Yes, you read that right. For those of you who want/need longer shooting times from your camera, this may be the battery that solves all your issues!
Presenting the Fitstill Extended GoPro Battery.
If you want to shoot for 3hrs in 5.3K 30FPS, here’s your solution!
So what is it and more importantly, does it work?
Here’s what it is!
The Fitstill extended battery pack for the GoPro camera is an extended battery that fits inside and around your GoPro camera. This is somewhat reminiscent of the types of extended batteries that you would see for professional DSRL or mirror-less cameras but scaled down for the GoPro Hero line of the cameras.
The design is pretty unique as it almost looks like part of the battery pack actually fits inside the camera (which it does) but it actually doesn’t use the battery contacts to power the camera. Instead, it actually connects to the USB-C port of the camera to provide power. The part that fits inside the battery chamber more or less acts as a guide to line up the USB-Port properly to avoid damage. So that’s actually a pretty smart design. This also means you still have full access to the touchscreen of the camera as the battery doesn’t block it in any way.
You can see the USB-C connection in this picture.
So does it work?
Well, this is where it gets interesting.
According to the Amazon Page, this product is designed for the Hero 10 camera, in fact, the wording specifically states “Only for Hero 10 black”.
Not my imagination, it clearly states “Only for GoPro Hero 10 Black”
However, when the product arrived, it clearly said on the Box “For the Hero 9 and Hero 10 camera”. Now I’m going to hazard a guess that this product (and packaging) was created before the Hero 11 and Hero 12 were released. So since fortune favors the bold (and the foolish alike) I decided to test this battery pack with the Hero 10, Hero 11 and Hero 12. The results were interesting. ( I recently gave away my Hero 9 to my brother in Florida).
Now please note, that all 3 cameras were running the GoPro Labs firmware and that the power checking requirements had been bypassed using the TUSB=1 command.
With the Hero 10…… the battery pack simply didn’t work. It did nothing. Nada. Zilch! I couldn’t get the camera to even show a sign of life. I thought that maybe I had damaged the USB-C port, but after attaching the camera to the media mod (and successfully detecting it) and connecting the camera directly to USB power (which worked) it seems there may be a compatibility issue. Maybe. It’s also possible that the USB-C port of the camera is damaged, but it’s odd that the media mod and external power still worked. So, Hero 10 owners beware!
With the Hero 11, when the battery pack was attached… there were no issues! The camera powered right up and stayed turned on. I even filmed a few clips without any issues whatsoever.
With the Hero 12, the camera also powered up and recorded. However at one stage the rear display didn’t work properly, but a simple reboot seemed to fix that issue. Odd, but a temporary issues.
I then decided to put the battery pack through its paces. So I set the Hero 12 up to record in 5.3K 30FPS and the results were…….. actually pretty impressive.
Please note the Hero 12 in all its glory filming away. I also included the Portland Oregon weather report!
I managed to shoot in this resolution and frame rate for nearly 3 hours! (about 2hrs 59 minutes if you want to be exact), so I was very impressed. Now since the camera was still and mounted on a tripod, I did have hypersmooth turned off (it wasn’t needed) and the bit rate set to standard (I simply didn’t need a high bitrate for this test). So, I would expect that 3 hours in 5.3K 30FPS was probably the most I would get out of the camera in these settings. I expect times will differ based upon resolution, frame rates and hypersmooth options.
Still, 3 hours……. color me impressed!
So all is good?
Well there are some issues to be fair.
A: This battery plugs into the USB-C port of the camera, if you use it, you’re not going to be able to connect a media mod or external mic to your camera (although with the Hero 12, you still have the option of using your bluetooth audio headset). So that’s unfortunate.
B: I wouldn’t classify the frame as particularly sturdy. It feels a bit cheap and flimsy. Remember, a chain is only as strong as it’s weakest link. This applies to the frame that this battery and camera sit in. Although it has a nice wide locking mechanism at the top, the clip is simply held in place by two tiny pieces of plastic. Should one of those snap or break, your camera could easily end up falling out of the frame. I really wouldn’t have minded paying $20 for a sturdy aluminum frame.
C: It’s not waterproof or weatherproof, nor does it claim to be. I’m not sure how hard it would have been to put a rubber gasket around the edges of this battery pack, but if Fitstill had put such a gasket in place, this would have been a fantastic extended battery pack.
D: For the price, I doubt that it is cold weather compatible. Usually cold weather batteries are a lot more expensive. Unfortunately I don’t feel like throwing this in a freezer to find out (I don’t have that type of budget) but pretty sure this is a summertime battery only.
E: It powers off after about a minute or so of nonuse. This is hardly surprising, in fact most USB power banks to the exact same to conserve battery life. This does however mean that the battery pack isn’t suitable for schedule capture where your camera spends long times powered off.
Taking into account all of the above, is it still worth a purchase?
I think it depends on your need. If you want to film for extended periods with your GoPro Hero 11 or 12, then yes, this is well worth looking into. Only if you don’t need to use the media mod or external audio however…….. and you don’t need it to be weather proof or work in cold weather. I don’t think I would trust it mounted on an airplane or a car though for fear of the hinges failing. Then again, I’ve dealt with this design problem before with 3rd party knock off protective cases using the simple cheap hack of wrapping a rubber band around the outside to stop the case from opening.
Either way, for me, I’m pretty sure this battery pack will prove to be plenty useful over the coming summer months.
Please note that the article above contains links to Amazon. I get a small payment for any purchase made through these links and it’s a great way for you to support DemonView.com website and YouTube channels.
At the last investor relations call, GoPro confirmed there would be four new cameras released this year. However, what can we realistically expect from these forthcoming models? Well, I’m here to break it down for you based upon what GoPro themselves have had to say on the matter as well as some knowledge not readily available anywhere else.
It’s finally arriving!
Camera 1:
What’s been confirmed?
No rumors here! Nick Woodman already confirmed there will be an “Entry Level” model introduced mid 2024. This is outside of the normal GoPro release target of September, so it looks like GoPro could be trying to release the camera to target the summer months and budget conscious consumer.
