Hero3 Black. How do I take advantage of this high definition camera?

[Don in Colorado 2]

I can shoot at 4K cinema, but how can I view this this, and how can I get frame captures from this? GoPro's website isn't too helpful. Any advice is appreciated.

 

I have a Windows 7 PC.

[Drew 0]

Don

You can use the supplied Cineform Studio to view and import/download directly from the GoPro unit itself. You can download the latest versions from the GoPro website.

 

Any other editing software or video player should allow you to grab a frame from the clips, provided it handles 4k resolution. Older NLEs do not.

[jonny shaw 16]

I think it only shoots 4K at 15 fps so pretty useless, I think it does 2K @ 30 which would be a lot better.

[CheungyDiver 53]

The 4K with Gopro is pretty much marketing hype, Tiny sensor and small package so can't expect much. The footage lags, smudges and moire like hell.

 

The 2.7K 30p is something else - in an action cam! I hope they do a 3D version. Great for that price and wearable too.

[Don in Colorado 2]

Thanks for the tips. My main interest in 4k is frame grabs. I'll play with the 2.7 k and frame grabs. I played with cineform studio, but it only seems to convert these files to avi. I don't see how to grab a frame before it has been converted to avi.

 

Thanks again for the info.

[CamDiver 5]

Isn't all of that covered in the user manual??

[Don in Colorado 2]

Isn't all of that covered in the user manual??

 

Here is the user manual. Maybe I missed something.

 

http://<span style="...G_FINAL_Web.pdf

Edited November 12, 2012 by Don in Colorado

[Drew 0]

It is unfortunate that the GoPro crew does expect users to have some experience with video editing. Don, you can also use Photoshop to grab the frames.

[Don in Colorado 2]

Thanks Drew. I didn't know I could use photoshop for frame capture. I have CS5. I'll look into this. Thanks again.

 

I do have ACDSee, and it also does frame capture. I am not sure it is capturing the frame at full resolution. I haven't had time to really experiment too much.

Edited November 12, 2012 by Don in Colorado

[Nick Hope 151]

You can also grab stills with VLC media player, which is free, but I've never done it.

[Drew 0]

Don

I'm not sure about CS5, but 6, one can edit video.

[Don in Colorado 2]

Thanks for the tips Nick and Drew.

 

I played with ACDSee, and it does get full res frame captures from MP4 files. It doesn't play these high res files too well on my low powered laptop computer.

 

I'll try VLC media player to see if it will play these high res files.

[Steve Douglas 16]

I found that when I was reviewing the HERO2 that Cineform Studio was incredibly wonky to use. Sometimes it worked as it should but, more often than not, it didn't function as it should have. While the HERO and Cineform Studio are couple together, they really are two separate companies. At least, that is what GoPro's support people told me.

Steve

[wagsy 0]

I have just been dumping the raw 35mbps files from Hero 2 running the buggy Protune firmware straight into EDIUS, and it cuts it up piece of cake.

You can also get full size screen grabs by clicking just one button on the timeline :-)

I have been looking at the new Sony POV, its image stabilization and built in LCD and WiFi has sold me.

[dougdaulton 1]

Just went through a full day class at PPW/NAB on integrating GoPro & other action cams into broadcast & film productions. The consensus on GoPro 4K is that it is really intended for timelapse and photo burst use. At 15fps, the 4K video is not terribly useful.

 

On the other hand, as others have noted, the low-light performance of the Hero3 coupled with both the 2.7K/30fps mode and ProTune format, makes a very solid image with lots of pixels to push around in post (ie. grading, reframing). Is it a RED? No. But, the camera, if configured correctly can produce great images, particularly for the web, in the right conditions.

[dewmercer 0]

Agree re 4k being hype. The GP 4 will capture it at 30-60fps but still, there are really few screens that will make it worth while. On the 3+, 1080 at 30fps is the most battery efficient.

 

VLC does screen caps. You can also use the snipping tool that ships with Windows. Vlc will probably give better results though.

 

Sent from my RM-820_nam_att_100 using Tapatalk

[Davide DB 363]

I have just been dumping the raw 35mbps files from Hero 2 running the buggy Protune firmware straight into EDIUS, and it cuts it up piece of cake.

