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Old January 6th 15, 07:00 PM posted to rec.aviation.soaring
Andy Blackburn[_3_]
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Default What is the L/D penalty of outside mounted GoPros?

On Tuesday, January 6, 2015 8:21:17 AM UTC-8, wrote:
Thanks for all the suggestions and ideas posted. The idea is to have possibly 4 cameras running during any given flight that I can draw footage from to tell the story of that flight. I'm just trying to continue to up the game since equipment is making it more possible to tell stories and show what we are experiencing up there in the skies better than ever before.

My biggest problem with these lipstick cams is that the field of view is still too narrow. The one that Andy mentioned is only 140 degrees. The Hero3 is 170 degrees. I am finding that wider is better for helping the audience feel they are there.

Thanks,
Bruno - B4


I've had good luck with wide angle and fisheye conversion lenses (up to 180 degree FOV). Like this:

http://www.bhphotovideo.com/c/produc... on_Lens.html

An example video with a fisheye lens converter:

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=9aDJLDQ-5QU

The GoPro produces a fair amount of barrel distortion that may be less desirable on external shots with the glider wings, etc. in the frame - depends on what you are looking for. You can fix the distortion in post with the right software tools but that's a time-consuming pain.

There are all sorts of lenses with their own FOV and degree of distortion so it's easy to change.

3 GoPros out in the breeze will make your ASW-27 into an ASW-19 more or less. Use of aerodynamic fairings can reduce the drag by a factor of 3-5.

Can't wait to see what you come up with.

9B