Over a year ago, ads began appearing in surf magazines and on surf websites for a tiny little wrist-mounted waterproof camera called the GoPro Hero. It was an intriguing idea, to say the least. Here was a camera that could shoot both stills and video, a camera small and light enough and to be barely noticeable when paddling and popping up. The camera raised many skeptical eyebrows within the surfing community. Surfers refused to believe that such a gadget could do what it promised. The only way to review such a product is to take it into the water and start shooting (in between set waves, of course).

The primary problem with the Hero is its size. At only 4.5 ounces, it is almost too light. Amateur and professional photographers all understand that one of the keys to good photographs is ensuring that the camera is still. It’s difficult, if not impossible, to take a picture with the Hero without shaking the camera, especially when shooting from the wrist. The picture below was taken on land while standing as still as possible for as long as possible. The result was less than satisfactory.

Once in the water, the results were worse. The combination of constant movement and the camera’s inability to shoot in anything but low resolution leads to blurry photos.

With a viewfinder barely larger than a pinhole, the camera doesn’t do itself any favors. Using the Hero involves a good amount of guesswork. The Hero has no monitor to display any of the pictures taken. This is to be expected from a camera that costs less than $100. After two days of shooting with the Hero, the only photo that was acceptable was of my surfboard as I sat on it.

GoPro’s Hero almost redeems itself, believe it or not, in its video capabilities. What it can’t do with still photography, it can accomplish with video. The videos are clear, focused and well-lit. Unfortunately, the camera limits each video to only 10 seconds.

The GoPro Hero shows promise, however its inability to shoot anything at a distance—whether as photos or as video—renders the camera somewhat pointless. The company now sells a 3 megapixel Hero 3 for $140. It remains to be seen whether that camera, and its increased price, make up for the shortcomings of the Hero.

All photos by Mary M

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