As the owner of the GoPro Hero3 Silver Edition, I passed the “horizontal” update on , and after another year I am holding a camera with an index of 4. And this is already a vertical take-off.
Hero3 vs. Hero4 briefly
I'll save you time. The two pictures below will show the advantage of the four over the three. Thanks to the updated optics and processor.
First, Hero4 is more accurate in color reproduction, while Hero3 is yellow.
Secondly, Hero4's noise is several times lower, and the resolution is higher (attention to vertical elements).
In addition, the 12 megapixels of the Hero4's sharp 10 megapixels are better than the 10 megapixels of the Artifact Hero3. Forgive me the owners of Hero2, but you are generally sad.
This short tour is over :)
Now a little more.
GoPro Hero 4Black or Silver Edition?
The camera is available in two versions - Black and Silver.
If you are a land resident and shoot mostly children's matinees, then take Silver because it has a built-in touch screen. But on the other hand, it does not accelerate above 1080p 60 frames / s, like the GoPro Hero3. The difference with the model before last will be only in the quality of the picture.
For hardcore you have to take Black Edition, because it produces 1080p 120 fps and 4K at 30 fps, and its processor is more powerful than silver. But there is no screen.
Dimensions
You won't notice the size difference between Hero3 and Hero4.
Battery
The GoPro3 has a larger battery, but it doesn't benefit from that.
- Treshka: 1180mAh, 3.7V, 4366mWh
- Four: 1160mAh, 3.8V, 4.4Wh
And finally, in Hero4, the battery is inserted from the bottom.
The Chinese are already offering replaceable power supplies for $7. You should have at least one on hand. On dx.com, shipping to Russia is free.
Since the "treshka" has weaker iron, it works one and a half times longer. The manufacturer writes that 3 hours in 1080p/30fps mode, but in fact it turns out to be an hour less. This means that the “four” will work for about 1 hour 10 minutes non-stop with Wi-Fi turned off.
Relax and watch promo video
So far, no one has been able to shoot a video better than GoPro itself does. Enjoy life in 4K, because it's wonderful. Since 2010, the camera has inspired many to get off their butts, get out of their smelly slippers and start living for real.
Cover, aka boxing
In fact, the changes started with Hero3+ and now the new box looks better than the old one. It has decreased in size, the latch has changed, unnecessary decorative screws around the perimeter of the bezel have disappeared.
The area of the buttons has become larger, the pressing itself is smoother. On land, this is good, but for divers in dry suits and 7mm gloves, the Hero3 was more responsive underwater. And the third model turns on faster by 1 second, but then slows down by the same amount in Photo mode :)
Comes with two back covers. One for land, the other for diving to a depth of 40 meters. I dived to 45 meters and there was no leak. But there was an extra decompression stop due to such unnecessary pampering, because my Deep Diver certificate prohibits such depth.
Have you seen how divers get married? You can’t do without champagne under water -. GoPro has become my indispensable companion in all dives - diving in South Cyprus.
There are currently no alternatives to GoPro. The same one will not be able to shoot underwater, and for some reason Chinese craftsmen do not come up with additional accessories for it. Toshiba has a crisis of ideas without a twinge of conscience.
GoPro Hero4 is good on land and underwater. She again captured moments of life that you can never capture with an ordinary soap box. In fact, in front of us is a dog-friend, ready to follow his master anywhere. For this, she is loved all over the world.
My video is below.
The cost of GoPro HERO 4 Silver is 19,999 ₽.
The cost of GoPro HERO 4 Black is 24,999 ₽.
Finally, the long-awaited novelty is in our hands. Of course, it could have appeared earlier (online stores are always ready to serve), but I really didn’t want to face the peculiarities, albeit rare, of the so-called “gray supplies”. Namely - with the lack of localization, software flaws and other unpleasant surprises. Fortunately, there are still official suppliers of this equipment in Russia, and the speed of their work is pleasantly surprising: the third GoPro Hero series officially entered our market shortly after foreign announcements. The difference of a few months can be considered insignificant - it is enough to imagine the difficulties that you need to go through to get just one certificate.
But let's leave the bureaucratic obstacles to those who, by the nature of their activity, are called upon to overcome them. After all, there is a much more interesting reason for the article:
Design, technical characteristics
The reader should be warned: in this article you will not see fascinating footage taken in the stratosphere. There will be no wrecked cars or broken limbs here. Exotic ways of attaching a GoPro to anything are also up to the owners of such cameras. We will focus on learning technical features apparatus: controls, shooting modes, methods of processing the received video. Everything that is not covered in the user manual or on the product web page.
Traditionally, the GoPro Hero camcorder comes in several variations, or, if translated edition Literally, publications. They differ not only in completeness. Before buying, it is recommended to carefully study the characteristics of each "edition" - this can be done on.
But everything is much simpler for us: the camera kindly provided for testing belongs to the "older" version - GoPro Hero 3 Black Edition.
The camera comes with a serious set of accessories (looking ahead, we note that even such a collection is probably not enough to implement all the ideas):
- multiple mounts including pad
- waterproof housing
- replaceable back cover for the case (not sealed, with holes for better sound recording)
- radio remote control remote control with charging cable
- Mini-USB-to-USB cable
- paper instruction in Russian
The concept of the camera remains the same as in . Design - yes, slightly changed. The battery has ceased to resemble a telephone, now it has the shape of a brick. Of course, the old batteries will no longer fit the new camera.
