Does anyone own a GoPro Camera? Want for honeymoon - advice please!

I have been asking for one for 2 years now (and still no luck...). I have borrowed them from friends before and love it!

I know my FSIL and her FH put one on their Registry. i forget what model but it was around $400 which i think is a pretty good price for the quality of picture they take. you would want to look at the optical zoom on the camera and the # of megapixels, get the largest of each of those that you can afford.

i would love one but i already have a DSL, and a film camera and i am planning on getting an instant camera for our photo booth. i cant really justify getting one right now

Okay first of all, where are you snorkeling with whale sharks?!

Second, I have the hero 3+ silver version. It's the version before the one that just came out, I LOVE it. When we were in Hawaii people behind us on a tour bus were talking about them and I was that crazy person who turned around and told them ALL about mine. It's great because you can control it with your phone (though I am am going to buy the remote for when we go to Disney this year...the black version automatically comes with it). I also really want the selfie stick for it, so many people were taking great pictures....did I mention it takes great pictures even outside of water? I can't even describe how much I love mine. Definitely get the floating door for it. Also, the older version didn't have the LCD screen, you had to buy it seperately...which I did...it was worth it. But I think the new version comes with it.

Edit: I just logged onto a real computer instead of my phone to show you some of the pictures we took with it. If you get the LCD screen attachment make sure you also buy extra batteries and en extra charger...the LCD screen KILLS the battery super fast.

Pictures: My garden this summer and Hawaii outside of the water.

I have the most basic one: gopro Hero. Unless you're on a super strict budget, I suggest getting one of the better ones. The basic version has a lot of inhibitors...like you cant use a "selfie stick" with it because it can't connect to a remote control, the battery doesn't last that long and it has to be plugged in to charge (no interchangeable batteries), and it doesn't have a viewing screen.

I have one! I love it! I have the GO pro Hero3. We tractor pull (motorsport) in the summer and I use it to mount on a roll cage to record my runs. I obviously had to buy the additional mount (maybe 25-30$ dont' remember), but it wasn't crazy. I would get a mount for your wrist/some other place for it. It comes in a case and when I take it out I never find any dirt in the camera after my runs although it's super super dusty on the outside. I got this for Christmas a couple years ago. You have to get a memory stick for it, but the one I have holds a ton. Also, I got an extra battery, but I haven't used it it (forgot I even had it). The battery seems to be okay I haven't left it on to just take pictures I've done mostly video. it has a button you can turn on/off, take pictures or you can sync it to do it wirelessly to turn on. I know they sell remotes, but as long as you have a smart phone you can download the gopro app and it turns your phone into the wireless control through Bluetooth (obviously this one be very useful underwater, but for other aspects it might be). I still haven't really played with mine for other functions since I've just been using it for one thing, but FH is really excited that we have it and to take it on our HM.

Thanks for the info ladies!

@Heather A we're staying at a hotel in Playa Mujeres, Mexico (just a few miles north of Cancun) and the whale sharks are off of Isla Mujeres, an island off the coast of Cancun We were looking at possibly the Hero 3 Silver or Hero 4 Silver. Sorry if this is a dumb question but I literally know next to nothing about them -- is it easy to take pictures with them? I thought it was for capturing video and then it was a picky process to get still shots from that. Also, is there a way to get the pictures/videos from the camera to your phone if it works through your phone? Thanks!!

Okay so let me address something first...someone said make sure you get one with the best optic zoom....this camera does not zoom at all.

Edit: I don't know why it wont let me put plus signs in either post. I have the 3 (plus) and I would recommend that or the new 4. Not the old 3.

Okay officially adding visiting there to the places I need to go. I tried to google where whale sharks lived a few months ago but I pretty much just found I could swim with them at the Atlanta aquarium which is not the answer I wanted...

Next your question: I literally bought this camera just for taking pictures. Ive only used it a few times to take video...like when DH opened his xbox on Christmas...or when we saw sea turtles in Hawaii. It takes GREAT pictures. like theyre so vibrarnt. Sometimes you get a fish eye look though...but I don't mind that. Its classic point and shoot.

As for the question about the phone...the newer versions (I would definitely do hero3 or the 4. I would not to the normal 3) comes with built in wifi. you go to your smart phone and click the wifi connected to your camera (it will have you set up a password) then you have two options, you can either view what the camera is seeing that second...if you don't have the lcd screen...or you can view/download any of the pictures you have already taken, it lets you download them to your phone in either hi res or low res. I will say it does not take pictures in the dark, but even under water it was great. Because you are in the open ocean you NEED to get the back floaty door. If you accidentally drop your camera in the water it will sink to the bottom of the ocean.

more pictures from snorkeling:

@Heather A Wow, those pictures are awesome! "Because you are in the open ocean you NEED to get the back floaty door." -- what is the back floaty door?? Is there anything else I would need/should get that doesn't already come with the camera itself? Thanks so much for all the info! You've definitely clarified a lot of things for me!

