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GoPro The Complete Manual
The independent handbook for GoPro users
Seventh edition
Digital Edition
100% UNOFFICIAL
For all models
Contents What you can find inside the bookazine Introducing GoPro
8 Introducing GoPro Why GoPro is better
14 Camera guides Find the best GoPro for you
Getting started 44 Capture great photos Use your GoPro to capture those random moments 46 Take burst-effect photos Get that ultimate shot with continuous snapping
24 G oPro mounts Shoot it your way 30 B atteries & chargers Keep your battery full 32 L ens & filters Allow for wear and tear
36 Setup your GoPro Take your GoPro out the box and get ready to shoot
33 Cables, cases & Memory Store your media and get connected
40 Use the Manual settings Get to grips with the manual settings
34 H ousing Find the best houses for your GoPro
42 Shoot epic GoPro videos Take amazing video footage with your GoPro 6
48 Get to know the menus Learn the ins and outs of the GoPro menus 50 Cleaning your GoPro Keep your camera in good running order 52 Stay safe using your GoPro Make sure you stay safe doing outrageous activities
For all GoPro cameras 54 Introducing the GoPro apps Capture and edit your footage remotely 58 Control your GoPro with Apple Watch Start your adventure with the tap of a wrist 60 Use your GoPro on the water Get wet when filming 66 Stay on piste Capture footage straight from the piste 72 Take it to the extreme Take amazing footage of adrenaline pumping sports 76 Take it up a gear Capture your bike-fuelled adventures on GoPro
© GoPro
Using your GoPro
Going further 98 GoPro Studio Learn how to use GoPro Studio 100 Import to GoPro Studio Get your footage onto your computer
114 Edit with Quik Edit and share your videos with the Quik mobile app
102 Edit in GoPro Studio Edit your video footage
116 Edit your photos Improve your photos with simple edits in Photoshop
104 Use GoPro’s templates Insert your footage 106 Correct colour casts Correct a video’s colour
80 Film on the run Get your running shoes on
108 Use advanced editing effects Take your editing further
84 Hit the road GoDrive with your GoPro
110 Create a time-lapse Make a time-lapse video
90 Film man’s best friend Find out what your pets do when you’re not looking 94 Strike a chord Film gigs from more interesting perspectives
112 Export your video Prepare to share your video by exporting
118 Retouch your images Use Photoshop to ensure your shots are perfect 120 Correct exposure Get the exposure right using Lightroom 122 Adjust in Photoshop Adjust and perfect your images in a flash
124 S haring GoPro footage Send your work into the world • Share on YouTube • Upload to GoPro • Use social media • Get video views 7
Introducing GoPro
Hero6
Hero6 Get more out of your footage with the GoPro Hero6 Designed to last Designed to give you everything you need, as well as everything you would want from a GoPro, the Hero6 has been revisited with the adventurer in mind – from its smoothed outward appearance, to its improved, weather-ready construction, through to its core-processing power. Improving on past GoPro designs and specification, the Hero6 has been given a few enhancements making it faster and more powerful than its counterparts. With filming modes capturing 4K ultra HD at 60fps, as well as Full HD at a staggering 240 fps, the inclusion of the new GP1 processor allows the Hero6 to perform twice as fast as the previous Hero5. The in-built Wi-Fi connection means that you can stream footage to your phone or mobile device seamlessly.
Super fast The Hero6 houses the new GP1 processor that enables it to perform twice as quickly as the Hero5
Power is everything The GP1 processor is at the centre of the new-found power within the Hero6, speeding up the cameras ability to process content, allowing for higher quality footage at a higher frame rate – hence the Full HD at 240fps. The frame rate alone means that your Hero6 will be able to capture the moment as it happens, but also allow you to slow the footage right down, and make the most of the improved image stabilisation within the Hero6. Ultimately, the GP1 processor also allows for greater colour tone and depth to your footage. There is also a digital zoom and a High Dynamic range in the tone of your images. Other areas the Hero6 excels in are its ease of use. Combining QuiK Stories on your mobile device and the Hero6’s Wi-Fi, you can transfer your footage into your phone to edit and then upload effortlessly. Voice control is another feature that makes the Hero6 even more desirable as it allows you hands-free control over the unit. Just tell it when to record or add a highlight and that’s it – no more hoping you pressed the right button for that perfect moment – you just have to ask it!