The included battery enables continuous recording for 95 minutes at 1280×720 50p with Wi-Fi off. Wireless communication takes a lot of energy, the battery is depleted literally before our eyes. Not knowing this, the author, going to shoot and having charged the camera, did not pay attention to the flashing blue indicator, and arrived at the shooting site with an almost empty battery. It turns out that turning off the camera is not enough - you also need to make sure that Wi-Fi is also turned off: adapter wireless network in the camera turns on and off separately.
The body of the device, as usual, is made of impact-resistant plastic. On one of the ends there is a Wi-Fi on / off button, on which the corresponding icon is applied.
The camera screen still does not have a backlight - this is a serious minus. And, just like in previous versions, navigation through the menu is carried out with two buttons. This way of managing parameters cannot be called comfortable; however, it is a matter of habit. It is enough to work closely with the camera for a week to change, for example, the recording mode with your eyes closed, focusing on sound signals and the number of clicks. But, we repeat, for a beginner such an unobvious method of control may seem inconvenient and antediluvian.
The service interfaces of the camera are covered with a removable cover: Micro-HDMI, Mini-USB, and a slot for a microSD memory card (up to 64 GB).
The remote control screen also does not have a backlight; in active mode this screen completely copies the screen of the camera itself, repeating all the set parameters and icons. Device information is exchanged over the same Wi-Fi. The remote control works stably, the maximum distance at which the camera is able to receive a control signal and transmit information can be 200 meters in line-of-sight conditions.
To recharge the remote control, a special connector of a cunning shape is used; charging is carried out from a USB port or from a similar adapter. During charging, remove the metal eyelet from the remote control, for which the remote control is designed to be attached, in order to avoid losing it.
The main technical characteristics of the video camera are given in the table:
| Dimensions, weight | (W×H×D) 59×41×29 mm, 77 g with battery |
| Battery life included in the kit | up to 95 minutes of continuous 1280×720 50p video recording with Wi-Fi off |
| Carrier | microSD card (up to 64 GB) |
| Video formats | |
| Photo Format | JPG, 12 MP, 7 MP, 5 MP |
| optical zoom | |
| Interfaces |
|
| Other characteristics |
|
Video/photography
First of all, you need to know with what resolution it makes sense to shoot. It would seem: if you want to save events with maximum detail, use the 4K available here. But the frame rate when shooting with this resolution, alas, is not yet high enough - only 12.5 frames per second (hereinafter we will use the PAL standard as the main one in Russia and most other countries).
But how to measure the resolution of a given camera? The test chart we have, printed on an A3 sheet, is not suitable for this. The fact is that the lens of the camera in question has a fixed focal length. Simply put, objects as far away as a meter from the lens and up to infinity will be in focus; objects that are closer than a meter will leave the focus area, blur.
What's the way out? Of course, a huge-oh-ohm test chart! True, to print (and place) such a rather expensive. In addition, it doesn’t make much sense: after all, the main zones of the table, by which you can quite accurately determine the resolution of the camera, fit only on six sheets of A4 format (the entire table could have been 3 meters wide).
To print the required six sheets, we split the "virtual" table into sheets. After that, only the desired area was printed - in the next figure it is highlighted in color.
Having glued the resulting sheets and placed them on a vertical surface (wall), we thought about it. Dilemma: How far away should you shoot? After all, it is required not only to remove this object. The main thing here is to maintain the desired proportions. It would be possible to use a simple calculation, but alas, the optical distortions introduced by the camera lens are so strong that the usual geometry is not suitable here. There is only one way out - sequential shooting made from different distances from the table will help us. Armed with a tape measure and choosing a step of five centimeters, we made the necessary shooting, making several dozen takes.
Now it is enough to combine graphics editor freeze frames obtained from each take, with the image of the table itself in the original and choose the most suitable frame in size, where the key objects of the table of interest to us coincide with the original ones in location and size. Ready!
The shooting was carried out, of course, in 4K 3840 × 2160 mode. This mode was chosen because the aspect ratio in it is standard 16:9 - exactly the same as in the test table. The calculation showed that the actual resolution of the camera reaches 2800×1600. Here it is hoo! I recall Carlson with his sincere surprise: “Such a big housekeeper - in such a small box?” What is this processor inside our camera that allows you to encode a picture with a similar resolution? Look, it heats up like an internal combustion engine? Let's measure this parameter.
This photo was taken half an hour after the start of recording in 720p mode, while the camera was in a room with a temperature of 24 ° C. As practice has shown, it is possible to avoid reaching a critical temperature by refusing to use Wi-Fi and providing the device with the maximum possible ventilation. That is, shooting in the heat with a camera placed in a sealed box threatens to overheat and then turn off the device - this aspect is covered in detail in the user manual. One thing pleases: due to the presence of a thermal sensor in the chamber, you should not be afraid of the device breaking due to overheating.
But back to resolution. So, 2800×1600. Those numbers are pretty damn similar to the frame resolution you get when shooting in 2.7K mode. Conclusion: you can get maximum video detail and at the same time avoid unnecessary waste of disk space by using one of the 2.7K modes: 2.7K (2716×1524, 16:9) or 2.7K Cinema (2716×1440, 17:9) . Moreover, the frame rate of such a video is already close to normal: 25 or 24 fps.
