I never got it to work right and WiFi drained the battery fast. I just got this Wasabi Power Extended Battery for GoPro HERO3, HERO3+ (with Backdoors) for my 3+ Silver and just leave it running. 1080/30 and a good 64GB card give me about 4 hours of uninterrupted shooting.

The biggest thing I recommend is having extra batteries for the camera. I bought a pack of 2 wasabi batteries that proved to be invaluable.

I went this route originally, very cumbersome form factor. These are not really designed for cameras, although it will of course work. Instead, I replaced it with this solution:

Runshuangyu Movie Blackmagic Cinema Camera BMCC 4K BMPCC Power Supply Mount Plate Adapter for Sony NP-F970 Battery https://www.amazon.com/dp/B07MMZRKWK/ref=cm_sw_r_cp_apa_i_6HKgDbDN4VXAY

Powerextra Multifunctional Battery Pack Power Bank with USB Output for Sony NP-F970, NP-F975, NP-F960, NP-F950, NP-F930 Battery and Smart Phones https://www.amazon.com/dp/B01M189SS0/ref=cm_sw_r_cp_apa_i_NIKgDbZD7HP5T

Much more manageable and the bricks can power two more items plus the camera simultaneously. I've got 4 bricks and each will last between 1.5-2 hours on a charge.

Also, the brick you ordered takes FOREVER to charge up.

As some friendly advice, I'd cancel your order and instead go with the solution above. I'm confident you'll be more satisfied.

I'd go with the Wasabi ones. I have 3, and they function exactly like the OEM GoPro Battery. Never tried the ones you've linked.

Value wise, this v-mount on amazon is 190wh, 13400mAh, outputs 14.8v, and comes with a charger for $150

https://www.amazon.com/13400mAh-Battery-Compatible-Camcorder-Broadcast/dp/B07MJW83L7/ref=sr_1_4?keywords=v+mount&qid=1570033328&sr=8-4

​

They also make a 6600mAh version for $100 as well- https://www.amazon.com/6600mAh-Compatible-Camcorder-Broadcast-Replacement/dp/B07TQM6T22/ref=sr_1_14?keywords=v+mount&qid=1570033452&sr=8-14

Extra batteries are always nice.

Yes, lots of cards and lots of batteries! The batteries don't last all that long so you can pick up a charger and 2 pack of batteries cheap.

http://www.amazon.com/Wasabi-Power-Battery-AHDBT-001-AHDBT-002/dp/B005NC8BF6/ref=sr_1_3?ie=UTF8&qid=1380809709&sr=8-3&keywords=Go+Pro+Charger

Be sure you get the right memory card for the Hero 2, depending what you are shooting you may not need a class 10. Here is a helpful link.

http://goprouser.freeforums.org/stickie-sd-and-sdmicro-card-recommendations-t10654.html

Amazon Link

This one has great reviews, I have been planning on getting it. Comes with 2 batteries and a charger.

I have the wasabi batteries, they are fantastic! Also, the charger they come with is really convenient because it will also charge in the car. As far as mounts go, I would recommend the head strap mount or something for your head, your preference of a gopole mount, and maybe a tripod mount and the handlebar mount comes in handy for oars/paddles or a homemade gopole. Also checkout r/goprodiy for some great ideas on the cheap. You can also make a diy chesty with the base the gopro comes attached to.

I picked up everything off Amazon (other than the camera which I bought 2nd hand off Craigslist):

• skeleton camera case (so the mic cable can connect)
  
• extra batteries/charger
  
• 160 LED light
  
• stereo condenser
  
• accessory bracket for mic
  
• tripod GoPro mount (to connect to the grip)
  
• camera grip
  
• USB mic adapter

The Wasabi Power batteries are 1200mah and $24 for two with a wall/12v charger. Just something to think about.

By terrible I mean utter shit. I've only used it in the cold because I got it for Christmas and haven't been able to ride for a few months due to a concussion, but it lasted maybe 2 hours when I took it skiing? Idk, I was too busy having fun, but it seems I'm not the only one with that opinion. Refer to a forum such as this and you'll see that the max recording time is only 3h 18m at 1080p 30fps with the battery back pack and an absolutely miserable 1h 56m without the external battery. The backpack is about $50, or for the same price you can get 2 extra batteries to bring along.

u/jamesisbest2 - if you want to be an indie filmmaker, I recommend you avoid Canon DSLRs, or any other still camera with an add-on video feature and a weak codec.

Instead, I recommend a $440 RAW-capable Pocket Cinema Camera to get started - plus an inexpensive manual lens.

You can plug a $15 TRRS lav into your phone and put it on your talent to record audio.

When you save up a little more money, you can get an external battery plate and batteries for your camera, a decent shotgun mic/recorder combo - plus maybe an LCD viewfinder and a pistol grip to make the camera easier to handle.

Here is a picture of my similar BMPCC/pistol grip/external battery rig.

This setup is affordable and will give you the ability to produce cinema quality product.

Here are a few short films shot with this camera:

• Wine - Comedy Skit by Pineapple Trust​
  
• “Powerball” (B&W) - Dark Comedy Short Film by Jono Seneff
  
• ​NO BALDWIN MOVIES - COMEDY SHORT FILM - BMPCC, ROKINON LENSES by G.I. Bro
  
  And several feature films have been shot with the BMPCC, as seen here:
  
  
• Junun - Trailer - Director and DP Paul Thomas Anderson
  
• Inside The Belly of a Dragon - Trailer - Director and DP Ian Wiggins
  
  And these Sundance 2016 selections:
  
  
• All These Sleepless Nights - Director and DP Michal Marczak
  
• Manoman - Trailer - Director Simon Cartwright, DP Steven Cameron Ferguson
  
• Operation Avalanche (2016 Movie) - Official Trailer by Lionsgate Movies - Director Matt Johnson, DPs Jared Raab and Andrew Appelle
  
  There was at least one Sundance selection back in 2015 shot on the Pocket as well:
  
  
• Bob and the Trees - Trailer - Director Diego Ongaro, DPs Chris Teague and Daniel Vecchione
  
  With RAW, this camera records so much information at 1080p that it still looks good upscaled to 4K, as seen here, here, here and here.
  
