi Video Preview + Playback On Smartphone / Tablet / Computer Wi-Fi Streaming to Web	Wi-Fi BacPac + Wi-Fi Remote Compatible Wi-Fi Remote control via Smartphone / Tablet / computer App	Not Compatible
Other GoPro BacPacs	LCD BacPac, Battery BacPac, 3D HERO System, Wi-Fi BacPac, Wi-Fi Remote	LCD BacPac, Battery BacPac, 3D HERO System, Wi-Fi BacPac (Control Only), Wi-Fi Remote (Control Only)	Not Compatible

Product Description

GoPro spared no-expense engineering the HD HERO2. The result is arguably the most versatile, powerful and easy to use camera in the world.

Customer Reviews

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

260 of 262 people found the following review helpful:

4.0 out of 5 stars Better than the Original HD, November 10, 2011

By 

Y. Yamamoto - See all my reviews
(REAL NAME)   

This review is from: GoPro HD HERO2: Outdoor Edition (New Model) (Electronics)

Quick Summary:
Hero2 is clearly better than the original HD Hero in many areas. The price difference is justifiable although $300 was bit too much for my wallet. I am still happy with the purchase. If you are choosing between Original HD Hero and Hero2, I would get Hero2 for better low light performance. I would not use this camera for photos like point and shoot cameras unless there is lots of light and steady mount to take time-lapse photos.

(Update 2/21/2012) I started seeing some disappointments from reviews regarding underwater focus and photo quality issues. The underwater focus issue is pretty disappointing, but there are many quality solutions from other vendors as little as $22. GoPro is almost ready to release the new diving case. IMHO, GoPro2 with a flat lens option produces amazing underwater result. I first thought $300 was too much for such plasticky cheap looking camera, but the performance is there as long as you know its quirks. I have not found any better solutions under $500 to shoot wide angle underwater video. For underwater macro video and photo, a point and shoot camera with an underwater case works better. If you are thinking about replacing your point and shoot camera with GoPro, you might not like this camera. This is pretty much the best wearable/mountable action/helmet camera that has different purpose than Point and shoot cameras. I use DSLR, Mirrorless (CSC), Point and shoot, and Action/Helmet (GoPro) cameras all for different purposes. If you shoot more photos and do not wear a camera on you, Panasonic TS3, TS4, and Nikon AW100 suit your need although they can not do time lapse (except TS4).

Pros Over the Original HD Hero:
* (Update 2/20/2012) Addictively fun camera to use once I understood the quirks.
* low light. Especially at 60fps in low light, I see huge difference.
* Video is sharper. I am not sure about 2X though.
* Auto White balance is much better in low light.
* The Running LED light on the back side. I do not care about the top and bottom ones.
* Motion is clearer and less motion blur due to faster shutter speed I think.
* Auto Exposure is more accurate.
* Improved dynamic range. I see good detail in shadow areas.
* Config LCD is easier to use.
* 120fps!
* I can use the same protective cases and mounts on Hero2.
* And other neat features like 10fps photos and more.

Pros Over Other Action Cameras like Contour HD series, Tachyon HD series, Bullet HD series, Midland XTC series, and Oregon Scientific ATC-9K
* (Update 2/21/2012) The waterproof case is amazing and inexpensive to buy extra. I had to drill a hole in one of the cases for mic jack. When I checked the hole, the wall was very thick and strong. I am extremely confident to take the camera anywhere!
* Most action cameras use microSD card which is little more expensive and easy to lose. GoPro sticks with Full SD card. That is great!
* There are other action cameras that are on par with the original HD, but this Hero2 is one step ahead of other competitors. There are no better action cameras in terms of video quality than Hero2 as of 11/10/2011.
* As far as I have seen videos of other products, Hero2 handles the best in high contrast scene and low light.
* Rolling shutter issue seems well controlled compared to other cameras.

