Due to improvements in lighter weight and better video, a fantastic action camera
581351
To compare this action camera with perhaps the best-selling action camera, Liquid Image XSC 338WApex, I've compared some of the specs below.  An apple-to-apple comparison isn't possible because the two cameras are used a bit differently with the Liquid Image top-selling camera fixed onto goggles whereas the GoPro silver has a lot of flexibility in use.  The current pricing of both products is very similar.

Weight
GoPro HERO3+ Silver - 2.6 oz
Liquid Image XSC 338WApex - 8.5 oz

Battery Life (using more apps depletes battery charge faster)
GoPro HERO3+ Silver - 90min - 165min
Liquid Image XSC 338WApex - 90min - 120min

Max Image (still photo) Resolution
GoPro HERO3+ Silver - 3680 x 2760
Liquid Image XSC 338WApex - 2592 x 1944

Audio
GoPro HERO3+ Silver - Mono, 48kHz, AAC compression with AGC (automatic gain control)
Liquid Image XSC 338WApex - Mono, unpublished

Memory
GoPro HERO3+ Silver - MicroSD card
Liquid Image XSC 338WApex - MicroSD card

Maximum Storage
GoPro HERO3+ Silver - 64GB
Liquid Image XSC 338WApex - 32GB

System Requirements
GoPro HERO3+ Silver - Mac OS X 10.5 and later / Microsoft Windows Vista, 7 and later
Liquid Image XSC 338WApex - Windows XP/,Vista, Windows7, and MAC 10.4 or above

Wi-Fi
GoPro HERO3+ Silver - yes
Liquid Image XSC 338WApex - no

The two action cameras are meant for different uses yet they are in the same price range and Liquid Image is a top-seller.  I think the GoPro HERO3+ Silver is clearly a much better camera and with better audio and applications such as Wi-Fi.  This GoPro camera can be used in a lot of situations such as with biking, driving or on any vehicle that moves including helicopters.  This is an excellent camera based on the video I captured while driving.
4806426
I moved up to this camera from my 8mp Cannon Rebel XTI. I am very pleased with all of the upgrades from the Rebel, but am slightly disappointed that I can not use live view with any of the automatic settings!! Live view was the MAIN reason for moving up. Otherwise, I am happy with my purchase.
825748
I love this camera.  The quality of the video is outstanding, it has gobs of options, and best of all, it's Mini-DV, so I can get creative after the camera goes off and produce an outstanding custom film.  Canon recommends using special HD Mini-DV tapes, but regular DV tapes work just fine.  I do tend to stay away from the bargain basement variety however.  The camera has a ton of features. Some of the more useful features (like the focusing light and flash) are not found on the lower-end cameras.  It also has a hot shoe for greater flexibility if you're a semi-pro.  I won't pretend, I'm an amateur, shooting everyday family footage, however, recording the early years of my children is more important to me than any multi-million dollar commercial or movie is to the biggest Hollywood directors.  I want the best results for an amateur, and this camera delivers.  I use this cam with Apple Final Cut Express and it works wonderfully.  The menus are easy to navigate and logocally arranged...  all of which brings me to my one missing star (I wanted SOOOO bad to give it 5 stars.  I certainly didn't want to take a full star off. (Amazon, you need a half star system or something).  Anyway, the ergonomics do STINK.  As one reviewer wrote, it just feels weird in your hand.  Everything is spaced as unintuitively as possible.  They must have had someone with really tiny hands testing in Canon R&D because regardless of how many times I adjust the strap on this thing, I feel like clumsy and awkward when using it.  My previous camera, a PAnasonic, would slide onto and feel like an extension of my hand.  Maybe I just have to get used to this one, but I have to hold it in an awkward manner resting on my thumb instead of with my thumb free to control the recording.  The camera on-off button took a little adjusting to as well.  After several episodes of inadvertantly switching back and forth between camera and play (while attmpting to it turn off), I finally got the knack of how to turn it just right, so it powers off.  As another reviewer mentioned, they also stuck the menu joystick where the record button is usually located (on other camcorders).  I accidentally pushed the joystick a few times, attempting to start recording.  The actual record button is actually offset to the bottom left of the joystick.  The awkward way the camera fits my hand also makes it difficult to comfortably access the  zoom controls.  All of these minor gripes are more of a small inconvenience than a deal breaker, however, because they are there, I (begrudgingly) had to take one star off. Other than that, with the new H40 coming out in a couple months with a MSRP of $1,000, HV30's can be had for little more than $500 now.  Grab one!  Bad ergonomics aside, this is one heck of a camera.  If you want your next graduation, wedding, vacation, or other footage to look absolutely stunning, you can't go wrong here, becasue the footage IS stunning.  I thought about buying the HV40, but I decided to grab the HV30 for nearly half the price of the upcoming HV40.  I get the same quality and get to keep a nice chunk of change in my pocket.
4475362
I bought this camera primarily for paintball games.  I got it with the Helmet Hero system, which came with a variety of mounts, including the one I currently use, the headstrap. The video quality is good, full HD, and the view from the 1080p resolution has far less distortion than some of the other resolutions (although I wish I had control of just how much).  It is durable, small and lightweight.  Not the smallest or the lightest of the many action cameras out there, but is easy to use and mount, especially from a first person perspective (I hate side-view perspectives).