  Although Blackmagic cameras have a steeper learning curve than consumer cameras, and color grading in post is pretty much mandatory - the BMPCC is the only 12-bit RAW cinema camera in this price range and much better for filmmaking than a phone, traditional camcorder, DSLR or mirrorless camera.
  
  If you decide to go with the BMPCC, you might want to subscribe over at /r/bmpcc and /r/blackmagicdesign - lots of knowledgeable folks there who can help you get the most out of your new camera.
  
  Hope this is helpful and good luck with finding the right first camera for your needs!

Got this for power and love it > Juicebox Battery for Blackmagic Cameras (Pocket 4K, Micro, Pocket, Cinema, Production & Video Assist) https://www.amazon.com/dp/B073BMTFFJ/ref=cm_sw_r_cp_api_i_6k.TCb6096Y6Z

Decent but cheap met lens > PANASONIC LUMIX Professional 25mm... https://www.amazon.com/dp/B014RD6RC0?ref=ppx_pop_mob_ap_share

Get one, but like Atom30 said. Don't get it at cyclegear.

Also for anyone that has a gopro you should picked this up as well.

Link You get 2 batteries and a charger for $23. The batteries last 3-3.5 hours compared to the standard gopro ones lasting 2.5 and they fit perfectly.

Wasabi power bot test lol.

http://www.amazon.com/Wasabi-Power-AHDBT-201-AHDBT-301-AHDBT-302/dp/B00AAIPT76/ref=sr_1_4?ie=UTF8&qid=1394030865&sr=8-4&keywords=hero+3+black

The items in this rig:

1. Small rig half cage 2254
   

• SmallRig Top Handle with Cold Shoe 1638
  
• SmallRig NATO Handle for Samsung T5 SSD HSN2270
  
• SMALLRIG HDMI and USB-C Cable Clamp for BMPCC 4K Cage 2246
  
• SMALLRIG Articulating Arm - 1497
  
• Panasonic Lumix G X Vario 12-35mm f/2.8 II
  
• Feelworld F570 5.7"
  
• Hoya 58mm alpha Circular Polarizer Filter
  
• Senal MC24-ES Short Condenser Shotgun Microphone Kit
  
• KONDOR BLUE 14" Mini XLR Male to XLR Female Audio Cable
  
• Samsung T5 Portable SSD - 500GB
  
• Powerextra Multifunctional Battery NP-F970
  
• Short USB C Cable
  
• Short HDMI cable
  
• Alvin's Cables Power Cable
  
  Everything is powered off the Powerextra NP-F970 Battery.

Yes!
I use this combination as a battery solution:

https://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B01N3TWBXI/ref=ox_sc_act_title_2?smid=A1SDRS5D54HY4U&psc=1

https://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B07MMZRKWK/ref=ox_sc_act_title_4?smid=AGNG3CODDNL8&psc=1

When I'm using it with the Ronin S, I rig it on the side using 1/4" accessory I picked up from amazon.

Thanks! The battery held up well. I filmed more on some days than others. I was using these batteries so it was like having the backpack. Although I never ran the camera until it died.

As one of exactly 7 Hero+ owners on this Earth, I can personally tell you that this one works great:

Amazon Link

I recently went to Portugal for 12 days and managed to go through it without charging my accus. I took 3 with me - original and 2 Wasabi batteries. I wasn't constantly shooting - I was turning it off and on.

http://www.amazon.com/Wasabi-Power-AHDBT-201-AHDBT-301-AHDBT-302/dp/B00I2VIR2M

Something like this - USB charger charges 2 batteries at the time, but I'm not sure if solar panels will be able to generate over 3 amps. Check it. Other than that - keep them close to body in a ziplock plastic bag. You can throw in some silica gel bags http://www.ebay.com/gds/Using-Silica-Gel-and-Desiccants-/10000000000898409/g.html


Disclaimer - I never took my gopro to as harsh environment as Himalayas. Maybe try to find on youtube/vimeo people who actually went there and used GoPro.

You could also try getting new batteries.

If it's a gopro hero 3 or newer, batteries should be pretty cheap on amazon. Forget the external battery thing, I tried it and it's a PITA to get right, doesn't charge great, and puts more weight on your head. I've just swapped batteries during downtime and my Hero 3 silver performs perfectly. This is what I use.

I have a 3+B, and one of my friends has the 3+S.

side by side you can definately tell the difference between cameras, but the silver is still pertty good.

make sure to get a polarizer filter for the lens, so that snow footage is worth using, otherwise there is very little contrast in the snow.

the camera will get about 1:30 on a battery, so get a couple of spares too. wasabi power is a good brand for reliable low cost batteries.

batteries

55mm lens adapter

polarizer filter

heres a quick video demonstrating the difference between a polarizer and no polarizer in the snow: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=7imNlkGmuTI

Batteries
, Suction Cup,Polemount(you'll need the tripod mount for this one too)


Those are my essentials. if you dont want mounts then just get the batteries. if you're going to use the Wi-fi it really drains the batteries and the wall charger is convient

These. Two [better] batteries + your original gives you about 3.5~ hours of filming at 1080p/60fps. Its also cheaper to buy that than to buy the actual GoPro batteries IIRC.

1. Buy it shortly so you have time to play with it, master the settings, etc.
   
   
2. I would buy some extra batteries. I think many people here have used these with good success: http://www.amazon.com/Wasabi-Power-Battery-AHDBT-201-AHDBT-301/dp/B00AAIPT76/ref=sr_1_1?ie=UTF8&qid=1370588037&sr=8-1&keywords=gopro+black+edition+batteries That gives you a car charger, wall charger, and 2 batteries for $25.
   
