Put me in Coach, I’m ready to record.
How do I record baseball games for my kid? How do I mount a GoPro camera to a fence? How do I keep my GoPro camera from overheating? How do I extend the recording time of my GoPro? What is the best memory card for recording at high temperatures? Below are my recommendations to get up and recording. Check out the HEAT!!! page and how to combat overheating. Check out the software page to see how to use and setup the camera for the best chances of success. And check out the blog posts to see what I’ve built to achieve the maximum quality possible.
I started with a Hero 4 Silver in the summer of 2019 (released Sept 2014) but wanted to get better quality. And let me tell you, all 4K cameras are not created equal. The 4K video coming out of the Hero 8 (released Oct 2019) vs the Hero 4 Silver is night and day. The Hero 4 can shoot at 4K and 15fps. The Hero 8 can do 4K at 60fps. And whether it’s an upgraded sensor or software or both, a lot has improved over 5 years. I’ve been using a GoPro Hero 8 for about a year now. As of this writing the GoPro Hero 9 is available and can record in 5K quality at 30fps. For more on settings and what it all means, click over to the software page
There are plenty of micro SD cards on the market, and some are better than others. The GoPro records directly onto the card so if you want to record high quality you need a fast card with high throughput. I have used the SanDisk Extreme 256 GB, I have used the SanDisk 128GB Memory-Card for Nintendo-Switch and I have used the Samsung EVO Select 256GB but my absolute favorite is the SanDisk Extreme PRO 128GB micro SD card. All of these cards are on the approved list from GoPro’s website. I just find in the real world some are more reliable than others. Head over to the HEAT!!! page to find out why I say reliability on some is better than others.
I have bought a half dozen power banks of different shapes and sizes. I chose the 26000 mAh Solar Power bank to run the camera. It has two USB out ports and a micro USB & USB-C input for quick charging. I can get multiple weekends out of this battery before needing recharging. This one was not available when I wrote this so look for one with a large capacity, rugged and weatherproof for outdoor use, and one that a carabineer can be attached to so it can also hang from the fence. Something like this. I actually use 3 battery packs in total, one for the camera and two for the fans. The blog has more details about the fans.
One of the few products that I recommend to protect your investment is the Ulanzi G8-7 Battery Cover door that has a pass-thru for the USB-C cable in case you want to keep the camera as rain and dust resistant as possible. On the blog I show you what I’ve built and I actually stopped using a battery door all together but this is still in the bag for those really dusty infields.
Another good investment for any device with a screen is screen protectors. The Kupton Screen Protector for GoPro Hero 8 Black is made from Ultra Clear Tempered Glass. Come with 2 of each for the front screen, the back screen, and the lens.
The nice thing about GoPro cameras is the accessories and mounts are universal from one model to the next and can be acquired pretty inexpensively. The Neewer 50-In-1 Action Camera Accessory Kit has a lot of nice pieces to get you started with mounting your rig to any surface, including yourself.
Batteries are the same for the GoPro 5, 6, 7, & 8 model. The Hero 9 has changed size and capacity. I got this cheap pack thinking I could get one full game out of a single battery then swap in a fresh one before game 2. That turned out to not be the case, but I still like the Vemico Battery Hero 1500mah Replacement Batteries (2 Pack) as a recharging station for the original battery that came in the camera or to have extra batteries for those times I’m not recording baseball. The one pictured here (orange) has 3 slots for batteries and comes with 2 extra so you can charge all 3 of the batteries simultaneously.
The bottom set for the Hero 9 comes with 3 batteries and 3 slots so you’ll have to still charge one battery on board the camera.
I love the Kupton Aluminum Alloy Case and all the features it has. One: it’s made out of aluminum so its durable, lightweight, and doesn’t retain heat. Two: it has the feet on the bottom to connect to any stand or mount. And three: it has 2 cold shoes to mount any accessory you may want. In my case, I use the cold shoe to attach the camera to my makeshift baseball game fence mount. More about that on the blog.
***Update: Kupton stopped selling the aluminum case for the Hero 8 once the Hero 9 was released so the link and photo will take you to the Hero 9 page. ***
The cameras all come with a USB-C cable in the box but I like to have dedicated cables for game day that way I’m never without one. I’ve always had great luck with Anker products in the past and will continue to promote their cables and devices. This 3 pack ensures you never leave home without one.