GoPro's HERO 7 Black turns any hoodlum with four hundred bucks into a Kai Neville, Joe G, Blake K etc.
Two winters ago, we took to Mexico for a video instructional series with Filipe Toledo and Lakey Peterson.
To record the event, hundreds of thousands of dollars worth of RED cameras and their myriad accessories were loaded into large bags and dragged all over Manzanillo and throughout the radiant state of Colima.
And these cameras were wonderful etc, but when the footage was returned for editing, it struck me how we could’ve shot the entire thing on the GoPro’s and Karma drone the Hawaiian filmer/surfer Anthony Walsh had brought.
A stabilisation gadget called a gimbal, which Anthony had affixed to the little POV cameras, meant he could get dramatic panning shots without camera shake or the need to sit a man on a dolly and track and push him around.
It was revolutionary, I thought, and I recorded hours of silky footage of the house’s dancing chihuahua, panning back and forth across the tiled floor and from hind leg to pointed snout.
Two years is a long time in the tech world and GoPro, who’ve been wonderfully kind to us, incidentally, including co-sponsoring our upcoming Toledo feature Part 3, have squeezed that gimbal into the HERO7 Black.
Except it ain’t a gimbal.
It’s electronic stabilisation so it doesn’t go to pieces in high-wind, high-shock scenarios. HyperSmooth is its very prosaic name. You got a jerky hand or you’re bouncing around in the truck en route somewhere exotic? The sorta footage that gives your pals seasickness? Watch those tremulous frames disappear on screen.
Next thing: TimeWarp. Squeeze a long part of the trip, the drive, the hike in, whatever, into a compressed vid.
Live streaming: Be the next Gravy, Rothman, O’Brien. Stick your head in front of the hole, make funnies, caress shorebreaks on your softie. Transmit straight to Facebook Live and see if you can hit WSL numbers.
And when you gotta do a couple of stills for the promo packaging, press SuperPhoto. HDR and so forth.
Four hundred bucks means it’s gonna go to someone you deeply care for or the pal who never quite cut it in the water and, therefore, must be relegated to filming work.
Or shoot yourself, edit out the dregs, and emerge a star.
Here’s the HERO7 Black at work in the hands of Anthony Walsh, primary water shooter, with POV, for the Toledo movie.
And a little big-wave crash with Kai Lenny.
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I wish all the WSL contests were like that,
And the silly cat-fights too.
I helped Billabong soar too! https://beachgrit.com/2015/…
True? I’ve been looking for the Mick Campbell v Andy Irons shower showdown forever!
The little Inertia Devil in me sometimes says it would be helpful to get someone to film me surf. Bustin’ through the Plateau and so forth.
But my more rational inner voices immediately remind me it would be pointless, demoralising, no one would film me, and I don’t have a spare 400 bucks anyway.
you can always drive trough a speed camera. professional shot and easier on the pocket.
Can I choose the print finish?
depends how bent the bobby is. in my experience anything is possible if you put enough grease on the palm.
Always gloss. Matte is very 2016.
Don’t forget the personalised letter from some Senior Officer in the city
“or the pal who never quite cut it in the water and, therefore, must be relegated to filming work.”
Oh the truth. TRUTH. and he actually thinks we chose him because he has artistic genius. lmao. OH, and then there is the pro-ho who desperately wants be “pals” with the semi-pros so buys his own and films them relentlessly chasing them up the beach saying look at the shot i got of you! yeah, we’re mates, surrrrrrrrre we are. just send me the shot.
The false artistic genius and pro-ho are possibly a much safer bet than the 80s 90s all powerful professional predator ?
Would you rather die, terribly, your plums removed by pincer, say, or be the filmer of a semi-pro?
oh i love life! i will film any1 for beer.
more like $500 in oz but can back you up they are the shit.
Great timing for my latest project , a Vlog following the incredibly boring life of a stay at home dad . Two working titles “Happy Crappy Nappy “ or on a darker note “ Bad Genes, Screams and Broken Dreams “ . Happy St Nikolaus to all the innocent children and Surfing Sinners ( celebrated December 6 here in Germany ) .
my vote is for title 2
We could make this a collabo! I’ll come from the Southern California Surf Coach/Dad angle.
Find seven more gritters and you can call it the Nine Circles of Hell.
I’m here. Or already there.
I’d like to see your noted Old Man and the French Nymphet series.
It seems like a long time ago in a galaxy far far away …………….
I got two lil boys. Can you imagine their faces when they get a Hero7 each for Christmas? You wouldn’t deny a loving, but poor, daddy the chance to deliver a little sunshine? Would you? More promos on the way too. It’s going to be a Christmas sheathed in baubles!!
SHEATH ME IN YOUR BAUBLES DEREK, SHEATH ME.
CB! There might be children reading!
Children don’t read!
There’ll be no one with more baubles than you when we’re done!
oooohhhh you devil.
Now all I need is a new mortgage (or appropriate sugar-creature) to festoon me with bauble-buying loot. Make it rain honey.
Oh how the little rugrats wants become needs when they see their daddy
I can not imagine your children’s faces.
You’re brave!
And strong like bear!
I waddle like a duck!
A noble duck.
I have hollow cheeks!
I have empty wallet