Thursday, January 28, 2010

SUP Paddlecam!

In my last blog entry (a way-too-long 4 months ago!), I introduced the Clewcam to East End waters. Along with stints as a boom cam, ice cam and free-hand cam, the Olympus 790 & 8000 took decent stills, but only marginal video. The field of vision also missed a lot of close-range detail, and the cameras often took in sand and water, which is why I soon found myself drooling over GoPro's new HD Hero. With up to 1080p, 5 Megapixels, a 170° wide-angle view, and a tiny, indestructible waterproof housing, I was in business for capturing surf action from a new perspective... introducing the Paddlecam!



Perhaps most surprising was how well the battery performed in 38° air / 40° water temperatures. I bought 3 batteries in anticipation of them succumbing to the cold, but just 1 (a rechargeable 1100 mAh lithium-ion) held its own over the multi-hour sessions. For those looking to make their own GoPro Paddlecam, follow these excellent instructions from PaddleSurf.net. Here's a photo of my camera and mount prior to some early testing at Tiana Beach:

GoPro HD Hero Paddlecam

8 comments:

Joe said...

I love it. Damn it Jeff, now I'm jonesing a GoPro.

PeconicPuffin said...

It's great stuff. I must point out that Jeff has the touch. He'll tell you he just points his camera, but I'm here to tell you he intuitively has great taste and selectivity. I know this because when I attempt the same thing the results are rarely as nice.

bonnie said...

sweeeet!

Brian S said...

Jeff,
Thanks for the post. FYI, you can get the 3M tape at McMaster-Carr
http://www.mcmaster.com/#3m-vhb-tape/=61qwoc

Mike said...

Awesome! I have got try that!

snow, wind & dirt said...

Looks awesome!!!
How did you manage to get the image clear. Did it ever get fogged inside the case?

I'm just waiting for my SUP to arrive in September.
Saludos desde Chile

Jeff, aka Peconic Jeff said...

Hi Nicolás,

I have been having some trouble this summer with fogging inside the case, esp. on the hot days. I've read that the battery can produce heat, so I've been turning it off between sets. Also, thoroughly rinsing the seals with fresh water after use, and then drying & spreading silicone grease is a must.

Let me know how the SUP works out for you! Cheers, Jeff

snow, wind & dirt said...

Txs for the tip Jeff, i've been reviewing some anti-fog blogs because it seems to be an real issue specially for windsurfers.

Let you know when i get it here in Chile.

Saludos

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