   
3. This starts with more of a question, but are you taking a cell phone. I would simply to use as a wifi device. I've yet to try this, so maybe someone else can chime in, but if you have a phone with a micso SD slot, you can take the card from the gopro, but it in your phone, and when you're in an area with wifi, like a cafe/hotel/restaurant, you could then upload the files to some sort of online storage site.
   
   
4. At a minimum I would grab a couple extra SD cards anyway. Keep an eye on slickdeals.net and you should be able to pick up 32gb class 10 cards for about $25.
   
   
5. ENJOY, and I can't wait to see some footage!

Did some research on the NP-F batteries, looks like they last about 2.5-3 hours EACH camera only, so both can run the camera only for 5-6 hours.

I also got 2 of these NP-F Powerextra batteries. They are a little more expensive at $22 each but they have a built in meter, 1 USB and 1 DC port that's great for powering a monitor if you don't have a D-Tap to DC cable..

Powerextra Multifunctional Battery Pack Power Bank with USB Output for Sony NP-F970, NP-F975, NP-F960, NP-F950, NP-F930 Battery and Smart Phones https://www.amazon.com/dp/B01M189SS0/ref=cm_sw_r_cp_apa_i_RDvADbCWWKRHH

This is why I recommend downloading/reading the owners manual for any product anyone is ever interested in. Read the manual before buying and you'll find out all the things you like/don't like about a product, without having to spend a dime.

You don't have another solution with that camera; it can only charge with the back door open and there are no battery bacpac's available that will fit.

Edit: I stand corrected: https://www.amazon.com/Wasabi-Power-Extended-Battery-GoPro/dp/B01AB0KL0C, but then you lose the use of the LCD.

If you're getting poor battery life, you can get wasabi batteries for cheap. I get 3 hours EASY out of my hero2 on 720p 60fps settings. the new Hero is LESS than the Hero2 in terms of quality and capability. It also seems extremely constricting, in that you can't have wifi, and it appears bacpacs are not going to work with it.

The problem is in outputting enough juice, mounting the battery, and it's really not that much cheaper. Not to mention the incredibly slow time to recharge the bank once it's exhausted. Many charge over USB C or 1 amp/12v barrel connectors and can take 12 hours or more.

Consider that a battery bank for laptops and phones has to have a charge controller, and several bucky converters for each voltage output, in addition to the lithium cells, but a V mount battery is just the battery, so it's cheaper to produce.

A decent vmount battery is in the $120 range, and comparable watt hour recharge batteries for laptops and cellphones can easily cost more, have lower power storage, reliability issues from cheap builds, and no plates to mount them with.

For example this is a 190 watt hour V-mount battery with cables and a fast charger for $159.

I'm not a dashcam expert, but dashcams are typically powered through the cigarette lighter, and are made to shut off when the car shuts off. They have a tiny battery or capacitor that is designed to only last 30 seconds to 3 minutes after the car shuts off. It sounds like you want night-long survaillance so the typical dashcam setup wont work.

There are battery packs for dashcams, but they can cost up to $300. Shit's overpriced. I found a better solution: Make sure you get a dashcam that is powered via USB (most of them), Ditch the 12v adapter that comes with the dashcam, get a 12v USB adapter, a generic powerbank(just make sure it has a seperate port for charging than for discharging), and a long USB cable.
The power bank will charge and power the dashcam when the car is on, and power the dashcam when the car is off. And in this particular example, the powerbank lasts 3-5x longer than actual dashcam batteries.

This. This is the easiest/cheapest way to go. This plate and take your pick of battery capacity from this brand, DSTE.

The NP-F 970s last about 3-4 hours depending on conditions and the much smaller NP-F 550s last over an hour, up to 2, again, depending on conditions.

I found using a cage for the BMPCC like this was helpful for attaching it. It’s definitely not a perfect solution but absolutely one of the cheapest. The biggest fault I’ve found would be that the Battery plate gets absolutely no feedback from the camera, so it constantly drains the battery until you physically unhook it from the plate, even when not charging/powering the camera.

I’ve also heard great things about this battery/power solution from a lot of guys who use the BMPCC and BMCC but haven’t used it myself. I can confirm that a 12v usb battery bank will also do the job, I use the same cord from my battery plate to connect it but you can order them separate simply by searching amazon for “BMPCC Cords”

How many batteries/SD cards does everyone have?

I've just gotten into the GoPro scene and started with a 64GB and 32GB SD card and it feels like I have to pull the video off the cards each day. It's very easy for me to go hiking for 4+ hours and fill up the 64GB card and start to eat into the 32GB card. Then in the evening, I need to spend half an hour downloading the video to a computer or else I'll have no space to shoot the next day. Even something as simple as biking to work eats an hour of footage and fills up a good part of the 32GB card.

I'm looking at a pair of 64GB or a single 128GB card to allow 2-3 days of heavy shooting without having to spend time to download the footage off the cards.

On the battery front, I have 3 batteries and seem to be doing ok. Three Batteries gives me ~4-6 hours of 1080p footage which is the limit of my SD cards. My main issue here is charging them up at night because I can only charge in the GoPro and a 2 battery Wasabi charger which eats up a ton of USB ports.

A Smatree 3 battery charger and 3 batteries seem like a good investment to give me breathing room if I forget to charge up the batteries for one night.

Edit/Update: Picked up the Smatee 3 batteries and battery charger, a GoPro Bacpac, and a 128GB Lexar 633x Micro SD Card.

You can charge your camera from any monitor that takes a Sony NP-F battery, using this battery. It has a DC output and a USB output. From what I understand, you can power the a6500 either through the USB or with a dummy battery.

Dummy battery is more efficient as you get direct power, where USB merely charges your battery as you're using the camera - so all you're doing is basically slowing the drain of your battery, though it's a little 'cleaner' of a solution, and you don't run the risk of a bad dummy battery that misregulates the power input and fries your camera.

Aside from the Shinobi, check out the Portkeys, there's a 5" 1500nit or 7" 1200nit option for $289 and one cool thing about it is it actually has a DC output built in so you can use any Sony NP-F battery.

