Customer Reviews

GoPro HERO3+ BLACK Edition - Camcorder - (12MP, WiFi)

I did loads of research before buying this because of the cost. The 2 things that slightly concerned me were the battery life and the reported lens problems. Firstly, if you get one, you'll be amazed by the power this little camera has. The resolution and options for photo and video capture are remarkable. Your main problem is going to be that you'll constantly be trying to think of how you'll mount it to the next thing ( thankfully there are plenty of mounts to enable you to do this ). It's brilliant fun and you'll find that you will actively start to do activities just to see how well it copes.
So, to my two main issues. Apparently the lens issue has been completely resolved now and the focus on the one I received is perfect, whether you're up close and personal or filming landscapes. Secondly, I have to admit that I've already had excursions where the battery has run out just after I've been using it. This was on max resolution with wifi on so there are ways of lengthening it's overall life. To be frank, for a camera this size with the amount of power it churns out, I'm very impressed with the battery life. It will last over 2 hours and you can eek out more using tips from the website.
There are 100s of positives to this unit and I struggle to find any negatives.
Once you buy one join the GoPro community on their website and watch out for tips and tricks aswell as examples of how theyre used which will soon influence the way you film.

This is just a brief heads up for people looking to purchase this product. Product now 4 Stars with the new Update (see below)

I reviewed the GoPro 3 when it came out and complained about the battery life, I'm happy to say with the new battery and Wifi hardware in this camera you get a much better recording time. Up to about 110% longer in some modes (30% more in others). The biggest gain to be had is when you are using Wifi, with it recording 1080 50fps and Protune on you can now record for 1 Hr 13mins as opposed to 30mins on the previous camera.

However there is a big issue with the lens on some of the cameras, the one I had for testing was focused as about 2 feet (60cms) as a result anything further away looks a bit soft. GoPro are aware of this and are looking at the problem, however if you get a camera with 0913 in the serial number (digits 6-9) you will probably have this issue.

There does also seem to be buffering on the video output over wifi, the latency is better but this means that the output is not as smooth, which might be important for some. I'll report more once I get a camera without the focus problem.

My advice, hold off on buying one for the moment unless you can guarantee you'll get one without the focus problem (or you don't mind)

**Update, GoPro now have cameras with the fix available (27/11), I've had a look and they have improved things with regards to focus. Also to note the colour accuracy of the 3+ is better than the 3. If using Protune Mode please be aware that your pictures may look a little soft, this is deliberate as sharpness can be added later in post production if required. ProTune is designed to give the most accurate pictures with the most latitude for adjusting later. There is buffering on the Wifi Output which has the effect of making it look quite juddery, it seems to spit out 6 frames at a time, pause briefly and then do the next 6. Some people won't mind and it seems to be the price you pay for better battery life .**

I bought one from the UK a couple of weeks ago, I was assured by the supplier, (not Amazon), that it was received the day before from their wholesaler and was the latest issue without the focus problem.

When it arrived it has an 0813 serial number. which from the US website forums also potentially has the problem.
Mine is really very sharp & clear focus at 50cm from the lens gradually out of focus from there. Not a lot of use to me as I bought it to use with a quadrocopter for aerial property photos.

Seems they have set it up for those who want to take arms length "Selfies" of their own face in various situations at the expense of the rest of us. You have to wonder what percentage of their customer base this represents.
Not a lot I would think as most of the videos on their Twitter page are action shots, presumably not taken with the 3+ as they are generally in reasonable focus.

There is also talk on the US forums of people "doing the Focus Mod" along with pic's of the lens cover being forcibly removed with a large pair of pliers - Drastic or what !

At the price they charge for this I don't think it is unreasonable to expect at least software autofocus !

IMHO GoPro have really shot themselves in the foot here.

************** EDIT ******************
I contacted GoPro who told me to clean the lens and asked for a photo illustrating the problem. So I set one up using a 1 metre rule which clearly demonstrated that at the centre point of the depth of field the fixed focus point was only 30.15cm / 11.87 inches from the lens. Far worse than I thought! to be fair everything was super sharp at this point (as it should be).

