Very Quick
"The Silver has an LCD touch screen on the back while the Black doesn't, but I don't really consider that a major discriminator between the two models since I use the GoPro app on my iPhone to preview and control the camera."
"All of these are the same upgrades on the Hero 4, so really you're trading $180 and the LCD screen on the Silver for 4k 30 FPS and decreased battery life on the Black edition."
"Anyway, I contacted Amazon when I got back, as my main reason why purchasing the GoPro was for water related activities, and since I was so upset with what happened on vacation, I wanted a full refund."
"While this method doesn't have all the features that the GoPro Studio editing software offers, this a great on-the-go way to compile your videos, perform some basic editing, produce complete movies, and have the ability to upload the movies to Facebook, YouTube, etc."
"While I applaud their ability to try to right the wrong, and I'm seeing the mount of people who still have this issue, I cannot think but to assume that there is a huge quantity of effected GoPro 4 silver's effected with this issue."
"I was thinking I would have to get a basic Ipad for live view and remote setting, but I found the Android version of the GoPro app and installed it and had the camera paired and under control in a few minutes."
"For an update, I used this camera in Bonaire in June of 2015 and it began locking up on me after as few as 8 or 10 photos or videos and the only way to unlock it was to remove the battery and since I was using it primarily underwater I was not pleased."
GoPro HERO4 SILVER (Compare Deals from $399.99)
Quick
"The Silver has an LCD touch screen on the back while the Black doesn't, but I don't really consider that a major discriminator between the two models since I use the GoPro app on my iPhone to preview and control the camera... That has got to be a limitation of the camera lens when married up with the 12Mp image sensor since the same sensor is used in many point-and-shoot cameras with better lenses without edge distortion... I do a lot of cockpit video recording and it makes the videos much less work to edit when you can record real-time audio from your headset with the video instead of having to add it later during editing."
"All of these are the same upgrades on the Hero 4, so really you're trading $180 and the LCD screen on the Silver for 4k 30 FPS and decreased battery life on the Black edition... For scuba diving, you will need the screen always on as you cannot activate it again once it turns off under water (unless you stop recording and record again but that can be annoying) and knowing it doesn't affect the battery significantly is a great plus... I think the double wifi speed and bluetooth connectivity are bonuses but I wouldn't upgrade just for those reasons alone but if you combine all the other benefits it's definitely worth the upgrade!"
"Anyway, I contacted Amazon when I got back, as my main reason why purchasing the GoPro was for water related activities, and since I was so upset with what happened on vacation, I wanted a full refund... My issue with that is they could not refund it to my credit card (since it expired last month, even though I have the same card just with a new expiration date)... I will probably never buy another electronic device from Amazon, and their return policy was not good either."
"Slowly build up your accessory collection, only initially purchase the accessories that you will get the most use out of and are best suited for your particular applications. For me, I bought an aluminum GoPro adjustable telescoping pole, anti-fog inserts, aftermarket extra batteries with charger (everyone should buy this along with the camera!... While this method doesn't have all the features that the GoPro Studio editing software offers, this a great on-the-go way to compile your videos, perform some basic editing, produce complete movies, and have the ability to upload the movies to Facebook, YouTube, etc."
"He thought it could have been the card, I described the entire issue and we told me he was going to "create a case number" and to "not use the Amazon return service" and that "GoPro's return system is a lot faster"... I got an email back from Jeremy saying he was sorry, and that I had the option of receiving a gift in return for the bad service (I think it was $20 or something)... While I applaud their ability to try to right the wrong, and I'm seeing the mount of people who still have this issue, I cannot think but to assume that there is a huge quantity of effected GoPro 4 silver's effected with this issue."
"The menus are logically arranged for anyone who is used to working with current generation digital cameras and they are pretty much self explanatory... For some reason, GoPro heavily promotes Apple and Microsoft Apps, but only briefly notes Android without linking to a source or really offering compatibility information. I was thinking I would have to get a basic Ipad for live view and remote setting, but I found the Android version of the GoPro app and installed it and had the camera paired and under control in a few minutes."
"I did have some issues with the reliability of the editing software and the one I bought has more features... Using medium and narrow ranges does not do anything with the lens; it's just taking a "center cut" from the shot but it works well... For an update, I used this camera in Bonaire in June of 2015 and it began locking up on me after as few as 8 or 10 photos or videos and the only way to unlock it was to remove the battery and since I was using it primarily underwater I was not pleased."
Less Quick
"The Silver has an LCD touch screen on the back while the Black doesn't, but I don't really consider that a major discriminator between the two models since I use the GoPro app on my iPhone to preview and control the camera... The clear plastic mounting fingers on the standard waterproof case look like an accident waiting to happen that will lose my expensive camera unless a tether is also used... That has got to be a limitation of the camera lens when married up with the 12Mp image sensor since the same sensor is used in many point-and-shoot cameras with better lenses without edge distortion... To get the best quality and sensitivity with the internal mic, you have to use an enclosure that doesn't block the microphone hole and is therefore not waterproof. I use GoPro's "The Frame" but this would not be a good solution if you are skiing or snowboarding with the camera on your helmet or anywhere with a lot of moisture or wind noise... Hero 3 cameras had trouble with the stability of the wi-fi connection to a smart phone or tablet, but I haven't had any problems with the GoPro app on my iPhone 6 or iPad 3... I do a lot of cockpit video recording and it makes the videos much less work to edit when you can record real-time audio from your headset with the video instead of having to add it later during editing."
