GoPro Hero 4 Session Review - Best Bang For The Buck Action Cam

GoPro Hero 4 Session

The Best Action Cam on The Market.

GoPro Hero 4 Session

Or the New GoPro Hero 5 Session (Review coming soon!)

1920x1080 @ 60 FPS

1920x1440 @ 30 FPS

Built-in Timelapse

Photo Mode/Wifi

Waterproof without Housing up to 30'

So, you're in the market for an action cam, huh?  I debated this for a while.  Do I get the typical rectangle grey brick everyone carries around? You know, the typical GoPro Hero 4 Black or GoPro Hero 4 Silver types.  Great cameras, don't get me wrong (I'll go over some reasons you might want the "normal" GoPros later on) but I chose the GoPro Hero 4 Session and never looked back.  Let me tell you why. Or the new GoPro Hero 5 Session shoots in 4k!

Size and Color

The GoPro Hero 4 Session is without a doubt the lightest and smallest GoPro on the market.  It is absolutely rugged and waterproof without that silly bulky housing you're accustomed to seeing other GoPros in.  This adds a degree of stealth that the larger GoPro Hero 4 Black can't match with its larger size, weight, and even increased dimensions with its waterproof housing it needs.  The GoPro Hero 4 Session weighs in at 74g -- roughly half the weight of the GoPro Hero 4 Black and Silver Editions.  

Another awesome stealth factor is the camera is black.  It doesn't shout "STEAL ME!" as your typical GoPro might.  You can take this bad boy anywhere and nobody would notice.  You can go extra stealth by covering the top LCD screen in a small patch of gaffer's tape (or electrical tape) and disable the red recording LED in front through the settings via the GoPro App on your smart phone.  Lots of customizability here with the app.  This GoPro has virtually all the functionality its bigger more expensive brothers have but in a smaller package.  

Waterproof 

The GoPro Hero 4 Session is waterproof up to 30' without a housing.  I took this GoPro Snorkeling in Thailand and Indonesia and it never skipped a beat.  Simply press the big record button on top and it starts recording.  Hold it down for 3 seconds and it starts taking a timelapse at customizable intervals. Awesome! And the GoPro Editing Software it comes with stitches it all together automatically--voila!  No need for a stinkin' bulky waterproof case!  If you do take it snorkeling or in the ocean, I highly recommend one of those GoPro Flotation Stick things or your GoPro will end up at the bottom of the ocean. 

USB Charging

The GoPro Hero 4 Session charges via Micro USB.  This means no need to carry around a bulky block charger.  And since there's no LCD screen showing a live image when recording, the battery can last long.  I was able to use my GoPro a full day in Thailand taking videos, timelapses, and photos of course being careful to turn it off when not using it (which it automatically senses and does perfectly) Just be careful of accidental presses.  Which is hard because the buttons are pretty meaty and take some deliberate effort to press.  I carried around a portable USB charging battery pack if I ever needed to charge on the fly.  Perfect!

Mountability

The GoPro Hero 4 Session is low profile and in my opinion is much better than your typical GoPro for mounting on a tripod mount suction cup on your car.  Smaller footprint means less drag and also means more stealthy for a low profile appearance.  Much harder to notice a tiny black cube on a single cup suction mount than a large gray rectangle in a waterproof case.  You can also rotate the GoPro Hero 4 Session in its supplied case and the camera will recognize this and record the correct way--all automatically!  It has dual mics for wind noise cancellation.  

Sample Photo:

Chiang Mai, Thailand.  Took this photo very discreetly using my GoPro Hero 4 Session

Sample Videos:

(Cool suspension video)

Biking around Santa Monica

Video driving around (note this recorded  in lower res--oops) 

At half the cost of the larger GoPro Hero 4 Black and GoPro Hero 4 Silver, I think the GoPro Hero 4 Session is a no-brainer @ $199.  

Why you might want The GoPro Hero 4 Black over the GoPro Hero 4 Session?  Very slight edge in image quality when viewing at full res, water resistant at greater depths (130'+), ability to swap batteries, and built in LCD for composing shots.  Also more rugged with the waterproof case attached.  If you break the session's clear glass (though tough) lens cover, you have to replace it whereas with the larger GoPro, you replace the case. So yeah, it's tougher and can go in deeper water. If you're hardcore, go big. 