The menus take a while to go through, but I don't expect to use most of the options, so its not a huge deal.  I set it up ahead of time, and then I just have to hit record.  Battery life is decent, although I wish it was longer.  I will definitely need to buy another battery.  The price is good, right there with the many other options out there, and cheaper than many others as well. Audio is decent, and I know its not the usual focus of these kinds of products, but I hope future models incorporate better microphones, just to keep putting GoPro past the competition, since I think sound is important along with image clarity.  The one bad thing about the video is that the camera isn't the fastest out there with regards to focusing or adapting to change light, so there will sometimes be wavy distortion, odd coloring, or overly bright lighting at times, although not for very long.  I know some of this is due to the technology itself, but something that can be improved upon in the future.

Overall, I looked at a lot of similar products for months, contemplating all the advantages to each, differences between, pricing, future models, accessories, etc, and I bought this one overall all others, and I'm glad I did.  Not that it means much to whomever reads my reviews, but I've noticed over the years that many of my friends and family tend to look to me on product advice, whether asking directly to advise them on a product they should buy, or simply buying the same thing I've bought.  They know I put a lot of time and thought into these sorts of things, and they've never been disappointed.
3728095
I purchased this camera for the video content as it comes in very handy on some occasions when you do not have time to run back and get your camcorder.
  After using it a few times I have began to like several features on it better than my 50D. I really like the placement of the power switch,and how you can just switch form video to stills with the push of a button instead of going through a menu looking for the video switch over. Since I already had Canon lens the Rebel T1i fit right in. Not only in features and quality of photos but in size and weight and price. The video is outstanding also.
 So if you are looking for a beginners SLR or a backup SLR I think it would be a no brainer to purchase the Rebel T1i!
733808
Are you looking for a premium level action camera at an entry-level price? Are you looking for a durable camera to record yourself skiing, biking, skating, racing, or any other activity? Then the GoPro HERO is perfect for you! This camera has worked wonders for me in my pursuit of motocross. In order to record your action-packed moments in your sport, you need a camera that is shock resistant, waterproof, and compactall of this at a reasonable price for you. The GoPro HERO fits the bill on all those requirements and won't let you down in the heart of the action.

My personal favorite part of this camera simply comes down to the video quality. With multiple resolution and framerate settings, you are sure to capture the full beauty of your activity in every frame. The GoPro Hero also comes with easy to use editing software, exceptional battery life, and a convenient one-touch recording feature. The camera gives off one high-pitched beep to let you know that it is recording. The beep isn't loud, but its high pitch allows the sound to remain clearly audible even in a loud environment. There is a downside to this camera that I feel needs to be mentioned. This camera is built in such a way that the camera itself is built into its own protective waterproof case that you cannot remove separately. This method of design means that the battery cannot be replaced, and the internal microphone cant pick up sound as well. Rest assured, the audio recording on this camera is more than sufficient for first-person sports recording. The one-unit design works in your favor over the long-run since the camera is completely sealed off from any of the outside elements, preventing any dust or debris from getting into the internals of the camera. This contributes even more to its durability, ensuring that this camera will work for you time and time again.