You can visualize the difference in the detail of each of the recording modes using the following video:
To view in full resolution, click on the button "Original size"
A huge number of shooting modes available in the camera in question makes it necessary to display their description in a separate table - all parameters cannot be placed in the main table specifications. You can also download still images here. original clips taken in the specified modes.
| Mode | Video resolution | fps (PAL) | Codec, parameters | Viewing angle | Protune | Download |
| 4K Cinema | 4096×2160, 17:9 | 12 | AVC [email protected] 50 Mbps | Wide | Yes | frame, roller |
| 4K | 3840×2160, 16:9 | 12,5 | AVC [email protected] 45 Mbps | Wide | Yes | frame, roller |
| 2.7K Cinema | 2704×1440, 17:9 | 25 | AVC [email protected] 45 Mbps | Wide | Yes | frame, roller |
| 2.7K | 2704×1524, 16:9 | 24 | AVC [email protected] 45 Mbps | Wide | Yes | frame, roller |
| 1440p | 1920×1440, 4:3 | 48 | AVC [email protected] 32 Mbps | Wide | Yes | frame, roller |
| 25 | Yes | frame, roller | ||||
| 24 | Yes | frame, roller | ||||
| 1080p | 1920×1080, 16:9 | 50 | AVC [email protected] 32 Mbps | wide, medium, Narrow | Yes | frame, roller |
| 48 | AVC [email protected] 32 Mbps | Yes | frame, roller | |||
| 25 | AVC [email protected] 20 Mbps | Yes | frame, roller | |||
| 24 | AVC [email protected] 32 Mbps | Yes | frame, roller | |||
| 960p | 1280×960, 4:3 | 100 | AVC [email protected] 32 Mbps | Wide | Yes | frame, roller |
| 48 | AVC [email protected] 32 Mbps | Not | frame, roller | |||
| 720p | 1280×720, 16:9 | 100 | AVC [email protected] 32 Mbps | wide, medium, Narrow | Yes | frame, roller |
| 50 | AVC [email protected] 20 Mbps | Not | frame, roller | |||
| WVGA | 848×480, 16:9 | 240 | AVC [email protected] 32 Mbps | Wide | Not | frame, roller |
Here you should decipher what the column called "Protune" means. This shooting mode is activated in a separate item of Capture Settings, and there is a choice between automatic white balance, manual setting (3000 K, 5500 K and 6500 K) and shooting in Cam RAW mode. The latter mode, apparently, allows you to get the picture as it is, without software color processing. We will deal with this feature of Protune a little later.
It can also be concluded from the table that some shooting modes allow the use of different frame rates. It is hardly necessary to convince the reader to always use the highest possible frame rate, especially when shooting fast-moving subjects. And since we're looking at an action camera, that's just the way it's supposed to be done.
Another burning question concerns angles. Those that are now for some reason not indicated in degrees, but have a more understandable designation: Wide (Ultra-wide), Medium (Medium) and Narrow (Narrow). Let's try - clearly, of course - to see and evaluate the difference in the angles of view of the lens. As you can see from the table above, not every recording mode allows you to change the angle. Just two: 1080p and 720p. In general, these formats are the most popular today, so in the future we will shoot in the older one, 1080p. With the highest possible frame rate, of course.
To measure angles, a lot of free space is required. And therefore we will go to the open air, armed with a shovel for clearing snow (we are in Russia, but now it’s not summer).
What's the verdict? It looks like the camera has a 150° angle of view in Wide mode, 110° in Medium mode, and narrows it down to 80° in Narrow mode. The most preferred is the medium mode, Medium. And the field of view is wide enough to cover the main scene, and at the same time, geometric distortions do not hurt the eye as much as in the maximum Wide mode.
By the way, about distortions. How to fix them? The answer is unlikely to please: it is difficult to overcome this distortion. However, it is possible. For example, in Photoshop. Do not be surprised, this program works well with video (Processing Video in Adobe Photoshop: Part 1, Part 2). There is also a way to correct distortion using open source software: a filter for VirtualDub. Unfortunately, in both cases, the video will have to be recoded or repacked into a format that is understood by the corresponding programs (Photoshop and VirtualDub) before processing.
However, you can do without preliminary recoding or writing AVISynth scripts. So, in After Effects, there are several ways to partially overcome distortion, here is one of them:
As we have already seen, the camera in question has a rather big MOS-matrix. In this regard, it is quite reasonable to expect a terrible rolling shutter from her. Let's check this, we will shoot the passing transport in different modes.
 |  |
 |  |
If there is a rolling shutter, it is so weak that it does not attract attention even in the maximum 4K mode. Not every camera is capable of this.
The WVGA mode also promises considerable benefits. Recall: shooting in this mode is carried out at a frequency of as much as 240 frames per second. By slowing down such a video by 10 times, you can get a result that is rare in terms of spectacularity. Let the following scenes be rather banal, but the potential of such shooting is not difficult to understand.
Now, as planned, consider the Protune shooting mode. The manufacturer promises that the video shot in this mode lends itself much better to color correction - let's make a preliminary conclusion that the Protune mode allows you to shoot with an increased dynamic range. To confirm this theory, we will conduct another experiment: we will shoot a contrasting scene.
Indeed, dark areas look more distinct with Protune turned on, and, apparently, a lot of color and light can be “pulled” out of such a wide-range video. There would be desire, skill and time. Or rather, a lot of time.
