Hero3 Black. How do I take advantage of this high definition camera?

Have fun Davide...

Hi SPP, glad you liked my test but.. you are ovverating me

At the beginning I installed GoPro Studio to run some test with protune and cineform files. I loaded both on the timeline. My project was using Canopus HQX codec (4:2:2 10 bit as Cineform) which Edius transcode in background while editing. I tried to CC both and I found no differences between them. Cineform files where huge and lighter to edit but once the HQX files were ready no difference at all.

I'm a beginner so maybe I missed something. If I can I try to edit and CC in the same editor.

I found that the best filter/tool for underwater clips is the crominance mask: it let you pick up easily one range of color (e.g. all the water) without touching other part. After that you can apply whatever filter you like to this selection. A simple three wheel color correction to remove that water green cast.

When later I saw the result on my TV I realized I forgot to apply an Unsharp mask. But I was too lazy to reopen the project Anyway you are correct: current edit is way too soft.

I have a DELL U2412M monitor and I'm realizing there is a lot of difference between what I see on my monitor and other TV/computers. It's becoming a problem...

Byeee

Hi A.Y,

I would avoid Polar Pro blue-water ( cyan /red ) filter. Its too fake a red added.

Use URPRO by SRP if you want cyan filter. In decent viz water and ambient light, use cyan filter at 3 meters or deeper.

I still use my old glass type URPRO-SRP cyan filter from HD2 era, which SRP thin it down to remove black edges.

The plastic adapter SRP uses for HD3 or HD3+ ( Blurfix3 or just Blurfix3+ ) is 55mm threaded, so I can use plastic cyan filter or the glass one 55mm.

Sunny weather 21 meters deep with viz if 15 meters, the URPRO-SRP cyan filter will do well and you do not need to worry about loosing half stop, you won't see noise.

2.7K is native ( sort of ) to GoPro sensor and it has one of the best image for UW. You can later crop to get clean 1080p without the ugly edges a flat lens housing produces on very wide angle.

CamRaw you must use ( must choose Protune to get CamRaw ), as GoPro AWB shifts alot UW and transcoding to Cineform AVI or MOV is only worthwhile if Protune + CamRaw is used.

Dive safe and have fun yah....

Hi Davide,

You are good, I am not over rating you....serious.

You are one of the guy I keep on list, for me to always watch your new videos.

I like the way you color things, very natural. Must lear from you.

I am a poor colorist, so me use simple ones from GoPro Studio....ha ha ha.

I am blind on Edius NLE, I only know Vegas Pro and no others....ha ha ha.

Ok got it, understood on why ur video a bit soft.

I use a Dell U2711 but my i1 Display Pro calibrator went bad recently and I can't calibrate the 27", which I usually use as reference display.

This U2711 has strong cyan....that is how I see it compared to my 2 other low cost non U model Dell.

I know what you mean, TV are too much fake.

How deep is the actual helmstation of the Tug Boat wreck ?

Thanks

..

Hi SPP,

Helmstation is at 68 meter while bottom is 73 meter.

If you have time take a look to this tutorial. He tries to achieve the same Michael Bay look with different methods. Just check it from 19' onwards. Look how he change the yellow taxi color...

I never calibrated my Dell U2412M but I guess it was a lot cheaper than yours.

Bye

After viewing randomly shown 1524 30p and 1080 60p clips, I'd decided to stick with the 1080 60p since the difference in resolution is far less noticeable than the choppiness of the 30fps frame rate!

My observations on the Polar Pro filter, after examining many online videos including side-by-side comparisons done by Polar Pro and SRP:

Polar Pro blue-water filter uses a little stronger red and a little more magenta tint and it does seem to do a better job in Southern California slightly greener water with less visibility. Kelp forest videos posted by Polar Pro do have better colors, and the company is located in Southern California. I'll find out for sure this weekend whether my observations are correct!

SRP filter has less red and magenta and seems to provide more pleasing colors in clearer tropical water, but it's not the most ideal filter for Southern California. SRP own Catalina kelp forest video shows inadequate color corrections under ambient sunlight. I'll definitely give SRP a try when I visit the Bahamas or Southeast Asia. Thanks for the tip!

