Hello friends,

I use GP12 for underwater video and a couple of video lights with 5500-6000 kelvin as color temperature. Setting the GP12 accordingly, I get video footage with too much yellow/orange and I need correction in post.

I would avoid WB AUTO.

What do you suggest for White Balancing?

Thank you, Giacomo

Hi Giacomo,

Long story short: set a slightly lower Kelvin value on your GoPro (e.g. 5000K).

Long Story:

Lower Kelvin values mean warmer light, while higher values mean cooler light. This is a rule that never changes.

You can do the test with the GoPro on the sofa or directly with your cell phone, which will surely have a "pro" function that allows you to set the Kelvin value. By acting on the Kelvin scale, you might be thrown off because it seems to work exactly the opposite of what I wrote in the beginning.

In reality, when you set the white balance Kelvin on a camera, you are not adjusting the temperature of the light you are using to illuminate, but you are telling the camera the temperature of the light you are using. So the camera will adjust accordingly.

I'll try to re-explain it.

Remember that the camera will always try to achieve a correct white balance. So, if the scene is actually 5000º K, but you set the camera to 4000º K, you're telling the camera that the scene is warmer than it really is. To compensate, the camera will shift the colors toward blue.

On the contrary, if you set the camera to 6000º K, you're telling it that the scene is cooler than it is. The camera will compensate by shifting the colors toward orange.

So it seems to work in reverse, but it doesn't.

Ciao

Great explanation Davide! Number 1!

I'll follow your suggestion

Thanks a lot

Giacomo

@Gmsalterego give a try to gopro labs firmware

You can create permanent presets for gopro 12 and you can change them underwater according to your needs

important:

QRcode start by $ will be disable after reboot except if you use $PRES +  preset name 

QRcode start by * will be permanent too all presets even after reboot 

example

*BITR=170 this will be available in all presets even if you reboot (higher bitrate ) 

Preset WBKL (white balance lock) it will lock the WB 1 second after the recording started

$PRES="0,WBLK" and create a preset named WBLK , the preset will be preset even if you reboot the gopro

Hello @Nando Diver I'm not concerned with such firmware comnands. I would avoid using QRcode plastified cards underwater.

I dont know if it's possible to submit firmware commands in a different way with gopro 12.

Tell me any further detail, if any, thank you

Giacomo

16 hours ago, Gmsalterego said:

Hello @Nando Diver I'm not concerned with such firmware comnands. I would avoid using QRcode plastified cards underwater.

I dont know if it's possible to submit firmware commands in a different way with gopro 12.

Tell me any further detail, if any, thank you

Giacomo

On previous post theres the QR codes for WB lock $PRES="0,WBLK" and using a preset name WBLK you dont need any plastified cards, this preset WBLK will be permanent

There another code *BITR=170 for higher bitrate, that also will be permanent

important:

QRcode start by $ will be disable after reboot except if you use $PRES +  preset name 

QRcode start by * will be permanent too all presets even after reboot 

Edited Wednesday at 10:28 PM3 days by Nando Diver

I dont need plastified QR code cards to get WBLK (white balance lock after 1 second of recording) and i can use and change all 3 presets underwater

Edited Wednesday at 10:36 PM3 days by Nando Diver

Dear @Nando Diver, which settings do you apply using the QRControl app? In addition to your illustrated command codes, I mean.

The app is a bit confusing...

Thank you, Giacomo

I dont put any settings in QR CODE, just the commands above.

For the other settings see here.

Ok @Nando Diver .

A question: have you tried simply hypersmooth stabilization underwater using the DIVE command?

Thanks a lot

Hello @Nando Diver

I installed latest firmware for GP12, at the moment I've only personalized the owner name with related QR code.

Looking around (Sean Elliott YT channel) I've read that, after FW installing, I should create a preset with WBLK DIVE as preset name. No QR code is necessary. GP12 applies the above settings. Are you agree with such understanding?

Bye

23 minutes ago, Gmsalterego said:

Hello @Nando Diver

I installed latest firmware for GP12, at the moment I've only personalized the owner name with related QR code.

Looking around (Sean Elliott YT channel) I've read that, after FW installing, I should create a preset with WBLK DIVE as preset name. No QR code is necessary. GP12 applies the above settings. Are you agree with such understanding?

Bye

It seems that such capability is possible with GP13 not GP12. So I must use QR codes with GP12.

9 hours ago, Gmsalterego said:

Ok @Nando Diver .

A question: have you tried simply hypersmooth stabilization underwater using the DIVE command?

Thanks a lot

From Gopro labs

• DIVE=1 - optimizing the Hypersmooth stabilization for underwater. It might be no surprise, but HyperSmooth is designed for the camera operation above the water’s surface, underwater there is typically less camera shake, and HS is still 70% effective at removing shake. The hack adapts HS to use the refractive index (RI) of water (defaults to 1.335, good for fresh and command salt water), to remove closer to 100% of unwanted shake. Note: if you know your area’s RI is significantly different, use DIVE=r, where r can be 1.3 to 1.45 is supported.

Dont use Hypersmooth Autoboost, use ON

See discussion here

GitHub

Underwater stabilisation · gopro/labs · Discussion #844

The problem: GoPro lacks proper underwater stabilisation all the way up to latest hero12. I am really impressed that in air the picture is rock solid, but no matter what I do, underwater is always ...

and here

GitHub

Option for underwater stabilization · Issue #398 · gyrofl...

Is there an easy way to make an option for underwater stabilization? I printed and laminated the calibration target and made lens profiles for most Hero 9 lenses but I think it would be relatively ...

Hypersmooth Autoboost might be little better than Hypersmooth ON , but the Gopro developer from Labs wrote this while ago

So in my case, at the moment i dont use the feature DIVE=1

I wouldn't use autoboost, as if you move the camera too much, it ramps the lens distortion to linear, which isn't great underwater. Also the preview doesn't show this, so in autoboost LCD shows something slightly different that what is recorded. For minimal shake no problem, and underwater it is mostly a low shake environment.

4 hours ago, Gmsalterego said:

It seems that such capability is possible with GP13 not GP12. So I must use QR codes with GP12.

Where did you read that ?

I have the GP13, and i have to scan the correct QR one time only with correct code.

ps: ive added the code *DIVE=1 (permanent even if reboot to all presets) and try tomorrow.

i only use gopro for underwater

Edited 13 hours ago13 hr by Nando Diver

Hello, I only use GP12 for underwater purposes, too.

I've read the comments of Sean Elliott in his YouTube Channel,

At the moment I've set HS = ON both wide and linear mode.

Let me know about *DIVE=1.

Have a nice day