How are these modes different? technical terms? Does the camera in Protune mode manage to encode video with a higher bit rate? No, in fact, everything turns out to be much simpler. The files differ only in bitrate (with Protune enabled, it is one and a half times higher) and GoP length (Group of Pictures, 15 frames in normal mode and 8 frames in Protune mode). Below is the keyframe rate for both of these clips.
As for color correction, it is not only possible, but necessary. The reader has already noticed that the camera noticeably “yellows”. In any scene, wherever and in whatever conditions it was filmed, a yellowish coating is clearly visible. Maybe the lens coating is to blame. Be that as it may, it is simply necessary to get rid of yellowness. This is easy to do in any video editor.
|
|
|
|
| Without correction | With correction | Without correction | With correction |
Due to the loop recording mode in the camera, the device can be used as a car DVR. True, in order to simultaneously shoot video and recharge the camera, you need a box with open interface holes - after all, the camera itself does not have any attachment devices, it can be attached to something only under one condition: when it is in the box.
After reviewing these videos and still images, we can say with confidence: in terms of detailing, none of the car DVRs existing today can be compared with this video camera.
At night, under street lighting, the camera also behaves very well. In the case of video recording, the fixed focus of the camera plays an extremely positive role.
Interval shooting is only possible in photo mode: the camera is capable of taking photos of a user-specified size at the following intervals: 0.5, 1, 2, 5, 10, 30 and 60 seconds. Thanks to this mode, it is possible to get a pretty beautiful video sequence by combining photos in a video editor.
A lucky chance made it possible to test the considered camera in underwater photography. Of course, in an artificial reservoir. The result is quite expected: flawless operation in all modes and, most importantly, the almost complete disappearance of distortion. In principle, it is understandable: water is an excellent corrective lens.
The photographic abilities of the camera are worthy of respect, but only in terms of excellent detail. Of the shortcomings - of course, the wrong geometry and the lack of a small depth of field so beloved by many photographers (or those who consider themselves a photographer) and, accordingly, “bokeh”.
Software
The software built into the camera on an external monitor looks much more convenient and logical than on the screen of the camera itself. If not for one thing: menu navigation is possible only in one direction - forward. Damn missing another button that would allow you to go back instead of scrolling through the entire menu again and again with the risk of missing again.
The camera's wireless adapter creates an access point with a specific name when you turn on the GoPro App mode. To control the camera using a smartphone or tablet, you need to install the GoPro App on your smartphone (versions for both iOS and Android are available), connect the device to a specified point, and launch the installed application.
It's a pity, but on the Android devices we have, this application did not really work. Three different devices were tested: a smartphone, a tablet and a media player running Android 4.0. The connection was established, the application was launched, but things did not go beyond this: despite the seemingly reliable connection and even the appearance of a video stream in the viewing window, the application stops working after a few seconds, displaying a message on the screen about the need to check Wi-Fi for correct connection. Why check it, if the camera even manages to display a picture - it's not clear. We hope this bug will be fixed soon.
No matter how much we would like to evaluate the work of the application in the iOS version, we do not have such a device in the foreseeable environment.
Comparative testing under the same conditions
In the almost complete absence of light, it seems much more preferable to shoot without using Protune. The actual resolution of the camera has already been mentioned above - it approaches 2800x1600. This figure is an absolute record, not a single amateur full-format camera has such permissions today - what can we say about such microscopic bricks as the hero of this review.
conclusions
Surprised by the camera, do not say anything. Honest 2.7K at a tolerable 25 fps - isn't that a miracle? As for the 4K mode, it is introduced here rather “for show”, because the real resolution does not reach such an indicator. And the frame rate in this mode is not at all conducive to its use.
Second important positive moment- the presence of the Protune mode, in which the image is not subjected to color correction (often incorrect) and software noise reduction, but is taken directly from the matrix.
Finally, one more aspect: rolling shutter. It is practically non-existent, which is at least surprising. A matrix with so many pixels should - no, just have to produce the most terrible rolling shutter in the form of slanted lines and a jelly-like picture. However, we do not observe this.
Speaking about the minuses that characterize this device, two points should be noted. The first is the risk of overheating. True, only theoretical. In practice, during testing, we never encountered overheating - but it’s understandable, it’s winter outside. The second serious minus is inconvenient, archaic control. This two-button blind control is long overdue (though some might consider it a GoPro-only gimmick). And finally insert some kind of backlight into the screen!
These shortcomings are quite serious, but other qualities of the camera, positive, undoubtedly outweigh them: excellent resolution, minimal rolling shutter, the presence of Wi-Fi. And they do not just outweigh, but force us to mark this device with our award. Quite deserved.
The official cost of the GoPro Hero 3Black Edition camcorder in Russia is 20,500 rubles; current average price(number of offers) is $369(10).
GoPro Hero3 Black Edition
And so a couple of weeks ago I bought myself a GoPro Hero3 Black Edition, I will not describe the completeness of the camera and the picture quality of this is full on YouTube.
During operation, the camera heats up well to 55-58 degrees and you can’t hold your finger for a long time. The pain temperature threshold is on average 50-55 degrees, depending on the person and his skin sensitivity, there can be a difference, what is unbearable for a finger for a normal chip working temperature.
The manufacturer answered the question about heating that a powerful processor is installed in the camera and such heat generation is within the permissible range, and that this is the normal operating temperature of the camera.
