GoPro HD Hero2 Camcorder Review

Introduction

For just $299 you can get the Hero2 along with its waterproof housing, a variety of mounts, and a few straps that let you wear the camera on a helmet (or surfboard or dirtbike, depending on the package you buy). In this growing market of "wearable" camcorders, GoPro has one main rival—Contour—and you can read our review of the Contour+ camcorder here.

Video Review

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Design

GoPro only sells two camcorders—the HD Hero2 and the original HD Hero. Those two camcorders, however, are available in a few different packages that cater to specific shooting situations. There's the Outdoor Edition, which is the package we got for review, a Motorsports Edition, and a Surf Edition. Each package comes with a few different mounts and accessories, but all come with GoPro's waterproof housing.

The camcorder itself is rather bland, with a few ports on both its left and right side, a battery that slips into a compartment on the back, and one button each on the top and front of the camcorder. The small lens, recording lamp, and tiny LCD also populate the front of the camcorder. It looks like an awkward security camera, but the design feels both light and durable. We had the utmost confidence in the camcorder's waterproof casing as well, and we found most of the mounts and straps easy to assemble and work with.

Front

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Back

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Left

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Right

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Top

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Bottom

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In the Box

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The GoPro HD Hero2 is available in three different packages: the Outdoor Edition, Motorsports Edition, and Surf Edition. The three additions come with most of the same accessories, but there's at least one or two mounts that are specific to each individual package (e.g. a surfboard mount in the Surf Edition). We reviewed the Hero2 as part of the Outdoor Edition, which included the following accessories:

• HD Hero2 Camera
• waterproof housing
• skeleton backdoor
• rechargeable battery pack
• USB cable
• vented helmet strap (Outdoor Edition only)
• head strap (Outdoor Edition only)
• 2 curved surface adhesive mounts
• 2 flat surface adhesive mounts
• three-way pivot arm
• assorted mounting hardware

Instead of the helmet and head straps, the Motorsports Edition comes with one suction cup mount, a J-hook buckle, and three flat surface adhesive mounts instead of two. The Surf addition comes with two surfboard mounts, one FCS-compatible camera mount, and a floating backdoor instead of the head straps and adhesive mounts that come with the other editions.

Performance

If all you care about is quality and performance, there are better HD camcorders out there than the GoPro Hero2. But, those camcorders don't offer the mountable, rugged design that is integral to GoPro's success. That's the give and take with hands-free camcorders—not the best quality, but you can record video that wouldn't be possible to capture with a traditional camcorder.

In our tests, the Hero2 showed some significant problems with noise, especially when we shot using the narrow field of view settings. Other than the noise issues, though, the camcorder did well in terms of video quality. Colors were deep and accurate, motion looked better than most other ultracompact camcorders we've reviewed, and its recorded images were reasonably sharp (although not quite as sharp as the competition). In a direct comparison with the Contour+ hands-free camcorder, we give the Hero2 a slight edge in overall performance.

Color

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In both bright and low light, the Hero2 put up color numbers that were a notch better than what the Contour+ showed us. In bright light, the camcorder produced a good-looking, but over-saturated image with a 4.91 color error. In low light, the results were slightly better, with the camcorder registering a 4.08 color error and a solid saturation of 92%. More on how we test color.

There are no color modes on the Hero2, so you can't tweak the color settings for your recording (you can, of course, adjust colors after using editing software—just like you can with any video). The sample images below and above show off the Hero2's positive color performance in our bright light test.

Notice how deep the colors are and how much pop they deliver, especially compared to the washed-out, overexposed image from the Contour+. This is probably the biggest performance-related advantage we saw for the GoPro when pitted against the Contour camcorder.

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Low Light Color

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Color accuracy remained strong for the Hero2 in our low light testing. The camcorder measured a color error of 4.08 and a saturation level of 92% under our 60 lux lights (that's what we use for the low light testing). This is a very good performance for the camcorder, but it isn't any better than the Contour+ managed in the same test. More on how we test low light color.

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Noise

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In both our bright and low light tests, the Hero2 produced high levels of noise. The camcorder averaged 1.2% noise in our bright light test and 2.81% noise in our low light test, both of which are higher than average for a compact camcorder. The Contour+ had major issues with noise as well, but it wasn't as bad in bright light as the Hero2. More on how we test noise.