What to expect!
In my opinion, there is no doubt this “entry level” camera will be based upon the popular Hero 12 platform. However, it will likely have important shooting options removed and well as accessory support. It will still likely use the popular GoPro mounting options (built in folding fingers, maybe with a ¾ camera thread too). I would expect though that the camera will not have media mod options or support for the GoPro Mic Adapter or support for the Max Lens Mod. Slow motions and 5.3K may be off the table (so no chances of people setting up their camera incorrectly and having it overheat). So we’re possibly looking at a 4K and 1080P model camera with maybe basic photo options (no raw support). Since the Hero 10 currently sells for $250, I would expect the entry level camera to have to target the $200 or less price point. Any more than this, and people will want all the features (and more) of the Hero 10.
Camera 2 & 3!
What’s been confirmed?
No surprise here, the Hero 13 will be along in September (which is GoPro’s usual release date for their mainstream cameras). Let’s not forget though, last year, Nick Woodman did say that they were working on the Max 2 camera and that it would be “worth waiting for”. Co-incidentally, there was (a now removed) article talking about work on the Max 2 all the way back in March of last year. It seemed to be in the prototype phase at that point, but if this is true, then it would be realistic to expect the sucessor to the Max this year.
What to expect!
With the Hero 13, it may be finally time to get a camera redesign. The Hero 9, 10, 11 and 12 all shared the same form factor. The design wasn’t without issue, especially where the media mod was concerned. Having to remove the entire media mod from the camera just to access the battery and SD card was a huge pain. This is an area that GoPro need to look at and improve. I doubt we’ll see a huge improvement in terms of resolution or frame rates, just simply based on the fact that so many people try to edit their footage on budget $300 mobile devices. It’s no use releasing an 8K camera shooting at 240FPS if no one can edit the footage! With that, I would expect several improvements in terms of color (HDR 2.0) and the GPLOG profile being even flatter, the usual (but entirely unnoticeable update to hypersmooth). However, if the Hero 13 finally gets a GP3 upgrade (a bit too soon in my opinion) then we can expect a Max Lens Mod 2.0 compatibility, but with HDR (2.0) support. We may finally get a camera capable of outputting 4K in webcam mode or using the media mod which many people would immediately love.
With the Hero Max 2.0, well this gets interesting. Remember that removed article I mentioned about the Max 2.0 prototype. Well at the time, they were running it using the GP2 chip. So I would expect the Hero Max 2.0 to feature higher frame rates than previous models (in Hero mode at least) with a 4K Hero mode. I would expect some of the features of the Hero 12 to make it to the Hero Max also. So HDR support, in camera night effect shots, and bluetooth audio support. GoPro really need to make the Max something special, but already there may be bad news. The original Hero Max always had GPS issues when exporting footage, with the Hero 12, the GPS was removed to help prevent overheating issues, and I would expect this GPS removal to also be present in the Hero Max 2.0.
The fact that the Hero Max 2.0 will also be using the GP2 chip, would indicate to me, that the Hero 13 will also be sticking with the GP2 chip.
Camera 4!
What’s been confirmed?
Nothing. Nada! Zero! However if we look at GoPro’s past releases and their claim to want to produce more “niche” camera’s, then I think it’s save to say the GoPro Hero 13 mini would be on the cards. The Hero 11 mini sold quite well and was a favorite among people looking for a smaller camera that had a smaller footprint. Although it lacked photo mode and GPS support, that didn’t seem to deter buyers and they were happy to purchase. GoPro have no doubt realized this is a good sales route to support and I wouldn’t be surprised to see the Hero 13 mini on shelves this year.
What to expect!
Well 1 of 2 options.
Option 1: The most realistic expectation would be a Hero 13 mini. Although people were happy to purchase the Hero 11 mini, they soon became very unhappy with their purchase. The built in battery was a constant source of issues for many users, whether it be the battery dying in the camera and not recharging or the fact that you had to wait for the camera to recharge before you could use it. There was also no Webcam support. I think GoPro will have learned from these mistakes and basically release a camera with the issues of the previous model addressed. So, webcam support may be an option in this model. However, what I’d really like to see is a removable battery. This way even if there is a battery failure, you can simply replace the battery rather than send the entire camera back to GoPro for replacement. Having the video mode bells and whistles of the 13 black supported too will make this model a great contender for many FPV pilots.
Option 2: The 1” sensor model. This is something that people have been requesting for years. A GoPro with a larger sensor for shooting better video at night or in low light situations. However the issue with 1” sensors is the inablity to focus on close objects. Vlogging with a 1” sensor using a selfie stick would require quite a long selfie stick indeed due to the focal lengths involved with a 1” sensor.
This truly would be a “niche” camera for GoPro and one that may prove to be problematic for users who don’t understand the optical issues at hand. With a larger sensor onboard though, without upgrading the processor, GoPro may have to even cut back on video and photo modes for such a model and I don’t think people would be happy with that (although putting 1080P and 2.7K on the chopping block may be an option). A 1” sensor would also be ideal for those ultra slow motion shots that naturally require more light due to the high frame rates involved.
Final thoughts:
It will be an interesting year for GoPro. I’m not sure they really hit the sales figures that they wanted last year and there is some really tough competition on the market at the moment. GoPro have always had the habit of releasing a model every year with just incremental updates. Last year, apart from the GPS removal, there was no significant hardware updates from the Hero 11 to the Hero 12. Instead the Hero 12 was given completely new firmware to enable new features and modes on the camera. While this caused some major backlash and disappointment from customers initially (myself included) the Hero 12 has weathered the storm and those that purchased it, are happy with the performance. This is also a sign that GoPro’s small engineering staff were hard at work designing something truly special for this year. I really do hope that they can deliver on expectations this year.
GoPro have their sights set on the future and to survive, they need to be innovative and offer something that customers feel they “must have” from their action cameras. However, they are still on the back-foot in the software department and are losing ground to their competitors. So big risks may not be something they are willing to look at. This worries me as if you don’t take big risks, in the face of stiff competition, you are doomed to die a slow death. I don’t want to see this company fade away to obscurity or be bought out by a bigger company only to be closed down. Let’s hope that 2024 is the year that GoPro well and truly impresses their customer base and more.
