GoPro Settings NGC

[Kiwi_Roy]

Someone gave me a goPro Hero Session 5 a couple of years back. I tried it out but it didn't seem that useful, I think mainly because I don't have it set up properly
The settings I have
Photo 10MP  L
Video 1440 30 W
TL-VD 0.5S  4K W what's that all about?

I gather you can use it as a dash-cam just overwriting itself
Or to record Video
Or take pictures, I have used it that way with some success but I may have it set wrong.

I would appreciate it if some GoPro Guru would set me straight.

Thanks
Roy

[nick949]

Someone gave me a goPro Hero Session 5 a couple of years back. I tried it out but it didn't seem that useful, I think mainly because I don't have it set up properly
The settings I have
Photo 10MP  L
Video 1440 30 W
TL-VD 0.5S  4K W what's that all about?

I gather you can use it as a dash-cam just overwriting itself
Or to record Video
Or take pictures, I have used it that way with some success but I may have it set wrong.

I would appreciate it if some GoPro Guru would set me straight.

Thanks
Roy

Hi Roy,
     In the words of the immortal Shakespeare RTFM.  This may be the right one. If not, it's out there.

https://gopro.com/content/dam/help/hero-session/manuals/UM_HEROSession_ENG_REVC_Web.pdf

Nick

[fotoguzzi]

I'm no guru.. but off the top of my head..
10 mp.. is set for 10 megapixel still pics, the L might indicate low but 10mp sounds like it might be the highest resolution, I'm not sure with the hero 5.
Video, 1440 30 W..  your aspect ratio is set at 1440 by 720 and 30 frames per second. Wide view (alway use W or the camera uses only a smaller portion of the record chip so low resolution) I use 1920x1080w a little higher resolution you can go as high as 4K on your camera it seems., 30fps is fine unless you want slow motion then you bump it up to 120 FPS which is slowed 4x. If you shoot 4k (highest quality/resolution) your limited in FPS to 30. I think?
TL Vd is for time lapse video, shooting 1 frame ever 5 seconds at 4K resolution. If you shoot time lapse the camera needs a fixed location not on a moving dash for best results.

[stubbie]

I'd use 1920x1080w at 30fps. 30 fps is NTSC television standard for USA. If you shoot in 4k you will use a shirt load of your SD card recording media in no time. 10 mp as stated is for stills 12 might be the highest I'm not sure on a 5.

[Kiwi_Roy]

Hi Roy,
     In the words of the immortal Shakespeare RTFM.  This may be the right one. If not, it's out there.

https://gopro.com/content/dam/help/hero-session/manuals/UM_HEROSession_ENG_REVC_Web.pdf

Nick

I can read the manual but it might as well be in Greek for all I learn from it.
I took it up to Eagle Plains and got some good shots but that was pure luck, not any skill on my part.
You obviously take lots of video of your tripping around, I have watched and enjoyed those, do you use a GoPro or something all together different?
I have a 32 GB chip, how long will it take video before it fills up and what happens then, does it just stop taking or is it FIFO

Fotoguzzi, so I seem to have the settings about right then.

Stubbie, thanks for your response. Why do we need the FPS to line up with NSTC, I don't expect to see my travelog on TV lol

I told my SIL, don't expect to see me in any wheelie videos.

[stubbie]

Well I guess you can use whatever FPS you like as most TV's today will read anything you give them but 30fps is correct US NTSC standard. In Aust we use 25fps which is the correct Pal format. If you want to ever edit your video it probably needs to be in the correct format. Used to get 5 minutes of video for every gig in HD depending on the record type. You may have more choices on a GP5.

[fotoguzzi]

Well I guess you can use whatever FPS you like as most TV's today will read anything you give them but 29.97fps is correct US NTSC standard. In Aust we use 25fps which is the correct Pal format. If you want to ever edit your video it probably needs to be in the correct format. Used to get 5 minutes of video for every gig in HD depending on the record type. You may have more choices on a GP5.

https://petapixel.com/2016/10/05/know-cameras-shoot-29-97fps-not-30/

[nick949]

Hi Roy,
  I use two older gopros (original and Hero2) and one Amazon knock-off.

I set them at 1080 and 30 frames per second. I have mine set up to start recording immediately but usually only record a few minutes at a time, preferring to get short sections which I then edit together afterwards.  I rarely let the camera drone on, because it makes for boring footage, uses up the battery and fills the card with crap you'll never use.

The key is to use a variety of mounts and mix and match to provide a little visual variety. My 'slow TV' files on Youtube are popular, but most people only view for about 3 minutes before moving on.  I'm the same when looking at other people's rides.

If you just let the camera run, it will fill the card then stop. You will have footage up until that point.  I do bursts because there is nothing more frustrating than running the camera over something interesting, only to find out that the card was full or the battery was done and the darn thing switched off.  This has happened to me countless times - usually when there's some wildlife....  I do a lot of stopping to fart with the cameras.

Unless you want to record a ride for your own review afterwards, you will need some editing software so you can cut out the boring stuff and shorten the video to a length people will actually watch.  I recommend less than 5 minutes is a good rule of thumb.

I use both my cell phone and digital camera for additional shots - both still and video, and never bother with stills off the gopro.  The newer gopros might be better for stills now - I don't know.  I use a tripod with my digital camera for any 'ride-bys'.

The bottom line is, there is no perfect way or magic formula (that I've found).  Take lots of footage, junk the junk and edit, edit, edit.  Editing software is complicated and frustrating so there is going to be a big investment of time just figuring out how the darn things work.  I use Corel VideoStudio2019 but there are better and probably cheaper alternatives.

If you can plug the camera into a USB port, it eliminates worries about batteries, but my gopros don't have a way to do that unless I run them outside the case (which I do sometimes), so spare batteries and a way to recharge them is vital.

If I think of anything else I'll add it, but trial and error (lots of that) is the only way.  Typically, any of my videos that are much beyond a simple first-person ride, will take 5-8 hours to pull together, and frankly, unless you're a Guzziholic, they're shit.

Sorry about the useless first response - I must have been feeling froggy - or more likely, in the sauce.

Good luck

Nick

(edit) Ah..GP5. You can probably get better resolution than my old worn out gopros.  But the higher the resolution and frame speed, the larger the file and the sooner you'll fill the card.  It's all a balancing act.

[Kiwi_Roy]

Thanks Nick, thats the sort of input I was looking for.
I got several of your books for Christmas, I enjoyed the first one, will savour the others.
Roy

[stubbie]

I didn't want to confuse the issue by calling it 29.97fps especially when Go Pro's record at 30fps

[Ryan]

I didn't buy a gopro because it didn't "loop" and over-write the old stuff. I didn't want to make movies, just wanted a set it and forget it way to document any accidents. Bought a cheap dashcam, it sucked. Just ordered a Whistler- hopefully, it will do the job I bought it for.