Temporary Cons (Gopro says a new firmware will fix the following items):
* No support for 127º and 90º FOV at 720P even though that was specified.
* 3D is not supported yet. (Update 2/20/2012: 3D has been supported via firmware update)

Cons:
* (Update 2/20/2012) While recording or not recording for about 1 hour, the camera body gets super hot. I can understand when recording, but if I am not recording, it should not get that hot and drain battery. I have to make sure I turn it off when I am not recording. I now use automatic shut-off.
* (Update 2/20/2012) Using the external mic jack with nice powered mics still gets too low volume. I can increase volume level in post-process by adding 10db-15db to get better sound quality than the internal mic though.
* (Update 2/20/2012) It is very addictive. I bought all sorts of accessories for it that ended up costing more than some nice DSLR cameras.
* Flimsy battery cover.
* Built quality is good, but for $300, they can do better IMO.
* No in-camera exposure adjustments like Contour HD.
* Config LCD is better than the original, but it is still hard to adjust.
* No underwater lens or case option that fixes the underwater blur issue directly from Gopro. There are 3rd party options available, but they are not perfect. They are either too big or have vignetting at 170º. If GoPro is putting underwater footage on their boxes and the promo-videos, they should provide some kind of underwater solution.
* 120fps is great, but you need lots of light. Well I guess we knew that.
* As we know, this is not an indoor camera. Even though video is pretty good indoor, photos are pretty noisy and blurry due to use of slow shutter speed. For time-lapse movies, slow shutter and motion blur are welcome though.
* Audio is still the same OK quality as the Original HD Hero. There is a stereo mic jack, but to use it, we have to buy another special case that has a opening on the side.
* Price. There are no other action/wearable cameras better than Gopro HD Hero2 at this time, so the price can be justified. However, when I look at Panasonic TS3 at $260 with metal body, GPS, and all the other features, huh... this is a pretty expensive plastic camera that has only two buttons from China. I am sure the profit margin on this camera is huge!

Wish list:
* Standard 1/4" 20tpi thread on the body would be nice.
* Different color bodies. It is not a big deal, but I would like it in black or camu for hunting and fishing.
* Electric or Software Image Stabilization: I see other cheaper video cameras have this feature. Any action cameras without it disparately need image stabilized, so viewers do not get motion sickness.
* A small Built-in LCD for liveview and playback would be nice. The LCD Backpac makes the camera too thick.
* Would like to know how to shoot and edit a video like the Hero2 promotional video!

Workarounds:
* (Update 2/20/2012) Unfortunately, GoPro has not released their underwater housing to solve the blur issue (ETA in April). There are quality workarounds from other vendors. The best option is "blurfix". The second best IMO is "eyeofmine flat lens housing". The cheapest solution is "mako flat lens".
* (Update 2/20/2012) Sometimes GoPro2 takes very dark and underexposed images (almost black) in time lapse mode. I found that the use of 1 second or faster interval can cause the issue even in slight low light condition. If you give GoPro 2 at least two second interval, GoPro2 has enough time to process and use 1/2 sec shutter speed to get some what right exposure.
* (Update 2/20/2012) Not so good indoor photo quality is due to use of 1/2 sec shutter speed almost all time in low light condition. Since I know that now, I do not use the camera handheld indoor. I always make sure I mount on something for steady shots.

Non-scientific Test:
I compared the original GoPro HD Hero@1080P/127º and Hero2@1080P/170º against Nikon D7000@1080P with 8mm Fisheye lens@F3.5 in low light condition. Original GoPro could not capture most of the low light scene. GoPro Hero2 got it fine, but it was bit noisier than D7000. Assuming D7000 has jerky motion at 24fps, overall I liked Hero2's color rendition better than D7000.

100 of 103 people found the following review helpful:

1.0 out of 5 stars Downgraded from 5 stars after using it for a month., November 1, 2011

By 

Richard C. Drew "Anaal Nathra/Uthe vas Bethod... (Oak Lawn, IL USA) - See all my reviews
(TOP 500 REVIEWER)    (VINE VOICE)    (REAL NAME)   

Amazon Verified Purchase

This review is from: GoPro HD HERO2: Outdoor Edition (New Model) (Electronics)

I've had to revise my opinion on the camera. The original review is further on down.

Update: 12-8-2011 - There's a firmware upgrade available! It added missing features - but reset all custom settings.