There is one caveat with the Hero2's noise performance. When we shot video using different field of view settings, we found the noise levels varied wildly. The widest angle of view showed far lower noise levels compared to the narrowest angle of view, and the numbers we listed above were obtained using the narrow recording option. We used the narrow results only because that shooting mode allowed us to frame our charts properly (with the least amount of warping and fish-eye effect), but it should be noted that you'll get less noise shooting in the wider mode.

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Low Light Sensitivity

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One of the most positive aspects of the Hero2's low light performance was its surprisingly-good sensitivity results. The camcorder needed just four lux of light (about what you'd get from a large candle), in order to produce an image that could be used in broadcast. Yes, this image was severely noisy (as you'll see from the sample images on this page), but it was bright enough to pass the industry illumination standards (that's 50 IRE on a waveform monitor). More on how we test low light sensitivity.

Other ultracompact camcorders have shown us similarly impressive low light sensitivity scores. The fixed lens and the large image sensor on these compact models usually translate to good sensitivity results. The surprise, however, is how much better the Hero2 did than the Contour+. Countour's camcorder needed five times as much light (20 lux) to achieve the same brightness levels as its direct competitor. So, if you're planning on shooting in dark environments with a hands-free camcorder, the GoPro Hero2 looks like the better option for now.

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Low Light Noise

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Noise was a big problem for the Contour+ in low light and it was a big problem for the GoPro Hero2 as well. The camcorder averaged just under 3% noise in its low light image—an amount that you can see clearly affected its low light image. Judging by the crops below, we feel the Hero2 managed a slightly cleaner low light image than the Contour+, but neither camcorder put up an ideal performance. More on how we test low light noise.

As we saw in our bright light testing, if you tinker with the Hero2's field of view options you can bring the noise down to more reasonable levels. The crops above and the samples images on this page were captured using the narrow view option on the camcorder, and we found the wide view setting produced less noise. The wide image has a much broader fish-eye effect (warping on the edges of the frame), though, which is why we did most of our testing with the narrow view mode (so we could frame our test charts properly).

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Low Light Color

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Color accuracy remained strong for the Hero2 in our low light testing. The camcorder measured a color error of 4.08 and a saturation level of 92% under our 60 lux lights (that's what we use for the low light testing). This is a very good performance for the camcorder, but it isn't any better than the Contour+ managed in the same test. More on how we test low light color.

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Motion

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The GoPro Hero2 captures motion differently than a normal camcorder, but the end result sill looked positive for the hands-free camcorder. Our motion test footage had some noise and blur (and some choppy movement), but artifacting wasn't all that bad and we were impressed by the plethora of frame rates offered on the Hero2. Most importantly, we found the camcorder's motion footage looked better than our test with the Contour+ hands-free camcorder. The Contour had more artifacting and interference than the GoPro, which is something you should be able to see in our test clip below.

The video directly below was shot with using the Hero2's narrow field of view setting, which had a similar recording angle to a standard consumer camcorder (still wide, but not so wide that it created an overwhelming fish-eye effect). Further down on the page, is the same motion test shot with the camcorder's wide field of view setting. The difference is extreme, and you can see how much of a warping effect the wide setting adds to the footage. More on how we test motion.

Motion Test - Wide Field of View

Resolution & Frame Rates

In terms of the amount of frame rates and resolutions offered for recording, the Hero2 runs circles around the Contour+ camcorder. GoPro includes one Full HD record mode on the Hero2 (a 1920 × 1080 resolution with a 30p frame rate), two 1280 × 960 modes (at 48fps or 30p), two 1280 × 720 options (at 60p and 30p), and two standard definition record modes (an 848 × 480 resolution).

Slow Motion Modes

To top it all off, one of the two standard definition modes on the Hero2 is a 120fps slow motion mode (the other SD mode records using a 60p frame rate). A 120fps mode won’t produce wildly slow motion effects, but it should produce video that looks about half speed compared to 60p during playback.

Video Sharpness

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We were surprised that the GoPro Hero2 managed a slightly less sharp image than its direct competition—the Contour+—especially when considering the Hero2 did better than the Contour in much of our other performance tests. In bright light, the Hero2 managed a horizontal sharpness of 600 lw/ph and a vertical sharpness of 575 lw/ph. These numbers are similar to what we see on some entry-level camcorders, but they are worse than the three models we used as comparisons in this review.

