GoPro Hero 3 Black Edition Settings for Cozumel?

[ScubaND]

Hello All,

I am leaving in about a week for Cozumel and would like to get some advice on the settings for my GoPro Hero 3 Black edition camera. I have the SRP Tray along with the SRP URPro CY Filter. I also have the I-torch Pro 6 video light. Any advice would be greatly appreciated for the settings. I will be posting pictures of the camera setup this week.

Thanks All,

 

[EL Pistoffo]

My settings are as follows:

1080p/60 fps, wide FOV, ProTune on, Camera Raw White Balance.

With these settings, you would need to adjust contrast/brightness and correct color in post editing software. If you use GoPro Studio it will be easy because it will automatically detect the video as Protune mode and adjust the contrast/brightness for you. For color correction you would need to do that yourself but it is fairly easy. You use the eye dropper/picker tool and click on something that should appear white or close to white on the image and it will correct.

These settings are what I like to use and feel they provide the best final image but they require more work in post editing. You can opt to not use Protune. You can also opt to use Auto White Balance. If you have no plans to slow down any video clips much you can also use 30 fps instead of 60 fps.

 

[RockyHeap]

yeah what he said............but I prefer using Medium FOV, as you don't get the fish eye edging blur.



See El Pistoffo's Palancar Caves Cozumel video, he got some great shots and camera angles. Though I feel his contrast settings are a bit soft and washed out, with little punch of blacks.

https://vimeo.com/75675345


I believe he used a CY filter, as did I for my Cozumel video. Mine is all autowhite balance, then just a smidge tweeking in GoPro Studio. I prefer more contrast, and even used subtle lighting mid day with a CY filter, it brings back the punch. Read my video comments here on more settings/lenses.

https://vimeo.com/85508998


What-ever setting you shoot, remember you're there to have fun, and not be a frustrated Jr Steven Spielberg.




Myself, I'm not one to spend tons of time in Post. Your SRP Tray and SRP CY Filter will work awesome even with shooting protune off and autowhite balance.


With a filter, always try and shoot with the sun at your back, and as I said, don't be scared to use your lights during the day even from 5-10 feet away, don't get too close to your sponge or subject, or with lights & CY filter you CAN blow out the reds/oranges and over saturate.


Always Get close, then closer.

 

[ScubaND]

That sounds excellent. Thanks RockyHeap for all the advice. So if I understand this right you had your settings at:

1080P
60FPS
Auto White Balance
Medium FOV

?????

Thanks again

 

[RockyHeap]

Yup, those are great settings to start with,


feel free to try others like 2.7K x 30 fps, as the 1080 60 fps won't capture deeper darker water quite as brightly. Plus with 2.7K you have freedom to crop in Post if needed (just little minor tweeks, don't go overboard in cropping or color/contrast, just a nudge will do.)


You should really think about an SRP naked mount and a +10 diopter macro. that's how I got my ubber close-ups, and zero fish eye in my video.

You could have one overnighted to you from SRP, and have it in time for your trip. Very easy to swap between Macro and CY filter during the dive too. Clip On Clip Off, stow in BCD pocket.


glad to help, just remember, it's not the gopro settings, but 85% of good video is the person holding the camera and getting close then closer, slow smooth pans and not herky jerky racing the camera all over the place.



You can't fix crap in post, if you're shooting crap on the front end while wet.

---------- Post added February 25th, 2014 at 06:01 PM ----------

I just your other post on your total set-up, sweet sweet sweet, you made a GREAT configuration.





http://www.scubaboard.com/forums/go...o-hero-3-black-i-torch-video-pro-6-light.html



I need to get a couple of dummy lens mounts, I like that method of mounting a spare lens to your tray!

(that second grip mount on the tray is SCREAMING for a second video light (yeah yeah I know they're not cheap. Shoot your single light far off to the side with full extended arm flex, and not over the top to reduce backscatter. I like your long loc-line length, mine are that long with twin SOLA lights, many people run them short and I don't know why. Twin lights = no shadows.

Wire in the loc-lines may be overkill, heck I can hardly get mine to snap together/apart even on the surface with dry hands! Spit on the links helps to snap together.


pics of one of my tray/rigs in travel mode:


http://www.scubaboard.com/forums/gopro-video/439885-my-diy-hero-tray-travel-bag-light-arms.html

 

[EL Pistoffo]

See El Pistoffo's Palancar Caves Cozumel video, he got some great shots and camera angles. Though I feel his contrast settings are a bit soft and washed out, with little punch of blacks.

https://vimeo.com/75675345

Rocky, I agree on the washed out contrast on my videos. I left it to the GoPro Studio default Protune preset. I going to need to tweak it a bit more for the blacks. I was also having issues with my main editor Sony Vegas Pro. I always had the feeling that it was adding some motion blur to my footage (let's face it, my camera hands aren't very steady YET) and I eventually verified that it was. I recently figured out how to correct it so in the future my videos should look sharper and hopefully I'll improve the contrast.

 

[ScubaND]

Is that the SO naked that I already use with all my other 55 mm lenses your talking about?

BlurFix3 SO Naked 55 mm Filter Adapter

Also is this the macro your talking about?

55 mm Marumi Macro +10

 

[aclsee]

Hi, just learnt that GoPro 3/3+ comes with a "Low Light" mode, does anyone know if that does any good to the UW shootings?

 

[EL Pistoffo]

Hi, just learnt that GoPro 3/3+ comes with a "Low Light" mode, does anyone know if that does any good to the UW shootings?

I'm not familiar with a "low light" mode though any such mode would be beneficial UW.

 

[toozler]

With that dive light, you could even play around with the narrow FOV and no filter for closeup shots.