The base of the lens is metal, and it is this place that heats up strongly, and metal is not a bad heat conductor, and so in the protective case, the base to which the lens is attached is also metal and it passes through the entire box to the outside. It’s not for nothing that the manufacturer used metal there, which means it plays a role heat sink from the camera outside the box where this same metal part is blown by air, wind and cools down.
About the real time of the camera in different modes
Black edition with LEDs off and wifi
1440r 48fps 82min
1080p 60fps 71min
720r 120fps 80min
720r 60fps 86min
480p 240fps 80min
The camera with an Lcd touch BacPac connected to it worked for 57 minutes at 1080p 60fps, which is not bad at all
the camera with BataryBacPac in 720p 120fps mode lasted 190min.
Here is another very interesting article by Abe Kislevitz, who shoots, edits and edits videos with GoPro.
Well, you have become the proud owner of a brand new GoPro HERO3 Black Edition! Luckily, GoPro has added about 137 different video modes(sic!), so every time you start shooting, you can involuntarily begin to doubt whether the video mode is the right one. But I will help you deal with these mysterious modes, the only thing is you need to be a little tech-savvy.
To begin with, let's understand such concepts as video resolution (resolution), frame rate (fps), and video quality. The quality of digital video recording is based on a lot of different values, for example, 1080p on a GoPro is VERY different from the same 1080p on an Alexa camera - and the culprit is not only the image sensor. A lot depends on the algorithm of the processors built into the cameras, thanks to which information is read from the image sensor and written to the SD card. There are various tricks that are included by the developer in the main algorithm of the processor to get all this wide variety of video modes.
So, how does video recording work? The sensor, like a film, captures the image, and the camera reads the necessary area from it - the "window" and the larger the reading area (the larger the window), the greater the load on the processor. To read the sensor completely means to get the fullest possible image coming through the GoPro's widescreen lens (i.e. the reading window is equal to the width and height of the sensor). The sensor in the HERO 3 Black Edition camera has a resolution of 12 megapixels and a 4:3 aspect ratio. So when shooting video in 4k mode, the processor reads information over the entire width of the sensor, but not over the entire height. the output video will be in standard 16:9 aspect ratio. Since it is necessary to receive video in 4k resolution, the processor does not need to compress it and it saves information without changing the image size (that is, we have 4k at the input and output). The sensor reading area in this case is the same as when shooting, for example, in 1080p WIDE mode, however, in the latter case, the processor has to convert the image to a lower resolution at the final stage. The size of the video output also affects the degree of processor load, so when shooting 4k we have only 15 frames per second, and at 1080p (I repeat, despite the fact that the same large area is initially read from the sensor as in 4k) up to 60 frames per second.
Regarding digital video shooting, it is worth mentioning another important term: digital video can be native (i.e., optimal in terms of the interaction between the sensor and the processor) for the camera and not. In the Hero 3 Black Edition camera, the processor reads the maximum possible area from the sensor (for a 16:9 ratio), and then downscales the image to 1080p, and does this 60 times per second (which is optimal for this kind of processor). 1080--60fps and 2.7k are among the most best modes shooting - the processor and sensor interact perfectly with each other, which allows you to get the maximum image quality for this camera. There are also modes when information from the sensor is received by the processor using other algorithms, which leads to roughness (uneven edges of objects, for example, it is noticeably noticeable if there are electrical wires in the distance on the video). Try 1440--30fps and then 1440--48fps and compare the resulting video. The way the processor reads information for 48 and 30 frames is slightly different (high processor load at a resolution of 1440 and also 48 frames per second does not affect the quality in the best way). The same problem can be seen with the Canon 7D when comparing 1080p versus 720--60fps modes. So the image obtained at 720 will be rough (let me remind you that you need to look closely to see these “roughnesses”). the processor is heavily loaded (high resolution means a large number of pixels, and the frame rate determines the speed of reading information from the sensor per second).
Now let's talk about how the sensor reading area and the field of view or FOV (which can be Medium, Narrow and Wide) are related. At 1080p Medium, the information is only taken from the small window in the middle of the sensor, which means we don't see the full picture taken by the sensor through the wide lens - we only see a small part of the middle of the sensor. But initially in this mode, the processor still reads a larger image from the sensor, and then still downscales it to 1080p. At 1080p Narrow, an even smaller area is read from the very middle of the sensor, so there is even less distortion. This time, the size of the area that the processor reads from the sensor is almost equal to the output image, i.e. the processor does not downsize an image that is 1920 x 1080 (remember, the full sensor size is 4000 wide by 3000 high). The image itself, obtained in Narrow mode, looks more blurry, as it contains noise. This output quality is due to the fact that initially a small number of pixels are captured from the sensor - only 1920 x 1080, and in 1080p wide mode a much larger area is captured initially, and then the processor reduces the image (to the same 1920 x 1080), simultaneously removing noise ( i.e. the processes of cleaning the image themselves are present + initially there were more pixels). Narrow mode is like an incredibly zoomed-in version of a normal image (imagine we're only taking 30% of the middle of a photo taken by a GoPro i.e. the full photo would then be 1080p Wide). But you should not compare the Narrow mode with digital zoom, since the image read from the sensor is not converted by the processor, but has the same size at the input and output!
Detailed description GoPro Hero 3 video modes
WVGA--240fps--WIDE-- Well WVGA is WVAGA. If you look closely, the image is quite rough because of the low resolution, but it will do for youtube. If you don't care about video quality, then 240fps will make for incredible slowmotion.
