CURIOUSJORJ

For my first blog post, I opted to make an Out Of The Box (OOTB) review of my new travel buddy, the GoPro Hero 3+ Black Edition.

GoPro has been one of the most in demand gadgets used in capturing selfies, extreme sport and nature tripping activities. With its compact size, taking pictures become more convenient and easier without compromising the quality. Its impressive wide-fisheye lens allows you to take pictures in a wider range making selfie shots not all about you, but also the background/environment you’re in.

So, for those who want to know what you will get when you purchase a GoPro Hero 3+ Black Edition, here’s a glimpse.

First, the packaging provides you an overview of the gadget’s specs – its basic features and major contents.

Unlike the white and silver edition of GoPro Hero 3+, this package comes with a wifi remote which makes taking pictures and camera settings easier to navigate. Older versions of Hero 3+ are also remote capable but you have to purchase it separately.

It comes with 3 stickers, Quick Starter Guide, User Manual and Warranty/Disclaimers. Take time to read the manuals included. GoPro could be a little frustrating at first, especially for first time users who are used to point and shoot camera with built-in wide LCD display. An LCD Touch GoPro BacPac may come in handy but must be purchased separately.

Don’t be disappointed though, since there is an iPhone / Android App that can be downloaded for easier real-time viewing and uploading to your social media account/s.

Moreover, the package have Quick Release Buckle, Vertical Quick Release Buckle and 3-Way Pivot Arm which you can use in other mounts included.

USB Cables for the camera and remote.

Unfortunately, the package does not include an output charger and has to be purchased separately. You may use your laptop or any compatible charger.

Package also includes Skeleton Backdoor Housing, Higher Capacity Li-On Battery, Attachment Ring for the Remote and Flat and Curved Adhesive Mounts. The mounts included in a Black Edition package will depend on camera bundle (Standard Black Edition Hero 3+, Surf Bundle Black Edition Hero 3+, and Music Black Edition Hero 3+) you buy.

The GoPro Camera itself is not waterproof; however, it comes with a 131’/40mm Waterproof Housing which you can use in water sport activities.

You must ensure that the housing is properly locked/attached to the camera since the warranty doesn’t cover any water damage resulting from user error.

Make sure that you do not lose the cover of Micro HDMI Port, Micro SD Card Slot, Mini-USB Support and Battery Cover as this might cause unexpected damage to your camera later on.

I personally don’t like this housing feature of the camera. Manufacturers/Product Designers of GoPro could improve this further in their future.

That’s basically what you’ll get when you purchase the Standard GoPro Black Edition Hero 3+ Camera.

A Class 10 Micro SD card is required to store your captured images/video clips. Luckily, I got a free 16g Micro SD card when I purchased it on http://www.bestbuy.com at $ 399.

As I said earlier, a battery charger must be purchased separately. Since I don’t want to risk damaging the battery included by using my laptop or other charging device, I bought mine also on bestbuy at $ 39.99. This GoPro Hero Wall Charger comes with interchangeable AC adapters which you can use while traveling either in the USA, UK, Europe or Australia.

Overall, I’ll give this GoPro Hero 3+ Black Edition package: 4.5 out 5 stars

Pros:

– Compact size

– Perfect for outdoor activities

– High quality image and video

– Faster WiFi compared to older versions

– GoPro App for Photo sharing and easier camera setting

Cons:

– It should have been on a permanent waterproof casing

– At least an 8g Micro SD Card should be included in the package for beginners

– Fully detachable covers for ports and battery

– Most importantly, it lacks an accessory which is quite difficult to find here in the Philippines, the GoPro Tripod Mount

Perhaps it’s a marketing strategy and I find it really frustrating since you cannot use the mounts included in the package to attach the camera to a pole/monopod.

So, there you go!

I’ll provide a different review on its performance when I use it on my next travel.

I hope this quick OOTB review would help you decide if GoPro camera is the right gadget for you.