Currently my only problem is that
the WI-FI range on the HERO3 Black does not seem to be as good as it was on my HERO2. On two different Black cameras it
will not maintain sync while connected to my kite that is a fixed 23M away. I'll get a connection initially and then it quickly goes away. This has happened on two different cameras in both cold and warm climates.
I'd like to know if anyone else has this problem as the fixed distance should be unique to kiters (and is the main reason for using the remote!)
On my HERO2 w/ the WI-FI backpac the remote sync was solid until the battery died.
The battery life on the HERO3 is worse than on the HERO2. It is likely better if you keep wifi turned off. I have the external battery bacpack which increases the battery life and basically makes the slimmer HERO3 about as thick as the HERO2. It's too bad they didn't just put a bigger battery in the HERO3...it'd still be smaller and would cover one of the most common complaints on the camera.
This is why the remote is so critical to kiteboarding operation. It is obviously not easy to change the battery of the camera or select different modes when it is attached to your kite. With the remote I used to be able to switch the camera OFF when I didn't want to be filming and save it for better light or kiting situations. This let me film my entire session...but only the parts I cared about.
When I first bought the camera I had significant problems with it and very slow customer support from GoPro...who clearly rushed the thing into production before the holidays. They have since replaced my camera and it works fine.
The image quality is excellent and, if anything, I'm not figuring out the best way to import these hi-res videos into FinalCutPro X and have them exported to compressor and still look nice. I guess I have a lot to learn there. The 1080P videos export great but my 2.7K videos export to 1080P with a significant loss of clarity. That's my problem, not GoPro's.
Finally, the WI-FI button is very sensitive. When I travel with the camera I have to now remove the battery. On several occasions the button has gotten hit and turned on the WI-FI...and then I arrive at my location with a dead battery.