Recommended accessories:

GoPro tripod mount -- you'll need this if you want to mount your GoPro on a Tripod or Gorilla Pod or anything using a traditional tripod screw mount.  Get it. It's cheap.

GoPro selfie stick -- I don't use this, but you might want to for your family vacation

GoPro helmet mount -- for you bikers out there

GoPro suction cup mount -- for you car enthusiast/track day junkies.  

I hope you enjoyed my review of the GoPro Hero 4 Session. My review of the GoPro Hero 5 Session is coming soon! I appreciate you guys using my links per above--it helps me earn a tiny percentage when you guys make purchases.  Appreciate it!

For inquiries: e46mango@gmail.com

Mango's recommended BMW E46 Mods/Upgrades/Critical items for under $100--or maybe a little bit more!

SO YOU WANT SOME CHEAP MODS, HUH?

So you're on a budget and want to modify or upgrade your E46, huh?  Well instead of going out and buying angel eyes, some Ed Hardy vinyl wrap for your interior trim, or bike racks you'll never use, how bout you check out these mods?


1) HID/Xenon BULBS

After 12+ years and 100,000 miles your stock BMW Xenon bulbs have degraded to the point where they're putting out less than half their rated lumens output.  The bulbs simply fade.  Check out replacement bulbs made by Philips.  These bulbs are OEM (same one sold at dealers and used by the worlds largest car manufacturers) and are direct replacements for your stock bulbs.  Buy your Philips 85122 D2S bulbs by clicking this link.


2) LED Interior Kit

An LED interior light kit will give your E46 a fresh modern feel and look.  Plus they'll use very little power if you ever accidentally leave your lights on.  Win/win! E46 interior led kit 


3) Rapid USB charger

Your typical cell phone charger has limited output.  A rapid USB car charger will charge your phone twice as fast.  No brainer for when you low on juice. The one linked is the exact model I use. Schoche.


4) WAX, baby

Protect your E46 paint with the same wax Mango uses.  None other than Collinite IW 845.  Used by the US Navy! This is the most durable wax on the market and is VERY easy to work with and provides very durable protection.  Some say it lasts up to two years.  I still wax my cars twice a year anyway. It's fun!


5) Rogue Engineering Shock Mounts

Make shock changes a breeze and protect your shock towers at the same time!  BMW E46 Rogue Engineering shock mounts or cheaper and similar JT Design E46 Shock Mounts were installed on my E46 and it means after you install them, you never have to take apart your trunk to change shocks.  You disassemble them from the bottom.  The shock mounts also serve as reinforcement plates as they sandwich the thin sheet metal of the shock mount tower between two slabs of high-grade aluminum.  Awesome!


6) Front Strut Tower Reinforcement Plates

Self explanatory. Just as above.  E46s very easily mushroom upon pot hole impacts.
BMW E46 Strut Tower Reinforcement Plates are a must on ANY street driven BMW E46.


7) M3 RTABS

Your RTABS are beat to hell after 60,000 miles.  By 30,000 they've become mushy to the point where you don't notice.  They're rubber and like everything else rubber, they break down from exposure and wear.  M3 RTABs are stiffer than stock non-M and provide greater feedback and control at the rear end.  That trailing arm does a lot of work and is the backbone of the E46 rear stability.   You can add E46 RTAB limiters but I never did.


8) M3 Engine and Transmission mounts

Want more response? When you hit the go pedal, rubber gets in the way of how fast you can put the power to the ground.  Get OEM M3 engine mounts for quicker response to your inputs. You can get budget branded M3 engine mounts here.  This is great bang for the buck.  BMW E46 M3 engine and transmission mounts are a direct swap in any E46.


