GO PRO HERO 3+ or DRIFT GHOST-S

[jamesd1981]

Hey all looking to get more into recording my rides at the moment i have an awkward setup using a sony bloogie and gecko suction device.

I am looking to get either the, go pro hero 3+ or drift ghost-s, does anyone have experience with either of these cameras and have an opinion on which is best ?

http://gopro.com/cameras/hd-hero3-black-edition

http://store.driftinnovation.com/drift-ghost-s

One thing putting me off the go pro 3 is i have read a new go pro 4 is due out shortly.

[Glorian]

I've been leaning towards a drift. mostly due to the fact it is quite flat unlike the go pro which sticks out quite a bit.

Check out baron von grumble on youtube he uses a drift camera.

[timmy164]

I've got a Ghost Drift, it's a lovely bit of kit.

Very well made and finished. Nice and small (although I still feel like a dalek with it on top of my helmet)

I cannot compare with other makes i'm afraid, this is the 1st camera I've owned.

(the money was burning a hole in my pocket)

If i'm honest it's probably too good for me, as i'm not techno savy enough to explore it's full potential.

As a product, I'm very happy with it.

[jamesd1981]

Thanks all been looking at reviews and youtube videos all day and think the drift is best on quality and much cheaper, has anyone used the drift phone app with the camera ?

[Glorian]

Unfortunately not. yet to get a camera myself.

Keep us updated i'd be interested in your opinion on the drift.

[Joeman]

What do you intend on using the footage for?

If its just an evidence camera to record accidents etc, then there are plenty of cheaper options on the market, but these won't be 'broadcast quality' so not much good if you want to become a video blogger.

[Ali in Austria]

When asking for recommendations about products that people have, be mindful that it is human nature to extol the virtues of what they have against something they don't have.

Can we assume the comparisons you are watching on YouTube are those shot side by side in the same conditions at similar settings preferably with no post production modification and on the same video.

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If you are comparing different videos, uploaded at different times you have no idea what post production has been done, how much conditions at the time have affected the footage or if they have been rendered at a similar quality. YouTube compresses video uploaded in any case and what may look OK on the actual rendered video on your computer can look poor on YouTube. Also bear in mind that many of the good videos on YouTube have gone through Post Production to some extent so it depends on what Hardware and Software you have as to what you can do.

GoPro now tend to release a new or upgraded model every October. The problem in doing that is people face the dilemma of do I buy now or wait? The 3+ Black is an awesome piece of kit and does far more than most users will ever exploit. A new model will obviously have improvements. Something like further improvements in battery life would be a bonus to everyone as would some form of image stabilisation if it happens. A likely improvement would be the ability to use 4K at something like 24 - 30fps as the current 4K rate on the 3+ is next to useless. However, this would only be a benefit to serious film makers with the hardware and software to deal with it. Your main consideration should be how much the price of a 3+ will drop when and if a new model comes along in about 6 months time and can you live with that? Like most Tech, improvements are made all the time and if you wait you will never buy anything.

I have used GoPros (2, 3 & 3+) and Drifts (HD170s and HDs) for a few years. Although I don't own a Ghost I have edited footage from them on several occasions and when the footage has been taken at the same time as GoPro footage I had taken. The cameras were recording on similar settings but the GoPro footage was head and shoulders above that of the Drift to such an extent it would have required too much work in post production to make the Drift footage look as good so I didn't use it although it made a good movie in its own right.

I think you have to first decide on what you want the camera for. If it is just to record your journey in the event something happens then there are many options about for a fraction of the money. If you just want to review the footage at a reasonable resolution for your own pleasure then there are still many cheaper options including those in the GoPro and Drift stables such as the GoPro Silver and White and the Drift HD and HD720. Contour also make a good camera although they did cease trading before being revived late in 2013. Will they still be around at the end of 2014, who knows.

If you want to try and make really good quality movies, including burning BluRay DVDs then the GoPro 3 or 3+ Black is the way to go. IMHO GoPro is significantly better for the results obtained and the Drift Ghost and Ghost-S sit somewhere in between.

Appearance tends to be an important factor to many with GoPros regularly being described as a Brick. If you are looking to get really good results should appearance be the deciding factor? The old Drift HD170s were almost half as long again as their modern counterparts such as the HD and Ghost. You could mount the old 170 on the side of your lid or across the visor hinge area and not get any of your helmet in view. The problem with the new models is that they are shorter and due to the shape of helmets and unless you narrow the Field of View, you end up with a lot of the helmet in shot. It is also impossible on many helmets to mount them on the top without fouling the visor.

Some claim GoPro's cause drag or buffeting when mounted on a helmet. I usually have 2 x GoPros mounted on the top of my lid (one forward and one rear facing) and sometimes one mounted on the side. I ride a DL1000, a bike which has its own buffeting issues, but experience no issues to cause me concern. Even the additional weight isn't really noticeable. GoPro now do a black protective case which looks less conspicuous if looks are important. If you can't accept looking like a Telly Tubby then a GoPro is probably not for you but if you can, you can be comforted in the knowledge that you aren't alone.

The Ghost has some features that GoPros don't such as Tagging, the ability to record the previous x number of minutes and the next. (Contrary to popular belief the 3+ can do loop recording which really is the same to some extent.) The rotatable lens is also a very good feature aiding camera set up, something GoPro needs additional mounting arms to overcome. Battery life is superior than GoPro. With readily available adapters it is possible to use mounting options from both manufacturers with either make of camera.