Touchscreen The improved touchscreen will allow you to instantly review your footage without the need to stream to a mobile device
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Introducing GoPro
Hero6 4K Ultra HD
Touchscreen
Waterproof
With a touchscreen you can effortlessly zoom in and navigate your files
This camera forgoes the built-in housing, as it’s waterproof up to up to 10m without added protection. If you want to dive further, though, you will need to buy housing for it
Š GoPro
The Hero6 gives up to 4K Ultra HD footage at an amazing 60fps offering super smooth crystal-clear movies
One touch
One touch operation is achievable by simply pressing the record button before your adventure
Voice control
GP1 Chip
Go hands-free with your Hero6 by uttering simple commands that will make your GoPro work for you
The GP1 Processor enables richer colours, faster processing speed and faster frame rates for your movies
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Getting started
Shoot epic GoPro videos
Shoot epic GoPro videos Get to grips with GoPro’s most popular mode so you’re using the right settings for your scene The number one thing to get to grips with in Video mode is resolution. There are a variety of settings and each will determine how wide or tall the footage appears when you play it back. For instance, 1080 pixels will result in a widescreen view, but 1440p video will have a more vertical view. There are also higher resolutions available on some models and they will provide greater detail but larger file sizes, so 1080 is a good middle ground to use. Another important aspect of your movie making is frame rate. A typical video on YouTube or television is recorded at 30 frames
TTStriking selfies The wide-angle lens can record you as well as the scenery © GoPro
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Getting started
Shoot epic GoPro videos
per second (fps), but some GoPros offer higher frame rates. Opt for these when recording stunts as you can use editing software to reduce the speed for an impressive slow-mo effect in your footage. Next you’ll want to determine how much of the scene you record with the Field of View options. Depending on what your camera offers, choose Wide for the widest view possible, Medium for a slightly zoomed-in effect and Narrow for a regular look. By default, the GoPro will automatically adjust to the scene, but you can change this by turning on Protune if you have the Hero3, 3+, 4 or 5. This is the last option in Capture Settings and it enables you to alter white balance, colour tuning, ISO, sharpening and exposure, as well as enhancing the quality by increasing the file size. Changing exposure is useful when you’re recording a particularly bright or dark scene. Set it to +2.0 to brighten, and -2.0 to darken the results. Make sure you record a variety of angles, close-ups, point-ofview and long shots in order to create more visually arresting videos.
SSShoot slo-mo Capture at 1280x720p at 60fps for spectacular slow-motion results, especially when recording action scenes © GoPro
“You can use editing software to reduce the speed for an impressive slow-motion effect in your footage”
SSChange perspectives Record plenty of angles to make your videos more interesting and to give you plenty of options while editing © GoPro 43
Using your GoPro
Stay on piste
SS Airborne Allstar “Well the main thing is that your filmer is a solid rider or skier and ready to follow you wherever you go, because in my opinion follow-cam brings out the best action on to the screen. It’s so dynamic and entertaining to watch,” suggests snowboarding Olympian Peetu Piiroinen
More people are falling in love with adrenalin-fuelled piste pursuits than ever before, thanks mainly to their growing inclusion in global audience-reaching events like the Winter Olympics. Not only have snow sports become incredibly popular to watch, but more and more of us are tempted to give them a go, and what better way to capture our triumphs and tribulations than with a camera specifically designed for this adventure-driven experience. Finland’s Peetu Piiroinen, four times TTR World Champion, not to mention silver-medal Olympian, is a huge advocate of the GoPro, claiming that having the camera around helps to push him to greater heights. “It always gives us an extra boost when there’s a camera around. I’ll go bigger, focus 100% on each trick to be as stylish as possible. Also it’s a great tool when trying something new so I can see what I could do better or different while in the air or on a rail.” That’s not the only reason the GoPro Hero4 Black edition is the 27-year-old snowboarder’s weapon of choice. “It’s one of the best in range and even though we usually don’t film 4K with it for our little online edits, it has the possibility when we’re doing bigger productions. All-in-all GoPro is a great little tool with big features;
© David Malacrida
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Using your GoPro
Stay on piste
© BA Turkish
Enthusiast BA Turkish on using GoPro
Amateur BA Turkish explains why he uses a GoPro to record his action-packed videos What do you use GoPro for? I mainly use it for action/sport shoots. I also used several GoPros for an automotive shoot where we mounted the cameras on different vehicles. But I’m planning on using it for cinematographic purposes and more scenic shoots as well.
SSIn the action “I prefer to see the movement,” says Peetu Piiroinen. “Seeing the whole trick from start to end and filming full lines is in my opinion the best way to go. If there’s a need for stills you can get… screengrabs afterwards” © David Malacrida
WW Star settings “Use your GoPro at at least 1080p. When you watch it on the big screen you’ll see why,” suggests medal-clad Austrian Snowsports star, Tom Klocker
Why do you use GoPro? It opened up a very new branch of shooting video. Because of it’s compactness and features you have more possibilities for perspectives and a creative way of filming.
© Hiishii
TTHigh quality “The new GoPro Hero4 Black is the best camera for adventure sports on the market right now,” says Tom Klocker. “Good quality is so important nowadays” © Hiishii
What is your proudest GoPro achievement? Frost. I’m not a pro snowboarder so it didn’t have any crazy moves in it. But I think I did a pretty good job editing it. [See it here: bit. ly/1BWcWrl] What’s your GoPro advice? When shooting action footage, the quality and look very much depend on weather conditions. The best footage I got was when there was a lot of sun and no or just a few clouds. Everything casts harder shadows and therefore has more structure and looks a lot more detailed and neat.