With Black Friday and Cyber Monday here, what are the actual best deals that you should be looking out for? It’s easy to get overwhelmed by all the advertised low prices out there, but if you’re not careful, you can end up actually paying more money for products that you don’t actually want or even need. So, I’m going to share with you some of my own personal top picks and advice that you should be looking for! You can click the picture to open an Amazon link if you want to purchase any of these items.
Large Screen TV’s
A large screen TV may not be the bargain you think it is!
This is “Where they get ya!” Although you may see some great deals on TV’s, you need to be very diligent about reading the actual specifications. The claims of 4K with a large size of 65″ or more for a cheap price may seem like a bargain, but you could end up regretting your purchase. Think about it this way, if someone offered you a million-dollar sports car for just $200,000 you would think you were getting one heck of a deal. But if someone said that million-dollar sports car had the engine of a Ford Pinto in it… you would likely think it wasn’t a great deal at all. That’s the same thing with cheap 4K tv’s. Such cheap TV’s usually only have a native 60Hz refresh rate. This can lead to visual tearing or blurring during action scenes or sports scenes. Most of these cheap TV’s combat this by having “Tru motion” or other such features that claim they can offer up to 240HZ refresh rate. However, this is usually a software feature that can give your picture the cheap “soap opera” looking picture and cause artifacts in the picture to appear. So, you need to pay attention to the “Native” refresh rate in the specs. If the “Native” refresh rate is 60HZ, I would avoid purchasing, especially on anything larger than 32″. You want at least 120HZ or faster as the “native” refresh rate to avoid issues.
This Sony has a native 120Hz refresh rate which is what you’re looking for in a large TV.
Home Projectors
Home projectors are a great alternative to large screen TV’s.
Home projectors are a great alternative to owning a large screen TV. They don’t take up much room, they can offer a significantly larger picture for under 1/3 of the cost of a large screen TV. They are also portable and can be used indoor or outdoor. However, just like large screen TV’s, there are certain projectors that should be avoided. A lot of projectors on sale will use terms like “1080P support” or even “4K support”. Does that mean you’re getting an actual 1080P or 4K projector for an ultra-low price? Well no, in fact the “Actual” or “native” resolution can be a lot lower, often 640×480 or even lower! On a tiny screen (think about the size of a wristwatch) such low resolution probably won’t affect you. However, when you’re stretching that image to 60″ or even 120″ … the picture you see will look like it’s made out of Lego bricks. So, you will want to check the “Native” resolution to ensure (at the very least) the projector in question is actually a 1080P projector. If you’re spending more money and want a much higher definition picture, then you’ll want a “Native” 4K projector. Also, the larger the picture you want from your projector, you’ll want to check that refresh rate and make sure it’s at least a “Native” 120Hz.
This budget projector has a native 1080P resolution and won’t hurt the wallet.
This higher end projector features 4K native resolution and will give you a true home cinema experience.
Action Cameras
Not all cameras are created equal!
There is a reason that GoPro Action camera’s cost a lot of money. They simply offer the highest resolution combined with the highest frame rates and best picture quality available. There are other cameras out there that you can buy, but it really is a case of “You get what you pay for”. Don’t bother asking “What cheap camera’s offer GoPro video quality”, the simple fact is, they don’t. However before buying an action camera as a present for someone (or yourself for that matter). Ask yourself what it is you’ll be filming the most. Are you interested in filming vlogs while you travel capturing night and day footage? or are you interested in capturing high speed action sports? You may actually be better off purchasing a different camera based upon what you actually need the camera for.
The GoPro Hero 12 with 10bit color, GP-LOG and HDR video modes.
There’s no doubt that the GoPro Hero 12 is a great action camera. With superior (Emmy award winning) stabilization, 240FPS slow motion at 2.7K, this is the epic action camera that the pro’s use. The creator edition gives you a whole vlogging production studio in one convenient bundle. These are the camera’s that I personally use and depend on.
The DJI Osmo Action 4. Superior low light performance!
While the Osmo Action 4 may not offer the same high resolution and high frame rates as other models, where it does beat them is in low light performance. With a larger sensor, your low light shots are going to look significantly better than most of the competition.
The DJI Pocket 3 may look odd, but it’s one of the best cameras out there!
The DJI Pocket 3 may not be well suited to action (it’s not waterproof) but if you want the ultimate in low light shooting and vlogging, this may very well be the camera for you. Not only does it offer the best low light shooting around, it’s built in gimbal, auto tracking features and superior software beats any camera out there for travelling vlogger creators.
Final Thoughts
Although you may be tempted by all the supposed deals you find this Black Friday or Cyber Monday, remember, it’s critical to do your research first. The last thing you want to do is accidently purchase some old, outdated product or model, just because you saw it had a huge discount. Check the specs, read carefully what it is you are buying and remember to keep that receipt! The bargain you pay for may end up not being such a bargain if you don’t research your purchase first!
Good luck!
Please note that the above article features affiliate links to products. I do receive a small commission for anything purchased and this helps out with my YouTube and Website creation. So thank you for all those awesome supporters who use my affiliate links!
Are you looking forward to buying the GoPro Hero 11… I mean… GoPro Hero 12… when it’s released in the next 2 weeks? Well GoPro are betting big on this one… by making this their smallest update yet.
Let’s take a quick look at the specs of the Hero 10, Hero 11, and the alleged specs of the Hero 12.
