Gopro settings for kayaking

[Stuart Martindale]

Hi,

I recently got hold of a gopro hd to compliment my xh-a1 with some on the water shots whilst kayaking. I'm interested what modes people use and how they deal with the footage.

From the testing I've done it would seem initially that 720p50 is probably going to be best. However I also ran some 1080p25 clips through mercalli v2 to take out rolling shutter and it seems they may have their uses. So it's not all quite as clear cut as I'd hoped. What I'm not sure is helping is knowing how to get the 50p clips a hdv (25p) project in premiere CS3, via neoscene, to best effect. The 50p stuff is much cleaner at 25p with frame blending off but not so smooth. And after upscalling they don't look as good as when watched full screen scaled up by a media player (to my eyes anyway).

I do also have after effects CS3 but I've not had time to play with any of the footage there yet.

Sorry if this is not the right forum for this question but seemed the most likely place for people to have been doing the same kinds of things.

Stuart Martindale

[Paul Cronin]

Hi Stuart I use the GoPro HD a bit and have had decent luck with it.

In the US so bear with me on the frame rate. I use 720p 60p every time I shoot with it. This gives me the option to have slow motion when I want and normal 30p running speed. I don't like the narrower focal angle with the 1080p.

For editing I take the clips and put them in MPEG streamclip. This lets me do the initial cut and output in ProRes 422 to Final Cut or what ever options you need for your NLE. You have to make sure you have the proper frame rate here. If going to slowmo keep it at 60fps, if going to normal speed it is 29.97fos.

At this point if I am at 29.97fps I just import into FC and off you go.

If you want slow motion I use Cinema Tools that comes with FC and conform the clips to 29.97 and then it will import as slowmotion.

All of this info is in the support section on the GoPro site.

Here is a simple short I just threw together yesterday.
http://exposureroom.com/members/Paul...ad1f9b4babd5b/

[Stuart Martindale]

Paul - thanks for the reply. The problem I'm having is not so much dealing with the footage as how to make it work with the hdv footage from the XH-A1.

Whilst some of the gopro stuff seems to look fine on screen straight out of the camera, put into a hdv project and cut with A1 footage it doesn't really stand up,

Here is some testing I was doing at the weekend, both with the gopro and with a homemade stabilizer I've been working on for the A1.

Tryweryn Camera Testing on Vimeo

I can't help feel the gopro footage doesn't stand up that well. And that it should be feasible for it to look better. I don't know if it is just that putting it next to the other footage shows it up or whether scaling it and retiming has brought it down. Obviously some has suffered from over processing, but some has had none (a lot of those clips are processed differently as I was trying a lot of things.)

I've spent a lot of time trying different combinations but nothing seems to work that well. One thing I've not tried yet is just doing everything in a 720 project but it seems a shame to scale down the A1 footage just to help out the gopro. Any suggestions how best to match would be gratefully received.

[Paul Cronin]

Stuart I watched the whole test clip and have a few questions.

1. What NLE are you using? If FC I would go ProRes 422.
2. What frame rate are you shooting the A1? Is it Canon F mode?
3. Do you have a Nano Flash?
4. Out of MPEG Streamclip how are you exporting the GoPro?

I use to shoot with the Canon A1 and had very nice results at 30F. I know you are UK so that does not work for you but I also went to 720p. I thinking taking the HDV up to 1080 and using the GoPro at 1080 limits your options. It is very rare for me to post something on line in 1080 since I like to use slow motion and upscaling does not look good to my eyes. Also the field of view on the GoPro is much wider at 720p 60p and as I discussed previously you have options. You have to remember the bit rate of the GoPro is low and everything you can do it help it matters. Your A1 will always produce better footage then the GoPro if shot properly.