So what do GoPros have that Drift don't. IMHO there is no comparison to the quality of the internals such as sensor etc and GoPro footage is significantly better than the Drift. The 3+ is actually significantly better than the 3 for sharpness. It also has the ability to use the naked camera outside of any waterproofing if required. It has better recording functions such as ProTune which gives far more scope in Post Production. While being able to record in 4K at a low frame rate isn't much good to most, 2.7K at 30fps is. The remote is far superior than the simple functions of the Drift. Any function of the camera can be operated from it with a clear display, is easily operated on a bike and more importantly, very reliable, unlike the Drift. It can operate many GoPro's which have WiFi, whether they are H2, 3 or 3+ or any mix. Provided you have a smart phone, the free WiFi App negates any need for a screen. This allows you to add a Battery BacPac extending battery life.

Weight is an important factor, especially when multiple cameras are mounted on my lid but more importantly I use the GoPro for other activities including attached to a Quadrotor. The weight of the Drift would make this impracticable. Many of the mounting options available were designed for GoPro and then adapted or copied for other makes. A GoPro can use a Drift Shoulder Harness but due to its shape, a Drift can't use a GoPro Chest Harness for example and Drift don't make one for that reason. A consideration when doing activities that require a harness of their own such as Zip Lines, Paragliding etc...

There are other biggish names you may consider such as Sony and JVC with built in image stabilisation. Reviews suggest that while the stabilisation is adequate, they are let down so much in other areas that the cons outweigh the pros. The latest to the market, Garmin, has some nice touches but is only really a consideration if you wish to use it in conjunction with other Garmin products.

Another consideration if you don't have a camcorder is that you may wish to use your action camera as one. To overcome the stabilisation issues there are products you can mount it on. The Steadicam Smoothee and the new Steadicam Curve were designed for GoPros and do an excellent job for a small outlay in the grand scheme of things. The Curve has now been adapted to accept a Drift.

An important factor in deciding what camera to go for is what Hardware and Software do you have or plan to get to deal with it. It is no good recording long files at even a basic 1080p/30fps if all you have is a basic laptop on which to edit it. It will struggle to cope. In fairness GoPros own editing software, GoPro Studio, does a very good job in the first place and can do basic colour adjustments, remove Fisheye fairly successfully, crop, adjust speed etc. I have created BluRay DVDs from files solely edited in it that play in exceptional quality on a large plasma screen. If you are filming resulting in large files you need a very capable computer to handle them. If you aren't then all of these high resolution recording options on a camera are a waste of time.

A days filming on a guided ride out can easily import in very high quality files for editing amounting to over 300GB. A good editing program such as Final Cut Pro X can ease the strain by working with Proxy Media of a much lesser quality but apply any edits to the HQ video when it comes to rendering.Something like FCPX also allows you to do so much more when it comes to Post Production. Like anything popular, there also tends to be many 3rd party products that come along for it. A company called Crumplepop do a couple of good editing Apps designed purely to work in FCPX for GoPro. One called HDR for GoPro transforms the footage by just applying it, needing no further Post Production effort by the average user. You don't have to wait for rendering to see the differences either which saves hours at the computer. The effect is even more stunning on footage taken in ProTune. Their Fisheye Remover is also far superior than that in GoPro Studio.

OK, I have waffled on a fair bit so in summary:

If you want to take really high quality footage then at the moment the GoPro 3+ is the best out there. Just look at how many professional bodies such as TV companies use them.

If you want to take good acceptable quality footage then you need to compare function over form as to which you prefer. They all have their pros and cons and really you should be considering something a bit lower down the scale such as the Drift HD or GoPro white and Silver models and save unnecessary expense. In this instance you won't go wrong with GoPro or Drift.

Hope that helps

[jamesd1981]

Thanks all for the replies, i have pretty much decided on the drift after watching online comparisons and reading reviews, also the drift looks nicer and is a more aerodynamic shape.

Joeman - it will be handy to use as evidence in event of any crash, but primarily is for my youtube channel and for generally just recording nice runs etc.

[Joeman]

GoPro build their own cameras, but im pretty sure the Drift HD is a just a branded version of a generic device.

A couple of years ago, i bought the "Ocean HD" camera, that looked exactly the same as the Drift HD camera.

Ive always wondered if its the unbranded (cheaper) version of the Drift HD, or is it a fake?

Having done a bit of research, it seems most of the camera makers use the same chipset inside. one of the big names seems to be "Ambarella". Even GoPro use the Amberalla chipset ( http://www.pocket-lint.com/news/128543- ... -soc-specs)

I suspect that the Drift HD uses exactly the same internals as the Ambarella HD119.

http://www.alibaba.com/product-detail/O ... 47039.html

So again, the question is - Is the Drift HD just a branded version at a higher price, or is the camera in the link above a clone using the same chipset?

[CGD217]

Thanks all been looking at reviews and youtube videos all day and think the drift is best on quality and much cheaper, has anyone used the drift phone app with the camera ?

 

When i first got my ghost the app was completely useless it just wouldn't display the live feed like i think it is suppose to. Haven't used it since. The Camera however is awesome and i don't go out without it.