GoPro Hero 10
GoPro Hero 11
GoPro Hero 12
5.3k 60FPS
5.3k 60FPS
5.3k 60FPS
8 Bit
10 bit
10 bit
1/2.3″ CMOS
1/1.9″ CMOS
1/1.9″ CMOS
Timelapse 4K
Timelapse 5.3K
Timelapse 5.3K
Rear Display 2.27″ Touch LCD
Rear Display 2.27″ Touch LCD
Rear Display 2.27″ Touch LCD
Front Display 1.4″ Color LCD
Front Display 1.4″ Color LCD
Front Display 1.4″ Color LCD
HDR Video
Aspect Ratio 16:9 4:3
Aspect Ratio 16:9 4:3 8:7
Aspect Ratio 16:9 4:3 8:7
Max Lens Mod
Max Lens Mod
Max Lens Mod 2.0
Hypersmooth 4.0
Hypersmooth 5.0
Hypersmooth 6.0
As you can see, on paper, all 3 models are pretty similar. The main difference between the Hero 10 and Hero 11 was that the Hero 11 had a taller sensor with allowed for an 8:7 shooting aspect ratio. There was an increase to 10bit color and some built in camera effects (night trails, light painting etc). While the taller 8:7 sensor could be considered a significant hardware upgrade, I’m not convinced that the other features (in camera effects, 10bit color) couldn’t have been implemented into the Hero 10 with a firmware upgrade.
Now we have the Hero 12. Which on paper, seems to be a Hero 11 in every single regard. This is a huge costs savings for GoPro as it means they haven’t had to spend time and money with developing, testing or implementing new hardware features. In fact, just about everything “new” with the camera would be on the software side of things. There will be one or two new accessories no doubt (the Max Lens Mod 2.0 has all but been confirmed) and the Hero 12 will have HDR video shooting capabilities (the spec sheet also claims LOG, however the packaging doesn’t mention this at all).
Top 5 reasons why all of the above actually GOOD for the end user!
1: Due to the time saved by NOT investing in new hardware and testing, GoPro have had the time to build upon a stable and proven platform. This means that the GoPro Hero 12 may be GoPro’s most reliable and stable camera yet.
2: Even though there’s no major hardware changes, there still could be other changes under the hood, for instance new thermal compounds and materials could help run the camera even cooler as could a redesigned PCB.
3: Professional users have been requesting LOG for a long time, now they may finally get it. Prosumer will finally be able to avail of HDR video.
4: GoPro will have new accessories for the new model. A Max Lens Mod 2.0 has been confirmed (and advertising seems to suggest it may even offer nightlapse capture). A new remote is also on the way according to the FCC filing.
5: Those who have invested in previous model cameras will find that for the most part, their accessories still work and are supported by the Hero 12 (batteries, cases, selfie sticks etc), so no need to invest in newer accessories if you don’t want to.
Top 5 reasons why all of the above is actually BAD for the end user!
1: No new obvious hardware innovation from GoPro. This may be the “slightest” update of their camera yet. This does kinda make you feel a bit “ripped off”. It’s hard to justify an investment in the latest Hero 11… I mean…. Hero 12.
2: GoPro used to set the bar and they set it high. With these incremental updates, the competition is just edging closer and closer. This makes it hard to justify staying with GoPro regardless of whether you’re a loyal fan or a casual user. We’ve seen the Osmo Action 4 release with a larger sensor which may offer better low light capabilities. GoPro seem content with giving users a recycled camera so to speak.
3: You really can’t help but feel that all of these “new” features of the Hero 12 could have just been implemented into the Hero 11 with a firmware update, after all, it’s the exact same camera. Some blue sparkles on the camera housing doesn’t mean a darn thing.
4: If GoPro have been saving time and money by turning a Hero 11 into a Hero 12, couldn’t they have put the time and money into improving the GoPro app? What’s it been? 2 years and we still can’t make a Multi Clip Edit in 5.3K without black clips appearing in our final edit?
5: If this new camera really is a Hero 11 with a locked out firmware upgrade…. Will future camera’s follow this trend When do we get a subscription model basis of “You can activate Hypersmooth 9.0 and 8K resolution for just $20 a month”. You can scoff at that if you want, but in the back of your mind… you know BMW has done it with their “heated seats”, Tesla has done it with their FSD … what makes you think GoPro won’t try this? After all, they admit the saving grace of their company has been their GoPro Plus subscription…
So at the end of the day, the GoPro Hero 12 may be GoPro’s biggest gamble yet. In short, by not investing (seemingly) in any significant new hardware, they have potentially saved time and costs on research and testing with their latest model camera. So to me it seems they have taken the GoPro Hero 11, written a “12” on the side of it and have passed it off as a brand new camera. If this works, then GoPro stand to make a nice profit from the sale of an old camera, as a new model camera. Investors will be impressed for sure.
However it may also blow up in GoPro’s face. Even before the camera announcement, people (myself included) were excited by the prospect of a significant GoPro hardware upgrade. Not only has that rug been pulled out from under our feet, but when the official specs were finally leaked, it seems a lot of people (myself included) were seriously underwhelmed. A lot of people are under the impression that the GoPro Hero 12 is just a re-dressed GoPro Hero 11. No matter what extra software tricks are up the camera’s sleeve, the incentive to buy just isn’t there. So GoPro may just learn the hard way why it’s not a good idea to quit impressing their customers and lack of sales will hit GoPro where it really hurts.
Now all of the above is pure speculation, the GoPro Hero 12 may have some serious tricks up its sleeve and be able to knock our socks off. GoPro may have spent the last year winding back and ready to deliver a serious clout in about 2 week’s time when the camera is finally released. All the naysayers may end up eating their own words in spectacular fashion……… however… as of right now…. It just doesn’t feel like that’s likely.
It was once said that everything looks better in slow motion. I don’t exactly disagree. Everything does seem to look awesome and better in slow motion. The ability to slow down time and highlight an exciting moment is a must in anyone’s filming toolbox. However what about fast motion video? Or High Frame rate video as it’s sometimes referred to? High frame rate video can also highlight an exciting moment in real time by making the video as crisp and clear as possible so you see every single action moment in perfect clarity. The thing is though, slow motion video and high frame rate video are the exact same thing….. Confused yet? Well don’t worry, because in this article, we’re going to look at the differences between slow motion and high frame rate video.