In GoPro's defense, the Hero2 did maintain its sharpness better in low light than the Contour+. Both camcorders had some serious problems with noise and artifacting in low light, but the Hero2 produced a better overall image when the lights were dim. So, if you're looking for a hands-free camcorder that records sharper video in various kinds of light, the Hero2 may be the better overall choice than the Contour+. More on how we test video sharpness.

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Testing Samples

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GoPro Motion Test - Narrow

Motion Test - Wide Field of View

Real World Samples

GoPro HD Hero2 Dog POV Sample

GoPro HD Hero2 Zip-line Sample

Contour+ vs. Hero2: Video Daylight Comparison

Contour+ vs. Hero2: Video Low Light Comparison

GoPro Hero2 Ski Sample

Usability

In our experience, hands-free camcorders are always something of a challenge to get used to. At the very core they are different than traditional camcorders, and the lack of an LCD or viewfinder to assist with framing your video is always frustrating. But GoPro did a reasonably good job with the Hero2, and, despite its numerous quirks, it was much easier to work with (in our mind) than the Contour+ camcorder. The mounts were simpler to tackle and use, the settings were far easier to change, and we didn't have to worry about connecting the Hero2 to our SmartPhone via Bluetooth (something that never worked smoothly on the Contour+).

Auto Mode

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The Hero2 doesn't have a normal set of manual controls, and focus is not adjustable with the fixed lens, so any recordings are essentially captured in auto mode. The camcorder exposed images very well under natural outdoor light, but it had problems in mixed-light situations. Using center-weighted exposure control, the camcorder often overexposed the brightest portions of the frame when the light wasn't even. This means windows and lights would look blown-out, but at least the camcorder didn't make the rest of the frame too dark (we'd rather have some blown-out portions and a usable image than an image that is just too dark all around).

Auto Controls

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Moving outdoors to brighter light, the camcorder acted quickly in adjusting exposure. There were moments of white flashes as the exposure changed, but the Hero2 compensated for the brighter light in less than a second. And, like we said, under consistent outdoor lighting the exposure levels looked great. Focus wasn't an issue due to the camcorder's fixed lens (no focal adjustments made), and we found subjects that were as close as a foot or so from the lens still appeared in focus.

Menus

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The Hero2 has more settings than we anticipated for a compact, hands-free camcorder, and these settings are adjusted using a two-button system on the front and top of the camcorder. There's also a tiny LCD display that lets you navigate the menu and controls, cycling through each with a click of the button. It's clearly not the best or easiest menu system to go through, and we were frustrated by it at times. Since each push of the front button just cycles through options, it's easy to miss the setting your looking for... which means you have to cycle through everything again. It kind of feels like you're working with a digital watch, and we all know how frustrating that can be.

Handling

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Words aren't the best way to describe how the Hero2 "handles" as a camcorder. It's best to simply look at the photos to understand, as this is a camcorder that is unlike most other camcorders. It fits snugly into a provided waterproof housing, and from there it can connect to a variety of mounts, straps, and holders that make the camcorder wearable and makes hands-free recording possible. Yes, holding the camcorder in your hand and recording in that manner is possible, but why would you want to limit yourself like that? If you want to do handheld recording, just get one of the other ultracompact camcorders that are flooding the market these days, and most of them are cheaper than the GoPro Hero2 anyway.

GoPro designs its mounts and casings quite well. It was easy (but not too easy) to pop off the lock on the waterproof case and set the camcorder in place. After some time with the waterproof casing, we did notice the locking mechanism started to loosen a tiny bit, which is not a good sign, so the case needs to be treated with care if you want it to last.

We do love the snap-clip mount design on the base of the casing that allows you to switch what you're mounting the camcorder on in seconds. Just pop the clip out with your fingers and you can switch to another mount. With the "Outdoor Edition", which is the Hero2 package we reviewed, the camcorder comes with a reusable head mount that has two adjustable straps and an elastic band that fits around the top of your head. It kind of functions like a headlamp and it stays tighter if it's wrapped around a thin helmet (like a construction helmet), but we love the multiple uses that you can get out of this strap. Other mounts are stuck with adhesive on their base, which means once you stick them to a helmet or a surface, you basically can't move them.