Update: 1-25-2012 - Firmware upgrade messed up the video and still photo quality. Everything now has a tint, from cyan to magenta. Very noticeable in low light and on snow. Gopro states the latest version of the firmware corrects this problem (.58) but it does not. It corrected the corrupted video on low battery problem, and the problem when the entire image had a strong cyan or magenta tint (looked like a colored film was in front of the lens.) But there's now an almost rainbow color cast to everything. Not happy. Downgrading the review from 5 stars to 1. It's taking 3-4 BUSINESS days for tech support to reply back. Then I have to reply. And so on. A couple of messages - almost two weeks. Lousy support. What's worse, they don't read the message. I detailed the problem with the camera, and the fact that I had .58 of the update. The reply? I needed .58 of the update to fix the problem. I waited four days for THAT?!? To be honest, at this point I would gladly return the thing.

Update: 02-01-2012 - Still NO REPLY from what Gopro jokingly calls "tech support." Their website brags "24-48 hours" for a tech support reply (they don't offer phone support.) First email to them on Jan 20th. I have had one reply in that time and all further emails to them have been totally ignored. They also ignore tech support or help requests on their Facebook page. Ask for help in their forums? They tell you to email them. Mini-update: I heard from them on 02-01 about four hours after posting this.

Underwater? The specs have an impressive "Waterproof to 197 feet." Except the thing can't actually shoot any usable underwater footage. How many snorkelers and SCUBA divers have purchased this thing, only to find out that EVERY video and photo are totally out of focus? The curved lens cover acts with the water to create a second lens - this shifts everything out of focus by about five feet! Since the camera has no manual focus, you're stuck. So all your underwater photos and videos will be nothing but blurs. Doubt that? Just check Youtube. Gopro will be offering an optional housing with a flat port to correct this problem - and will charge another $75 or so for it! So you'll be paying extra for a feature they brag is included - underwater use. Of course you can shell out $55-$100 for 2nd party modified housings or replacement lenses. I have been taken to task for criticizing the "SCUBA" aspects, as Gopro never specifically mentions SCUBA. They do, however, actively market the cameras to SCUBA stores. I have personally spoken to employees of several SCUBA stores selling the Hero cameras. Only one was aware of the focus issue! So, yes, the housing can be used underwater, but not actually *work* underwater. Check the various SCUBA store websites - many sell the Hero line - none mention the focus issue.

Buggy firmware upgrades: In their rush to get this to market by the 2011 Christmas season, Gopro released the camera missing some key features - bud did not mention this anywhere. When users started finding that features were missing, Gopro announced that they would fix this in the next firmware update. The firmware that "fixed" the missing features introduced several bugs. Video shot towards the end of the battery charge would be corrupted. Many videos would shoot in only one color - cyan or magenta.

So the NEXT firmware update came out. It corrected those problems, but introduced more bugs. All low light footage now has a very visible color cast. Magenta on the outer quadrants, cyan in the middle. The color cast is visible in bright light as well, but not as obvious. It's glaringly obvious on snow. This is in all modes, all resolutions. Gopro tech support states they are not aware of the issue, and suggests I return mine for warranty service.

Unfortunately is appears that Gopro puts sales and profits WAY ahead of customer support. They rush incomplete and buggy products to market, can't seem to get it right in future updates, ignore customer complaints and use false and misleading specifications to suck in customers. To be totally honest, I'd return mine if I could - I'm that ticked off at Gopro lack of support and false claims.

If the problems are fixed and support improves, I'll rate the camera higher - but for now, no way. Just check the web - you'll find numerous complaints for "color shift" "yellow tint" "yellow tinge" "cyan tint" and the like. It's worse in lower light - and lower light is supposed to be much improved over the previous model.

On the plus site, the 120fps is amazing. The video quality is obviously improved over the Hero - I looked at the same footage from both cameras - the Hero2 is obviously better.

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Previous review

If you've used the original Hero, this updated version will be a real treat. The menu is so much easier to navigate - no more obtuse codes to decipher. You can use the camera without ever looking at the user manual. Other improvements include LED's on top and bottom (as well as the front,) a more informative display, higher resolution for still images - this of course includes time lapse, and a 10 photo burst mode (the camera takes a few moments to store these out.)