Now before we get into the nitty gritty, I’d also like to announce that since my YouTube channel is coming up to the milestone of nearly 2K subscribers, there’s going to be a giveaway to celebrate! This will be some exclusive DemonView swag and what could possibly be the greatest piece of technology in the world…. possibly, I don’t know, I’m still reviewing this hardware, but the lucky winner will be getting their hands on the review model. So be on look out for that when the channel hits 2K subscribers, this will be a fun cool giveaway and I’ll be announcing the details of the giveaway when we hit 2K! (if you don’t want to wait, go to my YouTube channel, hit like and subscribe now to get us to that mark sooner!).
I assure you, the prize is not an empty box!
Ok, on with the article. You’ve probably all heard of slow motion video. You know the types of shots, where things slow right down to ½, ¼, 1/8 normal speed and really highlights an epic moment or fun scene in a video. It can look stunning and honestly, it can be a lot of fun to film slow motion video. So how is it accomplished. Well this one is fairly simple and involves some very simple math.
When you’re watching what I’d refer to as a “normal speed” video. You’re watching a video that’s recorded at 30 Frames per second and then played back at 30 frames per second. This means that for every second of video recorded, there are 30 individual pictures that make up that frame.
When it comes to slow motion video though, you actually film at a much higher frame rate such as 60 frames per second. However you would then edit the video so that it plays back at 30 frames per second. This will result in you having ½ speed slow motion.
If you recorded at 90 frames per second and play back at 30fps, this gives you 1/3 speed slow motion.
Recording at 120FPS and playing back at 30 FPS, this gives you ¼ speed slow motion.
And finally, recording at 240FPS and playing back at 30FPS gives you 1/8 speed slow motion.
Now the reason we film in a higher frame rate for a slow motion shot is that if you filmed at the normal 30 frames per second and then tried to slow the footage down to ¼ speed, you would then end up with 7.5 frames per second. This would look unnatural, more like a slow paced slide show rather than smooth video. You really want that playback video to be a minimum of 24 or 30 frames per second upon playback so the video looks smooth and natural.
And THAT is the very simple math explained.
The math is much more simple than this!
So why not shoot at 240FPS all the time and then just slow down the parts you want? Well there are a couple of reasons for this.
1: You’re creating some really large files when you shoot in a higher frame rate. I mean if you record at 30 frames per second, you have a normal file size. If you record at 240frames per second, then you’re essentially creating a files size 8x larger. So you could end up running yourself out of SD card space due to the amount of information you’re capturing.
2: It’s a lot more strain on the camera to shoot at such a high frame rate, so this is going to require more battery power and drain your battery faster.
3: Since your camera is working harder, it’s going to heat up a lot faster too and no one wants their camera to overheat.
4: The higher the frame rate you use, the less time there is for light to hit the sensor of your camera, so higher frame rates require even more lighting. To low a light and too high a frame rate, and you’ll end up with a lot of ISO noise in your footage.
So when it comes to shooting slow motion video, it’s always best to do it in short bursts. This not only combats all the above listed points, but it also speeds up your editing process as now you don’t have gigs worth of data to sort though just to find the shot you want.
Now that’s the basic explanation of slow motion. So what about High Frame rate video? Well high frame rate video is something that you may have seen in a lot of TV shows or movies, but didn’t know what it was called. For instance in scenes of fast action, where you really want clear details shown during an action scene to ramp up the feeling of speed, you’d film in a higher frame rate to eliminate motion blur.
So if I film a water hose spraying water at 30FPS, you’re going to see the water spraying and that’s fine. However, if I film the same scene in a high frame rate, not only do you see the water spraying, you also see the individual water droplets in the spray. This is because at a much higher frame rate, you’re eliminating motion blur, and now, every single detail looks crystal clear.
So when you watch an action movie and see two people fighting, or see some bullet strikes hitting the ground, this is usually filmed in a much higher frame rate than 30FPS.
Now I know what you’re thinking, this sounds the exact same as slow motion, you’re shooting at a high frame rate! Well, you’re right, it’s the exact same thing! The difference is that you’re recording in a high frame rate, but you’re also going to play back at the same frame rate the video was recorded in.
So if you record at 60 Frame per second, you’re going to play back the file at 60 frames per second.
If you recorded at 120 frames pers seconds, you’re going to play back the file at 120 frames per second.
This means that you don’t get a slow motion effect since you’re playing back the file at the exact same speed it was recorded at. So your speed stays at “normal” speed. You’re just getting a much sharper, clearer image.
And that’s it! That’s the simple difference between slow motion video and high frame rate video. How they are essentially the same thing while being filmed, but the difference is how it’s played back (or rendered if you’re doing an edit).
So when should you use slow motion vs high frame rate video?
Well that’s honestly an artistic choice for you, the creator. Slow motion is good for highlighting a very specific piece of action. Like the scoring of a goal, creating a fire effect, something that only happens for an instant, but you then want to make that instant last a lot longer on film.
With High Frame rate, think of a much longer action set piece, a fight scene, a motocross bike race. Something where there is a lot of consistent action going on and is very high motion and you don’t want blurring and most important, where you don’t want to break the pace by having something in slow motion.
A good example would be a boxing match for instance. You’re film in a high frame rate to highlight the speed at which each opponent throws a punch. Using high Frame rate is excellent for this. However if you were to shoot this in slow motion, you wouldn’t end up with an exciting fast fight. You’d end up with everything being slow……. and boring… and dragging on for ages. However, you could combine the two….
Slow motion, professional stunt actors and lighting also helps make a scene look cinematic…. but ya know, mainly slow motion…..
So film the fight in a high frame rate video, but when someone lands that knock out punch, then you can slow down that one single punch to slow motion. And remember, you can do this since filming in high frame rate and slow motion are the exact same thing! It’s just that one single punch scene that you’re going to slow down to play back at 30 frames per second…
However, remember that filming in high frame rates are going to put a lot of strain on your camera, drain your battery and fill up your SD card. So it’s good to plan things out in advance, know when to use high frame rates and when not to. Do that and you’ll soon be a master cinematographer when it comes to using higher frame rates.