720--60fps--WIDE-- Looks great, but why don't you try 1080--60fps?
720--120fps--WIDE-- I just don't like this mode. The rough edges (if you look closely) are nothing compared to the quality of the 1080--60fps mode, all this is due to the way the processor reads information from the sensor and processes it. But it looks great if your final goal this is to upload the video to youtube (because the video has crazy fps).
720--120fps--NARROW-- Super! 120fps! There are no distortions! Absolutely clean video (the processor does not reduce the image received from the sensor)! If there's a mode that screams "I'm not a GoPro", this is it. The video is incredibly clear, as if shot at 50mm. Slowmotion is great! But comparing with 1080 and 2.7k, you will notice how softer the image is in this mode.
960--48fps--WIDE-- Not tested (because it's a rather peculiar format).
960--100fps--WIDE--The quality is the same as at 720-120fps. You can get rid of jagged edges by dynamically stretching to 1080. Otherwise, not a bad mode.
1080--30fps--WIDE-- One of the best modes, very high image definition (similar to 2.7k 30fps).
I tested shooting the same scene at 1080-30 and 2.7k30. When 2.7k was reduced to 1080, the amount of detail and sharpness was almost identical to 1080-30. So I really like this mode, but you have to ask yourself why not shoot in 2.7k mode and have higher resolution video (for the future). Anyway, 1080--30 has one of the cleanest images on camera.
1080--60fps--WIDE-- Loss of clarity compared to 1080-30fps, but it's barely noticeable (the image looks more "soft"). There is a rollin-shutter effect (just a little bit!). Great for shooting fast moving subjects.
Comparing 1080--30 and 1080--60, you will notice that at 60FPS the image is slightly softer than at 30. But you won't notice this if you upload the image to youtube, but how the camera receives this video is slightly different. In the end, I choose this mode for shooting action scenes. The roller shutter effect is noticeably reduced when shooting at 60fps, due to the fact that the exposure time is reduced.
1080--60fps--MEDIUM-- Very clear image, less distortion, video doesn't look like standard GoPro video, great slow motion. Great for shooting with mechanical mounts when the camera moves very smoothly. But be careful with shooting from the first person. in Medium and Narrow modes, camera shake is very noticeable.
1080--60fps--NARROW-- This mode is incredible! Still an incredibly clean image, however, there may be noticeably more pixels and noise. Since the image received from the sensor is not reduced by the processor, the video quality will not be very good in low light. However, the details will be softer. Narrow mode looks like shooting DSLR video, which is very interesting in a GoPro environment. It's funny, but in the final GoPro video, we did not include several moments shot in this mode, because many simply would not believe that the video was shot 100% on a GoPro.
1440--30fps--WIDE-- I love this mode. Firstly because of the high sharpness and very clean video. If you shoot from the first person, it really seems that you see the world through the eyes of another person. Processing can be tricky because the ratio in this mode is 4:3, but if you know how to dynamically fit an image to 16:9, that's great. So if you're shooting a video that then just relive those moments, this mode is the bomb!
1440--48fps--WIDE-- The high frame rate is great, but if you watch the video in full resolution, you can notice the roughness around the edges. This is due to the processor's high frame rate algorithm. However, few people look at full resolution and peer into the edges. Looks great on youtube!
2.7k--30fps--WIDE-- Amazing! This mod is just crazy! Incredible picture clarity! The image is read from the entire sensor! The only negative is that there is a roll-shutter effect since 30fps. If you shoot in this mode with the camera on something stable on high speeds or in low light, you get pretty good motion blur. In general, in conditions of lack of light, this mode is very good.
2.7k--24fps--CIN-- Same as 2.7k--30fps--WIDE, only with cinematic cropping (top and bottom).
4k--15fps--WIDE-- Great for time lapse (with subsequent refinement in CineForm).
4k--12fps--CIN-- Same as 4k--15fps--WIDE, only lower frame rate and with cinematic cropping.
Protune mode
For most amateurs, Protune remains an incredible mystery, but professionals use it everywhere. The first thing that catches your eye when using Protune is the subdued color palette. Subdued strong light and accentuated shadows are the product of special curves on the color matrix. The desaturated color makes it easy to blend GoPro footage with footage from other cameras later on. Protune video also has reduced clarity. Take a look at the video recorded with and without Protune. With Protune, the image becomes softer, it may even seem that something is wrong with the lens. But the sharpness you see in standard mode (without Protune) is actually added by the processor during processing. For professionals, the less digital processing the video receives when shooting, the better, since all the necessary options can always be added later, at the post-production stage (for example, it is more convenient to add clarity at the end, when the video material from all cameras is collected, in order to have a solid video in the final, without jumpy clarity, contrast, etc.). Next, let's turn to high level bitrate - it reaches 45Mbps. The bitrate level tells the processor how much information to transfer from the sensor to the SD card - the higher the bitrate, the higher the video quality, but the more space is required on the drive. At low bitrate, it uses special material compression algorithms (such as grouping large blocks of colors) so that the video material takes up less space. The last feature of Protune is the ability to automatically match the color temperature.
Auto This is my lifesaver when I use Protune. The camera does a great job of reading the brightness and light and adjusting the mode as needed. This allows you to get a visually coherent material, which is especially important when shooting in the snow. I'll briefly describe Protune's other color temperature modes below, but I don't really use them much.