If you're new to the Hero line, this beats the pants of any competitor. The vast array of mounting options, both from GoPro and third party vendors make mounting this puppy anywhere a breeze. The fact that it uses SD cards (class 4 or above) keeps the cost down. and the tons of options make this a no-brainer. There's a Streaming video back being released shortly - yes - streaming video! You can add extra power using the USP port and any generic power supply (Aluratek, Belkin, or Tekkeon) for those really long shoots. The affordable replacement housing and parts are another big plus. I've seen this thing survive being tossed from a go-cart doing 50mph (It needed a new housing, but the camera was undamaged) and being knocked off a ski-helmet and tumbling down a rocky mountain face.

The slo-mo and new super-slo-mo are really cool - watch those trick jumps and stunts in all their glory. You can always speed them up in most video editing software! When I first saw this unit online I thought it looked a little strange and was larger than it actually way. Once I actually held one in my hands, I was shocked by it's tiny size, negligible weight and variety or mounting options.

For the most bang-for the buck, the motorsports version is your best deal - you can purchase the vented helmet mount for about 1/2 the price of the suction-cup mount - that's the main difference. That suction-cup is a must-have for automotive shooting (unless you want to permanently stick a mount to your dash.)

In case you're not sure, it's the same camera in all three Hero sets (the original Hero) and it's the same Hero2 camera in all Hero2 sets. The differences are the included mounting accessories.

Special mention goes to the anti-shake/anti-vibration the GoPro has. It's amazing. It cancels out 99% of the vibration from motor vehicles and rough ski-runs! The camera is so light, some model helicopter flyer's use it mounted to the chassis.

For some additional fun, you can make a mechanical kitchen-timer rotating base for 360 degree time-lapse movies. The camera, including mount and housing, is light enough to make this work. Check out YouTube for samples and how-to videos. One final tip - the packaging has a base that the camera comes attached to. This base is great for clamping to surfaces, for use as a extra-stable base, or for screwing to an outdoor surface where you'll use the camera a lot. I'll attach it to the starting house for our ski races so I can do some motion capture from the same spot and edit them together.

One final observation on the still photo quality - it's using the video sensor, so don't expect it to be as clear or crisp as en equivalent resolution camera. The photos show a lot of compression artifacting and noise.

Update: 11-6-11 - I've shot over a dozen time lapse indoors and out with the Hero2, both at max quality and lowest (wide angle.) The results were about the same. Decent, but not fantastic. Indoor shots with varying light conditions tend to "blow-out" - brights are white with no detail and darks are lacking detail. Outdoors is decent, in bright light. For short time lapse shots, you're better off with video and speeding it up in a video editor. I shot an approximate 4 hour bodybuilding show - almost 8000 exposures. In every shot, The stage was too dark and the bodybuilders blow-out and lacking detail. I'm going to try and batch adjust them in Photoshop.

45 of 50 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars WOW, there is no competition for the best helmet cam, October 31, 2011

By 

Mike C. (tulsa, ok United States) - See all my reviews

This review is from: GoPro HD HERO2: Motorsports Edition (New Model) (Camera)

The previous hdhero was the consensus best helmet cam on the market and now with the hdhero2 there is absolutely no doubt which one is best. These are just the imporvements that are relevant to me:

1. The screen is MUCH easier to navigate through and gives you a lot more info while filming than the previous hdhero. Resolution, wide angle/medium wide angle, battery life, remaining recording time on sd card, mode, and record time are all on the screen at the same time.

2. The beeping is louder. With the previous gopro if you had the waterproof housing on it was hard to hear. Not anymore.

3.New super slow mo option. You can now shoot at standard definition at 120 frames a second which lets you play back at incredibly slow mo. On the previous go pro the maximum was 60 frames per second. So you can now go twice as slow.

4. If I'm not mistaken this motorsports editin comes with more mounting hardware than the original hdhero.

Although this is advertised as having a lens that's 2x clearer than the original hdhero I really can't tell a difference. The hdhero had great 1080p quality, not much to improve on there.

There wasn't much to improve on over the previous gopro and now there's even less. I have no idea what they are going to do for the hero3. 120 frames per second in 720p I guess. GPS speedometer would be cool.

Anyway, if you can afford this, get this. Don't even look at the other helmet cams. If you can't afford this then get the previous hdhero as it is now on sale and is better than any of the other options. The only helmet cam that offers something that hdheros don't is the contour hd with gps.

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