GoPro Hero 3 FOV options

[John Wiley]

Hi everyone.

Just wondering if anybody out there can confirm some details on the new GoPro Hero 3?

Can the Hero 3 shoot 120fps 720p at the cropped FOV settings? And what about at 1080p; are all the FOV options still available in 1080p mode, even though the frame rates are higher on the Hero 3 than the Hero 2?

I've been shooting surfing with my GoPro Hero 2 and it's great for certain applications - ie if the subject is right in front of you. If you want to shoot anything happening further than 10 feet away, it's pretty useless. Unless you can get a perfect link-up between the surfer and filmer, the FOV is just too wide and the talent appears to be a little speck in the distance. I'm not expecting the equivalent of a zoom lens, but some of the situations I'm shooting in (ie swimming right in the impact zone of powerful waves over shallow reefs, with a sharp-nosed surfboard flying towards me) would be much safer if I could back up even a few metres. Of course, switching to 1080p mode on the Hero 2 lets you use the cropped FOV but then you also lose the ability to slow the footage down in post.

So can anybody give me some insight into the FOV/frame rate options on the Hero 3?

[Cedric Cornell]

GoPro Comparison Chart

1080P has all FOV's @ 30fps

720 has all FOV's @ 30fps and 60fps

This is what I have been able to understand for all the different info floating around

update: http://gopro.com/product-comparison-hero3-cameras

Here its says that all FOV are availble in 1080p 60fps........

[Nigel Barker]

The new GoPro Hero 3 Black Edition does 1080p60 / 720p120 / 1440p48 /4kp15 / 2.7kp30 / WVGA-240fps & even 12MP stills in a 30 fps burst. HERO3 Black Edition | Wi-Fi enabled | Most Advanced HD GoPro Ever

[John Wiley]

Thanks Cedric,

I'd interpret that chart the same way, but then again I wouldn't be surprised if there was some hidden fine print along the lines of *Medium and Narrow FOV only available in 24, 25 & 30fps modes* or something similar.

Nigel, does it do all those frame-rates/sizes at the ultra-wide, medium & narrow settings? I'm well aware of the formats the new Hero 3 Black shoots, but I can't figure out whether the FOV setting can be changed for each format. The Hero 2 only lets you change the FOV when shooting in the 1080p/25/30 modes, so you can't shoot any overcranked footage at anything other than the ultra-wide setting. I'm wondering if this has been changed in the new Hero 3?

Is anybody with the new version able to confirm what resolution/frame rate/FOV combinations are possible with the new Hero 3 Black?

[Cedric Cornell]

Would be nice to know first hand from someone with a Black.

Hope to film in 1080p 60fps with the narrow and medium FOV.

[Mike Sims]

I found that chart confusing also. Here are the possible combinations taken directly from a GoPro3 Black camera.

Normal:

2.7cin 24 W
2.7K 30 W
1440 24 W
1440 30 W
1440 48 W
1080 24 WMN
1080 30 WMN
1080 48 WMN
1080 60 WMN
960 48 W
960 100 W
720 60 W
720 120 WN
WVGA 240 W


ProTune:

4Kcin 12 W
4K 15 W
2.7cin 24 W
2.7K 30 W
1440 24 W
1440 30 W
1440 48 W
1080 24 WM
1080 30 WM
1080 48 WM
1080 60 WM
960 100 W
720 60 W
720 120 W

[Charles W. Hull]

Originally Posted by Mike Sims

Here are the possible combinations taken directly from a GoPro3 Black camera.

Good job Mike.

I notice the Medium and Narrow modes give very good video with the Hero3, good resolution and good color. With the Hero2 I was never able to get decent video in these modes.

If I don't use Protune I've been experiencing crushed blacks and expanded whites, although this can be recovered in post using the Studio software. Protune doesn't tend to crush blacks or over emphasize whites so I can take this straight to the editor and just do minor adjustments there. But Protune doesn't have the nice Narrow range.

So for John's question, he should be able to get very good results in the Narrow mode, Protune off, and expect to do some post processing to deal with crushed blacks and expanded whites.

[John Wiley]

Thanks Mike, this is exactly what I needed.

I can live without Protune if it means I'm able to get the shot I want, as opposed to not getting it at all.
Looks like a Hero 3 Black just got added to my shopping list.

[Tim Polster]

This is an interesting thread. I do not understand why Protune would not be available in all of the different FOV options? Seems the narrow FOV would require less processing power as less of the chip is being used?

Maybe I am being thick here?

[Raymond Schlogel]

My Black is still out getting replaced so can't test but quick question, isn't the FOV just a digital in camera zoom? Or does it do something else to the image that people would prefer change the FOV in camera instead of just doing an easy punch-in in the edit?

- Ray

[Charles W. Hull]

Originally Posted by Raymond Schlogel

My Black is still out getting replaced so can't test but quick question, isn't the FOV just a digital in camera zoom? Or does it do something else to the image that people would prefer change the FOV in camera instead of just doing an easy punch-in in the edit?

- Ray

No, the resolution at Medium and Narrow is still quite good with 1080p - so my assumption is the camera is sampling smaller regions of the chip for these modes (still with at least 1920 X 1080 pixels). This is much different than a digital in camera zoom.

[John Wiley]

Originally Posted by Raymond Schlogel

My Black is still out getting replaced so can't test but quick question, isn't the FOV just a digital in camera zoom? Or does it do something else to the image that people would prefer change the FOV in camera instead of just doing an easy punch-in in the edit?

- Ray

Ray, for stills, yes you are essentially correct. But because the sensor is much higher resolution than HD video, it allows only a portion of the sensor to be used and still get a sharp 1080p image with a narrower FOV (using, for example, the central 1920x1080 pixels on the sensor.

I'm guessing it's the same technique used by the GH2 and the 600D in video mode.

[Michael Hutson]

I have go pro hero 3 black version. All FOV's are avail at 1080p / 60fps.

[Nigel Barker]

Originally Posted by Michael Hutson

I have go pro hero 3 black version. All FOV's are avail at 1080p / 60fps.

Does that include when using ProTune as the listing above seems to show only wide & medium available.

[Mike Sims]

When using ProTune in 1080p only Wide and Medium are available. Unfortunately, there are currently no ProTune options for Narrow FOV.