You have multiple options when in the market for an action camera. Each of them have the pros and cons, but in the end, you but a camera that can give you what you wanthigh-quality video. The GoPro HERO certainly delivers on that. Again, if you are looking for an entry-level priced action camera with premium features, look no further. Feel free to ask any questions you may have about this camera. I will be happy to answer them and give my advice to anyone in the market to buy an action sports camera.
2853083
I, like many, have been searching for a device that successfully combines the camera with the camcorder.  We have an older point and shoot Sony camera, and a Canon MiniDV Camcorder and I've noticed over the last year the camcorder has been spending more time left at home, while the number of short clips from the still camera was growing.

The new Sony T500 was delivered last week and it's exceeding many of my expectations.  The large touch screen on the back allows the design to be simple and intuitive.  I thought I would miss control buttons on the back, but don't.  There are smaller form factors out there, but the T500 easily fits in a pocket and is definitely on the sleek and compact side of things. Camera feels solid and well built.

HD Video Recording:
Simply toggle the switch to the right and you're in movie mode.  Outdoor shooting in good light produces some very impressive video.  Displayed on a flat screen, I'd have to say this little camera easily out performs my non HD camcorder.  Low light shooting was not as sharp and a camcorder probably does better in low light.  That said, I would still not hesitate in buying this camera.  Zoom during video moves at one speed (unlike a camcorder where you can control the speed that you zoom in and out), but it's a good, moderately slow speed. Audio is crisp and clean.

Shooting video may take a little getting used to.  Because the T500 is so much smaller and lighter then a camcorder, extra thought must go into keeping the camera still and keeping your motions smooth during panning.  I haven't come close to the 10 minute video limit.  I know some will argue you need unlimited shooting time for weddings, birthdays, etc.  but when I put movies together with iMovie, I've found that any clips over a couple minutes make the movie REALLY boring.  For those special occasions, I have no problem lugging around my camcorder, but for daily life and times you don't want to shove a camcorder in people's faces, the Sony T500 excels.

Still Photos:
Like video recording, outdoor and good lighting produce some beautiful photos.  Indoor and low light are not as good but I've found the "Twilight Portrait" scene mode produces some decent photos.  We primarily view our photos on a flat screen, and the 16:9 picture mode is great for landscapes and scenery shots.  Even though it's not an Ultra Wide 28mm lens, the wide angle is still wider then our previous camera (3-4 year old Sony).  Sure a larger zoom would be nice, but considering the slim design, 5X is pretty good, and you better have a tripod if you're shooting video above 5-10X.  Not surprisingly, the still camera is a noticeable upgrade to our old 5 mega pixel camera.

Battery life does seem a little short, but I've been shooting a lot of video and spending a lot of time reviewing on the large touchscreen.  Definitely need a back up, and I like the US version of the battery charger.  Prongs fold out and you simply plug it in the wall (No Cord Mess).

Overall, I'm very satisfied with our purchase.  The video and photo quality are impressive.  I'm not quite sure I'm ready to sell off the camcorder, but I know it will be spending even more time stored at home...
2662087
I upgraded from an old Digital Rebel XT so the differences were like night and day. Still, the 6D will come out on top compared to every higher number body out there, and the 5D Mark II.

Pros:
- The low-light performance on this camera is AMAZING. There is less noise at ISO 25,000 on the 6D than there was at ISO 1600 on my old 350D.
- It can also autofocus (using the cross-type center point) in very low light very quickly. This body is perfect for someone looking to shoot handheld night scenes without the use of a flash.
- The 24-105mm f4L lens is also a star and one of the most versatile lenses on the market.
- Wi-Fi is a really cool and useful feature. I can easily share photos I just snapped through my Android phone. The app lets me save the images (.jpg only) and I can email, or share them across social media.
For the price, it would be hard to find a better lens that works in nearly all situations.

