What are you guys using for a second angle camera? Anyone using a GoPro Session? Thinking about picking one up with their Smart Remote mounted on the fluid head next to the LANC. Anyone doing this?
I am using the garmin virb elite for my second angle camera. I like the virb because you can use sensors with it like temperature sensor, heart rate sensor and then you can use those in your videos. I use the remote attached right above my lanc controller. Check out garmin virb I think they are pretty cool
I will be using the GoPro Hero4 Session. I am mounting it to a Gorilla Pod and using it as a Second Angle to capture me drawing and shooting the bow. Good idea about mounting it next to the fluid head. I will have to try that!
I use my GoPro Hero Black 3+ with the wireless remote strapped to the handle of my main camera. I've also mounted it to the fluid head handle, but found I preferred the location on my camera better.
Wanted to raise this one again. I'm finding that my Session 4 only lasts about 4 hours when the wireless network is running so it can be activated by remote. The remote also only lasts for about a 4 hour sit too. While this works for the short evening sits I'm doing early season, we are only a few weeks away from all day sits. I know this setup won't work then, especially when it gets colder too. What else are you guys using that gets better battery life?
None of the small POV cameras are going to have great battery life simply due to the size limits on the batteries. You can pick up some pretty hefty external battery packs for GoPro Hero models and you may get a day or so of standby use out of them. Much less in cold weather. Personally I gave up using the wi-fi to control my GoPros as there just wasn't enough of an advantage to it. Unless you really want to catch some sort of awesome reverse angle/arrow exiting the animal footage there's no reason you can't have the camera within arm's reach and turn it on when needed. The only time I'm trying to get crazy with the camera angles is when I'm filming someone else. If I'm self filming you can forget it. I tried leaving the GoPro on during the entire hunt and turning it on and off with the phone or remote and found that to be a bigger pain that just pressing the button. I put my GoPro in one-touch record mode so I simply hit a single button and it's on and recording. In most instances it's mounted to my bow hanger using a Muddy micro camera mount and angling down on me in the stand. When I go to grab my bow I turn that camera on first before picking it up. Next I turn on the Tactacam which is mounted to my bow, then last I grab the big camera on the tree arm and get things going there. By turning the camera on only when I actually need it I can squeeze a full weekend of hunting out of a single charge in my GoPro's extended battery. The Session is about a day's worth of use.
If you leave the go pro off but still connected[paired to the remote] the battery lasts at least a half day or more.
The battery life on my Hero 3+ Black sucks the big one with Wifi on. It also seems to lose charge when it's turned off completely. I've been thinking about ordering a couple new batteries to see if I can get some better battery life. I have the extended battery pack and it doesn't really seem to help. My GoPro has been relegated to 3rd angle at this point. I'm using my Sony A57 for my second angle.
What lens are you using when filming a 2nd angle with that Sony? And what are you using for a mount? I've been contemplating a Sony mirrorless camera to replace my DSLR for similar reasons.
The joby gorillapod or similar knock offs work excellent for the bigger cameras. You can wrap the legs around a bow hanger or tree branches, and then level with the ball head. Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk
For the Colorado trip we used a couple GoPros for second angles. Right before the trip Todd ordered 12 hr battery packs and we picked up some 128gb cards. Hit record and let the sucker run. Man was it nice not having to worry about connecting with an app or hitting a remote. I'm going to pick up a Hero5 end of season. I plan to run it off USB from one of my battery packs that I use for my cameras. I'll do the same technique by putting a huge microSD car in it and let it run the whole sit.
I pointed Todd on to those batteries and man do I love them. They are beefy and a little tight when locking the waterproof case on but well worth it. This past weekend, I filmed 4 4 hrs hunts, theres a total of probably 1.5 hrs of footage on the card and I ran it the whole time with the WIFI remote. The battery is still 2/3 full. I tested the range on the wifi when I got it using my rangefinder and got up to 40 yds away and it worked. However, it seems 30 yds was about the max distance it would work consistently. When Troy and I are filming together we are always looking for a reverse angle shot. The more battery life you get and the longer the range, the better your chances. With that said we have a silver 3 and silver 4, the silver 4 has better range and battery life with the extended pack on it. Here it is... DigiPower Re-Fuel 12-Hour ActionPack Battery for GoPro RF-12H34
I have a remote that I attach to my cam arm to turn it on. It's a lanc remote. (I use 2). One for my main camera and one for the second angle. If it's my GoPro I use the wireless remote. I never have problems with my GoPro dying mid sit. I just make sure the batteries are fully juiced before I head out. Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk
I might make a YouTube video of my self filming setup, just hate giving away all my secrets lol. I honestly think I have perfected it, I can get everything up, in pure silence, in less than 8 mins. No ratchet straps, no noise. Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk
