Comparison, GoPro Hero and Replay 1080XD

[Windbreaker]

I was looking for a camera that was user-configurable so I could lock down automatic white balance and tailor contrast and saturation. The GoPro Hero is tough and rugged, but doesn't allow for customization of its characteristics.

Here's the characteristics that can be configured with the Replay:

Bitrate: High, medium, low
Exposure: -4 to +4
Sharpness: 1 ~ 5
Auto Exposure: Center, average, spot
Automatic White Balance: 0 ~ 8
Contrast: 1 ~ 255
Saturation: 0 ~ 127
Microphone Gain: 0 ~ 59dB
Frame Rate: 25/50 fps or 30/60 fps

It also had to have decent audio to allow sync using PluralEyes. Plus the audio would be a backup in case other audio went bad.

The camera had to be lightweight, too. It's other role is on a small helicopter that can't lift much. In fact, the helicopter was never intended to carry a payload at all. But it was what I had, and it flew in an earlier test with a GoPro, although not all that easily.

So after a false start -- more on that later -- I got the Replay 1080XD.

My first impression was that it's a solid camera. Looks and feels like a simple, tough aluminum cylinder. The second thing I noticed was an o-ring seal at the rear cap. Similar seals are at the front end on the bezel and Lexan lens port.

The only potential for moisture intrusion are the two buttons and a tiny hole for the built-in microphone. I haven't heard back from Replay as to how much of a dunking their camera can tolerate, and I've asked twice this week. I'd do a test myself but I don't have a budget for that.

I won't go too much into detail about the the mounts provided except that they certainly seem sturdy. The rails are thick and fit snugly. Once it "clicks" in place, it's not going anywhere.

One of the mounts will put the camera into a fixed position. The other allows for limited tilting and 360-degree swiveling. A red aluminum lever locks it in position. There are several other mounts available as accessories.

The camera is small, and the labels on the controls are proportionately tiny. If you suffer from presbyopia like me, then have your reading glasses handy.

Performance: None of the cameras in this class will provide a truly stunning HD image, not compared to what you'll get with a handheld camcorder or better.

However, to shrink a camera to this size means using a very small imager, and that means ultra-tiny pixels. And when it comes to getting a good image from a tiny package, the Replay 1080XD certainly delivers one that's as good or better than others.

Here are simultaneous test shots taken with the GoPro Hero, undoubtedly one of the most popular POV cameras.

First off, the audio from the Replay is good for such a tiny camera. The GoPro, because of the bullet-proof housing, can't catch much sound other than the occasional scream or engine noise.

The GoPro is a truly waterproof, go-anywhere camera and so the loss of audio might be forgiven. Still, audio is 50% of what you see, and there are lots of situations where you don't need to go down 180 feet. You just need to have the camera survive splashing, dust and mud. Of course if the tiny mic port on the Replay gets clogged with mud…

Onto the visual aspects.

[ame]http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=VGxYJuSCKJc[/ame]

There is an obvious difference in the "look" of the uncorrected clips from the two cameras. The GoPro exhibits high contrast and saturation. It's to the point of being harsh. The Replay 1080XL is just the opposite, being a lot softer and with much less color saturation. My concern is that the "peak white" was way down, about 65 IRE. It should be closer to 90 or 95. Having a higher peak white recorded would make better use of the available dynamic range in the digital format.

As a professional cameraman, I prefer lower contrast for source footage. Although the Replay's source footage might not "pop", compared to the GoPro, there's a lot that can be done in post-production to bring it up to where you want it to be. What I don't want is the highlights and colors to get "blown out" or over-exposed.

The other obvious difference is in the way the two cameras handle lighting changes. The GoPro adjusts quickly and obviously. Sometimes when shadow areas are dominant, it over corrects. The Replay's corrections are a lot smoother and much less distracting.

Many of these parameters can be set by a user, but it requires connecting the camera to a laptop or other computer. Generally speaking, the camera would be set for average conditions, then the footage is corrected in post. Replay warns the user to make any changes in small increments, then test the camera before putting it into service. That avoids any unpredictable and undesirable results.

I shot these test clips on a bright sunny day. Didn't have a model to provide skin tone reference. So there's only sunny skies, a paved road and some foliage. Both cameras ran simultaneously and aligned so that they pointed more or less in identical angles. You'll immediately see the difference in field-of-view.

The samples are both "raw" with no color correction, followed by the same shots with some basic color correction.

I used Apple's "Color" software to make the adjustments. Several years ago this program was a $25,000 stand-alone package. Apple has since incorporated it into their editing suite for free. It's a very sophisticated setup that provides considerable control over all aspects of color.

I couldn't get an exact correction that would cover the duration of either video clip. So I settled for a rough average for each. Both cameras feature automatic white balance, which means the color balance is constantly shifting, depending on the overall color of the scene. Color might be correct in one part of the clip, but way off in another part.

It was possible to reduce the contrast and saturation of the GoPro, as well as to do the opposite for the Replay.

In terms of general performance, both cameras seemed to do just fine.

There is one other camera I looked at, the ContourROAM. The company has high praise for its line of POV cameras. One of the features that caught my attention was the ability to configured the camera's characteristics, just like the Replay 1080XD. So I bought one.

When it arrived, I found out that the ContourROAM is the only camera in Contour's lineup that can't be configured. Audio wasn't as bad as the GoPro but it was still way too low to be considered usable and unacceptable.

The access door in the back of the ContourROAM was a simple slide-and-flip to open. I wouldn't expect it to provide any real protection as suggested by Contour's claims. Also, the higher models, the ContourGPS and the Contour+, are less water resistant than the ROAM, according to Contour's own information.

The mount isn't as sturdy as the GoPro or the Replay. And there were reports of the Contour mounts breaking after normal use.

When I reviewed sample footage online, I noticed that if a bright light source was just off-axis, there would be a black vertical streak in the footage from the Contour. Neither the GoPro or Replay exhibited this problem.

So as a rugged sports camera, the Contour lineup didn't give me much confidence. And the Replay is about $200 less than the Contour+. Both share similar capabilities except that the field-of-view for the Contour+ is wider than the Replay 1080XD.

I immediately returned the ContourROAM and ordered the Replay.

So what to choose? GoPro or Replay? To be honest, each one fills a specific purpose. If it's not going to get dunked, I'd use the Replay. If it needed to be absolutely waterproof, the GoPro. Audio? Replay. Additional battery power for extended coverage? GoPro.

To be honest, I have both.

[SeismicCWave]

Thanks for the review. I have the GoPro and am looking at the Replay.

[Windbreaker]

Glad you found this helpful.

With the size of helicopters you're flying, you could probably mount two of them... one of them looking back at the helicopter!

BTW, are you a geologist with USGS?

[SeismicCWave]

>>With the size of helicopters you're flying, you could probably mount two of them... one of them looking back at the helicopter!<<

I am actually slowly weaning myself from the larger helicopters unless absolutely necessary. I am getting all my multi rotors up to speed so I need to know all those little cameras.

>>BTW, are you a geologist with USGS?<<

No, my good friend is a geologist (Malika Dudley's father) and he hooked me up with some geologists from the USGS at Santa Cruz.

I was an accountant, then a pole and line electrical contractor and now a photographer. I have been shooting still photographs since I was 8 years old and never stopped. However I am still very new at video. I have been flying RC since I was 13 years old but I am still very new at multi rotors.

[jtbullet]

Hi guys. They weight on these cameras is small I know, and I understand your problems about wanting lockable exposure and white balance. Is there any chance your copters could carry a 230g camera? If so, the sony hx9 is a pretty good option, though its a lot heavier than those you are speaking of. But, it has some nice features, one being that you can turn off the automatic white balance, and 2, you cant lock exposure, but you can lower the compensation by 2 steps. It looks funny on screen (very flat and dark) but when you pull it into a video editor and start grading it with something like colorista or magic bullet looks, its going to start looking like it came out of a professional camera. Oh, one more thing, the hx9 has an incredible stabilizer built in. Just look on youtube or vimeo for "hx9v stabilization". Handheld shots look like a steadicam! I imagine that on a stable camera platform, it would look super smooth. I am new to rc in general, but not to a lot of the camera challenges you guys are facing.

[Windbreaker]

The GoPro with LCD screen weighs 242 grams. The T-Rex 450 starts to struggle at that weight.

With the Replay 1080XD, about 110 grams less including the mount, it flies a lot better.

But if you go with a 500 or a 550-sized helicopter, the weight isn't a problem. And, as you mentioned, the built-in stabilizer helps.

My Canon Vixia weighs about 500 grams including a wide-angle adapter lens. The picture quality is way better than the POV-type cameras. White balance, focus and exposure can all be locked. And it also has an image stabilizer which might help eliminate some of the shaking.

So when it comes to getting a bigger helicopter to lift a better camera, I'll very likely upgrade to a 600, install a 3-way stabilized gimbal, and fly the Vixia, DSLR or some other camera.

For the time being, I'm going to learn the basics with this.

[Windbreaker]

I photographed the Pu'u O'o vent back when it started erupting in 1983. Took a couple rides with some USGS guys aboard Tom Hauptman's Hughes 500. That guy is a heck of a pilot! We were right at the foot of the vent. The geologists took samples and I followed them around. It was noisy and hot! Couldn't put anything made of plastic on the ground because it would melt. You could smell the rubber of our boot soles cooking sometimes.

Shot lots of aerial photos as a news photographer and did some flying myself in single-engine planes. Photographed the Mauna Loa eruption, although it wasn't as spectacular as the Pu'u O'o. since there wasn't the high fountaining.

Flew line-control way back when and only got into RC in the past couple of years. The goal is to get an aerial perspective without the cost of full-scale helicopters. Also, it's my only chance to actually "fly" a helicopter since the Army National Guard had turned me down for being "too old" at the age of 28.

Originally Posted by SeismicCWave

>>With the size of helicopters you're flying, you could probably mount two of them... one of them looking back at the helicopter!<<

I am actually slowly weaning myself from the larger helicopters unless absolutely necessary. I am getting all my multi rotors up to speed so I need to know all those little cameras.

>>BTW, are you a geologist with USGS?<<

No, my good friend is a geologist (Malika Dudley's father) and he hooked me up with some geologists from the USGS at Santa Cruz.

I was an accountant, then a pole and line electrical contractor and now a photographer. I have been shooting still photographs since I was 8 years old and never stopped. However I am still very new at video. I have been flying RC since I was 13 years old but I am still very new at multi rotors.

[SeismicCWave]

>> Took a couple rides with some USGS guys aboard Tom Hauptman's Hughes 500. That guy is a heck of a pilot!<<

When we were building power lines we used to use Tom quite a lot to place poles and string conductors in hard to access areas. He is a great pilot but he is also getting pretty old.

[SeismicCWave]

Originally Posted by jtbullet

Just look on youtube or vimeo for "hx9v stabilization". Handheld shots look like a steadicam! I imagine that on a stable camera platform, it would look super smooth.

I have been looking at that camera. I found my GoPro "wanting" and my NEX 5 is great for stills but still a bit lacking for videos. Taking the GH2 or T2i up in the air with a multi rotor is challenging so I was just getting ready to order the HX9V. I read on another thread that it is a good camera and I started checking it out. The 1080 at 60P sure is the best I have seen. That will make the slow pan in the air a lot smoother. There is a lot of difference between the NEX 5 and the GH2 in the slow pan.

The weight of the HX9V is just right. I can lift the NEX 5 with no problem. The GoPro is actually a bit too light for AP because it is hard to isolate vibration for such a light payload.

How is the NEX 5N? I think my next one will be the NEX 7 for stills.

[brtmac]

Originally Posted by SeismicCWave

The GoPro is actually a bit too light for AP because it is hard to isolate vibration for such a light payload.

Is there any reason you couldn't stick some lead weights to the GoPro to increase it's mass and make it less prone to vibrations?

[SeismicCWave]

Originally Posted by brtmac

Is there any reason you couldn't stick some lead weights to the GoPro to increase it's mass and make it less prone to vibrations?

You can but that is pretty much defeating the purpose of using the GoPro. If I increase the mass of the GoPro I may as well use a heavier camera with better video quality. The idea of using the GoPro is because it is very light.

Now the Replay 1080HD is lighter.

[SeismicCWave]

>>I used Apple's "Color" software to make the adjustments. Several years ago this program was a $25,000 stand-alone package. Apple has since incorporated it into their editing suite for free. It's a very sophisticated setup that provides considerable control over all aspects of color.<<

Windbreaker, can you give me more detail about this software? Which Apple editing software are you referring to?

[Windbreaker]

I'm using Final Cut Pro version 7.0.3. It's part of "Final Cut Pro Studio" which included several programs: Final Cut Pro, Motion, Soundtrack Pro, Color, Compressor, DVD Studio Pro and Livetype.

It's a comprehensive package that was intended to do everything. (Now there's FCP-X but I'm not going there yet).

"Color" used to be sold as a stand-alone program from Silicon Color called "Final Touch". It was intended to do color grading for serious motion picture projects, etc. Price was $5,000 for the HD version. $25,000 for the 2k/4k version. Apple bought it, and incorporated it into their FCP bundle. That alone made upgrading a steal! $300 upgrade to get a program that was worth $25,000? Banzai!

Only one problem: the user interface was nothing like the other Apple products. That stumped most who had a passing interest in using it. But for color fanatics like me, it was a powerful tool that just needed to be understood.

So I found a tutorial and in about an hour or two I had it knocked. It's now my go-to tool for every single shot in the fishing show I produce, as well as other projects. You can do overall color correction, followed by spot corrections. Track specific objects with masks to lighten or darken them.

After the shots are worked to appear consistent, you can apply tailored "looks" to scenes. Apply grain control to smooth out gritty shots, or add grain to get CGI to match film. Real powerful.

BTW, in my former life I was the color management/prepress expert for a newspaper. Spent a couple years mastering the craft. Some thought I was nuts but our paper was consistently better than the competition... until they spent $75 million on a new press.

