GoPro helmet head band view

[SSSdave]

Am about to purchase a GoPro Hero 8. Last March just at the time the pandemic closed skiing, had successfully placed a curved adhesive mount on my Smith Variant Brim helmet slightly forward of top center that seems quite solid. Also purchased the fingers/bolt attachment atop that. For most use that will be an acceptable perspective. From that perspective, the front of the helmet would block what is visible directly below at the front of skis. Sometimes I am going to want the view downward at my ski fronts especially descending steep bumps. On the other hand, I've seen how the standard helmet strap will mount right at the front and from that location with the tilt forward more downward expect I can get that view, especially in WIDE?

So my question herein to any GoPro users is that in fact true with the helmet strap mount accessory that I ought be able to position it to view the front shovel of my skis?

 

[bbinder]

I don’t know the answer to your question but I have a like new Hero 7 that I am looking to sell...

 

[textrovert]

Am about to purchase a GoPro Hero 8. Last March just at the time the pandemic closed skiing, had successfully placed a curved adhesive mount on my Smith Variant Brim helmet slightly forward of top center that seems quite solid. Also purchased the fingers/bolt attachment atop that. For most use that will be an acceptable perspective. From that perspective, the front of the helmet would block what is visible directly below at the front of skis. Sometimes I am going to want the view downward at my ski fronts especially descending steep bumps. On the other hand, I've seen how the standard helmet strap will mount right at the front and from that location with the tilt forward more downward expect I can get that view, especially in WIDE?

So my question herein to any GoPro users is that in fact true with the helmet strap mount accessory that I ought be able to position it to view the front shovel of my skis?

I use GoPro helmet mounted all the time. I have two mount positions permanently on my helmet. Top and front.

But my helmet does not have a rim or cap front. So it's never blocked. You can always add extenders, but then you can feel the camera on your head. The longer the extender, the more imbalance you can feel.

He's a pic of my helmet-

 

[textrovert]

This is what a Hero 8 clipped to the front location on my helmet fov looks like. I had the camera pointing pretty much forward and in a plane parallel to my goggles. I recorded in 4:3 mode and cropped vertically for instagram. 4:3 is the native max view of GoPro, using the entire chip. 16:9 is actually just a crop of the native 4:3. So if you want the maximum vertical fov, use 4:3 (or Supervise, which takes the 4:3 and stretches the edges to make it 16:9).

 

[textrovert]

Summary on GoPro Hero 8 FOVs-

4:3 - maximum vertical view
16:9 - crop into 4:3, loses image top and bottom
Superview - Uses 4:3 but stretches/distorts edges to give 16:9 while maintaining top and bottom.

There are also some additional sub modes - like "linear" that appear, but these are further crop ins from the standard wide.

 

[SSSdave]

My Variant Brim helmet has a brim haha that blocks the view of a front mount. textrovert, would be interesting to know while you in your boots while standing upright in your bindings with skis looking level forward using the front mount, at what forward angle below level the SUPERVIEW and WIDE lens selections allow viewing within its frame modes, most of the ski in front of the binding.

 

[textrovert]

My Variant Brim helmet has a brim haha that blocks the view of a front mount. textrovert, would be interesting to know while you in your boots while standing upright in your bindings with skis looking level forward using the front mount, at what forward angle below level the SUPERVIEW and WIDE lens selections allow viewing within its frame modes, most of the ski in front of the binding.

Right. Superview is just the 4:3 with the edges stretched to make it 16:9 in the hardware itself.

I prefer to do any stretching/cropping in post using SW. So I just record in 4:3 on gopro. Also, I don't need slow motion, so I just use 30 fps. What I do use on Hero 8 is the stabilization. That's really good and worth the upgrade to Hero 8+. I also always have ProTune on. Even if you leave it at defaults, just turning it on puts your recordings at the max nitrate and least compression that GoPro supports. Improves video quality.

I always record on Hero 8 with these settings-
4:3, 2.7k, hyper smooth, ProTune

 

[textrovert]

Correction- I have the Hero 7 Black.
Hero 8, as expected, will improve on all the resolution/fps/hypersmooth options.

 

[SSSdave]

Just purchased at Best Buy. GoPro 8 camera alone is normally $50 below list at BB but is on sale now in a Bundle for $299 that includes another $50 worth of accessories so $100 off sale.