Is the gopro HD Hero3 battery life as bad as they say?

[alexd]

I was thinking of picking up a Hero3 to take to South Africa and shoot some of my metal detecting adventures for a youtube channel and my Treasure Finders - Gold Finders website, but I hear the battery life is only like 20-30 minutes, even from a full charge!

If the gopro Hero3 battery life is really that bad, is the Hero2 any better?

I know when I am in the water or on the beach, it is pretty much impossible to swap out batteries or fiddle around with sealed waterproof enclosures without getting sand in the seals and causing leaks.

Is the gopro HD Hero3 worth the money?

 

[catilyst]

I've read a couple reviews and yes battery life seems to be a common issue. Apparently a firmware update will correct this, personally I get a bit wary when I hear things like that.

If you end up considering the 2 (which you could probably get second hand very cheap if you're tempted to try one) note I get roughly three hours of continuous video in the summer with batteries that are 2+ years old. With a second battery (~ $20) I've never ran out of power during an outing.

 

[alexd]

I've read a couple reviews and yes battery life seems to be a common issue. Apparently a firmware update will correct this, personally I get a bit wary when I hear things like that.

If you end up considering the 2 (which you could probably get second hand very cheap if you're tempted to try one) note I get roughly three hours of continuous video in the summer with batteries that are 2+ years old. With a second battery (~ $20) I've never ran out of power during an outing.

The Hero2 is heavier than the Hero3, right?

 

[catilyst]

With the water proof cases on the 3 is a matter of grams less than the two.

Volume wise I think they're pretty comparable as well. The two is more cube shaped while the 3 is thinner but wider (more rectangular).

Tip #50 GoPro - Hero 2 / 3 Weight Comparison - YouTube

 

[alexd]

Can you swap batteries out of HD Hero3 cameras on the fly? Or do you have to go somewhere clean and dry to do it?

From past experience with waterproof cameras, 1 or 2 grains of sand can compromise a waterproof seal... I am wondering about swapping out batteries on a beach, for example.