I've heard that these batteries are magical. In all seriousness, this seems like a good bet. If not this, V-mount all the way. This battery has served me well. https://www.amazon.com/dp/B00RN76282/ref=cm_sw_r_cp_api_yad-yb1X8C6K2

He is right on the 1.5hours.

You need more? Here is your answer $25.00 - http://www.amazon.com/Wasabi-Power-Battery-AHDBT-201-AHDBT-301/dp/B00AAIPT76/ref=zg_bs_11041781_1

Yeah, a lot of us use the Wasabi batteries. They get a very similar life to the original GoPro batteries, and you can get 2 and a charger for around $25 on Amazon.

EDIT: link for you- http://www.amazon.com/Wasabi-Power-Battery-AHDBT-201-AHDBT-301/dp/B00AAIPT76/ref=sr_1_1?ie=UTF8&qid=1374172956&sr=8-1&keywords=Wasabi+Hero3

Power Magic Pro is not a battery pack. Someone please correct me if I'm wrong as I don't have a dashcam myself (yet).

The Power Magic Pro is a energy management system. It cuts off power to your dashcam when your CAR's battery reaches a point that you program it.

 

I believe right now, the most wide used and trusted external battery source is the Cellink Battery B. The way this works (from what I've learned) is that you wire this to your fuse box and it can get a full charge in 4 hours of driving. A full charge is worth about 24 hours of constant recording. You hook your dashcam to the battery and it can detect when you're driving so it'll use the power generated from the alternator. When you turn off the car, it'll use the power from the battery pack.

 

Pretty hefty price to pay. Most people tend to get these battery packs if they want a dashcam with a good parking mode and to protect your vehicle's battery. I personally want to get that battery park and BlackSys CH-100b or the new CH-200. But I drive an 07 Corolla that still has manual door locks and hand crank windows. I don't know if such a big investment is a good idea for that car. I should get a dashcam of some sort regardless though since I only have liability.

Pick up a Session at a discount and get a external battery charger for your 2, i've never charged a battery in camera.

This is a good combo http://www.amazon.com/Wasabi-Power-Original-AHDBT-001-AHDBT-002/dp/B005NC8BF6

Hero 3, Hero 2 - Still looking for the battery cycling video - I'm sure you can find these on amazon.com too.. I'm in Canada

I ended up going with this combo.

2 PowerExtra batteries

npf adapter (has 12v bm power + dc port for dummy battery)

2 Telesin LP-e6 batteries with charger + sd reader

anker multi usb charger (60w) to charge the Powerextra batteries and whatever else needed.

​

I also picked up the smallrig cage. ill pick up the tilta later one along with a matte box so i can start adding some 4x4 filters to the collection.

Go for the Wasabi batteries on amazon instead of the GoPro ones. Cheaper, comes with charger, and just as good.

FS7 is a good camera with industry familiarity, but I would check out the Panasonic EVA-1. It does everything the FS7 can do pretty much (except internal 4k60fps 10-bit, it's limited to 8-bit), has better colors (especially with skintones), and is much more lightweight. I just bought it myself over the FS7 because I like the image better and I travel a lot. So far it's been a great camera for me.

Since the FS7 has been out for awhile, check out SmallRig for some accessories. They are a pretty impressive company that makes quality products at a fraction of the price of what Zacuto charges. They have a TON of stuff for the FS7.

That's a nice tripod but if you are going to stick with 75mm ball, you should get this combo with the FSB 8 instead. It'll give you the better stability and more drag. I just got off my first shoot with that exact same combo and it was a very pleasant experience. Tripods are a life purchase, so why not splurge here?

I own a few Dracast V-Mount batteries and can attest for their build quality over the years. However, the 90wh is simply not enough for a camera with accessories. I recently picked up a few MaxOak V-Mount batteries, which are 177wh and even have a USB out. However if you plan on flying, I'd stick with batteries that have 90wh.

Fujinon is absolutely killing it with the zoom lenses, it's a great choice. Maybe consider getting PL mount to future-proof yourself. Also I think you can get a full-frame look with a speedbooster that way, too.

That lightkit looks a bit weak. You'll need a softbox at least and maybe some panels. The Aputure 300d has my attention, personally. I'd build a kit around that if I was starting from scratch.

If I have any advice it would be to have good casing for everything. Design your cases in a way that an idiot can pack your bag for you. That way, when you have an intern (or a nice client even).

It's a great kit and you are going to kick some ass!

I opted to get this battery:

https://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B073BMTFFJ/ref=ppx_yo_dt_b_asin_title_o06_s00?ie=UTF8&psc=1



The battery comes with a handy quick release system so i attached the clamp piece to a 15mm rail block and slid that on the back of a set of 18" rails. At least on my Tilta cage, it ends up just barely not obscuring the built in screen, which is nice. Plus, Juicebox makes a 12v locking pin cable for the battery to avoid using the dummy battery which in my opinion is awkward and clunky. The other nice thing about this set up is that it balances the camera quite well since it's normally so front heavy.

​

Here's a photo of my set up: https://imgur.com/a/4e6kGNU

I've had great success with the Anker 2nd Gen Astro Pro. At 15000mAh, it's truly an all-day battery. And it should be, as 15000mAh is nearly 19 times the stock battery, and over 12 x the Wasabi Power EN-EL20 aftermarket batteries that I also use. Upon receiving the Anker, I ran the BMPCC for a 7-hour bench test before deciding "that's good enough", and turning it off to go to bed - ha! I've also taken it on several shoots, and never had to worry about how long I left the camera on. The only fiddly bit is that you still need to rely on a a non-locking barrel connector (I had previously wired up my own adapter from parts), and that doesn't make for the most reliable connection. But, if you keep an internal batt in the cam at all times, you're protected.

The Anker's also big and flat, making it less than optimal for rigging. I used it at the back of a DIY run-n-gun rig, but I'd like to have a smaller option for more stripped-down scenarios.

