Last week we filmed an amateur football cup match and decided to use what we call belt and braces by having a GoPro 7 behind one goal area and a DJI Osmo Action behind the other goal area.
Both cameras were powered by internal batteries with a constant power feed from the USB -C port via a 5000mAh external battery, to make sure that lasted 90 minutes.
All went to plan till half time when I decided to check the Osmo Action. I had tie wrapped it onto a metal fence which was about 6ft high. I tried to reconnect it via my iPhone but would not connect so I pressed the power button by mistake, remembering it was above eye level and I had never used the camera before.
The match stopped for only 5 minutes at half time rather than the usual 15 minutes so caught me on the hop. I had no time to check the GoPro 7.
The match ended 3-1 all the goals coming in the second half I used my GH5S with the Olympus 12-100mm f4 lens (24-200 35mm equivalent) to capture the highlights and fortunately all four goals.
At the end of football match we had the full first half recorded on the DJI Osmo Action (No goals in this half) and 35s of footage on the GoPro Hero 7. I have no idea what happened to the Hero 7 but conducting a test the next day it was fine.
Today I tested the GoPro 7 with its internal battery and it runs for 1hr and 12mins (72m) that would have been one battery per side of football but that would have meant removing the camera from its housing which I preferred not to do as showers were forecast that afternoon. Remember I was using an external power supply. (This means the GoPro was inside a plastic bag to protect the power socket from rain).
The DJI Osmo Action which I have only one internal battery runs for 1hr 7mins (67m) so I had no option but to use an external USB battery supply powering the camera via the USB to USB-C cable.
Its very annoying when new technology lets you down. This is a video I produced during 2016 using two GoPro Hero 4 cameras with a constant USB power feed recording for six months. (Footage was offloaded every week).
I’m sorry to hear about your struggles. I too run multiple cameras and this year I had equipment fail on a number of occasions. None of them were critical but all were very aggravating. Redundancy is my friend.
Bit unfair on the Go Pro when it was clearly user error!
You admit to screwing up the Osmo so why could you have not screwed up the Go Pro
I use two Go Pro 7 for back up in most wedding ceremony rooms, set to 2.7 and not 4k one gets a nice straight picture, no curves to remove in post. Never been a problem and both are powered externally, on one I even run a monitor at eye level so I know what is recorded. I know you sold one as it was beyond you, maybe you are getting a little old, I’m in my 70’s and still going well, mostly!
Good luck with the new 8 when it is released.