I just received my new GoPro HD2, and was eager to try out all the new features that it gives me, over my older "version 1" GoPro HD.

I set the camera to record 1920x1080 30fps, and set the field of view to Narrow. I shot some test clips. Good so far.

Next, I set the default power-up mode to Photo, exited the menu and cycled the power. When the camera came back on, the LCD displayed that it was inPhoto mode (as expected), and then it instantly changed to Burst mode!

I changed the default power-up mode to Burst, cycled the power, and it displayed Burst mode for a second, and then changed to Time Lapse mode!

I changed the default power-up mode to Time Lapse, cycled the power, and it stays on Time Lapse.

What it appears to be doing, is booting up in the mode you select in the settings menu, then changing to the NEXT option "lower" in the menu. When it gets to the last option in the menu (time lapse), it can't select another mode, so it stays in Time Lapse mode.

What this means, is that there's no way for me to have the camera start up in video mode, if the field of view is set to anything other than WIDE.

I confirm that my HD2 does the same thing, but only intermittently. The other day it started up in photo mode and I had to change it to video mode, I thought maybe I had accidentally switched it to default to photo mode. After reading this I tried it again today and it started up in video mode then by the time the lcd bacpac turned on it said photo mode. The battery was low so I swapped in a charged one. I then confirmed that power on default was video mode. I power cycled it a few times, each of those started and stayed in video mode.

That's a real common problem with an easy solution.
You're holding the power button too long.
Just pop it and it won't happen anymore.

The 2's are sensitive about power up.

That makes sense. Besides the one time I used the HD2 recently, it's always been set up by my assistant and she told me it started in video mode every time.

Sounds good to me!