I had a few Sony NP-F style batteries, and hoped that at 7.4v they might run the BMPCC with an inexpensive battery plate, but no such luck. If you want to use NP batts, which are a great, small form factor, you need a battery holder that steps up the voltage to 12v. Ikan makes one they charge up the nose for.

[I use these for a Hero 3 Black.] (https://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B00AAIPT76/ref=oh_aui_detailpage_o09_s00?ie=UTF8&psc=1)

They work great.

• A suction cup mount is great to mount your GoPro inside and outside of your car. Just make sure to tether it when it's outside. I'd recommend the [GoPro suction cup] (http://amzn.com/B00F19Q7YI)
  
  
• There are a lot of great tripods out there. I have a Slik tripod that I have used with my GoPro and it's great. It's fairly compact and not too heavy. [Slik Tripod] (http://amzn.com/B000HZH6W8)
  
  
• Yeah the battery life isn't great on GoPros. I'm not sure which generation you're planning on buying but if you're going with a 3+, you can get the [Brunton All Day power pack] (http://amzn.com/B00LUKNM5E). If you're going with a Hero 4, the Brunton won't work with those so you could get a [GoPro Battery Bacpac] (http://amzn.com/B00NIYJFRO).
  
  
• You can plug a USB cable into your GoPro while recording. You won't be able to do that with the regular housing though so you'll need [the frame] (http://shop.gopro.com/mounts/the-frame/ANDFR-302.html#/start=1) or the [Skeleton Housing] (http://shop.gopro.com/accessories/skeleton-housing/AHSSK-301.html#/start=1)
  
  
• Always tether. ALWAYS!
  
  
  

Sure. I'm talking about this kind of battery: https://www.amazon.com/MAXOAK-12000mAh-Battery-Camera-Camcorder/dp/B00RN76282/ref=sr_1_5?ie=UTF8&qid=1518431268&sr=8-5&keywords=V.BATTERY

12000mAh it's about 3x a normal battery. The problem is: You need a converter from V-Bat to your laptopcharger. But it shouldn't be a great issue, i assume it is not hard to adap V-Bat to any kind of connector. You already can found a lot of it:
https://www.amazon.com/SOONWELL-Mounting-Splitter-Battery-Adapter/dp/B01M6552K7/ref=sr_1_2?s=electronics&ie=UTF8&qid=1518431500&sr=1-2&keywords=V.BATTERY+7D

External as in Backpack?
If you looking for battery's id go with Wasabi

The Wasabi packs now come with this feature. I have an older Wasabi charger + batteries and they've been great for me. $22 for your USB charger and 2 batteries... you can't really go wrong. I see that some people mentioned the charging base wasn't perfect, but at that price you could even get 2 in case one gives you trouble. Or you could get the old model and use a USB -> barrel connector, which should still work.

http://www.amazon.com/Wasabi-Power-AHDBT-201-AHDBT-301-AHDBT-302/dp/B00IAZWWDA/ref=sr_1_1?ie=UTF8&qid=1410205488&sr=8-1&keywords=wasabi+gopro

  I hiked Mt. Kilimanjaro last month over the course of 7 days.  Our group of three all had gopros and we each brought 5-7 batteries and an external battery pack.  <br />
  <br />
  Our 12000mAh battery would charge gopro batteries about 8-12 times depending on original/wasabi capacity.  I ended up only going through more than one battery on two of the days I think.  If you turn the camera off when you stop recording the battery lasts fairly long even in cold conditions (It would get down to 15 degrees F at night (-10 C)).  <br />
<br />
  As for memory cards I brought four 32g cards.  I like to have several smaller capacity cards instead of one big one in case one accidentally gets wiped or the data gets corrupted.  I ended up shooting ~60g over the seven days, including several long timelapses.  For a three week trip I would recommend two 64g cards if possible, or better yet four 32g cards.  <br />

I also brought a panning base (its a glorified egg timer) and got a few cool timelapse shots of sunrises and a few of the camps. Shot everything at 1080 60fps for video and 2s intervals for timelapses and turned out great.

Here are all the links. Good luck!

Anker 12000mAh External Battery
http://www.amazon.com/12000mAh-Portable-External-Technology-Smartphones/dp/B00CEZBKTO/ref=sr_1_8?s=electronics&ie=UTF8&qid=1410496236&sr=1-8&keywords=anker

Wasabi USB 2 Pack
http://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B00IAZWWDA/ref=oh_aui_detailpage_o04_s00?ie=UTF8&psc=1

SanDisk Extreme 32g MicroSD
http://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B00FRHTXW2/ref=oh_aui_detailpage_o09_s00?ie=UTF8&psc=1

Panning Base
http://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B00AJIZBWA/ref=oh_aui_detailpage_o04_s01?ie=UTF8&psc=1

Nope, the hero 2 bacpac uses the battery from the hero/hero 2. Here are the links for the two different batteries.

http://www.amazon.com/Wasabi-Power-Battery-AHDBT-001-AHDBT-002/dp/B005NC8BF6/ref=sr_1_6?ie=UTF8&qid=1396224436&sr=8-6&keywords=Gopro+wasabi

http://www.amazon.com/Wasabi-Power-AHDBT-201-AHDBT-301-AHDBT-302/dp/B00AAIPT76/ref=sr_1_3?ie=UTF8&qid=1396224465&sr=8-3&keywords=Gopro+wasabi

My personal favorite:

GoPole Reach or Evo

Joby GorillaPod

Wasabi Batteries and Charger

The Altatac store on eBay has the Hero 3+ Black w/remote on sale for $350 periodically. I got mine from them and its a 100% genuine unit.

Quality memory cards are the must have accessory. I use all Sandisk Ultra/Extreme cards. Be careful where you buy these from, lots of knockoffs online. The couple geniune GoPro accessories you'll want to buy are the Suction Cup and Chest Mount. The chest rig will also get you pretty good hiking footage.

As for batteries, I put in an order for the Wasabi Power 2 Pack they have on Amazon. Pretty good reviews, mine are coming in this week.

Like other users said, the app is sufficient for setting up shots and adjusting settings. I use the Android app and don't own the LCD back.