9) Wagner Steamer

I use the Wagner 915 steamer, myself.  And it's one of the best things you can buy for car... or home!  Destroy odor-causing chemicals and years of oil and dead skin that has accumulated in your Bavarian cruiser.  Also great for dirty brake calipers, stubborn stains, etc.  Everyone always asks me how I keep my E46 looking new and what chemicals I use.  My answer is water.  And no chemicals.  Just add water to the tank, flip the switch to on, and have fun steaming anything and everything for a deep cleansing.  Dirt and oil just literally melts away.  Wipe down with a microfiber towel.


10) Mobius Dash Cam  

 Installed into my 2016 Lexus IS

The Mobius Action Cam is by far the best mod you can do to your car.  Particularly, your E46.  Protect yourself from people who brake-check you causing you to rear end them or if you rear end someone at very low speeds and blame you for pre-existing damage.  This recently happened to me and the person tried to bribe me for money telling me I had caused the damage to their car when I lightly tapped their bumper and no damage was on my car.  Little did they know the whole event, including the damage to their car, was being recorded in HD 1080p video.  The look on their face when I pointed out my dash cam was priceless.  You'll need to wire it up to your 12V power supply in the sunroof panel area.  Just use a voltmeter to source power.  You'll also need a 12V to 5V DC converter.  Not a big deal.  I also recommend a Mobius Action Cam helmet mount to mount the camera discreetly. Not necessary but recommended.  Also install the Mobius Action Cam Capacitor so the camera properly turns off when you turn your car off and is able to save the file properly.  Lastly, a right angle mini usb cable to supply power to the camera. Cheap stuff.  Consult an automotive professional for help installing if necessary or your skills arent great.  Easy to install though!  It turns on and remains on whenever the ignition is on and records and loops over the oldest footage.  Depending on memory card you use, you can get about 5-10 hours of video non-stop, uninterrupted.  I also recorded a dealership doing some very bad things to my car (my non-BMW hybrid) and some other valet drivers. Can't say enough good things about having a dash cam. EVERYONE should have them in ALL cars.  I feel naked without it.

11) Mityvac Oil Extractor

The Mityvac Oil Extractor is a lifesaver--literally!  Ever wanted to change your oil with white gloves on? This allows you to change the oil in your E46 (and most other cars) without even having to lift the car!  The Mityvac Oil Extractor works by pumping the the vacuum by hand and lowering the supplied hose into the dip stick tube which leads to the bottom of the oil pan.  The oil is out within a few minutes.  Then you can pour into bottles and recycle at your nearest oil recyling facility (usually your local autoparts store).  No need to fumble around with jacking the car up and risk stripping your oil pan bolt.  Now some say they feel better draining oil the old fashioned way to get out all the gunk.  Since this hose goes to the bottom of the oil pan, this IS getting out all the gunk -- you'll see it at the bottom of the reservoir.  With your oil filter on top, oil changes have never been so easy-- or fast!

Any questions, please feel free to ask!  Buy, use, or install any of the above on this post or on any post on my blog at your own risk!  Have fun, and be safe.  And thank you for using the links on my site.  It helps me help you.  Appreciate it!

I ask that if you shop on Amazon, save the following URL to your computer browsers to access Amazon. It helps me out and I get a few pennies for each item you buy!  https://www.amazon.com/?ie=UTF8&tag=il734-20

So you want HID lights huh? Not all HID lights are created equal. BMW E46 HID guide

NOT ALL HID LIGHTS ARE EQUAL

Bad ass HIDs in action. (Random photo pulled from a quick Google search)

So you just purchased a used BMW E46 and unfortunately it came with "boring" old halogen lights.  Being the E46 fanatic you are, you probably want to swap your headlight bulbs out with some bad ass looking HID lights, right?  

NOT SO FAST. 

Go on any BMW forum and people are quick to boast about the mods to their "baby."  These "mods" often include "HID" lights and this usually means a cheap generic chinese kit from stores like popular DDX Racing or other similar stores.  When I was younger, I did have a DDX kit on my cars I must admit.  So take it from years of lighting experience--don't install generic cheap budget HID kits on your car! (Stay tuned--at the end of this post I'll list some recommended HID products for all budget levels--except bus pass level)

But Mango, all HID is the same. It looks bright blue and bad ass! I look so gangster coming down the street with my slammed suspension and rap music playing.  What's the diff, yo?