I am on the road today so my response might be slow. But happy to keep helping you work through it to get better results. I am sure there are other who will also jump in and help. You can get better results I am editing a new demo reel and there is GoPro sprinkled about and it looks great. Also I just posted a short windsurfing clip that most if it looks nice it is all GoPro straight out of the camera no correction except for the one clip of the wake facing aft. The rest is untouched.
http://exposureroom.com/members/Paul...ad1f9b4babd5b/

By the way Hop-on-Top Kayaks and Heritage Kayaks are all my designs. I have 14 patented Kayak designs that are on the market, a fun part of my life. No whitewater boats.

[Stuart Martindale]

Paul,

The A1 footage is 25F. Half of the go pro footage in that clip is 1080p25 (upto 2:12) and then the rest is 720p50. I'm using PC for editing with cineform. I have premeire and aftereffects CS3. The footage is definitley more watchable at 50p (on my screen) than 25p - but that doesn't really help for most forms of output. (When converting down I've tried just dropping frames and various forms or frame blending, pixel motion in AE might just have an edge but not enough to be worth the effort).

I'm wondering if some of the problem might be a combination of subjects being a fair distance from the camera - quality seems much improved when something is less than a couple of meters from the camera. Too many trees which tend to show up quality. And too dark. Not sure how most of those would be solved in the uk on rivers though...

[Paul Cronin]

Stuart I am not sure if MPEG Streamclip works on PC but it is free so I would at least check it out. It's frame blending when going from 50p to 25p is nice.

Agree the GoPro does not do a good job with objects off in the distance. Up close and personal is the best footage.

Sorry I can't help more with PC editing it has been a while since I cranked up my Avid system and I am far behind on PC editing since I want Mac.

[Vishal Jadhav]

MPEG Steamclip does work good on PC

I need to thank you guys for getting this on the topics, i never knew of this gopro stuff. In fact i liked it so much that i just placed an order with BHPHOTO and will be getting it soon.

thanks

vishal

[Paul Cronin]

Hi Vishal glad it helps. MPEG Streamclip is a great piece of free software with loads of uses.

[Ivan Jasper]

I'm very new to the GoPro but so far haven't gotten the quality that I wanted out of it. I know it suffers in less than ideal lighting.

But what I really wanted to ask you about was your homemade steadycam, yours looks much more successful than my attempt and I was interested in making another.

[Vishal Jadhav]

Such a sad day, i placed the order with BH PHoto in here and the manufacturer says they wont ship to India, i went directly to BH site and still resulted in the same thing.
Now i have send a mail to their Customer support "of GO PRO" let me see what they reply.

[Stuart Martindale]

I took the gopro out on Saturday and got some more close to subject and better lit footage. It looks pretty good straight onto big TV but haven't had a chance to pull it through the computer yet and see what happens to it.

Regarding the steadicam - it's mostly some large diameter waste piping and centred around the hub of a bicycle wheel. Nothing that needed the use of more than a hacksaw and a powerdrill to put together. It still needs some refinement - some of that footage had some software stabilizing as there are some vertical jitters I've not eliminated yet. It also works really well for pan shots when you don't have a tripod handy. It is a little heavy but as I've made it double handed with the handle below the camera I've used it for over an hour and still not been too tired. I will try to get some pictures of it for you in the next few days.

Can't help with getting a gopro to India - though I'm sure with a will there will be a way!

[Paul Cronin]

Stuart nice to hear better light and closer to the subject is giving better results.

[Mark OConnell]

A simple thing that I noticed with the gopro on rivers is that the sky tends to blow out very easily. Keeping the camera tilted down more then you normally might can help, so that the water fills most of the frame.

[Vishal Jadhav]

The Customer support did reply that they would ship it to India, placed the order yesterday and its now in Fed-ex now.
I am planning to use this to shoot walk in the forest and a drive through the mountain roads next week.

Any advice on settings on these.

what ever i have read about it , its very inspiring

vishal

[Paul Cronin]

Vishal glad you can get the camera.

The settings are all explained in detail on a one page sheet. Do some test and find what you like.

As I said above I used 720p since I like to use slow mo at times, also the field of view is wider.

Have Fun