And there you go! The difference between high frame rate and slow motion video, why they are both the same thing and yet completely different! Hopefully you found this article helpful and you’re now on the road to being a master cinematographer.
So thanks again for watching, come back soon and check for the announcement of DemonView’s upcoming giveaway! You never know, you could be the winner (and lets face it, the odds are WAAAAY better than winning the lotto!).
We’ve reached that time of year again where I’m going to lay out my own personal predictions for the GoPro Hero 12 camera..). This is not simple “doubling” of the hardware specs from previous models like you see on some other site. These are my predictions based upon GoPro’s past release strategies and what I think we’re really likely to see from the GoPro Hero 12 as a result. So on with my predictions.
Could the Hero 12 have the same form factor as previous models?
So what has been GoPro’s hardware release strategy entailed in the past?
Well, if you’ve paid attention to the differences between their hardware models, you’d know that GoPro have never tried to radically re-invent the wheel. Instead, they’ve always employed more of a “incremental” change strategy. One that maintains the technical hardware edge on their competition without having to radically increase their camera price point. So, this works out well for GoPro as they are playing the long game, and this works well for the consumer as you’re always paying a sub $500 price for the latest hardware offering. With that in mind, let’s talk camera resolution.
Will the GoPro 12 have 8K capability?
No, I seriously doubt it. If you look at consumer displays at the moment, 8K televisions don’t have a huge market hold. The expense is just something that a lot of people can afford, there isn’t that much content available in the 8K corner as of yet.
This is the cheapest 8K television I’ve found and it still costs nearly 5k!
You also have to realize that editing 8K is not something the average consumer has the horsepower to do. A lot of consumers have difficulty editing in 4K, let alone the current 5.3K that the top GoPro models offer (and combine that with the 10-bit color of the Hero 11, and things get even more interesting). Also keep in mind, the majority of GoPro owners aren’t just editing their clips on their mobile devices, they are using cheap budget mobile devices to do so. It still amazes me how many people have paid less for their phone than they’ve paid for their GoPro camera, and yet they still expect to edit 20-minute clips in 5.3K on their phone!
The Google Pixel 7 is no slouch, but it’s still a mid range cell phone.
Also keep in mind, GoPro’s “incremental” strategy. So, GoPro aren’t going to jump from 5.3K to 8K in my opinion. I think it’s more likely that the next GoPro model will get a boost in resolution up to 5.7K or 6K maximum, not because it’s needed, but because the consumer expects it. Having said that, if GoPro maintain 5.3K max resolution for the 3rd generation in a row, then I’d expect a jump in frame rates as a result.
What Resolution and Frame Rates will the GoPro 12 likely support.
That’s a controversial question for sure. We’ve seen GoPro actually drop support for certain resolutions and frame ration combinations. (2.7K 30FPS anyone?) This is likely due to internal constraints on the camera architecture and the camera only being able to handle so many different shooting modes. It’s also a push by GoPro to make users start adopting more current shooting resolutions and frame rates instead of sticking to old, outdated frame rates. It could be likely that the next resolution on the chopping block is 1080P. After all, with more and more 4K televisions and monitors our there (and with cheaper price points these days), that we’ll say goodbye to 1080P shooting modes.
4K displays are just about everywhere these days due to the lowering costs.
Don’t get me wrong, we may still have 1080P, but only with certain frame rate options. So, we could be looking at 1080P 60FPS minimum. This is simply due to the amount of budget mobile devices out there and having to give such users the ability to edit some sort of GoPro footage. 2.7K will still be available, after all, this resolution is needed for the Max Lens Mod, and given that mods popularity, dropping support for it would be a mistake….. unless…. GoPro offer “The Max Lens Mod 2”.
More on that one later….
One area GoPro could improve upon is their slow-motion shots. Although 240FPS seems great, some camera phones can shoot (in small bursts) software enhanced 960 frames per second. However, I can’t see GoPro offering such a slow motion burst as of yet, so more likely is that 4K may get a boost up to 240FPS while other shooting speeds stay more or less where they are.
Will there be new mods for the GoPro Hero 12?
We’d all love for there to be new mods for the Hero 12. Although the current mods work very well, there has been some slight issues with them. The Media Mod can be time consuming to disassemble when trying to access the camera’s SD card or battery. The Max Lens mod can only support 2.7K resolution (and no, this is not something that can be changed by a firmware update, this is a physical limitation caused by the optics of the device, the Max Lens mod can only focus it’s FOV on a 2.7K area of the sensor).
GoPro’s current line of camera mods. An update is needed at this point.
So it may be possible that there could be a Max Lens Mod 2 that has different optics that could focus it’s image on a 4k area of the sensor. However… this mod would not work on the Hero 11, Hero 10 or Hero 9 due to it’s physical sensor size. Also, GoPro may not want to deal with hundreds of incoming consumer complaints and item returns from users purchasing the Max Lens Mod 2 and expecting it to work with their older cameras. So, while we’re due an update to the Max Lens Mod……. It may not be on the cards right now.
The Media Mod 2. Something else we’d all love to see and I’ve already listed why. However, this also has the same problem as above. Any new features it introduces, likely wouldn’t work on previous GoPro models and this translates to the same consumer complaints and item returns. However, in my opinion, an updated design to the media mod is badly needed.
Now that I’ve said the above, I will have to backtrack on it if you consider one additional factor. The Max Lens Mod 2 and Media Mod 2 could stand a “possibility” of being made… but only if there’s a camera redesign….
Will the GoPro Hero 12 be redesigned?
It’s likely. If you look at GoPro’s previous design history, they’ve changed their camera design every 2 to 3 generations. Well, the Hero 12 is in the time frame for a camera redesign. Again, nothing radical, I’d expect the screen and button layouts to be the same, however changing a few aspects (dimensions, port locations, battery door compartments) could result in a camera with better thermal processing and heat dissipation.