Get multiple batteries (Wasabi are nice aftermarket) http://www.amazon.com/Wasabi-Power-AHDBT-201-AHDBT-301-AHDBT-302/dp/B00I2VIR2M/ref=sr_1_1?ie=UTF8&qid=1396992006&sr=8-1&keywords=wasabi+go+pro+battery

Get a few charging blocks.

http://www.amazon.com/10000mAh-Portable-External-Smartphones-USB-charged/dp/B009USAJCC/ref=sr_1_7?ie=UTF8&qid=1396992067&sr=8-7&keywords=portable+charger

I fully Recommend this kit, They last pretty much as long as the OEM GoPro batteries (about 5-10 min less depending).

ninja edit= some math I had wrong so I redacted a statement.

I just got a Transcend 45MB/sec 64GB SD card on Amazon for $39.

You can get 2 batteries with a charger by Wasabi for $23.

Here's the chesty for $8

Yeah, the Hero 2 would run 2 hours on a battery, but the H3B is only 1 hr. The H3+B is supposed to be a little better.

You can charge the battery in the camera. It will come with one battery. This wasabi pack is a good deal.

GoPro makes absurdly expensive accessories. Just look at the frame or chest strap.

I went for both, the Bacpac and the spare battery just because I could and because of the advantages of having each. I'll go through what I like about each of them and what I find them both to be useful for, hopefully that'll help you.

The Bacpac to me has been very good because it doesn't add a lot of bulk to the GoPro but does manage to extend the battery life by quite a bit. I can't give you any numbers, but I've done half a day of snowboarding with one fully charged battery and Bacpac as a reference. What's also nice about the Bacpac is that if you use the Skeleton Backdoor for it you have access to the MicroUSB charging port on it, so you can charge it while in use; I use this when I'm in a car (on the racetrack or on roadtrips) to be able to film continuously. So far this has somewhat replaced the Frame Housing as it allows me to charge the camera.

As for the spare batteries, I went with the Wasabi Power option as it is very cheap, gives you two batteries equivalent in quality to the GoPro batteries and comes with a charger for both power outlets and cars. If I were to only use my GoPro for outdoor activities I have to say I'd probably go for that option as changing batteries is very swift and three fully charged batteries usually last the whole day for me.

Hope this helped and if you have any further questions, don't hesitate to ask!

Yeah, that's about the first thing I noticed as well.

But realistically speaking, I don't know how much power you can cram into such a small package; especially with such powerful recording capabilities (i.e. 1080p at 60p)

Sucks even worse with the WiFi on. I haven't really done a maxed out test but after like 1.5 to 2 hours of nominal use (i.e. pulling it out once every 5 or 10 minutes for a 2 to 3 minute recording) will get me down to the last battery bar. GoPro states 1 to 1.5 hours on their website depending on which settings you're using.

I would say <1hr. is a little exaggerated though, in which case, I would try to get an exchange from wherever you got it from to see if you just got a faulty battery. Also, of course, try updating the firmware.

I am thinking about picking up the Wasabi Battery Pack from Amazon for $24.

I saw someone else mentioned it, but here is the link to the cheap battery/charger combo:

http://www.amazon.com/Wasabi-Power-Battery-AHDBT-201-AHDBT-301/dp/B00AAIPT76

It comes with a wall charger, 2 batteries, and a car adapter to use the wall charger in your car. All for around 25 bucks, whereas 1 gopro battery is 20.

+1 on managing power.

GoPro batteries suck. Switching GoPro batteries sucks. This is exacerbated when you're tired and hot from hiking.

I used GoPro mount to mount a USB battery pack onto the back of my treking pole (also had my GP mounted to the pole). I used a small USB cable to keep the GP constantly charged via the battery pack. This worked incredibly well but was clumsy.

I finally broke down and purchased an extended battery for the GP. This is not the exact one I bought but it's similar. This battery is bigger than the GP itself and comes with a new backdoor.

I very much like this extended battery. It lasts all day without issue and I can charge it at night when I get to camp using the USB battery pack.

Whatever you do, and however you power the GP, have a great time!

I have five batteries. I stop every now and then for a smoke or a soda, so it's no trouble exchanging the battery while i'm there.

But there are other ways. This guy builds a charger that doesn't modify the waterproof case, and instead of hooking it up to a 12V socket on your bike, you could connect it to one of those portable USB chargers (they reach 20000mAh now, maybe even more). That should extend its life considerably, you're more likely to run out of space on the memory card than out of power.

I wouldn't recommend the BacPac.. I spent less on my four extra batteries (plus charger) than I would have for a BacPac, which theoretically doubles your recording time. They're off brand, of course, but have had no issues with them the past year, and seem to last at least as much as the original (2 are 1600mAh, they definitely last longer by 10-15 minutes).

Search dx.com or aliexpress.com, there are plenty of options. Or you could go for something more tried and tested, such as the Wasabis.

I have a Hero3, but should be similar enough to yours.
I get about an hour on a full charge.
I mainly shoot 1080. Not sure is 720 will affect battery life. Probably not.
Not sure about 60 vs 30. Google it.
I have 3 batteries and change them out every hour. You can get 2 batteries and a wall outlet charger from Wasabi on Amazon for $20. Make sure it is compatible with your model.
http://www.amazon.com/Wasabi-Power-Battery-AHDBT-001-AHDBT-002/dp/B005NC8BF6
Hope this helps.

I have the Hero3 black and it works great. I record at 720p 60fps wide and get around 40 minutes per battery. Obviously there are some improvements with the later models but if you're mainly looking to record while riding for insurance/dashcam purposes the Hero 3 will work just fine. If you are interested in making high quality videos or using the camera elsewhere then I would maybe consider the Hero3+ or waiting for the Hero4.

The curved sticky mount that came with works great on the top of my helmet. I'm not sure how to mount on the chin, sorry. As long as your mount is secure the video will be nice and smooth.

