[Rat3d ///M]

I hope this is a good place for this, and I can get some help. I am looking for people who are very familiar with GoPros and the differences between each model.

I currently have a GoPro Hero (the original). I have had it for maybe 4 years? Picked it up used and shot some sport bike and a few car videos with it (mostly sport bike related). I am looking to add a newer GoPro to it, to shoot some car videos.

Here is the setup I want to obtain:

1 GoPro mounted to the front windshield for a front view, 1 GoPro mounted to the back window facing the rear for a rear view, and an external microphone running outside to the back bumper to catch the exhaust sound. This setup would be used for the track. I also want something for filming other types of automotive videos, mainly of group drives/cruises, and other videos of the sort (with the camera mounted outside the car).

That said, I planned to use my current GoPro as my "rear view" camera, and muting the sound (since the original Hero has horrible sound). That would leave me needing another GoPro for the windshield, one which would need to have an external mic input. This GoPro would be used for capturing the sound of any videos I shoot (most likely using an external mic 100% of the time). Since the original Hero doesn't have an external mic input, another Hero is out of the question. That leaves me with the Hero 2, 3, 3+ or 4.

Now my specific questions are:

1. I understand the Hero 3 White Edition has the same 5mp sensor as the Hero, everything after the Hero all have external mic inputs, the newer GoPro's have fancy features, and everything starting with the Hero 2 was upgraded (with the exception of the White Edition) to an 11mp sensor. Other than that, I don't know anything about the newer GoPro's. So, for what I want to do, what GoPro do you recommend? I am afraid the Hero 3, 3+ and 4 just have more features over the Hero 2 that I will never use, but are otherwise basically the same camera. Is there any reason for me to spend the extra money on the Hero 4, or even the Hero 3/3+, or would the Hero 2 work just fine for me?

2. How about the quality of the external mic input on the Hero 2? Is it inferior compared to the newer GoPros? I want to make sure whatever external mic I plug into it will be able to relay good sound quality to the camera. If the external mic input on the Hero 2 is garbage, that is a good reason for me to consider the Hero 3 or 4.

Any advice you guys can give is appreciated. I know this was a long post, just trying to get an idea of whether the Hero 2 will work for me and I can save a few bucks, or if I should absolutely (for whatever reason) go for the Hero 3 or 4.

[TrevorM3]

1000 views and nothing? i was looking for info on this as well.
sheesh..

[Rat3d ///M]

^My thoughts exactly. No one here has experience with the different GoPro models?

[P1]

Trying to keep up with all the different versions of the GoPro is a mental breakdown. Just buy the latest/best ones you can afford. That's the easy answer.

[stevel123]

I just purchased the Hero 4 silver and it is spectacular.
I looked the Hero 4 black which is a great camera but I dont have any 4K TV so seems a waste to get a camera that is focused on the 4K market.
Get a Hero 4 silver ....

[Parise2713]

Hey think I might be a little late to this thread. Thought that I would at least try to help here a little bit. Honesty, they are all very similar. From the hero to the newest hero 4 black they all shoot in 1080p. I've run a few different ones between mine and a few fiends and they all record very very similar. The fact that anything after the first comes out of the case is very convenient. Not really a huge issue but it makes life a little easier. The newer ones usually just have little upgrades such as new button features and little things like that. None of these are too crazy. The newer cameras usually take better pictures because the megapixels have gone up. The first camera shot 5mp and the newest is shooting 12mp. I'm not too up on the microphones so I can't help too much there. I do work at a ski shop in the winters though so I do get a pretty nice discount on them. If you'd be interested I could definitely look into it for you. You could probably get two suction cup mounts and put the one on your windshield and mount the other on the back of the car. Without a mic most exhausts sound the same so one would be nice. I've been thinking about getting one also so I'm going to continue looking into them. If I find anything I'll let you know. Sorry it's a little late but thought that I would share. Have you bought anything yet?