IF the camera gets redesigned, then the probability of a Max Lens Mod 2 and Media Mod 2 would be on the table. That’s a big “if” though. You see when the GoPro Hero 12 is released, it might make more sense for GoPro to keep the current design. That way the current Max Lens Mod and Media Mod, camera cases and accessories will fit all 3 models sold on GoPro.com (The Hero 10, Hero 11 and Hero 12). This would help GoPro reduce inventory of these mods, inventory of batteries, inventory of cases (which is what you want to do before releasing a camera redesign). So financially, it may make more sense for GoPro to keep the current form factor and dimensions. However, I’d personally love to see a new camera design, but again, incremental changes, not radical changes seem to be the GoPro way.
What about a detachable rear screen that’s also a remote/wireless charging/Max 2?
No No And No.
A detachable rear screen would need to have some sort of set of contacts on the back in order to communicate with the GoPro. This in turn would affect how waterproof the GoPro would be. If used for action sports, it could accidentally detach from the camera and be lost. Also most users already have a portable display device that’s completely wireless and it’s called their Mobile Phone. This idea of a detachable rear screen was dreamt up quite some time ago, keeps popping up and is as ill thought out now as it was then.
Wireless charging? Doubtful. After all, GoPro sells batteries and battery chargers. Probably a nice little earner for them, so why mess with that? Also we’ve seen what happens when GoPro offers a camera with a “built in” battery. Since wireless charging can take some time (and uses up valuable battery real estate) I don’t think this is likely to happen at all.
At less than $500, the GoPro Max is actually good value for 360 video shooting.
Will there be a GoPro Max 2? Everyone seems to want this… but again, the issue is where to go with such a camera? Another sign that a new Max isn’t coming anytime soon is GoPro introducing an Enduro variation battery for the GoPro Max. Remember what I said about phasing out inventory before introducing a new model? Well in this case, GoPro have created new battery inventory.
The GoPro Max now enjoys a performance boost thanks to the new Enduro battery.
Also, another sign is that there was mention that the GoPro Labs firmware for the Hero Max was going to have some updates and GoPro do seem to be focusing on this. Usually only the latest camera’s get labs updates and with the Max being so old, unlocking additional features is a sign that there’s no replacement coming anytime soon.
So what else can we expect from GoPro this year?
Well what we can look forward to is new software. Users have been complaining for years about a lack of a desktop software suite for their camera’s. GoPro currently offer and support GoPro Player (with ReelSteady as an optional extra) and a webcam app for desktop. That’s it. Now this is hardly surprising as when GoPro did offer “Quik for desktop” it wasn’t widely used, it also wasn’t very stable, and they were spending more money trying to maintain this platform than it was generating. So it made no financial sense whatsoever for GoPro to keep offering “Quik for desktop”.
However, now that the GoPro plus subscription has been a major success for GoPro, it has made them realize the value of offering a “paid” desktop software solution. So just like the mobile app, this may have free basic services for the everyday users, but GoPro Plus subscribers would have full access to much more features (music, themes, cloud account access, the ability to sync edits across multiple platforms etc.).
GoPro could even sell it as an add on (like they do with ReelSteady) to generate more income. That makes a lot of sense. Rather than just spend money on the development and support of a desktop app that works for free for GoPro plus subscribers. Charge an extra $10 a month to GoPro plus subscribers for a desktop software version of Quik also.
Having said that though, GoPro do have 2 things working against them when it comes to desktop software.
1: Their software department is actually quite small. As a result, their mobile app suffers from a myriad of issues and there are endless complaints about reliability, connection issues, black screens during renders…… so stretching that software department out even more to cover the creation of a desktop solution (that also has to integrate cloud and cross platform synchronization) may just be too much to ask of GoPro for this year. We may not see anything until next year from this. Then when it does get released…….. that’s when you’ll start seeing user complaints regarding software not working on their desktop…
2: Windows users can already use Android apps in a Windows environment. While this may not be the smoothest of experiences, it can be easily done. So, if GoPro get too greedy with their desktop offering, people may just opt to keep using their mobile version or other free video editing programs. This would potentially cost GoPro quite a lot of money in lost revenue. It could even cost them more money if the software doesn’t perform.
What would you suggest to GoPro for the Hero 12?
GoPro has a lot of things to consider, but I think they need to Go Bold. Give us a camera design with a better media mod that’s quick and simple to remove. Even if it’s not the “traditional” media mod design. Frankly something that just clips onto the camera in place of the side door would do.
Don’t make the same mistake you did with the Hero 11 Mini, don’t give us a built-in battery. That’s been quite the issue from what I’ve read. Having a swapable battery just makes a lot more sense.
The Hero 11 Mini is small, light and versatile.
You can give us Built in Memory though! Yeah, frankly 512GB of memory built in would be sufficient. It would also solve a lot of issues that I see. People will think nothing of paying $450 for an action camera, but then try to cheap out by spending $10 on an SD card. These cards are usually far too slow for the camera, are just not compatible with the camera (Sandisk ULTRA, I’m looking at you) or badly formatted to begin with. This results in camera freezing, lock ups, and shutdowns. So fix that problem now! Stop having users send back their cameras to GoPro when it’s a simple issue of using an incorrect SD card. Have a built-in storage medium and the ability to perform a “FULL” format should an issue occur.
Any last words on what to expect from the Hero 12?
Yes, likely there will be improvements on the firmware side. The Hero 11 can “almost” shoot in a flat LOG color profile, the Hero 12 may offer this.
The Hero 11 had some great fun night presets built in (star trails, light painting, vehicle lights). The Hero 12 may improve upon this (as it doesn’t require additional hardware, it’s a software process). With built in memory, you could even have “reverse time” clip options. So honestly, do expect there to be one or two new software based video or photo effect options.
You can also expect GoPro to claim an update to Hypersmooth and Timewarp options. Whether it solves any of the past problems (jerky or unwanted pans) is another thing. Maybe it’s time to look at Hypersmooth or Timewarp presets which could disable or limit horizontal panning.
And talking about presets, no, there’s not going to be re-nameable presets offered this time around either.
So, until the release of the GoPro Hero 12 in September, we’re all going to just have to wait with baited breath to see what finally gets released. In the meantime, I plan to fully enjoy the summer filming on my Hero 10 and Hero 11 and updating Google Street View with my Hero Fusion.