Despite its flaws, the GoPro's handling and control system are designed far better than the company's most direct competitor—Contour. The Contour+, which we reviewed last year, showed off some alarmingly bad butt design and we had trouble getting many of the camcorder's features working. With the Contour+ you can't adjust controls on the fly, you need to do so by connecting the camcorder to a computer and using a special software. There is the really cool ability to link the camcorder to a SmartPhone and use a free app to adjust a few different record options, but our iPhone 3G had a terrible time connecting to the Contour+ via Bluetooth.

The GoPro Hero2's more traditional on-board control system is far more reliable. And the buttons, while nowhere near perfect, aren't all that bad. We especially like that the buttons are still accessible even when the camcorder is inside its waterproof housing (thanks to a cool exterior button pushing creation). You can also simplify the Hero2 by turning it to "one button mode", which makes the camcorder automatically start recording when it is turned on (and stop recording only when it is turned off). If you have no need to set any controls during your shoot, this is the easiest mode to use (and you can start recording without even looking at the camcorder to make sure you pressed the right combination of buttons).

Portability

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The GoPro HD Hero2, in many ways, is the very definition of a portable camcorder. The actual camcorder itself is exceedingly small. In fact, it's not much bigger than the battery pack you get on most high-end consumer camcorders. So, size isn't really a factor with the Hero2 at all—it can go with you almost anywhere. With a weight of only 98g (3.5 ounces) including the battery pack, the Hero2 also won't bog you down one bit.

But unlike most ultracompact models, the Hero2 isn't meant to be slipped in and out of your pants pocket. It's meant to be strapped to your head while you go water skiing. And that brings up another concept of portability: the rugged design and waterproof factor of the Hero2. The waterproof casing that ships with the camcorder is easy to use, looks cool, and functions extremely well. It allows you to plunge to depths up to 197 feet. Contrast that with most waterproof camcorders, which can be taken to depths of 10 - 30 feet on average, and you're staring at a huge difference. The waterproof case does add bulk and weight to the overall package, but together the Hero2 and its case only weigh 188g (6.6 ounces), and that's not bad for a consumer camcorder.

GoPro's most direct competitor, the Contour camcorders, are almost equally as portable as the Hero2. Contour, however, charges an extra $40 bucks for its waterproof case (while GoPro includes one free with all Hero2 packages). We also give an advantage to GoPro with the design of its provided mounts and straps, which are more versatile and easier to use than Contour's.

Battery Life

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The GoPro Hero2 lasted for a solid 139 minutes in our battery life test. That means the camcorder recorded continuously (in its Full HD mode) for 2 hours, 19 minutes. That's certainly not bad for a hands-free camcorder (nearly a half hour better than the Contour+), and it is good for an ultracompact camcorder in general (most stop after about two hours of straight recording). If the 2+ hour battery life isn't good enough for you... well, GoPro has another trick up its sleeve. For an extra $50 bucks you can buy an extra battery pack that straps right onto the back of the Hero2 to provide roughly double the battery life. The accessory, called the Battery BacPac, can also act as a charging station for the Hero2's supplied battery pack when it is not in use.

In Full HD record mode, the Hero2 has a clip limit of 34 minutes, 42 seconds. When a clip reaches that length, a new clip starts recording immediately (and there shouldn't be any gaps between the two clips). More on how we test battery life.

The Hero2's rechargeable battery pack fits into the back of the camcorder, behind the removable battery cover that takes up most of the back of the model. The battery can be tricky to remove, as there's no good grip or slot where you can get leverage to pull the battery free. The best method we found was to open the battery cover and gently knock the camcorder against our palm until the battery loosened. We could then free it from the constraints of the battery compartment with ease.

Charging the battery is done by leaving it in the camcorder and connecting the GoPro Hero2 to a USB power source (via the USB terminal). The power source could be a computer with a USB terminal or a USB power adapter that lets you plug right into a wall outlet.

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LCD

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Technically, the GoPro Hero2 does have an LCD, but the screen is only used for menu navigation and control selection—it does not provide a visual display for framing or viewing video content. The tiny LCD on the front of the camcorder simply tells you what mode you're working in, and by pressing the buttons on the front and top of the camcorder you can cycle through various settings and make changes to your recording options.

This leaves us with a daunting question—how in the world are you supposed to frame your shots if you can't see what they look like beforehand? Well, because of the Hero2's wide angle lens you don't really have to frame your shots that carefully. The view is so wide that it's fairly likely you're gonna capture interesting footage within the frame. If you're really concerned about getting the right shots, however, you can purchase the GoPro LCD BacPac, which straps to the back of the Hero2 (via the proprietary Hero Port) and functions as a normal screen for previewing or playing back content. The BacPac costs an extra $80 and we can't attest to how well it works because we didn't get one with our review unit.

