GoPros
- and action cameras in general - scream production value. From their
tiny form factor to their svelte profile, the GoPro can be put in places
other cameras simply cannot. It is meant to live - and thrive - in
harm’s way. Few other cameras can boast this.
Heck, think about
what a GoPro can do that no other camera could think about doing for the
same cost even just a few years ago. It can be securely mounted to a handlebar, drone, skateboard, surfboard, hang-glider, parachutist, dog, truck, car, chest, wrist, head, helmet…pretty close to anything we come into contact on a daily basis can have a GoPro mounted to it.
This means footage from perspectives we couldn’t capture before, or at least not as well.
The near-indestructible housing for the camera means it can plunge to the depths of the ocean, thrown across a football field, or placed in the path of a car to shoot underneath as it passes.
Today’s drone craze has added another great use case for the diminutive pocket shooters.
So, what about when we want something a little different than those options? What else is there?
Well, this writer was lucky enough to come across a handful of products from Santa Barbara accessory company, Polar Pro Filters.
While their business originally focused on custom filters for GoPro
cameras, their lineup soon expanded to include accessories, mounts,
mics, poles and cases. Their filter business also grew to accommodate
the influx of small drone cameras from companies such as DJI.
While we didn’t test out their filters, we got our hands on the NoShow Waterproof GoPro Extension Pole and a set containing the ProGrip and StrapMount devices.
To start, the NoShow Waterproof GoPro Extension Pole is a high-quality extendable aluminum pole that can hold a GoPro extended anywhere from 14 to 38 inches.
The 8 ounce telescoping pole comes with an
extender tip as well, to elevate the camera somewhat, so the pole won’t
show nearly as much when shooting selfies. A rubberized handle keeps the
NoShow firmly in grip, even when taking it on deep dives. A handy wrist
leash ensures that a drop doesn’t mean saying goodbye to a HERO4
either.
Over the course of our testing, the NoShow proved every bit as
durable - and useful - as Polar Pro purported it to be. It was
particularly handy for getting shots that would normally be tricky when
out in the field. Shooting passing cars or capturing a game of frisbee
is actually far more interesting when the camera is capturing from above
the action.
The telescoped sections screwed tight and held well
in place while we ran around, swam and generally abused our action
camera gear, and the NoShow held up as well as the GoPro. At $50, this
is a definite addition to our adventuring gear kit.
The setup
Polar Pro calls The Combo came with two products: the StrapMount and the
ProGrip. The StrapMount is a svelte device designed to attach to a
backpack or bag strap, while the ProGrip is a grip handle for a GoPro.
Interestingly, the ProGrip can attach to the StrapMount to keep both
devices securely attached to a backpack, scuba bcd, or strap. This keeps
the ProGrip handy to quickly grab and shoot with, and when done, it
simply locks back into the StrapMount. Brilliant.
On their own the
devices are unique and useful. The StrapMount might seem like simply a
utility, but think of all of the straps in your life and what a cool
perspective they could provide if an action camera was attached to one.
The
ProGrip is a different beast altogether. While it appears to simply be a
sturdy rubberized grip for hand-held GoPro shooting, there is more to
it than meets the eye. That grip makes the device floatable, and opens
up to provide dry storage for 2 extra batteries. The grip can also house
GoPro’s remote control and holds it in a perfect spot for thumb
operation.
In our testing, we enjoyed the ability to get stable
shots out of a car window at speed. We tested the device for a trucking
client, and by holding the grip securely against the window frame of our
car we got dramatic passing shots that would’ve otherwise been
impossible to capture without wild shake.
We also enjoyed that we
could put the StrapMount on a belt or bag strap and then attach our
ProGrip to it, meaning that a GoPro was always less than an arm’s length
away.
The Combo is also $50, and, in this writer’s opinion, is also a no-brainer for the adventure kit.
By Russel Fairley
Digital Video Expert