3000K This mode should be used in very warm light, such as at sunset or sunrise. In a neutral environment (in a room with white walls), the video will have a blue tint.
5500K This mode should be used for brighter light, during the day for example. With a neutral environment, the video will be in warm colors.
6500K This mode should be used when the sky is overcast, in a neutral environment it has an even softer tone.
cam raw This mode does not correct the color balance, but simply records what the camera sees in a given situation. This mode can give you incredible possibilities for further editing (but videos shot under different lighting conditions will be very mixed, so in post-production you can face a huge amount of work!)
But there are a few important things to note about how Protune works - Protune won't make video better at night! With Protune in the dark, you will see a little more detail than you could with a camera of this size, but the price for this will be the noise that will be present where there should be complete darkness. So as soon as the sun goes below the horizon, it is better to turn off Protune. What's more, there is virtually no digital noise reduction in Protune mode, so you get both more detail and more noise. But as I said, in low light conditions, the sensor in this camera works great (for a camera of this size). However, if GoPro added the ability to control the level of noise reduction to the camera, then it would be possible to get even better video in low light.
To summarize, for me - Protune+AutoWB + 1080-60, 2.7K, 1440-30; 1440 48 & are the most popular modes. I am also experimenting with 720-120 Narrow, 1080-60 Medium & and they seem to be great for me too.
Instead of a preface
The history of GoPro began during a trip to Australia by Nick Woodman. It was then that he decided to bring to life an idea that he had been thinking about for several years. He dreamed of capturing in photography the sensations that you experience when riding a perfect wave: what is it like to be inside a water tunnel and run your hand through the water that closes above your head? Cameras that could handle such a task in those days were very expensive, and only professionals could shoot such videos. Nick and his comrades wanted to become professionals (“go pro”) and look like heroes (“hero”) in the eyes of others. Thus, he set out to develop the world's first affordable wrist-mounted camera.
Contents of delivery
GoPro Hero 3 comes in a quality plastic box. On a special stand-mount, the camera itself flaunts in a waterproof case, and a rather rich set of accessories is compactly placed under the camera.
Despite such a serious set of accessories, you still have to buy additional ones, depending on the needs of the videographer.
And now the kit itself:
- the camera itself
- case with waterproof (up to 60 m) and conventional (non-sealed) lid for improved sound recording
- flat mount
- 3-way swivel
- stickers for attaching the mount itself to flat (1 pc.) and curved (1 pc.) surfaces
- USB cable
- 2 branded stickers (a la Apple)
- instruction
- guarantee
Appearance
The camera is very light (74 g) and very tiny, even in a bulky waterproof case. Made from impact resistant plastic.
This is what the camera looks like with the iPhone 4S, with not the biggest and longest phone.
On the front there are two indicators (on and shooting), a monochrome display, a power button, which is also one of the control keys, and a slightly protruding lens.
On the left side there are HDMI, microUSB connectors, a slot for micro-SD memory cards (up to 64 Gb).
At the back is a 1050 mAh lithium-ion battery. Enough for 3-4 hours of active shooting.
Photo and video shooting
GoPro Hero 3 Silver Edition has an 11-megapixel matrix, shoots Full HD (up to 30 fps), HD (up to 60 fps) and WVGA (848 × 480) 120 (!) fps. You can shoot excellent slow-motion, even at 60 fps. The image quality is quite good for this sensor size. Detailing starts to suffer in the dark. But in general, for an action camera, GoPro shoots just fine, copes with all its tasks 100%. There will be no videos of their own yet, since the camera has not been used in the conditions for which it is intended. But in the winter they will...
I think many people remember the video when the camera was thrown from the stratosphere, and it did not suffer at all ...
And here is how the camera was used on RedBull Mount biking.
Additional functions
There is a special accessory for GoPro cameras - a Wi-Fi remote control (supplied with the Black Edition). It duplicates the monochrome screen of the camera itself and receives a signal up to 200 m line of sight.
Performs the same function special application GoPro, which is available in the App Store, Play Market, and even the Windows Store.
White, Silver, Black… What to take?
As you know, there are three models of cameras that differ in the characteristics of shooting photos and videos, equipment and price. About each in order:
- White Edition: 5-megapixel sensor, full hd (up to 30 fps) and hd (up to 60 fps) shooting.
- Silver Edition: 11-megapixel sensor, full hd (up to 30 fps) and hd (up to 60 fps) shooting + WVGA (848×480) 120 fps shooting, shooting in Protune mode (special shooting mode with extended dynamic color range).
- Black Edition: 12-megapixel sensor, full hd (up to 60 fps) and hd (up to 120 fps) shooting + 2.7K (30 fps) and 4K (15 fps) shooting, Protune mode + remote control remote control via Wi-Fi.
Their post-GoPro Hero 3+ prices are $280, $340 and $440. I consider the Silver Edition to be an ideal option for purchase, since it is unlikely that you will use a Wi-Fi remote control and shoot in 4K. The only plus is 120 fps in hd, you can shoot really cool slo-mo.
Conclusion
The GoPro Hero 3 Silver Edition does a great job not only as an action camera, but also as a regular camera that you can use to capture memorable events, carry it around with you all the time and shoot fun slo-mo videos.
And imagine how cool you would look on skis or snowboard with a camera on your helmet among a crowd of “non-professionals”. It can also be used for a trip to the sea for shooting underwater and not only.
It may seem that if you are not engaged extreme sports, then you do not need such a camera. In fact, the camera is fraught with many hidden features and uses.