Cons:
Despite these strengths, there are some things I was disappointing with.
- Having only a single cross-type auto-focus point means having to focus and recompose shots. Bodies that are a lot cheaper have more cross focus points, so I don't understand why they didn't include that with the 6D. That being said, the auto-focus does work well enough that this is seldom an issue.
- You cannot enter video mode when Wi-Fi is enabled. This really sucks. I was hoping to be able to use Wi-Fi as a video monitor when filming but I can't. Instead I have to use a PC through the USB connection. What's really annoying is that if you forget Wi-Fi is on, and want to shoot a video, you have to go into the settings and disable it before you can film. They should have at least automatically disabled Wi-Fi when you switch the camera to movie mode.

Neutral:
- GPS is useful in some applications, but I find myself never turning it on.
- It would have been nice to have auto-focus in video. This feature has been showing up in APS-C bodies recently, but hasn't made it to any FF bodies yet.

Overall:
This is a really great camera, and perfect for someone looking to step into the Full Frame world. Unless you can get a great deal on a 5D (Mk. 2 or 3) I'd recommend this camera. If you're fine with APS-C, you might be able to save some money and stick with a 60D, or perhaps a 7D.
3501332
Once I take the time to review & understand more features about the SX130IS, I know we will become inseparable.  This camera is a huge improvement over my previous point & shoots. It's light weight & works as well as the bigger cameras I've used in the past.  The 12.1mp and 12x's optical zoom are incredible.  My photo's have improved in quality 10 x's what I expected.  I even entered one shot in a photo contest.  I'm thrilled with it's ability to focus when I let it.  I tend to get excited & shoot without properly focusing, but even the majority of those have come out better than I hoped.  It has allowed me to capture some really good shots of my grand kids who can be a constantly moving target. Shooting a still images is even better than kids, just not as entertaining sometimes.  Using a 1 to 10 rating scale...I rate my abilities at 7 and the camera at 10+. I'm thoroughly enjoying the learning curve. My next step is to gain a better understanding some of the lighting vs flash nuances. Bottom line: Great purchase for intermediate users & perfect companion to the bigger bulkier much more expensive cameras!  Love it!
2008904
I absolutely love these cameras. They look great, they are tiny, they take great video, and durable as heck.

Let me start off by saying that the screen on this particular camera is not 2" like the description says.  My other cameras are, but this one is weird in that where the 2" screen should be, there is just a tiny little screen, maybe 1.25" or so, check the attached pictures to see what I am talking about.

This camera takes great quality video when set above 720P. It may not be as stable as a GoPro, but it's barely noticeable, if you notice it at all. The colors are very bright and crisp, and the low light shots look just as good as most other action cameras.

This camera does seem to take a little bit longer than some others when it comes to focusing, especially when there is a bright backlight. but even that is a small price to pay when you actually compare this to a $300 GoPro camera. There is just no way for me to be able to justify spending that kind of money on an action camera unless I was doing it as a business and I was making money. Since I am not I will stick to these kinds of cameras, and be totally pleased with them.

P.S. for some reason this particular camera came with a charger that was designed for use outside of the United States, so it was useless to me. Not a big deal, just thought I would throw it into the review.

I would definitely recommend this camera to anyone that is looking for an action camera, but doesn't want to spend a whole bunch of money for one.

I received this product free or at a discount in exchange for my fair and honest review.
3343301
UPDATE: 9/6/15: What is it with battery life on any action camera? Taken this thing out a couple more times and keeping it in highest quality mode and last use only allowed me 45 minutes of shooting. Going to have to hook it back up to a backup battery and on the look out for a 3rd party battery for it. Otherwise, video still coming out great, lots of fun action shots and have not had any problem with GPS connectivity or connectivity to iPhone. Keeping it at 5 stars since battery issues seem to be a problem for a lot of cameras and the end product with this thing is still great.