Http://www.bestbuy.com/site/gopro-floaty-backdoor/1667041.p?id=1219059085613&skuId=1667041

this is the floaty back door. Its literally like a life jacket for your gopro and just sticks to the back of the plastic housing....it will cover your LCD screen if you have one...but its worth it. They make a floating stick you can connect your gopro to instead...but I have had a friend lose hers that way. You can still bring the camera deep under water with the floaty back door, it just makes it float if it is dropped. My maid of honor bought it for me for our honeymoon and I am so glad she did because I totally could have lost it in the waves.

Ahhh that makes sense now. Looks like a good investment, especially for the price!

I have no go pro tips... but I do have whale shark tips haha.

1) Take something for motion sickness. I went last year and the whale sharks feeding ground has apparently been moving further away so it was a quite long boat right out there. About half of the people on our boat ended up throwing up. I think I was maybe the only one who didn't really feel sick.

2) Wear a life vest. The operators may not tell you you have to, but once you jump in the boat pulls off to get out of the way and you realize you really are in the middle of the freaking ocean. My husband had never snorkeled before and he swallowed a lot of water and was sick from the smell of all the diesel (from so many boats in the area) . He was so pale I was seriously afraid he was going to drown in front of my eyes. It is just more enjoyable if you can float and not worry about it.

3) Don't be so busy trying to get your photo that you forget to get out of the way. Haha I was so engrossed with aiming my camera at the huge mouth coming right at me that I waited too long to move and our guide had to frantically shove me out of the way hahaha.

4) I also would suggest making a day trip to Isla Mujeres or even staying a few nights if you can! That is where I always stay when I go to Mexico. In July you can find HUGE sea turtles laying their eggs on the beach at night... and teeeeeeny tiny little baby ones at the hatchery. SO CUTE!

Melissa - YOURE DOING THAT!?!?!? oh my God youre so brave. were going to the beach palace in cancun and i saw about that.. ohh i wish i could but id probably have a panic attack the second my big toe touched the water lol

I love our go-pro. No idea what model it is but we used it on our trip to the DR. FH got the best video of me jumping off a cliff. Unfortunately I completely sat down once I hit the water. You can hear everyone in the background going ohhhhh....great memory to have. Lol

I am so glad I read this thread, I need to do this next year. 2016 will be the year I swim with whale sharks, DH would probably have a heart attack though.

@Jennifer wow thanks so much for the tips!!! Where did you stay on Isla Mujeres? The FH and I really wanted an all inclusive place but were unsure about the few places on Isla Mujeres. We decided on the Beloved Hotel (literally right across from Isla Mujeres) although we haven't booked yet. We plan on making a day trip out of it so we can do regular snorkeling and then swimming with whale sharks. Also, what company did you go whale shark swimming with? The FH found a place online that has awesome reviews on Trip Advisor -- Casa del Buceo.

@Kristen I talk big right now but who knows what will happen once I actually see one in front of me I've swam with dolphins before and the size of those in the water freaked me out so I can't really imagine what a whale shark IN THE OCEAN will be like. But we both agreed that we're going to one of the best places in the world for it and the most ideal time of year (next July) so we've made up our minds that we MUST do it. Plus it'll make for great memories

Hi! I absolutely recommend getting a gopro for vacations. My FH set ours up for our engagement and we have the entire engagement on photo, which I absolutely love

We have a new gopro that my FH's company gave to them for a Christmas present. We are looking to sell it as we just got the new gopro.

If you're interested, let me know and I'll see what he wants to see it for.

Meagan

@Melissa - We have stayed a couple different places, last time we stayed at a little B&B called Villa la Bella that we liked a lot. That is where we saw a massive sea turtle laying eggs on the beach. I think it would be well worth booking 2 nights or so at the beginning or end of your trip but honestly I can't really recommend spending your whole honeymoon there. It is cute but not the level of luxury most people are looking for on their honeymoon. Also the B&B owners are a bit odd and rub some people the wrong way. Don't remember the name of the whale shark company we used sorry - they were recommended by the B&B.

We have also stayed at Privilege Aluxes which was also very enjoyable but not quite nice enough to be honeymoon worthy.

It is a shame because I would have wholeheartedly recommended Villa Rolandi for a honeymoon while it was independently run but now it has been bought out by Zoetry and the prices are outrageous. Plus, honestly I think it would be waste to go all inclusive on Isla Mujeres, there are just so many good cheap places to eat!

**Edited to add that I am very picky about where I stay for beach vacations. You would probably enjoy any of those options for a few nights I just don't feel strongly enough about any of them to recommend you book your whole trip there - I LOVE the island though

FH has a Hero3+ silver and my little sister has a Hero3 white edition. I literally see no different between the two quality-wise and they are about 100 price difference I think. I could be wrong about the price. But I love using the GoPro! It takes awesome videoes and I love the fact that it is waterproof. Here in Florida, FH loves to do water sports and not having to worry about getting the camera wet is awesome!

My FH actually got a go pro to imitate the Fireball go pro shot cam... I haven't thought about using it for vacation! Now I'm way more excited about it! He got his off of eBay so he scored a good deal and it came with some extras. It works really well!

I haven't been on in forever but just popping in! I got back from my honeymoon and if we could go back and do it over again we wished we had a GoPro! We would have definitely bought one. We were in Costa Rica and we ziplined and snorkeled. Other people on our tours had them and they got such cool shots and we were SO jealous. Get one!!