[60something]

Don't discount the importance of the sensor type in the small cameras- CMOS vs CCD. Part of your evaluation needs to include the sensor stability in a high-vibration environment. CMOS sensors are notorious for "jello" shake, due to the way they write their data, where as CCDs are fairly immune. I note the HX9V, tho well respected, has a CMOS sensor - it may be a factor.

[jtbullet]

The nex 5n is everything i wanted in a camera...light...full manual video controls...interchangeable lenses...I moved "down" from a canon 7d and never looked back

The 60p 1080p is amazing when you slow it down in after effects or premiere, and if you combine it with a true pixel by pixel slow motion analyzer (twixtor) you can get some of the most surreal slow motion you've ever seen. Just search for twixtor on vimeo and you will see what I mean...nearly frozen frames that make people look like they are suspended in midair...I can't wait to see how it does with aerial video! Actually the hx9 is just as good in this regard. If the hx9 had fully manual controls for aperture, shutter speed, and exposure, I would not have switched...the only problem with the nex-7 is the replacement cost and weight.

[R_Lefebvre]

Originally Posted by brtmac

Is there any reason you couldn't stick some lead weights to the GoPro to increase it's mass and make it less prone to vibrations?

Mount the batteries and camera/mount onto a subframe which is vibration isolated from the main frame. Now you have the mass you need to help dampen the vibration, without adding lead weights to an aircraft.

[SeismicCWave]

Originally Posted by Windbreaker

I'm using Final Cut Pro version 7.0.3. It's part of "Final Cut Pro Studio" which included several programs: Final Cut Pro, Motion, Soundtrack Pro, Color, Compressor, DVD Studio Pro and Livetype.

It's a comprehensive package that was intended to do everything. (Now there's FCP-X but I'm not going there yet).

"Color" used to be sold as a stand-alone program from Silicon Color called "Final Touch". It was intended to do color grading for serious motion picture projects, etc. Price was $5,000 for the HD version. $25,000 for the 2k/4k version. Apple bought it, and incorporated it into their FCP bundle. That alone made upgrading a steal! $300 upgrade to get a program that was worth $25,000? Banzai!

Only one problem: the user interface was nothing like the other Apple products. That stumped most who had a passing interest in using it. But for color fanatics like me, it was a powerful tool that just needed to be understood.

So I found a tutorial and in about an hour or two I had it knocked. It's now my go-to tool for every single shot in the fishing show I produce, as well as other projects. You can do overall color correction, followed by spot corrections. Track specific objects with masks to lighten or darken them.

After the shots are worked to appear consistent, you can apply tailored "looks" to scenes. Apply grain control to smooth out gritty shots, or add grain to get CGI to match film. Real powerful.

BTW, in my former life I was the color management/prepress expert for a newspaper. Spent a couple years mastering the craft. Some thought I was nuts but our paper was consistently better than the competition... until they spent $75 million on a new press.

Thanks for the explanation. I am looking for a higher end editing software since there are now more demand on aerial videos. My daughter is taking up digital media arts so she will probably need a better software once she doesn't get to use the one in school.

I was looking for Final Cut Pro but they don't have that anymore. Now they have the Final Cut Pro X. I have read good and bad about it just like any software.

[SeismicCWave]

Originally Posted by 60something

Don't discount the importance of the sensor type in the small cameras- CMOS vs CCD. Part of your evaluation needs to include the sensor stability in a high-vibration environment. CMOS sensors are notorious for "jello" shake, due to the way they write their data, where as CCDs are fairly immune. I note the HX9V, tho well respected, has a CMOS sensor - it may be a factor.

Unfortunately CCD sensor is not available anywhere except for the super higher end very heavy broadcast type shoulder carry cameras. You can still find them in some prosumer cameras that cost $3,000 or more.

The more recent state of the art high quality cameras in both camcorder configuration or still image camera configuration are using CMOS sensors.

So the work around is to do some homework with vibration isolation and keep the vibration from reaching the camera.

[SeismicCWave]

>>The nex 5n is everything i wanted in a camera...light...full manual video controls...interchangeable lenses...I moved "down" from a canon 7d and never looked back<<

I have to check that out closer.

>>the only problem with the nex-7 is the replacement cost and weight.<<

True. The cost is rather high. I did not scrutinize the weight part too closely since I usually don't trust the published weight. I like to weigh my own after I get the camera. Do you have a comparison of the weight between the NEX 5N versus the 7?

[SeismicCWave]

Originally Posted by R_Lefebvre

Mount the batteries and camera/mount onto a subframe which is vibration isolated from the main frame. Now you have the mass you need to help dampen the vibration, without adding lead weights to an aircraft.

Exactly! That's what I do to all my camera cradles now.