Since the camcorder also has HDMI and AV outputs, you can also connect the Hero2 to a television to preview your content. Additionally, in March of 2012, GoPro has announced it will start selling a WiFi BacPac kit that will enable you to sync the Hero2 to a smartphone, tablet, or computer running a free GoPro App (for live streaming and remote operation). This is similar to the (somewhat finicky) system Contour has put in place on its hands-fee camcorders—you can read about Contour's LCD solution here.

Manual Exposure

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There's no manual control over exposure, aperture, shutter speed, or gain on the Hero2, so don't expect to be able to manipulate your recordings as such. The only thing you can do in terms of exposure is switch between center-weighted or spot exposure evaluation. As we discussed on our Ease of Use page, the Hero2 did well with exposure under even lighting, but it often overexposed areas of intense light under mixed-light environments. GoPro recommends switching to spot exposure if you want to avoid this in certain situations, like if you have the camcorder pointing out the window on the dashboard of a car, for example.

Miscellaneous Controls

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Image Flip

It's not quite the same amount of flexibility that you get with Contour's rotatable lens, but the GoPro Hero2 does have an image flip option that lets you mount the camcorder upside down if you need to. Just go into the settings and hit the image flip option and your video will be recorded right side up (even if the camcorder is upside down). This gives you a bit more flexibility when you're mounting the Hero2.

NTSC/PAL Output

Like most ultracompact camcorders, the Hero2 has an NTSC/PAL output switch. So, if you're connecting the camcorder to a television overseas, you can switch to PAL output and the signal should playback fine.

Auto Controls

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Moving outdoors to brighter light, the camcorder acted quickly in adjusting exposure. There were moments of white flashes as the exposure changed, but the Hero2 compensated for the brighter light in less than a second. And, like we said, under consistent outdoor lighting the exposure levels looked great. Focus wasn't an issue due to the camcorder's fixed lens (no focal adjustments made), and we found subjects that were as close as a foot or so from the lens still appeared in focus.

Audio Controls

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The Hero2 isn't big on audio controls, but the camcorder does come with a built-in mono mic and a 3.5mm external mic jack. GoPro recommends using the open back door on the waterproof case if you want to capture better sound, as this allows the mic to pick up more audio (it does make the case no longer waterproof, though, so make sure not to submerged the camcorder in this setup).

Features

Perhaps our favorite thing about the Hero2 is that, despite being an ultracompact model, the camcorder still has options for changing controls and shooting modes on the fly. You don't need to use special software or link the camcorder to your smartphone to access the menu system—you can do it all by using the tiny LCD on the front of the Hero2 and by pressing the camcorder's two buttons to cycle through the menu options. It's not the simplest system, and all that button pushing kind of made us feel like we were setting a watch or alarm clock, but at least the ability to adjust controls on the fly is an option. Important features include: multiple recording resolutions and frame rates, a bundle of still image controls (up to 11-megapixels), and an adjustable field of view for recording.

Compression

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The GoPro HD Hero2 uses the H.264 codec to compress video using the MPEG-4 file format. This is the same compression system used by many ultracompact camcorders, and it is different than the AVCHD compression utilized on more traditional HD camcorders. The MP4 files can simply be dragged and dropped from a memory card onto a computer and played directly in a media player without requiring any kind of conversion (the same can't always be said about AVCHD). Read more about the advantages and disadvantages of various high definition compression types.

Media

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The memory card slot on the side of the Hero2 fits SD or SDHC memory cards (up to 32GB in size). GoPro recommends using a card speed class four or higher, and for certain recordings (like the time-lapse function) higher-speed cards may be necessary. We like that GoPro uses SDHC cards, as they are easy to obtain and are fairly inexpensive—especially compared to the MicroSD cards used by Contour on its camcorders. Read more about the advantages and disadvantages of various media types.

Resolution & Frame Rates

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In terms of the amount of frame rates and resolutions offered for recording, the Hero2 runs circles around the Contour+ camcorder. GoPro includes one Full HD record mode on the Hero2 (a 1920 x 1080 resolution with a 30p frame rate), two 1280 x 960 modes (at 48fps or 30p), two 1280 x 720 options (at 60p and 30p), and two standard definition record modes (an 848 x 480 resolution).

