The First GoPro Was This 35mm Film Camera
When you think of GoPro, you probably picture a neat, compact digital action camera, but the original GoPro was actually a 35mm film camera. Here’s a 7-minute video by Thirty Five Studio that takes a look at the camera and shows what it can do.
“I figured there must be an easier way to carry and use a camera, so I came up with the Hero design,” said Woodman on a TV sales channel when first promoting his product.
So the first GoPro product was actually the “Ultimate Camera Strap,” and was a device that fixed cameras onto the wrist. Here’s Woodman with his first prototype:
But the camera didn’t live up to his expectations. Not being able to rely on a shop-bought camera, Woodman turned his attention to creating something more robust. After a couple of years spent looking for the best camera for the job, Woodman eventually wired $5,000 over to a factory in China that built the first GoPro Hero camera back in 2004.
The camera was on sale from 2004 through 2006 for just $20, and it cost just $3 to produce in China. You can still buy this original GoPro camera on eBay, but now it’ll cost you around $40.