I would highly recommend picking this bundle from Amazon - includes 2 batteries and a wall charger: http://www.amazon.com/Wasabi-Power-AHDBT-201-AHDBT-301-AHDBT-302/dp/B00AAIPT76/ref=sr_1_1?ie=UTF8&qid=1409372144&sr=8-1&keywords=go+pro+battery

If you have any other questions let me know.

In my opinion I'd skip the chest mount and get a telescoping mount, like this one. You'll be able to get cool looking selfies without looking like a complete ass and you can make some interesting shots (over walls, off the edge of buildings, etc.) with the pole at full length. And when you're just doing normal-er handheld stuff you can just reel the pole in to minimum length and use it as a palm grip.

Edit: Also get one of these because it's the best accessory deal there is. Two batteries and a wall charger for $24.

Edit 2: Also unless you're really strapped for cash the black version is weeeellll worth it over the silver. The amount of increased control and shooting modes you have over the Silver will last forever and you only have to pay for it once :). If you hunt around you can usually find some kind of online coupon that brings the price down, I know REI does a 20% off single item coupon every 6 months or so that can save you a bundle on pricier items.

Borrow the money (~$150) and get This + This

Lasts atleast 3.5 hours, I had a shoot recently and used one battery all day (I have two).

Just search "battery" in the search bar.


https://www.amazon.com/Juicebox-Battery-Blackmagic-Cameras-Production/dp/B073BMTFFJ/ref=sr_1_8?ie=UTF8&qid=1547593381&sr=8-8&keywords=juicebox

Just get the 2-pin power connector that BM is selling and solder it to a 12V NP-F battery plate. It's the cheapest solution.
Link to the connector, scroll to the very bottom.

Battery plate

Battery

Charger.

the gopro hero has nice quality. but i would not recommend it to most people, especially those that refer to themselves as "techheads". it has limited frame rates and resolutions, which is fine, the lack of slow motion rears it's ugly head very quickly after the first use. but more importantly than that, it is missing expandability. no swappable batteries and no support for backpacks at this moment in time... no lcd backpack, no wifi backpack, no battery backpack. this wouldn't be a huge deal if it had wifi built-in, but it doesn't have that either.

buy the best gopro you can afford. that may mean buying used, but as long as you check it out thoroughly before agreeing to anything, you could save some serious money. do not forget to budget accessories while crunching numbers. you will probably want extra batteries and a gopole of some kind right away. then after a while of playing with the stuff, head over to /r/goprodiy for ideas on pretty awesome, and usually cheap mounts.

i would definitely watch your video and give it an honest critique. i'm looking forward to it! but you need to realize that i am only a couple months ahead of you editing/filmmaking-wise so while i can offer suggestions, i make no claims of being inerrant.

BATTERY
Juicebox Battery for Blackmagic... https://www.amazon.com/dp/B073BMTFFJ?ref=ppx_pop_mob_ap_share


CABLE
Juicebox Blackmagic Pocket Cinema... https://www.amazon.com/dp/B07LFN75KM?ref=ppx_pop_mob_ap_share


CLAMP
CAMVATE Super Clamp with 1/4"-20... https://www.amazon.com/dp/B06XWTL7LC?ref=ppx_pop_mob_ap_share

You’ll need a pretty solid clamp and this one works well, but the part you use to tighten it slides back and forth, but it hasn’t affected my gimbal use.

Get extras, they're cheap!

I carry three batteries for my 3+ Silver but have found that two is actually enough for 5 dives a day. I change them at the same time I change my memory card, which is typically during a long surface interval or over lunch. No big deal!

http://www.amazon.com/Wasabi-Power-AHDBT-201-AHDBT-301-AHDBT-302/dp/B00AAIPT76 (note, not for the GoPro 4 apparently)

Just buy extra batteries, third party ones are pretty decent and cheap.

http://www.amazon.com/Wasabi-Power-Battery-AHDBT-201-AHDBT-301/dp/B00AAIPT76/ref=sr_1_1?s=electronics&ie=UTF8&qid=1374165187&sr=1-1&keywords=go+pro+battery

i bought these and they work fine. Yeah they do drain fast but that happens with every model. good luck!

Thanks for these tips. I have two extra batteries and they are an awesome addition, makes life a bit easier.

I have a very similar setup with a couple of revisions:

For a handle, I first purchased the one you're looking at, only to return it and buy the 1955 NATO handle (https://www.amazon.com/dp/B07145WLX3/), which is much easier add/remove (for storage purposes). It's super secure and adjustable to boot! Even comes with a allen key storage!

For SSD mounts, I bought the CAMVATE (https://www.amazon.com/dp/B07M66TM6J/). The Smallrig version will only mount to one designated spot on the SR cage- this CAMVATE product can mount anywhere in case you need to rebalance or configure it differently.

As for power, I opted for a CORE Powerbase; (https://www.amazon.com/dp/B07JFDZTXL/). It'll give you much more runtime than a NPF and especially more than LP batteries, and you can check the LCD to see how much battery you've got left instead of guessing. Though I'd also recommend grabbing a DTAP to Weipu adapter (https://www.amazon.com/dp/B07KGQ869X/), so you don't have to worry about the dummy battery (and you'll also have a secondary source of power if you need to switch batteries).

Oh! I used to set it so it would shut off once the battery voltage hit 12V, but that seemed to give me some trouble starting every now and then. I set it to 12V or 6 hours and haven't had that problem since.

In all honesty the PowerMagic Pro is not the best way to do it. (Not very good for the car battery) I want to get a Cellink but I don't feel like spending the money.

I brought 3 batteries, including the original GoPro battery. I bought this and used a solar charger as a backup but ended up not needing it at all. I got the solar charger for $50 at Lowe's, surprisingly.

EDIT: I also only brought the 3-way mount and chest mount. It worked perfectly. Wish I'd brought the headmount; sparpole climbing would've been pretty cool.
Tip: learn how to use the camera and how you want to be able to edit the footage when you're done. I moreso learned how to use the camera on this trip.