Slow Motion Modes

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To top it all off, one of the two standard definition modes on the Hero2 is a 120fps slow motion mode (the other SD mode records using a 60p frame rate). A 120fps mode won't produce wildly slow motion effects, but it should produce video that looks about half speed compared to 60p during playback.

Still Features

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Still photos can be captured at three resolutions on the GoPro Hero2: 11 megapixels, 8 megapixels, and 5 megapixels. In addition to those three resolution options, there's also a self-timer setting and a 10 photo burst option for taking photos in quick succession. The camcorder's time-lapse record function also makes use of photos by capturing a single image at a previously selected time interval.

Lens & Imaging System

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The small, fixed lens on the front of the GoPro Hero2 doesn't look like much, but the design of the lens allows you to capture images at extremely wide angles. The lens has a fixed aperture of f/2.8 and has no optical zoom, but you can set the "field of view" that the lens records to three different options: wide, medium, and narrow.

Here's where we get into some inconsistencies, though. According to GoPro, the Hero2 has an angle of view of 170° in wide mode, 127° in medium mode, and 90° in narrow mode. But we measured things differently in our wide angle test. The widest view measured at 124°, medium view measured at 99°, and narrow was 58°. There may be some slight differences in how we measure wide angle compared to GoPro, but either way, this is still an extremely wide angle lens that captured a wider image than the Contour+ in our testing (at the widest setting).

LCD

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Technically, the GoPro Hero2 does have an LCD, but the screen is only used for menu navigation and control selection—it does not provide a visual display for framing or viewing video content. The tiny LCD on the front of the camcorder simply tells you what mode you're working in, and by pressing the buttons on the front and top of the camcorder you can cycle through various settings and make changes to your recording options.

This leaves us with a daunting question—how in the world are you supposed to frame your shots if you can't see what they look like beforehand? Well, because of the Hero2's wide angle lens you don't really have to frame your shots that carefully. The view is so wide that it's fairly likely you're gonna capture interesting footage within the frame. If you're really concerned about getting the right shots, however, you can purchase the GoPro LCD BacPac, which straps to the back of the Hero2 (via the proprietary Hero Port) and functions as a normal screen for previewing or playing back content. The BacPac costs an extra $80 and we can't attest to how well it works because we didn't get one with our review unit.

Since the camcorder also has HDMI and AV outputs, you can also connect the Hero2 to a television to preview your content. Additionally, in March of 2012, GoPro has announced it will start selling a WiFi BacPac kit that will enable you to sync the Hero2 to a smartphone, tablet, or computer running a free GoPro App (for live streaming and remote operation). This is similar to the (somewhat finicky) system Contour has put in place on its hands-fee camcorders—you can read about Contour's LCD solution here.

Connectivity

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For a tiny camcorder, the GoPro Hero2 has quite a few connectivity options. The left side of the camcorder has three ports: an AV-out jack that can double as an audio output, a USB terminal, and a 3.5mm external mic input. On the right side of the camcorder you'll find the memory card slot (fits SD/SDHC cards) and the mini HDMI port.

It's the proprietary Hero Port on the back of the Hero2 that may be the camcorder's most interesting connectivity feature. This port allows you to attach accessories—like GoPro's LCD BacPac, extra battery BacPac, and WiFi BacPac kit—easily to the camcorder. The Hero2 does not have built-in WiFi or Bluetooth connectivity (unlike the Contour+ camcorder), but the proprietary Hero Port does expand the wireless capabilities of the camcorder.

Battery

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The Hero2's rechargeable battery pack fits into the back of the camcorder, behind the removable battery cover that takes up most of the back of the model. The battery can be tricky to remove, as there's no good grip or slot where you can get leverage to pull the battery free. The best method we found was to open the battery cover and gently knock the camcorder against our palm until the battery loosened. We could then free it from the constraints of the battery compartment with ease.

Charging the battery is done by leaving it in the camcorder and connecting the GoPro Hero2 to a USB power source (via the USB terminal). The power source could be a computer with a USB terminal or a USB power adapter that lets you plug right into a wall outlet. Find out how the product:model/product:model performed in our battery life test.

