Thursday, January 2, 2014

GoPro LCD Touch BacPac for HERO Cameras

GoPro LCD Touch BacPac for HERO CamerasThis BacPac does extend the life of the Hero3. However, it does NOT extend the life of the Hero3 like it did for the Hero2. I do recommend it to help with the Hero3 battery life issues. If you can buy 2 of these so they can be swapped out quickly and I also recommend the Wasabi replacement batteries for the GoPro as the are 1200mAh vs GoPro's 1050mAh.

NOTE: In the Hero2 you could switch out the battery in the BacPac. THIS IS NOT THE CASE IN THIS BACPAC. Once the BacPac is depleted you have to recharge the BacPac. I wish GoPro would have left it like it was. This forces you to either wait for it to recharge or buy 2 of them.

The ability to review video and photos via the LCD bacpac was the most important thing for me going for a ride you can position your hero3 in any position you want to via the Smartphone app but this doesnt give you any indication of the lighting and how well the video is captured whilst in motion eg is protune and 1080p 30fps in wide going to be the best for the environment I'm in? etc .. easy take out your lcd screen attach to the back of camera or leave it attached and review footage at whatever time mid ride without a need for the pc so the whole ride can be captured correctly. This screen isnt spectacular by any means but it is good enough, adjusting the camera settings by touch screen is also easier the package includes several case backings so touch screen is usable while in the case... plenty of options. The touch screen can take a little getting use to and is a slight delay in accessing files and replaying videos etc but once it plays can watch everything quite clearly.

I did a bit of a check on this item and most forums report there are compatibility issues for other Hero cameras so I'd would only recommend this for Hero3 all functions work perfectly. NOTE if planning on using the screen for extended playback out in the middle of nowhere take a spare battery with you as the LCD drains the battery fairly quickly.

Buy GoPro LCD Touch BacPac for HERO Cameras Now

Used for going through menus and settings easier than the front buttons of the camera. Saves time, and allows a more interactive menus format.

In the field, I turn the LCD on with the camera, set up what I need, compose the shot, then before hitting record, turn the LCD unit off to conserve power.

Works well, is always there when I need it!

Read Best Reviews of GoPro LCD Touch BacPac for HERO Cameras Here

I've tried the BacPac with both a H3 White and an H3 Black and have found it definitely doesn't double capacity, but it adds a reasonable amount of additional time, perhaps 50 minutes of continuous recording. It increases the overall thickness of the camera to about what it was with the previous generation Hero 2 HD.

The one issue with the BacPac, and my reason for four stars instead of five, is I could never get the pass-thru charging to work; I always had to charge the BacPac first, then move the USB to the Hero to finish; same behavior on the H3 White and H3 Black.

Unfortunately, my experience with the Hero 3's themselves have been pretty poor. I have three total; two H3 Blacks and one H3 White. Two of the cameras, after about three days of regular use of several hours per day, will no longer charge their internal battery. A third no longer functions at all. I flashed the firmware to current on all three of them before they were put into use. The two that won't charge the internal will at least still run off of the BacPac so they weren't completely out of service. All in all I think I'm about done with the H3's and will be sending them all back.

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This LCD is small and nothing special... the touch controls are a little finicky. But, it helps you frame your shots live with your GoPro, and for that, it's worth it.

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