I recorded a concert almost 3 weeks ago using 4 cameras. I had 1 Canon HV40 in the balcony capturing to a laptop. I had 1 Sony handheld, don't know model offhand, recording to internal SD. Then I had 2 GeekPro action cameras on stage. 1 of the GeekPros was mine and 1 was borrowed. I had 1 pointed at the drummer and 1 on a lighting rig on stage right. I also recorded audio from the back with a Tascam recorder and had a soundboard line going to a laptop by the mixer.
Now I have synced together video and audio from numerous types of sources many times in the past. I've used SD and HD. Tape and solid state. It's not something new to me and I've never had any real issues before. I've used Sony Vegas Pro for years.
This project proved to be ridiculously difficult though. The Canon and Sony cameras acted just as I expected. The Canon captured 1 large file and I had to change batteries on the Sony so I had 2 segments. For each of them I used a camera flash to line them up and sync was dead on. I didn't have any major complications syncing both external audio tracks to that either. For a long event I always experience a very small drift toward the end of the audio tracks and can easily adjust it.
No for the GeekPro cameras. These don't record 1 continuous file. They split the files at certain intervals. The drum cam split it every 5 minutes and the other I think at 15 or 20 minutes. The splits weren't seamless either. For the 5 minute segments I'd line one up and it might be a few frames off. Then the split would be missing numerous frames so there's a small gap between files. Sometimes there would be a few duplicated frames so the 2 segments overlap a little. The longer segments from the other camera would sometimes drift off toward the end like audio does. So I'd use a camera flash as a visual cue and adjust it. I failed to mention the audio was so muddy on those I couldn't use it as a reference most of the time.
I know some might ask why I had this pieced together hodge podge of equipment. Most of it was borrowed. The Canon and 1 GeekPro are mine. I borrowed the Tascam recorder and Sony camera from one person and the other GeekPro from another. I used to have more equipment myself but went a long time without using it so I got rid of several things. I only did it because I know some of the band members and I like them. This was their 40th anniversary show. Plus it was done as a benefit for the Make a Wish foundation so we were all there for a good cause and a good time. They raised a bunch of money and everyone enojoyed the night.
So have any of you tried any of the GoPro knock off brands, or even actual GoPros for that matter, in live music settings where you synced them with other angles from different sources? I may or may not do something like this again and I'd like to look at other options. If there are other action cams in the same price range that do a good job and are not expensive I might invest in a couple. The SJ4000 action cam is another popular clone. If it would sync normally I might get a couple of those.
Here's a sample of the finished product to give an example of what the little ones look like:
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=dBuVEyRo86c