• Optics

Image found on Google which shows unwanted glare and hot spots

The $25 Chinese "HID kit" you just jammed into your halogen reflector or projector was not designed with HID in mind.  Lighting projection is finely tuned and tested by Engineers at 8-figure companies with millions of dollars of research and development.  It's tested and designed to meet all sorts of safety regulations as well.  

BMW E46 Halogen Reflector as found on Google

A halogen reflector was not designed with HID in mind.  HID bulbs put out 2-3x more luminous flux (lumens) than a halogen bulb.  Not only is there more light, it's bluer.  The somewhat lazy projection of a typical halogen reflector is tolerable with relatively weak and "yellow" halogen output, but not with HID.  Put a HID bulb in your halogen reflector and you are going to cause a ton of glare.  Drive your car up to a wall at about 10-20 feet.  Look straight ahead.  Do you see light bleed at eye level? This is what oncoming cars see.  Not only is it dangerous, it's ineffective.  A reflector-based projection system designed for Halogen is simply not designed to efficiently project light.  A bright sea of light immediately in front of your car may impress your local high school teenagers giving the false impression of "bright lights, yo" but it's absolutely trash and should be avoided.

BMW E46 shown from Google with faxtory Bi-Xenon projectors

Retrofitting cheap HID kits into a halogen projector system is lesser of the two evils, but still trash.  Again, the system needs to be designed specifically for HID.  The bulb seat, the bulb itself, and associated projection system and electronics must be designed to support a quality bulb.  Avoid doing this if you can.

• The HID light hardware

OK so you bought a BMW without the factory Bi-Xenon option installed and you went for the next best thing: quality OEM-level or high-quality aftermarket projector retrofit. Now what? Can I stick my $25 DDX kit in that?

Well before you go sticking cheap sh1t where it doesn't belong, consider paying a few extra bucks for some decent stuff. I highly recommend high quality OE/OEM equipment from billion dollar names such as BMW, Lexus, Mercedes, Acura.  Remember, folks, we're talking about the main headlights of your car.   Your life literally depends on this.  

The problems with sh1tty generic HID bulbs is many.  First of all, quality control is atrocious and varies from "brand" to brand.  You never know what you are getting and where it came from.  The color temp is often off from bulb to bulb and I've seen numerous instances where one side was different from the other.  I've also seen the glass of some bulbs lean slightly relative to the base.  This will heavily affect optics.  Also it's been said these cheap chinese bulbs lack a protective UV coating that billion dollar companies like Osram and Philips incorporate into their glass.  This protection will help prevent headlight components from prematurely yellowing.  Do you really want to risk your $500 headlight with some crap bulbs?

There's many more things wrong with generic bulbs but I'll touch on the last and probably most important: longevity.  The bulbs simply fade.  And FAST.   Billion dollar companies like Philips and Osram use proprietary trade secret formulas for the salt mixtures that create the light in their bulbs. These formulas are protected by armed security around the clock and cannot be reproduced by some weirdo r1cer boy in Taipei.  

The next thing is the ballasts.  They're often jammed onto the stock wiring which isn't made for the initial loads that ballasts demand.  You really should be using a wire harness with two relays that will draw directly from the car's battery.  You overheat a wire and it ignites something next to it that's flammable and there goes your car, bro.  Not only that, the fire-on time of ALL (I MEAN ALL) aftermarket ballasts I've seen is atrocious.  You want to look like a $200,000 Mercedes with instant-fire on headlights?  You need to go full quality OE/OEM ballasts.  Even your "premium" Quasimoto $150 r1cer ballasts won't fire as quickly or reliably as a high-end ballast from Lexus or Acura.  You turn on your headlights and I see them slow-warming--I'll know you're a broke ass that installed some ding dong HID.  Don't do it.  The fastest-warming and somewhat OK budget alternative is the Morimoto D2S Ballasts.