I questioned this ridiculously short focus distance with them and their reaction was - I quote;

Thank you for providing the photo to help verify the image quality. I was able to review the image and it is up to par with what the customer should expect from the use of our cameras.
(and) The camera was designed to give you a close up view of what the user is doing. The camera was not designed to zoom in and out to take video and pictures from far lengths. - (I assume by zoom they mean crop & enlarge here)

I find this annoying as I made a point of querying with them before buying exactly what I wanted it for. Their reaction at that time was;

GoPro has designed the HERO3+ with a new lens to improve focus and sharpness for both video and photos. The new camera is optimized for improved image clarity at all focal ranges - edges, center, close and distance. If a customer is experiencing loss of clarity or focus at a distance, this is not an expected outcome. It's possible that there may have been an issue with the production of that particular camera or that a camera software update is needed. We will troubleshoot the problem with the customer according to the specific issue that is being experienced and find a resolution. (Clearly not the case!)

Make up your own mind before you buy - me? - I've now got an expensive paperweight.

got the camera on 28 april 2014 tried, it out on 29 April 2014 and found camera to be very good. would have rated goods as 5* but the remote does not work. No response from any of the buttons. it is fully charged. can get a response from buttons if remote is plugged into my computer. Awaiting response from GoPro

Despite some welcome tightening up of the Hero3 features, GoPro have chosen to calibrate the lens's focal length to around 4ft, meaning that anything beyond this range will gradually become blurred. This is either a deliberate act to allow users to take sharp focus selfies, or they ballsed-up during the initial production run and just won't admit it!

If you intend to use an action cam for POV footage, or any sort of aerial cinematography, then DON'T buy this camera: Save some cash and get the original Hero3 Black instead. It's been shown to have better levels of sharpness in a host of realworld user tests against the Plus.

I phoned Gopro and Amazon before purchasing this product to discuss the lens calibration issue which has affected the first few batches of the Gopro Hero 3 Plus Black camera - I was assured that the latest batch (november 13) is not affected, and that it was possible to purchase a camera without this defect.

It took 6 days for my camera to arrive - slower than usual, and I was hoping this meant that stock was being replenished and I would receive a camera from a new batch.

When the camera arrived I could see that it was from the first batch and did not focus.

I phoned Gopro and they advised that they could RMA the camera and repair it, but that it would take a minimum of 3 weeks. They said that my best bet was to return it to Amazon - doesn't say much for Gopro's customer services.

I phoned Amazon and was told I would be sent a camera from a new batch - I specifically requested a camera from no earlier than November 2013 and was told that this is what I would receive. Amazon dispatched a new camera which arrived the next day. Once again they had sent me a camera from the first batch. I phoned back and spent 40 minutes trying to make the situation clear to Amazon and am now waiting for an email in 3 days time to answer the question of whether Amazon can supply me with a camera that works or not.

Not at all happy with Gopro, and slightly peeved at Amazon for messing things up. Can't give the product more than 1 star as it doesn't work. Might amend if I ever get a working camera.

Come on Gopro - have a little more respect for the people that made you rich, and Amazon, I expected a little more.

My Hero3+ arrived next day and I have used it with no problems at all.

For the love of god, get a floaty back if you are going near moving water, my last GoPro is now at the bottom of a river :(

I put this on the helmet mount by mistake but that was just as amazing too :)

If you're after a professional camera, this is it. I use it on my motorbike helmet and our recent trip to Spain seemed so much more special. You MUST check out all the features it has too, plus download their FREE studio application plus the mobile phone app.

Delivered on time. Does a lot more than I expected. Need to buy a few more accessories to get the best out of it though.

Used as a cam on my motorcycle, even at speed the picture is crisp and clear. controls a little awkward until you get used to them. Battery life is good and has recorded several little days out trips with no hassles.
Heavier than thought, stick on mounting pads worry would not hold but so far so good.
Overall very good camera, high price is reflected in the abilities of the camera