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Overview
Shoot, edit, and share action-packed video with a GoPro
The world moves fast—so if you want to capture it in real time, only a fast-moving camera will do. Enter the GoPro! This small but powerful camera is easy to hold, wear, or mount to capture video of all your high-speed adventures. Unfortunately, to the uninitiated, it can be a bit intimidating—but fear not! With the help of this revised edition of GoPro Cameras For Dummies, you'll acquire the skills needed to shoot high-quality video or photos, edit raw footage into a final masterpiece, and share your GoPro works of art with the world.
Compared with traditional digital video devices, the GoPro is a superhero. Okay, so it can't scale high rises, but it can go virtually anywhere and produce thrilling new perspectives
of an epic slalom down the slopes or awesomely scenic hike—and everything in between. When still photos simply won't do the trick, GoPro Cameras For Dummies shows you step by step how to use your GoPro camera to make movies, work with available light, create time-lapse sequences, and so much more.
- Meet the full line of GoPro cameras, including the HERO5, and find the one that's right for you
- Get help setting your GoPro to shoot better video
- Discover what you need (or don't need) to shoot in the water
- Find step-by-step guidance for capturing better sound
- Edit your work like a GoPro guru
Packed with full-color photos and updated to cover the latest GoPro cameras and software, this fun and accessible guide is a gadget lover's dream.
The GoPro camera has changed the way people make movies. It's not only affordable and durable, but also offers features that seemed like far-fetched wish-list items only a few years ago. You can mount this camera on almost anything, take it underwater, and capture the most expansive video scene known to mankind.
About The Author
John Carucci is an entertainment news producer for Associated Press Television. He is the author of Digital SLR Video & Filmmaking For Dummies and Webinars For Dummies as well as other books on creative and nighttime photography. John has also contributed articles to American Photo, Popular Photography, and PC Photo magazines.
Articles From The Book
3 results
GoPro
Articles
Steering clear of the pitfalls when using your GoPro camera is a small price to pay for a camera that goes anywhere and releases the boundaries of what was near impossible a decade ago.Not Using the GoPro AppSquinting over your GoPro and poking around the controls every time you want to make a change is a buzz killer.
GoPro
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Do you make money shooting photos or video? By definition, you're a pro, no matter what your day job is. If you want to gain an edge, adding GoPro to your repertoire can help. Whether you shoot weddings, cover news stories, or create multimedia real estate listings, the GoPro can elevate the quality of the final product.
GoPro
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What can a GoPro do? Here's a more relevant question: What do you want it to do? Asking this question is more like asking yourself about your own wishes and desires for unique video footage. When you determine what you want to capture, all you must do is connect the camera to the appropriate mount and press the Record button.
GoPro
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Ambitious riders have long been mounting cameras on their handlebars to record compelling video sequences. The GoPro can do the job, too, with more options and from a unique perspective. And don't worry about taking your hands off the handlebars to start and stop the camera, when you can speak verbal commands into the optional Remo voice-activated remote control.
GoPro
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If you like flying remote-control planes as much as you like making cool videos, you'll love flying your GoPro camera on a quadcopter.Here are a few cool ways to capture airborne video:
Fly it near fireworks. If you fly the quadcopter in safe areas (not over a large crowd or near a helicopter, for example), you can take an exciting new approach to filming a firework display.
GoPro
Articles
Capturing video of walking through a crowd isn't easy with a conventional camera. GoPro changes that situation, thanks to its small dimensions and wide view. You have lots of ways to move through a crowd with a GoPro attached to a headband or chest mount.Here's how to use these mounts effectively:
Head Strap plus Clip: The GoPro is almost small enough that you can walk through a crowd with it unnoticed.
GoPro
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The GoPro provides an all-access pass to the center of any stage performance. Give the audience a perspective that only the band gets to see by using the removable instrument mount to capture footage right onstage.Here are some of the places that a GoPro can go during a performance:
Guitar: Mount the camera on the headstock with the Arm, and position it to show the guitarist's fingers working the frets (see the figure).
GoPro
Articles
If you're a first-time user, you'll find that the GoPro differs from any other camera you've operated. It can take some time to get used to the lack of a viewfinder on the Session (as well as some older models), the camera's ultra-wide-angle lens, and its dependence on Wi-Fi.The GoPro HERO5 has two buttons, one for shutter, and the other for mode.