 

 

Tired to listen my friends ranting that their GP3 Black clips fall apart at depth I stole them a camera and I tried for myself.

BTW they use this tiny camera without lights. Even a RED would fall apart in pitch black conditions...

 

I tested the GoPro3 Black edition with my current GH2 light setup: 2x FIX Aquavolt3500 with 60cm Nauticam arms. For extra stability I used my Nauticam tray to fix the camera on my scooter mount.

To make things harder we dove the tugboat "MISENO" (70+meters deep) on a winter day with a visibility up to 6 meters.

Since the heavy rain of the previous days, the complete extension of the light's arms were not enough to avoid a lot of backscatter.

 

It was the first dive with a GoPro and the most difficult part was trying to frame the shots without a display. I found myself dreaming of my tiny GH2 display

 

Hero3 was set on 1080@30p Wide with Protune Cam Raw. Files edited and graded straight into Edius 6.05. I add a couple of transitions showing the clips before/after color correction. I didn't have the patience to go through the endless Neat Video session: after all it's just a test.

 

PS

Power of marketing hipe: all tutorials "suggest" that is mandatory to transcode protune files into cineform codec before editing otherwise you'll go to hell or your hard disk will be automatically formatted GoPro site credits the cineform codec magical power, something like Fountain of Youth

Actually protune files are just H.264 files so I edited and cc straight into Edius without a glitch.

 

[SPP 16]

Hi Davide,

 

I like ur video, as always, even a test video is beautifuly done.

 

If you choose Protune mode and more so if CamRaw WB choosen too, transcoding first to Cineform AVI or MOV will recover the details easier , where Protune records with camera processing to minimum......noise included while sharpness reduced.

 

No need NEAT video and the like, mess with it in Cineform Studio when file already a Cineform AVI or MOV and at the same time editor like Vegas Pro will do parallel work with Cineform Studio.

 

What you can do to improve with not much extra work is sharpness for your test video.

Under PROTUNE color preset, the sharpness is pushed to approx 75% and looks like the average all auto output, your scene of the corals on the wreck will be sharper. Try it and you will see, its not over sharpening , its just suitable sharp.

 

If you record in AWB or auto all the way and no Protune in a GoPro cam, transcoding to GoPro Studio is no worth the effort.

 

The powerful and easy thing about Protune and CamRaw is its color recovery capability at a distance when using ambient sunlight and water not too clear but of course you must use GoPro Studio. Its a decently powerful color correcting software and free too. More color touch up can be done with the editor you choose, which must be compatible with Cineform codec.

 

If one choose 32 bits floating point in Vegas Pro, the Cineform AVI is much easier to color tune for difficult scenes than a normal/standard MP4.

 

No doubt the MP4 Protune records in 8 bits 4:2:0, the Cineform AVI is 10bit 422 upsampled, garbage in garbage out still applies, but the color tuning flexibility of Cineform AVI is better than in its raw MP4 Protune, in hands of expert ( not me...ha ha ha ).

 

While GoPro so called CamRaw is not as raw as professional cameras RAW, its a great free Raw WB, for a camera costing so little.

 

In the capable hands like yourself, I bet you can maximize Protune + CamRaw to its maximum with Cineform AVI in GoPro Studio and parallel running to another editor.

 

Have fun Davide...

 

 

 

 

 

[Davide DB 363]

I wrote a long reply completely lost pressing the wrong button on my tablet

[A.Y. 15]

Hi SPP, Excellent tips!

 

I just got a GoPro 3+ Black with a Polar Pro blue-water filter yesterday, and will dive the Catalina kelp forest this weekend so no time to experiment underwater before the trip. The dives will likely be less then 70 feet or 21meters deep, ambient light under mostly sunny weather and the video settings will be 2.7K, 1524p30, Protune, CamRaw.

 

Since an underwater filter reduces light by half a stop (1/80sec without the filter, 1/60sec with), but lessen the need to push the white balance, what will produce lower noise videos ultimately - with or without a filter?

[Davide DB 363]

Have fun Davide...

