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Wanted a GoPro - Bought a FITFORT instead.

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    Wanted a GoPro - Bought a FITFORT instead.

    I've wanted an action camera for a while now. I want to film hunts and fishing trips.

    A few years ago, a friend loaned me his GoPro. I don't know what version it was, but I found it more difficult to use than I anticipated. Maybe it's just me. I had a hard time getting the modes I wanted to use right. I'm hoping that's not all similar cameras. I need someone to walk me though it, I guess.

    Last year, I tried twice to film hunts with my wife's little Sony video camera. The first time, the battery lasted 5 minutes and died before anything really got into frame (nothing I was going to shoot anyway). So I ensured I had the larger battery fully charged before the next trip. That one lasted about 15 minutes from fully charged to dead. I guess we just didn't keep up with ensuring those batteries stayed charged (lesson learned).

    So I've been eyeing the GoPro Hero 5 Black for a while now. Last year, they were going for about $350 or more, plus accessories you had to buy, etc... This year, they are on sale in a lot of places for about $250, so I was going to purchase soon.

    But then I started reading reviews. Whew! Glad I waited. Although there are plenty of good reviews, the bad are REALLY bad - New cameras not coming on or staying on, not "waterproof without a housing to 33 feet" as advertised (snorkelers going down just a few feet said the unit leaked and died), and the worst - that their Customer Service sucked - very bad.

    So I was looking elsewhere (here and a few others places) for more reviews and started seeing people recommending a "much cheaper alternative" - the "FITFORT Action Camera". Talk about much cheaper! Like $210 cheaper! On Amazon - $40.99 for the camera, attachments, case, two batteries, etc.... Free shipping with Prime. Reviews say it "feels cheap, but works very well", and for a "beginner action camera", it's perfect.

    I figured what the heck. My in-laws had recently given me a $25 Amazon gift card, and I don't order stuff on Amazon often - so it seemed like the perfect way to enjoy the gift - try out something new that I've wanted for a long time.

    After using the card, my total came to $15.99. Even if it turns out to not be some great camera, I'm out $16 at most! And from the reviews, it sounds like exactly what I need - an inexpensive camera that does a very good job of recording action adventures. I can't wait to try it out!

    All the best,
    Glenn

    #2
    Let us know how it works out sounds like a good deal.

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      #3
      Originally posted by forest-hunter View Post
      Let us know how it works out sounds like a good deal.
      Will do.
      All the best,
      Glenn

      Comment


        #4
        Interested in this as well. In for update

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          #5
          Following to see how it works for you. I tabled my GoPro purchase after hearing so many bad things.....mostly a slow wifi connection and a short distance remote for me wanting a reverse angle usage....and then short battery life.

          Comment


            #6
            I bought a used gopro a few years ago. It's never worked well. I hate it.

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              #7
              I just got the Apemam a80 from Amazon for $49. 4k-20meg wifi controlled by a app om my phone. So far it looks great.

              Hoggslayer

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                #8
                Wow. It ain't no high end camera.... and it's made in China.... but definitely worth what I paid for it, and probably a lot more. It came with two fully charged batteries, so I didn't have to wait to use it. Nice padded carrying case, remote, waterproof protection box, tons of attachments, instructions, cleaning cloth, directions to download the app to control it with my iPhone, etc...

                The GoPro I borrowed a while back was too difficult to figure out. This one was a piece of cake. Easy as can be - I had it all formatted, sound turned off, date and time set, etc... in no time at all. That alone impressed the heck out of me - VERY easy to operate and set up.

                The little instruction sheet they gave with it was small and generic, but if you actually look at it and read it, you will probably find that it gives you all of the information you need to start using your camera quickly.

                Pictures showed which accessories did what. Better than an explanation - I got pictures to guide me! Ha!

                I feel like a little kid at Christmas. I have to head to Best Buy in a few minutes, because like a dummy, I didn't look closely at my current SD cards. I was thinking they were the ones with the micro card insert. They are not. They are the regular sized SD cards. The small micro SD cards I do have are so small in capacity, all I can do is take pictures with them. I need a much larger micro SD to check out the video function, but I'm betting I'm going to like it.

                So off to Best Buy I go to buy a large capacity micro SD to start recording!

                I'll post an update once I get a good feel for the recording capabilities and quality, but so far, I'm very happy with the purchase.

                Oh yeah... there was a piece of paper in there promising to send me two spare batteries and a charger if I review it on Amazon - That's going to happen.

                All the best,
                Glenn

                Comment


                  #9
                  Inside-the-house video quality is excellent. I'll have to see how it does in the sun / outdoors. Taking it fishing and then to the shooting range to see how it does, and see how far the remote works outdoors and how long the batteries / card lasts.

                  All the best,
                  Glenn

                  Comment


                    #10
                    Originally posted by Hoggslayer View Post
                    I just got the Apemam a80 from Amazon for $49. 4k-20meg wifi controlled by a app om my phone. So far it looks great.

                    Hoggslayer



                    How far can the camera be to controlled via wifi?. This is the main thing holding me back. I want to be able to use it for reverse angles or up close turkey hunts over decoys

                    Comment


                      #11
                      I'll check out the distance tomorrow when I'm playing with it.

                      Hoggslayer

                      Comment


                        #12
                        Originally posted by Hoggslayer View Post
                        I'll check out the distance tomorrow when I'm playing with it.

                        Hoggslayer



                        Cool...I just need about 15-20 yards..

                        Comment


                          #13
                          Originally posted by Smart View Post
                          How far can the camera be to controlled via wifi?. This is the main thing holding me back. I want to be able to use it for reverse angles or up close turkey hunts over decoys
                          I would think for reverse angles you would need a remote with a little screen like the one Sony makes. Looks good but expensive. I’m gonna try to pull off a RA kill this year.

                          In for this. Thx guys

                          Comment


                            #14
                            Originally posted by laredoarcher View Post
                            I would think for reverse angles you would need a remote with a little screen like the one Sony makes. Looks good but expensive. I’m gonna try to pull off a RA kill this year.

                            In for this. Thx guys
                            Thats how the app works on the phone.

                            Hoggslayer

                            Comment


                              #15
                              Originally posted by Hoggslayer View Post
                              Thats how the app works on the phone.

                              Hoggslayer
                              Ah cool. I will definitely check out. Thx Man

                              Comment

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