GoPro
Articles
The GoPro is ready, willing, and able to capture your views of the underwater world. Maybe you're not an accomplished oceanographer, but you still desire to be the Jacques Cousteau of your local swimming hole.Here are some cool ways to take underwater photos and videos:
Swim with it. Take the GoPro underwater, and mount it to your body with the Chesty body harness or hold it as you navigate the deep.
GoPro
Articles
If you have a big-enough dog (20–120 lbs.), you can mount the GoPro camera on him to get the canine version of a bird's-eye view. You have a few ways to mount the camera, with the best using the GoPro Fetch mount, which is designed specifically for your four-legged pal.Of course, fitting a small chest harness to the dog seems to work well too.
GoPro
Articles
From the time you take your GoPro out of the box, you embark on a magical journey that transforms "impossible to capture" into your next video. To use the camera effectively, however, it's important to have a basic understanding of how it works. Although using the GoPro isn't rocket science, the instructions are a bit more detailed than what you'll find on a bottle of your favorite shampoo, because the GoPro operates differently from every other camera you've used.
GoPro
Articles
The GoPro camera has changed the way people make movies. It's not only affordable and durable, but also offers features that seemed like far-fetched wish-list items only a few years ago. You can mount this camera on almost anything, take it underwater, and capture the most expansive video scene known to mankind.
GoPro
Articles
It's cool to shoot a bunch of still images to create a time-lapse movie. GoPro makes the process easy, with a special mode dedicated to time-lapse capture. You can speed up the world at the interval of your choosing for fun, or study changing scene over time.Shoot a sequence that shows a parade of commuters walking into the subway or fans filling a stadium, or record an expedited version of your child's Little League game.
GoPro
Articles
GoPro has a lot of mounts and one for every occasion and situation. There are mounts for your ski pole, the roll bar of your all-terrain vehicle, and the top of your bicycle helmet. There's even one that your dog can wear as a harness.Here are some of the key pieces (see the figure):
Pivot arms: The pivot arms come in two varieties: straight and angled.
GoPro
Articles
It's nearly impossible to assemble a piece of furniture from Ikea without looking at a diagram, so why would you try that with your GoPro movie? Whether you're making a POV movie, capturing an action event, or taking the camera into the wet stuff, the mantra remains the same: Plan it out and stick to the plan.
GoPro
Articles
GoPro has taken the art of flying your camera on a drone further, entering the fray with Karma, a drone specifically designed for putting your GoPro high in the sky. The drone, or quadcopter as it's sometimes called, has been on the scene for a few years now, and many have even supported GoPro as a worthy passenger, but it's all about Karma now.
GoPro
Articles
At first glance, the GoPro resembles a miniature version of an early 20th-century box camera or maybe the Instamatic still camera of the 1970s. Its design is simple: nothing more than a small box with a protruding lens, a few buttons, and a small LCD screen up front on most models.One very important piece doesn't come with the camera: the microSD card.
GoPro
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It's hard to imagine moviemaking being more fun than when you shoot with a GoPro. All those "Do you know what would be really be cool?" situations can become reality, even if that means mounting the camera to your dog while he runs through a wheat field as the sun sets. If you don't understand how the camera works, however, the sun will go down much sooner for your moviemaking spirit.
GoPro
Articles
If offroading is your thing, the GoPro can help you capture some great footage from your All-Terrain Vehicle. Don't worry about the mud, sweat, and tears; the camera thrives under these conditions and handles them all with dignity.Check out the following options for using your GoPro on an all-terrain vehicle (ATV):
Mount it on a roll bar.
GoPro
Articles
The selfie is quickly becoming one of the most prominent ways to take a portrait. Thanks to the wide-angle view of your GoPro, the camera lets you create some interesting moving or still selfies.Here are a few pointers for getting the best results:
Make the shot flattering. More appropriately, keep it from becoming unflattering.
GoPro
Articles
The GoPro camera enables a new generation of family documentarians, extreme-sports aficionados, and ambitious filmmakers to cover winter sports and activities with relative ease and little worry about the equipment.Here are some of the cool ways you can use your GoPro in the cold:
Ice skating: Mount the camera to yourself, using one of the body mounts (headband, helmet, Chesty, and so on), and get a fresh view of a day at the rink.