Until next time
Cheerio!
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If you’re looking to up your GoPro game, then you need a gamechanger of a lens. This is where using a CPL filter comes in quite handy. So learn the secrets of using a CPL filter and why you should be using one. This is an article you can’t afford to miss out on. Click Here To Read…..
Seriously folks, it bugs me to no end to be fielding questions or seeing people on the GoPro Forums complaining about “Why won’t Quik for desktop work?” or “I can’t get GPS stickers working on Quik for desktop with my brand-new GoPro Hero 11!”. It’s got to stop folks, it really does.
Quik for desktop, stop bloody using it!
Look, the simple fact is that Quik for desktop was abandoned by GoPro over 4 years ago at this point. The last camera it fully supported was the GoPro Hero 7. This means that in the year 2023, NO ONE should be using this software. What is the point of trying to use old, out of date, unsupported, discontinued that just plain doesn’t work at this point? If you are still trying to use this software, here’s the things you should know:
1: It won’t support GPS stickers on the GoPro Hero 8 or later. These GoPro’s were made after Quik for desktop was discontinued and these later cameras all store their GPS data in a completely different format. So Quik for desktop won’t be able to read GPS data for the Hero 8, Hero 9, Hero 10, Hero11 or Hero Max (or Hero Fusion for that matter as Quik for desktop never supported 360 media of any kind).
2: It likely won’t offload media from your GoPro Hero 8, Hero 9, Hero 10 or Hero 11. These GoPro’s were all made after Quik for desktop was discontinued and they use newer USB drivers that Quik for desktop was never designed to work with.
3: You’re likely to see the following error upon start-up “We have encountered an issue loading music, please restart application and try again“. This is because GoPro Quik for desktop music library had an expiry date of 2018 or 2019 (I believe, I’m not installing it just to find out). So therefore, if you try to install GoPro Quik for desktop now, the music licenses have all expired and Quik for desktop will just refuse to load.
4: Even if it somehow does load, GoPro Quik for desktop was never designed to support HEVC video and you’re likely to have playback and editing issues.
5: It’s not going to support your latest graphics cards, latest operating system or any of the hundreds of patches that your system has received since GoPro Quik for desktop was discontinued. So therefore, it’s likely to be prone to crashing and freezing.
Now, I do partially blame GoPro for this whole fiasco with Quik. You see, GoPro currently supports Quik for Android and iOS. It’s listed right at the top of GoPro.com under “apps”. However, problems arise when users wonder if there’s a “Quik” version for their PC or Mac, they do a search for “Quik for PC” and what do you know, suddenly a whole bunch of sites offer downloads for Quik for desktop. To make matters worse, even in the GoPro support forums, GoPro have very (unhelpfully) included a link to GoPro Quik for desktop under the title “Legacy software” and most users have no idea that “Legacy software” means “Old, out of date, discontinued, unsupported, software” and immediately go and download this software. They are then faced with the problem that Quik for desktop won’t work and won’t support their camera.
So what’s the solution?
Well, there’s good news on that front! There are many different free video editing software suites out there that users can choose from. For instance, among professional editors, the free version of DaVinci Resolve seems to be the most popular choice.
However, for those of you out there who prefer something much simpler, like a classic “Drag and drop” software suite, then there’s the open-source editor OpenShot.
This is actually very easy to use beginner software that’s also amazingly powerful and allows you to create stunning movies with very little editing experience or knowledge.
Then there’s the promise from GoPro themselves that there will be a new version of Quik for desktop being released this year. Of course, exactly “When” this year remains to be seen and I’m going to predict it will be the later quarter of the year.
In the meantime, if you really are desperate to edit video’s using “Quik” on a desktop PC. Then I suggest you buy a USB-C to HDMI cable, plug it into your phone (providing it supports this feature) and plug the HDMI cable into your monitor. Then just pair a Bluetooth mouse to your phone and edit away. Or if you have a Samsung phone (and the model supports it), download Samsung Dex for your PC and connect your phone to Windows. You can then run your Samsung apps (including Quik for Android) in a Windows emulation screen.
In the meantime, please for the love of all that’s holy, stop stop stop stop stop trying to use Quik for desktop. It’s old, outdated, unsupported, discontinued software that NO ONE should be using.
With it being so close to 2023, I decided to share a bit of news early with my readers and YouTube followers. So, for those of you who have just bought a brand-new GoPro or received one for Christmas. I have now created a playlist on my YouTube channel specifically for you guys. We go all the way from Unboxing and Setup (Hero 10 and Hero 11) to troubleshooting common issues, reviewing some accessories and reviewing the GoPro Plus Subscription service. Make sure you check out that Playlist as it contains information that you NEED to know!
The essential GoPro Playlist for New Owners!
Also since tomorrow is the 1st of January 2023, I have a brand-new video premiering tomorrow. In this video I list the top 5 accessories that I use with my GoPro as well as the one accessory that I NEVER use (and it just sits on my shelf). You can check out that video when it premiers tomorrow!
If you’re interested in GoPro Accessories, you’re GOING to want to watch this video!
And finally, for those of you out there who may want me to review things, send me a greetings card or even a St Patrick’s day card, there’s now a mailbox for that!
DemonView LLC
3055 NW YEON AVE
PMB #12
PORTLAND
OR
97210
I’ll pretty much review anything that viewers send me, but please, no perishable goods, no liquids, nothing that makes a “ticking” sound… I reserve the right to give away review items, donate them to charity or bin them if they are unsuitable for the forementioned purposes. If you want the item back, then include a prepaid return envelope or label.
So, with that, I hope you all had a great holiday and are looking forward to what 2023 will bring!
In this latest video, to escape the wildfire smoke of Portland, MerryMunks and I flew to Central Oregon to land at a pretty remote location. Enjoy the sights and the soundtrack for this amazing flight! This video shows the power of using YouTube Creators licensed music in your videos as it really does level up your video game. The track featured “New Cydonia” by the awesome artist Starcadian.
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