Playa Buye Throwback - Cabo Rojo, Puerto Rico

Taking A Gamble With A GoPro

After procrastinating for months, I finally decided to bite the bullet, and ordered a used GoPro Hero9 Black on Ebay. The pictures that were included with the ad shows a camera in what appears to be pristine condition. I realize I may regret this purchase, especially after reading so many complaints about the newer cameras. And it doesn't help that my old trusty GoPro Hero4 Silver has been reliable throughout the years. But, sometimes in life I guess we have to take a gamble.

The reason for this sudden decision is twofold:

1) My old trusty GoPro Hero4 Silver does not have Linear Mode, Horizon Leveling or Hypersmooth 3.0 stabilization, which I would like to have for my motorcycle rides. It cannot capture RAW images either.

2) The price was dirt cheap.

The GoPro Hero9 Black camera comes with a charger, two batteries, a SanDisk Extreme 256GB memory card, a case, and several mounts. For now, I am not interested using the MediaMod, since I prefer to use a Zoom recorder with an external microphone. This has been my preferred method to record sound for years.

I plan to use "this new-to-me" camera primarily for some of my basic hobbies like, motorcycle rides, kayaking and snorkeling. Nothing fancy.

Once I put this camera to the test, I'll hope to write an updated review. Never say never, but for now I am not interested in the Insta360 or the DJI Osmo. At least not yet.

GoPro Clickbait Nonsense

Just spent over 12 minutes watching a useless "clickbait" video about GoPro major fatal flaw. The video start by mentioning that since the very beginning, there is a flaw in every single GoPro camera ever made. 

To put this blog post in context, for the last several weeks I've been seriously considering upgrading my Gopro and getting a GoPro Hero13; the one with all the new bells and whistles. Which is why I decided to watch this video. Don't get me wrong, there is nothing wrong with my GoPro Hero4 Silver. It works flawlessly during snorkeling, kayaking and motorsports.

The fatal flaw is not even mentioned until the last few seconds of the video that I just watched. It took him 12 minutes to get to the point. During the first 2 seconds, he could've just said that the fatal flaw about GoPro is the overheating and be done with it. Not to mention, the video also included a sponsored ad about some product unrelated to GoPro. 

I guess this is the new norm. Content creators with professional looking videos, and lots of ads and blah content. All fluff, no real answer to their own question.

GoPro Hero 12 - Release Date

The 2023 GoPro Hero 12 action camera is expected to be released Sept 6th. I am not holding my breath expecting new updates.

Besides, for the type of extreme abuse I put through my GoPro Hero 4, taking underwater photos and videos, and recording my motorcycle onboard rides I am very happy with it. My (3) GoPro Hero 4's were released 2014. So far, my action camera had been trouble-free. Knock on wood.

Es Hora De Tomar Unas Vacaciones

La playa me llama, el cuerpo me pide unas vacaciones. No creo que voy a esperar que me llegue el pasaporte para disfrutar unos dias de sol y playa. Hay tantos destinos a donde ir, que lo unico que necesito es seleccionar los dias, comprar el pasaje e irme a viajar.

En estos dias he estado pensando en cuatro lugares en especifico, Puerto Rico, Belize, Monument Valley o Toronto. Eso no incluye los deseos que tengo de ir en la motora hasta Phoenix, California o quizas Mexico. Veremos a ver que finalmente decido, en un par de dias tomare la decision.

Mis Fotos Favoritas En El 2022

Estamos a punto de terminar el 2022. De todas las fotos que he tomado este año, estas son algunas de mis favoritas. 

Ellas incluyen fotos de mi viaje a Paris en enero de este año, y visitas a algunos museos en Francia como el famoso Museo Louvre, la Torre Eiffel, la Torre Montparnasse, el Rio Sena, la Plaza de Trocadero, etc. 

No puedo dejar de incluir fotos de mi primera salida en un Kayak en el Rio Lehigh en Bethlehem, Pensilvania. Pase una buena experiencia en el Kayak, y espero que en mis futuros planes pueda continuar disfrutando este nuevo pasatiempo. 

Tambien este año tuve la oportunidad de participar en mi primera cabalgata en caballo en Rincon, PR. 

Este año fue la primera vez que trate de practicar Snorkeling en la isla de Puerto Rico, usando el Telesin Dome Port para tomar fotos debajo del agua con la camara GoPro Hero. 

New Orleans, Louisiana

Philly Skyline

South Philly Pool Hall

Coney Island Boardwalk

The Pagoda, Reading Pennsylvania

Delaware River Fireworks

Health Center Black Tie Gala

Rockefeller Center, New York City

Underwater Photography

Earlier this year I purchased a Telesin 6" dome port for my GoPro action camera. It is the best investment I've made in terms of underwater GoPro accessories and gear. It is a great option for anyone looking to take 50/50, over under, half underwater half above pictures. I was hoping to put it to the test in the Bahamas this past summer, but went to Puerto Rico instead.

The GoPro dome port surpassed all my expectations. And despite a few glitches here and there, passed the test with flying colors. Here is a sample of some of my first underwater photos ever. Images were taken at two different locations, Buye Beach in Cabo Rojo, and Condado Beach (Playita del Condado) in San Juan. 

Tropical Island

A couple of months ago, I purchased a Telesin Dome Port to use on my GoPro action camera to try to capture 50/50 split or "one under and one above" the water underwater images in one photo. I don't want to jinx it, but this would be a first time for snorkeling, underwater photography, horse riding and night kayaking. 

If during this September trip, the love of my life or I can capture at least one amazing half-half picture, I'll be a happy camper. The planets will need to align big time for this to happen, but I am confident that it can be done. I can't wait for this trip date to arrive. It should be fun.