Not every Class 10 memory card will work properly on GoPro HERO 3+ and HERO Black cameras, and in particular, failures are observed in ProTune mode and when shooting 4K video.
The GoPro HERO3+ and the slightly older GoPro HERO3 are particularly sensitive to this type of microSD card. If you notice that the video recording stops unexpectedly, then it is definitely the memory card that is the problem (the only exception can be a battery that is almost empty).
The incompatibility of the memory card with GoPro equipment appears precisely when you are trying to record video at the maximum resolution that the camera is capable of. The problem will be more visible if you use ProTune mode, which allows you to record more data than in the standard camera mode. Manufacturers of microSD 10 CLASS also did not announce its speed in advance, which further aggravated the situation. If you look at any packaging of memory cards from world brands, you will definitely find information that identifies speed data. Some manufacturers indicate the reading speed. Some indicate a label to indicate the write speed, such as 300x.
Both of the above GoPro 3 cameras need a microSD card with a fast write speed, and this CLASS 10 card does not meet this requirement. I used a Sandisk Ultra memory card. Although on paper its characteristics seemed to me more than high, in reality the video shooting was not carried out properly. But, as soon as I purchased a SanDisk Extreme memory card, the video “flyed” not just in standard mode, but even in Protune mode.
Both GoPro cameras, HERO 3+ and GoPro HERO 3, work on a CLASS 10 microSD card, but only up to 64 GB. However, not all CLASS 10 flash cards are the same. It would be great if the cards this class were standard, but, unfortunately, this is not the case. Two different CLASS 10 cards from two different manufacturers can have different write speed parameters, and this is the main problem! But if you delve deeper into this problem, it turns out that there are different kinds write speeds, which vary depending on the combination of hardware and software used digital device. Below is a list of memory cards that are officially recommended for use in GoPro HERO 3+ cameras.
And if you are wondering what is the difference between SDHC and SDXC, then this has nothing to do with speed. It's just that the SDHC card type has a storage capacity of up to 32 GB, while SDXC has more than 32 GB.
 | SanDisk Extreme 64GB microSDXC Memory Card(Model No. SDSDQXL-064G) Includes microSD to SD adapter |
 | SanDisk Extreme 32GB microSDHC Memory Card(Model No. SDSDQXL-032G) Includes USB adapter |
 | Lexar 64GB SDXC 300x(Model No. LSDMI64GBBNL300R) |
| Lexar 32GB SDHC 600x(Model No. LSDMI32GBSBNA600R) Memory card plus small USB adapter |
|
| Delkin 64GB SDXC(Model No. DDMICROSDPRO264GB) Includes SD adapter |
|
| Delkin 32GB SDHC(Model No. DDMICROSDPRO2-32GB) Kit with SD adapter |
|
| Samsung 64GB SDXC(Model No. MB-MGCGB/AM) No adapter. Although this card is officially recommended by GoPro, some users are having trouble using this card due to the slow write speed. |
|
New Versions of SanDisk Extreme Memory Cards
The SanDisk Extreme cards, which are included in the official GoPro listing, have faster read speeds (60MB/s) and slightly slower write speeds (40MB/s).
The new map version seems to work perfectly in GoPro HERO3+ Black cameras. And while a new version is not on the official GoPro list, there are two benefits to working with the new model. The first is the price. As stocks of the older model are dwindling, some retailers are raising the price due to high demand. And some sellers generally inflate the cost by half compared to the new model. The second advantage is that new model much easier to find in the sale markets. So here are the newer versions.
 | . Model No. SDSDQXN-064G-G46A. Included with SD adapter |
 | Model No. SDSDQXN-032G-G46A Included with SD adapter |
 | (Model No. SDSDQX-064G-AFFP-A) Included with SD adapter |
 | SanDisk Extreme Plus 32GB.(Model No. SDSDQX-032G-U46A) MicroSD to SD adapter |
Other GoPro Hero models aren't as picky about their requirements, as their specs are lower than their Black Edition counterparts. However, there are skeletons in the closet here too: the problems of matching the card with some models and some shooting modes.
HERO3 Cameras: White and Silver
These two cameras are compatible with any CLASS 10 microSD card (both SDHC and SDXC). Under certain circumstances (see below), you can get away with a lower class card.
HERO3 Silver and HERO3+ Silver
Requires MicroSD CLASS 10 up to 64 GB to capture time-lapse at 0.5 second intervals; for continuous shooting (10 frames per 1 second - 10/1); to support Protune mode.
HERO3: White Edition
Requires a CLASS 4 microSD up to 64 GB.
Requires MicroSD CLASS 10 up to 64 GB for time lapse shooting at 0.5 second intervals.
HD HERO2
Requires SD 10 CLASS up to 64 GB for time lapse shooting at 0.5 second intervals; for continuous shooting (10/1); to support Protune mode (if you want to use any of these features, make sure your memory card is SDHC, not SDXC).
HD HERO Original and HD HERO 960
Requires SD 4 CLASS up to 32 GB.
SDXC type cards (more than 32 GB) will not work in these models.
How to disable ads on Android: remove pop-up ads
The Russian received a term and a million fine for "piracy Negative consequences of the law
Identification of key factors
The criteria for classifying organizations and individual entrepreneurs as small and medium-sized businesses have changed
See what "Royalty" is in other dictionaries Pitfalls of legislation