 

 

Hi SPP, glad you liked my test but.. you are ovverating me

 

At the beginning I installed GoPro Studio to run some test with protune and cineform files. I loaded both on the timeline. My project was using Canopus HQX codec (4:2:2 10 bit as Cineform) which Edius transcode in background while editing. I tried to CC both and I found no differences between them. Cineform files where huge and lighter to edit but once the HQX files were ready no difference at all.

I'm a beginner so maybe I missed something. If I can I try to edit and CC in the same editor.

I found that the best filter/tool for underwater clips is the crominance mask: it let you pick up easily one range of color (e.g. all the water) without touching other part. After that you can apply whatever filter you like to this selection. A simple three wheel color correction to remove that water green cast.

When later I saw the result on my TV I realized I forgot to apply an Unsharp mask. But I was too lazy to reopen the project Anyway you are correct: current edit is way too soft.

I have a DELL U2412M monitor and I'm realizing there is a lot of difference between what I see on my monitor and other TV/computers. It's becoming a problem...

 

Byeee

[SPP 16]

Hi A.Y,

 

I would avoid Polar Pro blue-water ( cyan /red ) filter. Its too fake a red added.

Use URPRO by SRP if you want cyan filter. In decent viz water and ambient light, use cyan filter at 3 meters or deeper.

I still use my old glass type URPRO-SRP cyan filter from HD2 era, which SRP thin it down to remove black edges.

The plastic adapter SRP uses for HD3 or HD3+ ( Blurfix3 or just Blurfix3+ ) is 55mm threaded, so I can use plastic cyan filter or the glass one 55mm.

 

Sunny weather 21 meters deep with viz if 15 meters, the URPRO-SRP cyan filter will do well and you do not need to worry about loosing half stop, you won't see noise.

 

2.7K is native ( sort of ) to GoPro sensor and it has one of the best image for UW. You can later crop to get clean 1080p without the ugly edges a flat lens housing produces on very wide angle.

 

CamRaw you must use ( must choose Protune to get CamRaw ), as GoPro AWB shifts alot UW and transcoding to Cineform AVI or MOV is only worthwhile if Protune + CamRaw is used.

 

Dive safe and have fun yah....

[SPP 16]

Hi Davide,

 

You are good, I am not over rating you....serious.

You are one of the guy I keep on list, for me to always watch your new videos.

 

I like the way you color things, very natural. Must lear from you.

 

I am a poor colorist, so me use simple ones from GoPro Studio....ha ha ha.

I am blind on Edius NLE, I only know Vegas Pro and no others....ha ha ha.

 

Ok got it, understood on why ur video a bit soft.

I use a Dell U2711 but my i1 Display Pro calibrator went bad recently and I can't calibrate the 27", which I usually use as reference display.

This U2711 has strong cyan....that is how I see it compared to my 2 other low cost non U model Dell.

 

I know what you mean, TV are too much fake.

 

How deep is the actual helmstation of the Tug Boat wreck ?

 

Thanks

..

[Davide DB 363]

Hi SPP,

 

Helmstation is at 68 meter while bottom is 73 meter.

 

If you have time take a look to this tutorial. He tries to achieve the same Michael Bay look with different methods. Just check it from 19' onwards. Look how he change the yellow taxi color...

 

 

I never calibrated my Dell U2412M but I guess it was a lot cheaper than yours.

 

Bye

Edited February 6, 2014 by Davide DB

[A.Y. 15]

After viewing randomly shown 1524 30p and 1080 60p clips, I'd decided to stick with the 1080 60p since the difference in resolution is far less noticeable than the choppiness of the 30fps frame rate!

 

My observations on the Polar Pro filter, after examining many online videos including side-by-side comparisons done by Polar Pro and SRP:

 

Polar Pro blue-water filter uses a little stronger red and a little more magenta tint and it does seem to do a better job in Southern California slightly greener water with less visibility. Kelp forest videos posted by Polar Pro do have better colors, and the company is located in Southern California. I'll find out for sure this weekend whether my observations are correct!

 

SRP filter has less red and magenta and seems to provide more pleasing colors in clearer tropical water, but it's not the most ideal filter for Southern California. SRP own Catalina kelp forest video shows inadequate color corrections under ambient sunlight. I'll definitely give SRP a try when I visit the Bahamas or Southeast Asia. Thanks for the tip!

Edited February 8, 2014 by A.Y.