1st day of skiing March 16th

[jmb]

Went skiing Saturday. 1st time this year. You can check it out for proof on youtube. Type in Jack Beams I will be the third one down with a dark pic of myself. Will post the wakeboard run a little later this week.

[chadjitsu1]

2 skis, now that's old school. Did you kick one off I cant tell in the video?

[tarheelskier]

Good job Jack. What kind of camera and how do you have it attached to the tower?

[bergermaister]

Nice dropping off to grab the ski right where you left it.

I suppose I haven't skied in a while but man it looks like you're haulin ass from that camera angle...

[chawk610]

Cool vid. You earned yourself a beer after that one!

[jmb]

I dropped one

[jmb]

I did have a beer as a matter of fact. The camera is a GoPro Hero 3 and I used a roll bar mount that they sell. I was running at 32 MPH. Water is COLD. Need to have Brandy. Will do a head mount when the water warms a little.

[jmb]

I got the wakeboard video posted up on youtube under Jack Beams if anyone wants to look

[tarheelskier]

Jack, which model Go Pro are you using? oops just re-read its the hero 3....white, black, or silver?

[jmb]

I am using the Silver but I bought the Remote separately. Better off to get the black that comes standard with the remote and it is only about $20.00 or $30.00 dollars extra in the long run.

[LakePerson1952]

Hi Jack. Do you recall the camera settings? When I played the videos they didn't seem to be 1080 resolution. Was it 960 maybe? Or does YouTube alter the resolution? What are your thoughts about the GoPro as a boat mounted camera? Is the image quality and detail sufficient to help with ski technique improvement or to see grandkids' faces while they ski? Thanks.

[jmb]

I think it was set on 960. That is what I am going to use the camera for is looking at some technique. I think it will be good enough for me and what I want to do. Usually there is only me and 1 other person that goes. Does not do me any good to buy a regular video camera. I have to mount it or something.

[jmb]

Let me ask this. If you buy a sure enough video camera and you try to zoom, I don't think it will go out 150 degree field of view. Someone has to video you I would guess. The more you zoom, the less field of view I think you would have. Let me know on my thinking on this.

[LakePerson1952]

Hi Jim,

I have ordered a camera mount that automatically tracks the skier from www.wakevideo.com - I got the TopMount Mini (tower mount) for wakeboarding and such and the bracket/frame of the P4 (pylon mount) for slaloming. The camera mount and skier tracker is interchangeable between the tower frame and the pylon frame. I've seen videos using the device that are zoomed in enough to see very good detail for technique and faces of grandkids. Obviously, you could zoom too much so there will definitely be some experimentation required. I'm trying to figure out which camera to use - currently thinking of the Sony HandyCam HDR-CX220 but trying to get feedback on zoomable cameras people are actually using for ski video. The complete package will certainly be quite a bit more than just a GoPro but I figure I could have purchased a less expensive boat than my Outback too so .... I like (what I could see of) your Outback. Mine is a Sunburst Orange 2010 (bought in summer of 2011). I have started wakeboard/wakeskate/wakesurf recently but I have absolutely no regrets about getting the Outback DD - slalom is my main love (been doing it since 1957) and the Outback is great!

PS: I do reserve the right to decide later that I'd have been better off just getting the GoPro without the fancy tracking system. I have, unfortunately, been wrong before. LOL. Your vids were good but I am just hoping for some more detail and especially to get a better view of my grandkids faces - my grandfather had a super 8 and videoed me on skis and I think I will very much enjoy replaying vids of my grandkids.

PPS: For what it is worth, GoPro sent me a link to a YouTube GoPro ski video where the rider was 30 off - the GoPro detail on that one was incredible. I don't "usually" ski on a shorter line (no slalom courses convenient) but ....

[jmb]

Well, it sounds good. Would sure like to see some videos when you get them. Might change my mind to and go with that.