We may all be car folks here first and foremost, but in this day and age of modern technological gadgetry where the once unthinkable can be held in the palm of your hands, everyone from the Generation Y’ers to their grandfathers are geeked out at the iPhones, the pocket HD cameras, tablets, and the endless list of other high tech toys. And so it’s really of no surprise that GoPro’s [1] miniature HD cameras have taken the automotive and racing industry by storm, and why car enthusiasts of all ages and levels of tech know-how flocked to their display here at SEMA to check out these incredible and very affordable little gadgets.
And if you thought the cameras that GoPro has offered in the past were great, their newest model, the HD Hero 2, will just plain rock your socks. This latest camera is advertised as being twice as powerful in every way, and they’re not kidding.
[2]
The GoPro HD Hero 2 sports a professional 11 megapixel sensor, a faster image processor, an improved glass lens, vastly improved low light performance, a full wide 170-degree field of view (FOV) with manual options for 127 and 90-degree views (new with the Hero 2), shoots in 1080p, 960p, and 720p high definition, and shoots 11 megapixel stills at an impressive 10 fps to boot. But perhaps the best feature of all is the new 120 fps video recording feature, which will make slow motion video from your race car, your street car, your bicycle helmet, or whatever else you choose to capture, an absolutely incredible piece of professional-like footage when played back.
Another brand new feature in this unit for GoPro is the ability to plug in an external microphone for even greater audio performance. It’s also compatible with GoPro’s optional LCD BacPac screen for viewing your footage, and is seen attached to the HD hero 2 that’s on display here at SEMA.
[3]
[4]
[5]
[6]
The GoPro HD Hero 2, shown with the optional LCD BacPac installed, is the latest of GoPro's incredibly popular action camera, featuring 120fps slow motion capture, an external microphone input, 11 megapixel still capture, and for the first time time, an adjustable field of view.