Media

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The memory card slot on the side of the Hero2 fits SD or SDHC memory cards (up to 32GB in size). GoPro recommends using a card speed class four or higher, and for certain recordings (like the time-lapse function) higher-speed cards may be necessary. We like that GoPro uses SDHC cards, as they are easy to obtain and are fairly inexpensive—especially compared to the MicroSD cards used by Contour on its camcorders. Read more about the advantages and disadvantages of various media types.

Waterproofing & Ruggedization

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The Hero2 itself isn't exactly rugged, but it comes with a waterproof casing that, much like a plate of armor, hugely increases the durability of the camcorder. The case also makes it possible to use the camcorder up to 197 feet underwater, which is far deeper than most waterproof camcorders are capable of traveling (regular waterproof camcorders—without a waterproof case—can usually function 10 - 30 feet underwater).

The waterproof case is designed well and its hard-plastic design feels very strong. After a number of uses, we did notice the locking mechanism on the top of the case would occasionally pop off of its hinges when we opened or closed the lock. This never resulted in water actually entering the case, but it was somewhat disconcerting, and it made us realize the case had a more fragile design than we first believed. Our point is, this case will probably take damage eventually, so treat it with care if you want it to last.

GoPro's main competitor, the Contour camera company, also makes a waterproof case that allows its camcorders to travel to the same depths (197 feet). The thing we like about GoPro, however, is that this case comes free with all Hero2 camcorder package. Contour charges an extra $40 bucks.

At the base of the waterproof case is a small connector that can be linked with GoPro's available mount systems. The camcorder comes with a few mounts that use a snap-connector system (kind of like the clips on a backpack) that are both easy to hookup and simple to remove. This makes swapping the camcorder to and from different mounts a very easy task, especially when compared to Contour's somewhat frustrating mount system.

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Samsung HMX-W200 Comparison

If you’re looking for a hands-free, wearable camcorder, GoPro vs. Contour is the most important comparison to look at. The two companies make very similar products in terms of what the camcorders can do, but they differ greatly in actual design. The Contour+ is long and cylindrical, looking more like a laser gun than a video recording device. The Hero2, on the other hand, looks like (and is) a small box with a tiny lens.

After working with both camcorders, we developed a quick preference for the GoProHero2 over the Contour+. It wasn’t better image quality that drew us in—both camcorders have their benefits and disadvantages when it comes to performance—but it was handling and user experience that made us prefer the Hero2. We loved the fact that adjusting settings on the fly wasn’t a challenge with the Hero2 and the tiny LCD that displays menu options was a welcomed feature.

In terms of what it can and can’t do, the Contour+ looks great on paper. Contour touts the ability to connect the camcorder to your smartphone via Bluetooth, which allows you to remotely control the Contour+ while also using the phone’s screen as a wireless LCD. But in practice we found this system almost never worked. The camcorder and our iPhone 3G were able to make a Bluetooth connection maybe one out of every eight times we tried, and the connection often failed after a few seconds. This forced us to connect the Contour+ to a computer whenever we wanted to change recording settings (something you don’t have to do with the Hero2).

The Contour+ and the Hero2 have different strengths and weaknesses in terms of video performance.

If Contour could make the features on its camcorders more reliable, then we’d be looking at a much stiffer competition between Contour and GoPro. For now, however, GoPro has a significant advantage in the handling department, and the Hero2 was a much more pleasant camcorder to work with than the Contour+.

Kodak PlaySport Zx5 Comparison

The Samsung HMX-W200 isn't a "wearable" camcorder like the Hero2, but it is a waterproof model with a rugged build. It's also one of the best ultracompact camcorders we've ever reviewed, in terms of video quality and performance that is. The W200 simply surprised us with crisp footage, good color accuracy, and strong results in low light—all of which catapulted the camcorder to the top of our ultracompact rankings

But if you're planning on taking the W200 to the slopes or on your water-skiing trip this summer, you may be in for a disappointment. While the W200 is waterproof, it can only handle a depth of up to 10 feet, and that's 187 feet less than the Hero2 can travel in its provided waterproof housing. The Samsung also doesn't come with any kind of mount, head strap, or device that lets you "hold" the camcorder without using your hands. So, if that's something you really want to do, then you'll have to spend a ton of extra money finding various mounts that will work with the W200 (or make your own).