ORIGINAL REVIEW:
I am very impressed with this camera. I have taken it out a couple of times already and have not had any difficulty getting a GPS lock, exactly what I would expect from one of the leaders in GPS equipment. The video it shot in 1080p at 30fps was sharp and putting the gauges on the video was super easy using the free software. I came from a contour camera to this and the difference is night and day. Didn't require that I format my SD card and just uploaded my video with intuitive editing software. Very nice and a massive change from contour, which hit or miss would even recognize the camera! The only con so far is that the little quick start manual is pretty useless. It takes a little bit of toying around with it to figure out all the tricks this compact thing can perform. Looking to putting it through the tests on the mountain bike and hopefully in the water soon. Unlike the other reviewer, I was able to find all the mounts I needed for this quickly on Amazon and Garmin's website. Will update as I get a bit more experience with it!
1840582
I really love it!!! I have never owned one of these action cameras before this one and did not want to spend the money on a name brand version.  I was not sure how much use I would get out of it and to my surprise I keep finding places to put it. The video from this camera is amazing, clear and very smooth with incredible detail. I used it recently for 9 days on a boat trip swap batteries and sd cards repeatedly and on some of the mounting positions I chose there were high vibrations but you could not tell from the pictures. I am using 64gb micro sd cards class 10 with great results. The menu system on the camera is very easy to navigate and they have a manual available online (if you lose yours) for easy reference. I would recommend this small but powerful camera to everyone and all of the included accessories have worked flawlessly!
Update: The camera is still working great but I wanted to make some changes to suit a project I wanted to use this camera for so I sent a message to Geekpro for some advice. To my surprise they responded guickly and with a great deal of knowledge about their product.  I thought it was great to find this is not a fly by night company but a professional and courteous company to deal with!  If you are thinking about buying one of these go for it you will not be disappointed.
2052305
Compared to the popular GoPro, this s a real bargain for an action camera.  It's small and compact for full adjustment for a multitude of mounts for head and chest or hand (extra purchase - see GoPro site).  The kit in the set comes with two mounts which are permanent stick, so if you have a ski helmet or a bike helmet you can mount these and simply slide the camera housing into the slot.

The quality is surprising.  You DO need to buy an extra micro SD card that snaps easily into the side of the camera.  This can then be retrieved and plugged into your computer for playback and editing (the camera comes with a small CD with editing tools). It is easier than Windows Movie Maker.  The camera charges in about an hour or more and playback is about 2 hours, depending on much button use you play with.  The camera can be set to single shot or video.  The settings menu is intuitive and there is a beep that helps to tell you that you are progressing through functions.  The playback screen is a little less than 1-1/2" by 1" and is color.  To play with the settings you do have to take it out of the housing.  You can pause, record, fast-forward, go slow-motion, and playback.

While in the housing, you can turn it On/Off and choose between single photo or video.  This is a sturdy little camera and while using action moves, the stability is surprising.  No jerkiness or blurriness.  The 170-degree fish lens is not annoying nor produces much distortion.  It captures a large area of action.

Most obvious uses are for action like skydiving or bicycling.  However, skiing and SCUBA are also great, considering that there is a waterproof housing seal.  Note that this gasket must be free of dirt, sand or hairs when diving (it's good for well past PADI's 130 feet) as that can cause leakage.  When diving, you need to hand-hold it, which makes sense, and you don't need your hands anyway.