Wow.  Sad face HID time. Image pulled from Google showing 8,000k gangster-bro bulbs

Lastly, the color.  The highest quality effective option from OEM companies is 5,000k.  Don't go higher temp than that. Not only does it look stupid (you look like a stupid high school teenager or hardcore gang banger in a Nissan Altima with 20" chrome wheels, dark tint, and raiders stickers on the back window), it's dangerous and ineffective especially when you go higher.  Blue was cool for like 2 months in the late 90s.  Not anymore.  You look like a jerkoff. Stop it.  Go for factory 4,300k to 5,000k ONLY from high quality manufacturers like Philips or Osram. I recommend bulbs like the D2S Osram 66240 CBI or D2S Philips 85122+.  As I'll mention later, if you must be on a budget, check out the well-regarded alternative Morimoto D2S.

SO MANGO WHAT SHOULD I BUY FOR MY E46?

BEST

Professional Factory BMW BI-XENON or other OEM projector from Acura, Lexus, etc.  

Professional Original Equipment BMW E46 Bi-Bosch Xenon Projectors

If you can, find a car with factory bi-xenon installed.  Not only do you have $1,500-a-side high end optics and equipment from billion-dollar companies designed in conjunction with BMW, you also have Dyanmic Auto-Leveling from the factory.  This system, not to be compared with the static adjustments all cars have, ensures your projectors are optimally level as the load of your vehicle's suspension is changed.  This is done using position sensors and micro-controllers which make tiny adjustments to the headlights as you load your car with cargo/passengers or during braking or acceleration.  It ensures you have optimal light on the road when you brake and you aren't pointing light in peoples eyes as you accelerate.  A nifty little system indeed. And to think this was featured on these cars in the early 2000s!  If you already have this system, GREAT. But if you have the factory bulbs, they are tired and weak by now with as much as 75% lumens reduction (light output) REPLACE THOSE BULBS!  You can purchase Philips 85122 or Osram 66240 CBI replacements.

You can also replace with projectors from big car brands such as Mercedes, Lexus, Acura, etc.  These are expensive and require advanced skills to retrofit.  These units are very high quality and feature top-notch materials and bi-xenon solenoids.

GOOD

High Quality Aftermarket FX-R, Morimoto Mini D2S, or replacement Retro-Quick projectors

Mini D2S Projectors as seen on Google

If you retrofit projectors, there are still several options out there if you can't afford factory or if your factory ZKW-brand headlights have burnt projectors.  You can retrofit some good-performing stuff out there.

If you go with FX-R projectors (high quality and popular aftermarket replicas of Infiniti hardware), there will be drilling and cutting required.  Advanced skill required.  These units perform very nicely, so it may be worth it.

Direct bolt on for people with E46 Halogen Reflector headlights are the E46 Mini D2S projector kit.  Do a Google search on it for more info.  The projector screws onto place by a locking collar/thread system from the back and accepts high-end D2S bulbs.  You have to mount chromey shrouds on front of the projectors so they don't look foolish. But don't worry, theres kits for the E46 that come with shrouds.  

Last option is called the retro-quick projector kit for E46.  This is for people with burnt/yellowing/fading ZKW-branded headlights.  Are your E46 lights dim or do you own a ZHP sedan? Look at your headlight "glass," if it doesn't say "AL" on the front, it means it's not Bosch. And if it's not Bosch, it's ZKW. And if it's ZKW, there's a good chance the chrome coating on your projector bowls have faded/burnt and is no longer reflecting the light from your HID bulbs.  This kit is a direct bolt on but disassembly is required. Not hard.  This could work with Bosch headlight units as well but I am not sure. 

If you're going through the trouble of installing quality projectors, I highly recommend OE/OEM ballasts and bulbs such as Denso ballasts and Osram CBI 66240 to pair with them.  I also recommend a dual relay HID wiring harness. Don't risk starting a fire and don't risk losing your headlights in case one relay fails.

Well I hope you enjoyed my post.  

Remember I am not an expert at lighting or any other topic discussed here and any modifications done to your vehicle are at your own decision and risk.  You should consult a qualified and competent technician before performing any work or modification to your or anyone elses' vehicle.  Always check your local, state, and federal laws to ensure any work done to any vehicle is compliant.

The information expressed on this blog and postings are for educational, informational, and entertainment purposes.  Products provided in links are also subject to change in availability and pricing. Do your own research and above all stay safe!