Have you tried using an external charger to charge the battery? Like this: http://www.amazon.com/Wasabi-Power-Original-AHDBT-001-AHDBT-002/dp/B005NC8BF6

Buy this: https://www.amazon.com/Neewer-Dimmable-Professional-Photography-3200-5600K/dp/B01934RL0U?ref_=ast_slp_dp

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With 4 NP-F970 Batteries: https://www.amazon.com/Powerextra-Replacement-Compatible-DCR-VX2100-HVR-HD1000U/dp/B01N3TWBXI/ref=sr_1_3?crid=3AVTU7RI3GKN2&keywords=np+f970+battery&qid=1574805414&s=electronics&sprefix=np+f%2Celectronics%2C227&sr=1-3

​

Some gels: (cut to size) https://www.amazon.com/Neewer-12-Inches-Transparent-Correction-Different/dp/B01CCIKB5Q/ref=sr_1_1?keywords=neewer+gels&qid=1574805440&s=electronics&sr=1-1

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and two light stands and you're in business.

​

I've been using these for a long time and always do the trick.

Look up the film guys (thefilmguys.net) and see what that cinematography looks like. Only those lights and nothing else.

https://smile.amazon.com/dp/B017XO5BJK/ref=dp_cerb_3

They apparently don't make the one I use anymore. It lasts a bit longer than the one I have linked above, but that one says it will last 5 hours, so good enough.

Make sure you buy this type that replaces the whole battery like I have linked. Not the kind that adds on by clamping to the back with the original battery installed. I found that style totally unreliable.

Here is the one you want to buy.
http://www.amazon.com/Wasabi-Power-AHDBT-201-AHDBT-301-AHDBT-302/dp/B00AAIPT76/ref=sr_1_1?ie=UTF8&qid=1380996538&sr=8-1&keywords=wasabi+gopro

I bought mine from amazon here: http://www.amazon.co.uk/Wasabi-Power-Battery-AHDBT-201-AHDBT-301/dp/B00AAIPT76/ref=lh_ni_t?ie=UTF8&psc=1&smid=A2DKKJOHWOIGCJ

not sure if it's the same link you're using...
but i also signed up for a month free trial with amazon prime as they give you one free 1-day delivery with the trial, you can then stop it from auto-renewing onto a paying contract immediately. worked a treat, arrived within two days!

I got this to hook directly into the intercom:
http://www.amazon.com/GoPro-Aircraft-Cable-by-Nflightcam/dp/B00GLZXCW6

But I can see how that would be an issue if you're using the USB port to charge the battery.

Looks like if you have a BacPac battery that you get an access to an extra USB cable, so maybe you could run both?

http://www.amazon.com/GoPro-Battery-BacPac-Camera-Included/dp/B00NIYJFRO/ref=sr_1_3?s=electronics&ie=UTF8&qid=1426285445&sr=1-3&keywords=go+pro+bacpac

https://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B00RN76282/ref=oh_aui_detailpage_o01_s00?ie=UTF8&psc=1

About to order this one for the Hero+

https://www.amazon.com/gp/aw/d/B01AB0KL0C/ref=mp_s_a_1_sc_1?qid=1463623848&sr=8-1-spell&pi=AC_SX236_SY340_QL65&keywords=wassabi+hero%2B

Bought this a few months for my Hero 3+. Works great and the charger is awesome for both the wall and car.

http://www.amazon.com/gp/aw/d/B00AAIPT76/ref=redir_mdp_mobile?pc_redir=T1

I have had good luck with the following items. I am getting around 4 hours out of it.

https://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B01M189SS0/ref=ppx_yo_dt_b_asin_title_o02_s01?ie=UTF8&psc=1

​

https://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B006733DB2/ref=ppx_yo_dt_b_asin_title_o03_s00?ie=UTF8&psc=1

​

https://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B01FEU8YEE/ref=ppx_yo_dt_b_asin_title_o06_s00?ie=UTF8&psc=1

That's almost exactly the same setup I have! I sent a week in Little Cayman doing 3 dives a day and a handful of night dives and that setup served me well. I'd like to make a helpful suggestion...when diving but not using the lights they fold nicely behind the camera and it balances the camera through the water. They can be a tad top heavy and the drag through the water makes it easy for you to introduce some vertical wobble if shooting while moving.

I also noticed the 100-degree beam was a bit broad for illuminating individual subjects. For example on night dives the other divers would be against the wall focusing on some small life and my lights come on and BAM! daylight returns. I'll probably end up grabbing a 20-degree head for my next trip and my night dives would be with 20 and the UV.

I know you don't want to run down that hole of buying everything but here's what worked especially well for me:
Batteries: A pair of Wasabi extended batteries with dual charger. That probably doesn't work for your Hero 5 but I could get 2 hours per pack and always had the second one ready to go. With that an a pair of 64gb microSD cards to cycle through I could tackle an entire day with what I had on me. A quick charge overnight and we were ready for the next day.
https://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B00MQ6PBX2

Lanyard: This was my favorite! The velcro wristband kept the camera close by in case it slipped from my hands but I could also clip the camera tray to my BC if I needed to focus on something more important.
https://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B007H6DR9G

Charger: With my phone, the Gopro batteries and two 18650's for the UK lights I brought along an Anker 4-port wall charger. This saved me from having to keep track of a variety of separate chargers and finding available outlets around the room. I had an out-of-the-way spot where I just plugged everything in knew I had everything when I left.
https://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B00L40YJ8O


Enjoy your dives, can't wait to see what you capture!

It was a wasabi battery for the hero 3

[Question] hey does anyone know how do we tell which 'powerbank' has the longest batt life? here are 2 examples of battries

https://www.amazon.com/dp/B01JIWQPMW/

https://smile.amazon.com/dp/B017XO5BJK/

1. like what info, what are we looking for on the varoius shop sites? the sites doesnt seem to always show whichever info we're suppose to be looking for
   
   
2. also how do we tell which things are 'powerbanks' and which things arent since they arent always label/titled in a helpful way
   
   https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Battery_charger