Playback on your flat screen TV is excellent (with a larger memory Micro SD card) and the sound is respectable.  I use a HDMI cable from my computer to my receiver or you could download to YOUTUBE, but you lose quality.
268216
This camera is far from awesome, the image stabilization works great, the low light videos looks great, the touchscreen works perfectly and the UI is way better than the GoPro. My brother has the GoPro hero 4 silver and the yi 4k was better in all aspects and for the price, its a best buy you can make if you want a action camera. I'll be leaving for vacation soon to Cancun and will update this review with photos so that you can see how go this camera is!
3853595
I was waiting for the 5d mark III successor to come out, but so far nothing but rumors of what it will be and when it will come out, so I took the plunge and bought this.  This is an upgrade from a canon 70D that I used for shooting indoor high school fast action sports.  Stepping up to this full frame made a huge difference in photo quality.  I was expecting "much better"  and found what I got was beyond that and my expectations.  I usually used fixed 2.8 (70-200) lenses and shoot wide open aperatures.  Everything about this is better than the 70D, except I saccrificed 1 FPS in burst mode.  I am just an amateur with barely 2 years experience, but find my photos now easily rival those taken by and sold at the venues by the pros.  My local newspapers are giving me media credentials to go and shoot for them as I gain experience.  Bottom line, this camera does not disappoint in meeting my goal of shooting great action photos in poorly lit venues.  I am shooting in manual, with 1/500 shutter speeds, f/2.8 and my iso (camera set to auto iso) is rarely above 3000 in worst cases, and usually 1500 or less.  Beads of sweat on athletes faces clearly visible (70-200 lens zoomed in) on subjects 40+ feet away.  I do realize Nikon has more cameras that outperform this is ISO tests/ratings, and for somewhat less money, but after buying the 70D first, I committed a lot of money to good canon lenses and just didn't want to sell everything canon I have and start over with Nikon.
2693355
I bought this camera primarily for shooting YouTube videos of tricking and parkour.  After years of salivating over DSLRs, and reading dozens of reviews, and trying to understand the technical specs, I chose the 60D for several reasons.

1) Price.  It is affordable, and becoming more so.  As I write this review, it's dropped ~$70 since I bought it a couple weeks ago.  I'm still happy with my purchase.  Not only is the 60D a good value, but the EF lenses that cropped-sensor DSLRs use are also generally more affordable than their full-frame counterparts.

2) Durability.  The "build quality" of the 60D is what separates it from the T3i and other Rebel models, for me.  This was truly the selling point.  There is less plastic and more metal on this camera.  Deathklok would be proud.  I know that I'm going to take this on cross-country flights, road trips, hiking trips, beach adventures, and more.  It's not bullet proof, but a little extra resistance to moisture and the elements is worth it for how I'm going to use it.

3) Versatility.  I'm going to use this camera to make YouTube videos to share my progress in my sport, and to promote my gym.  The fact that it's a high quality camera means I can also use it for snapshots of friends, marketing photos for the website, action shots of events at the gym, head shots of my employees, etc.  Using different lenses I can get into all kinds of fun stuff: wildlife photography, macro photography, perhaps even astrophotography (though the 60Da is better for that).  I can add microphones, separate flashes, mount it on a Glidecam, or a tripod, etc.  It is upgradeable and useful in a variety of situations.

4) It's an "industry standard."  After talking to a lot of people who make awesome parkour and tricking videos, Canon DSLRs in general are the cameras of choice.  If you're looking for a camera for wedding photography, vacation photos, or whatever else, ask people who do that what camera they like.  Fifty million Elvis fans can't be wrong.  If they're all using Nikons, and have good reasons why, then get a Nikon, or a Pentax, or whatever.

Okay, that said, I have only been using it for a few weeks.  It is definitely going to take me awhile to learn how to use this camera to it's fullest.  I have however taken a few pictures and videos already that I am very happy with.  The resolution is clear, the autofocus in photo mode is great, and the controls are easy to use once I have learned them.  I am pretty much a noob, so if I can do it, you can do it.

In summation:
1) Get this camera
2) Do backflips
3) PROFIT!
3097208
When you factor in all the characteristics of this camera: size, ease of use, image quality, durability, and the greatly reduced price as it is the 2012 model (I bought it new in 2013, for less than 200) it is clearly a real winner. In fact, in some ways it is a better design than the latest Cybershot TX model. The images produced will not stand up to a DSLR, but will give you a picture that is far superior to your smartphone. You have limited manual control, but you can always adjust the basics (flash on or off, exposure compensation, white balance), and if you experiment a little with all of the preset scene controls such as 'handheld twilight', 'fast motion', etc. you can get great results. Those scene controls may at first seem like silly gimmicks for someone (such as myself) who also shoots with a DSLR and high quality prime lenses, but with a camera like this you need to embrace the gimmicks to get good results. I've been very impressed by the cameras abilities in low light situations. It also shoots amazingly good video for such a small device.