"The Hero 4 Black is $499 and does not come with an LCD (because of heat issues from 4k they could not put on an LCD)... This means you will also get (compared to the 3+ Black): - Upgraded sensor with better ability to resolve detail - 2x the WiFi Speed (less lag and faster transfer speeds) - 2x the Dynamic Range for Audio Quality - watch this video comparing!... Bluetooth Capability - Night Photo Mode (and ability to control shutter speed) - Night Time Lapse Mode (and ability to control shutter speed) - Protune for Photos - Auto white balance in Protune (enables higher bitrate while allowing for zero editing in post) - LCD TouchScreen (Silver only) All of these are the same upgrades on the Hero 4, so really you're trading $180 and the LCD screen on the Silver for 4k 30 FPS and decreased battery life on the Black edition... I haven't had too much of a chance to test it out, but quick photos and videos showed it truly is sharper than the Hero 3+ Black edition... For scuba diving, you will need the screen always on as you cannot activate it again once it turns off under water (unless you stop recording and record again but that can be annoying) and knowing it doesn't affect the battery significantly is a great plus... 7k 30 and got 1 hour and 38 minutes so the battery life between the two cameras really is the same; even though the Hero4 is 20 mAH less it seems to give more battery life (1180 mAH in the Hero 3+ while 1160 in the Hero 4)... I think the double wifi speed and bluetooth connectivity are bonuses but I wouldn't upgrade just for those reasons alone but if you combine all the other benefits it's definitely worth the upgrade!"
"I was going on vacation, and really wanted a waterproof camera/video to be able to capture everything, esp water activities (snorkeling/diving/swimming/horseback riding in ocean/kayaking/paddle boarding)... The next morning tried again, the device would literally freeze as soon as I turned it on, to the point I couldn't even turn it off by just holding the button... Anyway, I contacted Amazon when I got back, as my main reason why purchasing the GoPro was for water related activities, and since I was so upset with what happened on vacation, I wanted a full refund... My issue with that is they could not refund it to my credit card (since it expired last month, even though I have the same card just with a new expiration date)... After being on hold with Amazon for 2 hours trying to get a proper refund, I gave up and just accepted the $50 I was out. Plus now I am stuck with all the accessories I bought to go along with the GoPro (about $150) that I have no use for now... I will probably never buy another electronic device from Amazon, and their return policy was not good either."
"Decided on the Hero 4 Silver based on not really having the need to shoot/view in 4k and the built-in rear lcd display helps a lot with aiming... Doing your homework really would seem to answer/solve a lot of common issues that most people have encountered... Slowly build up your accessory collection, only initially purchase the accessories that you will get the most use out of and are best suited for your particular applications. For me, I bought an aluminum GoPro adjustable telescoping pole, anti-fog inserts, aftermarket extra batteries with charger (everyone should buy this along with the camera!... So just like a smartphone or tablet, make sure you keep your camera updated with the latest firmware offered... So I shoot my video, take out the microSD card from my camera, slide it into the SD Card adapter that came with the microSD card, then insert it into the Apple Lightning to SD Card Reader device, and finally plug the device into my iPad Mini... While this method doesn't have all the features that the GoPro Studio editing software offers, this a great on-the-go way to compile your videos, perform some basic editing, produce complete movies, and have the ability to upload the movies to Facebook, YouTube, etc."
"I apparently have the only reported issue on the HEREO4 Silver or black at the moment, and that issue is that the camera itself fluctuates from a blueish purpleish haze to a dark green / distorted image... He thought it could have been the card, I described the entire issue and we told me he was going to "create a case number" and to "not use the Amazon return service" and that "GoPro's return system is a lot faster"... What I should have done from the get-go is just simply use the Amazon Return service... It's painless and if you just want another device and not the refund, it's as simple as it could be... I really think the GoPro's are great and am really excited to start messing around with it, especially with my deep sea dive next year... I got an email back from Jeremy saying he was sorry, and that I had the option of receiving a gift in return for the bad service (I think it was $20 or something)... While I applaud their ability to try to right the wrong, and I'm seeing the mount of people who still have this issue, I cannot think but to assume that there is a huge quantity of effected GoPro 4 silver's effected with this issue."
"The menus are logically arranged for anyone who is used to working with current generation digital cameras and they are pretty much self explanatory... For some reason, GoPro heavily promotes Apple and Microsoft Apps, but only briefly notes Android without linking to a source or really offering compatibility information. I was thinking I would have to get a basic Ipad for live view and remote setting, but I found the Android version of the GoPro app and installed it and had the camera paired and under control in a few minutes... Video and still Image quality is good, frame rate is high as is still image burst rate, images are stable even when wearing a head strap mount... Controls are easy to access, in or out of the protective enclosure, with the exception of external connections used for external microphones, transferring files and charging the unit. There are skeleton cases that offer access to these types of connection, both from GoPro and third party suppliers... Without the case, the GoPro is a very tiny box that looks like a toy camera, which it certainly is not, but I suspect it is sold wrapped in a case to add perceived value."
"I did have some issues with the reliability of the editing software and the one I bought has more features. I do suggest buying a good photo editing software but that is pretty much always the case... Using medium and narrow ranges does not do anything with the lens; it's just taking a "center cut" from the shot but it works well... I did buy the housing rated for 60 meters (197') since we were diving deep at Truk but I did use the 131' housing some just trying it out in a local scuba park... For an update, I used this camera in Bonaire in June of 2015 and it began locking up on me after as few as 8 or 10 photos or videos and the only way to unlock it was to remove the battery and since I was using it primarily underwater I was not pleased. I've tried it several time since getting home, on the surface, not underwater though that shouldn't matter, and I haven't gotten it to lock up since the trip. I did reformat the Micro SD card but I had the problems with two different cards down in Bonaire."
