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GoPro camera records your high-speed exploits

The GoPro camera allow you to record your high speed exploits, but just remember to keep it on the track. You don't want your vids falling into the hands of Johnny Law.

Antuan Goodwin Reviews Editor / Cars
Antuan Goodwin gained his automotive knowledge the old fashioned way, by turning wrenches in a driveway and picking up speeding tickets. From drivetrain tech and electrification to car audio installs and cabin tech, if it's on wheels, Antuan is knowledgeable.
Expertise Reviewing cars and car technology since 2008 focusing on electrification, driver assistance and infotainment Credentials
  • North American Car, Truck and SUV of the Year (NACTOY) Awards Juror
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Antuan Goodwin
2 min read

GoPro Lotus with cameras attached.
The GoPro camera allows you to record your high-speed exploits, but just remember to keep it on the track. You don't want your vids falling into the hands of Johnny Law. Antuan Goodwin/CBS Interactive

Perhaps you're the owner of a fine driving machine capable of high-speed precision driving, the likes of which mere mortals can only dream. Or maybe you've got a beater that you take on the back roads every weekend. Either way, how do you share your driving experience with your pals on your favorite video-sharing site or car forum? GoPro may just have the solution for you in the way of its Wide Hero mountable camera.

GoPro's Lotus Exige was on hand to showcase the cameras. The vehicle was equipped with four cameras that I could see: one on the front bumper, one on the roof, a dashboard-mounted unit, and one facing rearward on the side.

The Wide Hero features a 170-degree wide-angle lens to capture all of the action at your local track day or back road. GoPro also offers a 54-degree standard lens on its Digital Hero 5.

GoPro Lotus with cameras attached.
I counted four cameras on GoPro's Exige. Antuan Goodwin/CBS Interactive

The camera can shoot up to 56 minutes of continuous video at 512x384--that's about seven laps of the Nürburgring Nordschleife in your brand new Nissan GT-R, or Porsche 911. To get the full 56 minutes, you'll need a 2GB SD card, which isn't included. Users also have the option of capturing up to a 5-megapixel photo every two seconds for 64 minutes, totaling 1,920 still shots. The cameras feature a shockproof and waterproof housing. Its small size and 4.7-ounce featherweight open up a world of mounting options, including a helmet mount for you two-wheeled enthusiasts, suction-cup mounts for automobiles, and a wrist mount for extreme athletes.

The camera is also pretty cheap, starting at about $139 for the Digital Hero 5 with a wrist mount and topping out at $199 for the Motorsports Wide Hero with suction-cup vehicle mount. At that price, just about anyone can record themselves doing donuts in their neighbor's front lawn. Additional mounts and accessories can also be purchased to expand the unit's usefulness.

I've embedded a sample video below to demonstrate the quality of the system. Check out the GoPro Hero system on its Web site and see more videos and potential applications on the GoPro Vimeo page.


Motorsports HERO Wide from GoPro on Vimeo.