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Using your GoPro
Hit the road with your GoPro
SS Suction cup Preparation is definitely key if you want to ensure that your suction-cup mount stays secure and your GoPro doesn’t go for an unintended ride
getting awesome audio and visuals. Another thing to consider if filming from inside is spot metering. Car interiors can be dark, and if shooting through the windscreen the road can look washed out. To prevent this, turn on the spot metering function in the settings. Resolution settings will vary depending on what effect you are trying to achieve, but we’d suggest using the highest frame rate possible. Shooting at 60fps and higher means that you can reduce the speed of your video – creating epic slo-mo footage – without reducing the smoothness of the film’s playback. Framing-wise, if you want to capture the landscape, use the wide-angle setting (the slight fish-eye effect may also accentuate the sensation of speed at the edges of the frame). If you want to focus on a specific feature without cropping your footage in postproduction, use the narrowest setting. With later GoPros’ ability to preview (either through the proprietary Android/iOS app or the Hero5’s touchscreen), you can get creative with your angles without worrying about wasting time. Don’t just focus on the road; think about intriguing angles (like shooting the front wheels moving) and you’ll have exciting snippets to cut into your main footage. The most important thing to remember is to drive responsibly. If you don’t make it home at the end of the day, there will be no footage to get excited about.
Mounting the suction cup With little more than simple physics stopping your GoPro having a high-speed accident, make sure that the surface you’re attaching the suction mount to is thoroughly clean by using alcohol wipes. A little bit of water (or saliva) on the suction cup itself will also help its adhesion. Finally, make sure the locking arm is firmly pushed down on the mount to fully secure the whole unit.
Don’t just focus on the road; think about intriguing angles and you’ll have exciting snippets to cut into your main footage 89
Going further
Use advanced editing effects
Use it to‌
Use advanced editing effects
Create a blank template
Edit from scratch and create a truly custom show
Add a transition
The editing templates used in the previous spread are useful, as they automatically trim the duration of your clips to fit a music track in the Storyboard. Although templates help you process your raw footage into a shareable product, you can do a more effective job by editing your programme from scratch using a blank template. For instance, you can decide precisely where a speed change will occur, and you can also access extra post-production assets such as transitions, so that you can mix gently from one shot to another instead of using a jarring jump cut. Read on to find out some of the more advanced techniques a blank template can open up to you.
Make your project your own with a custom template from start to finish Use the in-built dissolve template
Add movement
Make the camera zoom and pan on your GoPro clips
Split a clip
By using the Split Clip tool to cut a shot into several sections, you can speed up or slow down part of the action during the shot
Add a dissolve
By default we cut between clips. If you click on this + icon you can swap a cut for a dissolve transition
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Adjust duration
By default a dissolve lasts for just a second. For a longer, slower mix drag this slider to the right
Add movement
By adding keyframes you can make the camera zoom, pan and tilt as a clip plays. This works well when using 4K source files
9000
Going further
Use advanced editing effects Top editing techniques
Take your post-production to the next level
Create blank template
Let’s split
Retime a section
1
2
3
Download this project’s files. Launch GoPro Studio and choose File>New Project. Choose File>Save Project. Name your project and save it. Click on the Step 2 Edit button. Click on Blank Template and Create. Click the Add Media Button. Browse to select the project source files and click Open. They’ll appear in the Add Media panel.
Drag the Deckchair.mov clip to the Storyboard. Drag the yellow Storyboard Time Indicator to 04:14 (just as the chair’s cloth begins to billow). Click the razor blade Split Clip icon to cut the clip into two sections. Scrub forward to 05:36 as the material rises up and click the Split Clip icon again. The clip has now been chopped up into three sections.
Click on the middle section of the split clip to select it. Toggle open the Video panel at the right. Drag the Speed slider left to 45% to slow down the clip’s middle. Untick the Flux box – this creates smooth movement but it takes a long time to process. Play back the sequence. The clip will slow down during the middle section then revert to real time.
Animated camera moves
5
Extend dissolve duration
4
Add the Pier clip to the Storyboard. Click the + icon between the Deckchair and Pier clips to replace the default cut with a smooth transition that mixes from one shot to the next. To extend the default duration of the one-second dissolve, click to select it in the Storyboard. Drag the diamond-shaped in and out points below the Player window further apart. The dissolve icon will stretch horizontally in the Storyboard.
Add Wheel Still.mov to the Storyboard. Scrub to its first frame. Go to the Framing panel and click the + shaped ‘Add New Keyframe’ icon. Scrub forward to around 23:00. Click the Framing panel’s ‘Add New Keyframe’ icon again. Drag the Zoom and Vertical sliders to get a closer look at the wheel. Play the clip. The camera will now zoom in and tilt up between the two keyframes.
By shooting at 4000 x 3000 (4K) you can zoom in on a still or clip without adding any fuzzy compression artefacts 109