The GoPro 3+ Black, mounted on the NEX-5R, was recording video when the sample photo was taken. Underwater, the screen image on the NEX-5R with an Equinox red filter was almost identical to the scenery. The GoPro 3+ / Polar Pro Red Filter setup produced decent kelp color, but the shadow areas all turned violet. Reducing magenta in the shadow areas turns the kelp green. I'll have to figure out how to properly correct the GoPro videos and photos. Fortunately, NEX-5R was my main camera not the GoPro.

The kelp footage in this Polar Pro / Hero 2 promotional video look good, but on my Hero 3+ Black the results were quite different. Perhaps the color model used by Hero 3+ Black had changed so much that it's no longer compatible with the Polar Pro Red filter.

Correcting that kind of problem is easy.

BTW do you still believe to promotional video?

Since I've gotten good results with my Equinox and Ikelite underwater filters, the next logical step is to test the GoPro 3+ Black with both to determine if the overly megenta cast in the shadow areas was caused by the Polar Pro filter or the new Hero 3+ color engine.

A.Y,

URPRO-SRP has filter for greenwater.

http://www.snakeriverprototyping.com/Products/urpro-gr-filter.aspx

You can buy naked frame SRP filter adapter, to use that 55mm glass GR filter.

http://www.snakeriverprototyping.com/Products/blurfix3-55.aspx

Do becareful when buying filter adapter for Hero 3 camera.

Hero3+ is a slim waterproof housing. It is 40 meter rated. It does not have LCD bacPac rear door, perhaps due to water proofing integrity, so you can not use LCD bacpac on this housing. GoPro do not make one. Planned to make one but it did not come to market.

When one buy the LCD BacPac today from GoPro, it is called Limited Edition. It comes with free HD3 Original 60 meter rated housing and all the bac pac doors.

This means the filter adapter one need to use will be Hero 3 original housing one, and not the Hero3+ slim one.

The poly material of HD3+ Slim 40 meter housing is thinner than the Hero 3 Original 60 meter housing.

This Hero 3 Original housing is now named BacPac Compatible housing or some perhaps call it Hero 3 Dive Housing.

http://gopro.com/camera-accessories/replacement-housing

Hero 3 Original WB if using Auto, has more greenish/yellow tint than Hero 3+. That is the main difference.

Other difference :

In good light, Hero 3+ NARROW mode of 1080p is less noise than Hero 3 Original

Are you using AWB for above GoPro video or CamRaw ?

Later...

Hi SPP,

 

Helmstation is at 68 meter while bottom is 73 meter.

 

If you have time take a look to this tutorial. He tries to achieve the same Michael Bay look with different methods. Just check it from 19' onwards. Look how he change the yellow taxi color...

 

 

I never calibrated my Dell U2412M but I guess it was a lot cheaper than yours.

 

Bye

Yikes 68 meter....that I do not venture to.....he he he.

Thanks for the link David.

.

Just one quick question,
is it possible to lock the WB to a given value (or do a manual whitebalance) on the GoPro 3+ Black Edition?
I experienced problems with the GoPro 2 as the automatic WB continuesly try to correct WB what makes it very dificult to correct that in postproduction.
I would like to buy the Hero 3+ Black Edition, but only if this problem is solved as in the green waters of Costa Rica the clips come out somehow radioactive green.

Thanks

Chris

I experienced problems with the GoPro 2 as the automatic WB continuesly try to correct WB what makes it very dificult to correct that in postproduction.

3+ Black Auto WB does the same thing too!

To lock the WB with 3+ Black: Turn "Protune" on in the "Capture Settings" and four WB modes become available: 3000K, 5500K, 6500K, and Cam Raw.

To process the Cam Raw file in GoPro Studio.app you can either choose the ProTune profile (GoPro color profile) and then adjust the White Balance (Temperature and Tint), or adjust everything manually.

Are you using AWB for above GoPro video or CamRaw?

Should've used Cam Raw as AWB shifted the colors too much.

Thanks for the info!

I'll have to do more tests underwater to find the best settings.