GoPro
Articles
Some of the best GoPro movies show the same activity from multiple perspectives. Whether you're using multiple cameras to capture the scene, or shooting several times with the same camera, consider the importance of showing the scene from different angles.Whether you're shooting a BMX bike jump, a skateboard trick, or a day at the pool, consider shooting the action the following ways:
Toward the camera: Position the camera so action moves toward it.
GoPro
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The Capture app for your GoPro camera allows you to control the camera from a distance and monitor the scene. It also lets you wirelessly update camera firmware and get the latest features to maintain best performance.The app lets you control the camera and do more with your content than ever before, including sharing it over social media.
GoPro
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Not only is it the smallest GoPro in the lineup, but it's also the most inconspicuous. Easily worn, or mounted, The HERO Session allows you capture impressive video and pictures in the smallest spaces. One-button operation makes it easy to start recording, but its small size provides less control on the camera.
GoPro
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Every bit as relevant as its HERO5 Black successor, you can do everything with this camera model with minimal quality issues. Just like the new line, it captures 4K video at 30 fps as well as 2.7K at 50 fps for ultra-high-resolution capture. It doesn't have the built-in waterproof case, nor does it have a touch screen.
GoPro
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The HERO4 Silver is loaded with features, captures 4K video, and was the first GoPro camera to include a viewfinder. While it can record 4K video, it does so at 15 frames per second, which is great for still or slow-moving subjects, but not so great when they move fast. On the HD side, this camera is impressive with capture up to 60 fps, making it possible to capture maximum detail even when applying slow motion in GoPro Studio.
GoPro
Articles
Once upon a time, it was a range of tonal names that differentiated the GoPro HERO, including the Silver and White editions. And while many of these models are still viable choices, the latest version is only about the Black. It's the big kahuna of the HERO line and it has been revamped so much that there's only a need for a single model of this size.
GoPro
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Most of the power of the GoPro HERO5 Black, but half its size, makes the HERO5 Session a great choice when you're looking to carry a little less camera without sacrificing a whole lot of quality. Not only can you mount it using a wide range of accessories, but you can wear it on your lapel like a corsage and capture the world with this incredibly portable camera.
GoPro
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If you're looking to record underwater seascapes or artful pool pictures, GoPro lets you easily capture submerged scenes. Whether you're using the new HERO5 models, or a previous generation model, you can capture underwater scenes with relative ease and little worry.The HERO5 Black comes with a built-in LCD screen making it possible to monitor and frame the scene right out of the box.
GoPro
Articles
The GoPro camera goes anywhere, doing so with an impressive set of mounting options. Some are quite specific to activity; such as using the Handlebar/Seatpost/Pole mount on your bicycle, as shown, or the Surfboard mount for — wait for it — your surfboard.Other mounts are more universal, such as the Suction Cup, Flex Clamp, or adhesive mounts.
GoPro
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After you shoot your scenes, it's time to put them together. Although you can use your favorite nonlinear editing software, having GoPro Studio Edit — a program designed specifically for GoPro moviemaking— is quite a bonus.Here are a few tips:
Download GoPro Studio Edit for free. Go to GoPro to download your free copy.
GoPro
Articles
Waiting for the right light when shooting a scene or movie on your GoPro camera shares similarities with going to the Department of Motor Vehicles; it's essential, but sometimes it requires waiting, and other times, being in the proper direction. Obviously, early morning and late afternoon light is the most flattering, but don't count out the clouds either, as their cover helps capture even illumination.
GoPro
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One problem with the GoPro camera is that it doesn't have a tripod socket on its bottom, so there's no built-in way to secure the camera to a tripod.No worries. You can still mount it with a special accessory that attaches to your GoPro and provides a standard tripod socket. This accessory also has a quick-release mount that allows you to move the camera conveniently between shots and locations.
GoPro
Articles
The GoPro camera doesn't resemble a conventional camcorder, nor does it behave like one. It looks more like a small square box with a protruding lens than a sleekly designed camcorder. Although you can hold it like a traditional camera, it is equally effective (if not more so) when it's attached to something.
Here are some of the qualities that differentiate a GoPro from standard camcorders:
Size: The current GoPros are quite small compared with most camcorders and significantly smaller than their predecessors.