Originally Posted by
azza_333
and is it worth taking something like a Go Pro for some riding footage?
Nobody wants to see raw, unedited touring footage. Including yourself. We're talking about hours for each touring day. Technically you could edit it when you get back home but that takes time. Pro editors estimate 1hr of editing time per 1 minute of final product, at minimum and depending on lots of variables. That's professional quality production, but you get the idea.
On paddle tours, I attach a waterproof compact digital camera on the deck of my kayak and set it to take one pic every 5-10 minutes or so. At the end of the day it's easy enough to browse through the 30-40 pics and choose which to keep. More than 90% of the pics are not worth keeping, but I invariably find at least 2-3 that are unique / beautiful / funny enough to save. A riding (or in my example, paddling) camera doesn't allow you to fine tune anything, so even if you did get the GoPro you'd probably still want to carry another camera close at hand, for framed shots.
I'm in the compact camp myself. I could see myself carrying a micro 4/3, although weatherproofing might become an issue there. I take pics for journaling my tours, not so much for their artistic value. Even so, I suspect my pics would benefit far more from me improving my photography skills than upgrading my (rather modest) equipment.
--J