The truly great thing about the GoPro Hero2 is that it comes in a complete package and is ready to go right out of the box. You get enough mounts and straps to keep you satisfied for a while, and it ships with its versatile waterproof housing that lets you take the Hero2 almost anywhere. The video quality may not be on par with the Samsung W200, but the shooting experience you get with the Hero2 is much more pleasing. Especially if you're trying to capture rugged, adventurous moments with your camcorder.

COMP 3

The Kodak PlaySport Zx5 is another rugged, waterproof camcorder that is geared towards average consumers. It is not designed to be worn or used "hands-free", although Kodak does sell a Burton (yes, the snowboard company) edition of the Zx5 that comes with a unique color scheme (but no extra rugged features). It is a good ultracompact camcorder that, like the Samsung W200, is waterproof to around a depth of 10 feet. The PlaySport is also very easy to use, comes with good built-in software that helps you upload content to the web, and it has a simple, durable design.

If all you're looking for is a simple, waterproof camcorder, the PlaySport Zx5 will probably do you just fine. Its video quality was good, but it didn't quite have the performance of the Samsung HMX-W200. The real benefit of the Zx5 came from the camcorders simple design and easy-to-use interface. That's something we can't really say about the GoPro Hero2, as that is a camcorder that definitely has a steep learning curve due to its unique nature.

In addition to its mounts and hands-free design, the Hero2 does many things better than the Kodak PlaySport. Its ultra wide angle lens lets you capture action that wouldn't even be in the frame with the PlaySport, and it has more still features (like a burst mode), a time-lapse record setting, and far more video resolution options. The Hero2 is certainly the better camcorder for the serious adventure videographer.

Conclusion

If you're interested in camcorders, or even gadgets in general, it's almost impossible to ignore the GoPro HD Hero2. In our experience, the Hero2 is the best adventure-style camcorder we've worked with, and the model was easier to handle and control than its most direct competitor: the Contour+ camcorder.

The GoPro Hero2 wasn't a stellar performer in our video tests, but its Full HD video looked just as good as what we see from your average ultracompact camcorder. The Hero2 produced deep colors in both bright and low light, and the camcorder's automatic control over exposure was adequate for most recording situations. Like the Contour+, the Hero2 had some issues with noise, but the camcorder was better than its rival in low light performance overall. Also like the Contour+, the Hero2's lens records with an extremely wide angle of view, which means capturing all the action in front of you shouldn't be a problem.

Realistically, performance plays second fiddle for the Hero2, as the most important feature on the camcorder is its go-anywhere design that is made possible by GoPro's waterproof housing and variety of mounts and straps that ship with the camcorder. We specifically reviewed the Outdoor Edition of the Hero2, which means we got to play with a vented helmet strap (perfect for hooking to a bike helmet) and a stretchy, adjustable head strap that felt similar to wearing a headlamp. The Surf and Motorbike editions of the Hero2 come with a few different mounts, but the waterproof casing (which can handle a depth of up to 197 feet) is the same for all three editions.

In all, we liked GoPro's mount and strap accessories better than what shipped with the Contour+ camcorder. The mounts were easy to work with, although we did notice some wear on the waterproof housing after a week of intense use. The straps and mounts will certainly wear down after repeated use, but the versatility of GoPro's mounts impressed us—and you get more in the whole package than you do with the Contour+. This is particularly true with the waterproof housing, as GoPro ships the case free with all editions of the Hero2. Contour has a nearly identical waterproof case (that can also go down to 197 feet), but charges an additional $40 bucks for its inclusion.

From a usability perspective, our favorite thing about the GoPro Hero2 is its ability to adjust controls and settings on the fly right on the camcorder itself. The two buttons on the Hero2, in conjunction with the camcorder's tiny LCD, allow you to cycle through menu options and control settings without connecting the camcorder to a computer. This means you can switch from video recording to still image mode with the click of a button. The system isn't perfect, as using two buttons and a small screen to sift through various controls can be an arduous task. But we're still happy the camcorder includes this function, and it represents a huge advantage for the Hero2 over the Contour+ camcorder.

With its whole package costing just under $300, the Hero2 is a fun, reasonably-priced camcorder that should please anyone looking for a wearable adventure-cam. The inclusion of the waterproof housing as part of its package is an excellent addition, and the camcorder comes with enough mounts and straps to keep you busy for a while. GoPro has a good set of optional accessories, including an attachable LCD that lets you view and playback your video, available for the Hero2 on its website as well.

Photo Gallery

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