The HERO7 Silver shoots video up to 4K30 and 1080p60, with automatic stabilization and exposure, a Wide field of view in every mode, and none of the Black’s Protune settings or high frame rates. It’s simple by design. The resolutions, bitrates, and the features it does and doesn’t have are below.
It’s long discontinued; if you’ve picked one up used, this is what it can do. The HERO7 Black’s video modes are the step up; the photo side of the Silver and White is covered separately.
The GoPro HERO7 Silver is the middle model of the three cameras in the HERO7 range. In terms of features and price, it falls between the flagship Black model and the entry-level White model.
That’s true too of its video features, which are less powerful than the Black’s but a step up from the very simple and limited options of the White.
The short version is that Silver can shoot up to 4K video, has some advanced features like in-camera electronic stabilization and exposure control, but it doesn’t have the higher framerates, HyperSmooth video stabilization, or use the higher-quality but less-compatible HEVC video codec that’s available on the Black.
So here’s a detailed rundown on the various options and features available when shooting video with the GoPro HERO7 Silver.
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Resolutions and framerates
The top video mode of the Silver is 4K30. Put another way, it can shoot 4K video at 30 frames per second. (For comparison, the Black can shoot up to 4K60.) In 4K, you can’t choose a different framerate–if you’re using NTSC format, it’s 4K30, and if you’re using PAL format, it’s 4K25.1
That resolution and framerate combination of 4K30 / 4K25 is sometimes known as UHD, or ultra-high-definition, and is more than enough for sharing online–the reality is that most users won’t be viewing the footage at 4K anyway because it’s much larger than their screen’s display size. More typical resolutions for playback of video on the web are the smaller 1080p and 720p resolutions, both of which are still considered HD video.
Besides 4K, the Silver shoots two HD resolutions: 1440p, which is the default, and 1080p. 1440p is the same width as 1080p but taller, which gives you more leeway vertically in where the camera is pointed. 1080p crops a little off the top and bottom to give the standard widescreen shape. You can change the default in Preferences > Defaults > Video Resolution. Here’s a visualization of how the 4K resolution compares with 1440.
The 1440 resolution produces video that is 1920 pixels wide by 1440 pixels high, which is an aspect ratio of 4:3. For comparison, 1080p or standard HD video is 1920 pixels wide by 1080 pixels high, which is a narrower aspect ratio of 16:9 that we’ve become accustomed to since HD digital TVs took over. The 4:3 aspect ratio is boxier, more typical of old-school analog TVs and analog monitors, but when you’re sharing video online, 4:3 still works well. And that little extra vertical leeway can make a difference if you’re trying to avoid framing someone’s head out of the shot. It also gives you the flexibility of cropping in post-processing if you want to stick to the 16:9 aspect ratio of 1080.
Here’s a visualization of how 1440 compares with 1080 (1080 is the pale blue box in the middle, while the background is 1440).
When you’re shooting at the 1440 resolution, you have at least some choice with framerates. In NTSC format, you can choose from 60 fps or 30 fps; in PAL, it’s 50 fps or 25 fps.
Video bitrates
The HERO7 Silver records its video at up to 60 Mb/s. That makes it much less demanding of the speed of the SD card than the Black (up to 78 Mb/s), so you have a little more wiggle room with slightly slower or older SD cards. (I’ve put together some practical SD card recommendations separately).
In 1440p, it uses either 40 Mb/s or 30 Mb/s, depending on the frame rate. Here’s a table showing which specific bitrates are used for the available resolution/framerate combinations.
| Resolution | FPS | Bitrate Mb/s | Mode |
|---|---|---|---|
| 4K | 30 | 60 | NTSC |
| 25 | 60 | PAL | |
| 1440 | 60 | 40 | NTSC |
| 50 | 40 | PAL | |
| 30 | 30 | NTSC | |
| 25 | 30 | PAL |
The video is compressed with the H.264 codec at a variable bitrate, so the actual bitrate can fluctuate a little from clip to clip.
Audio track
The audio track is embedded with the video stream. It’s a 128 Kbps, 2-channel, AAC track, at 48 kHz.
Fields of view
There’s one field of view available in all of the Silver’s video modes: Wide. It’s the very wide-angle fisheye look that GoPros are known for.
There is one qualification to that, though. It’s not exactly a different field of view, but you can work around the distortion at the edge of the frame with the digital zoom feature (it isn’t available in 4K or Slo-Mo).
Protune
The Silver doesn’t have any Protune options for video or photo modes. If you need those expert options, you’ll need to step up to the Black.
In-camera electronic stabilization
The Silver has built-in electronic stabilization, but not the HyperSmooth stabilization the HERO7 Black has. It works quite well, although the results won’t be as good as if you’d used a quality external gimbal stabilizer.
One thing to note is that the stabilization isn’t just on by default–it’s permanently on, and you can’t turn it off. While that can be good for general everyday shooting, it might be an issue if you want finer control over the stabilization by using different software–using software stabilization on footage that has already been stabilized can lead to some pretty strange results.
Digital zoom
The Silver has a digital zoom feature that you can use while shooting video. It’s worth knowing that this is an electronic zoom, not an optical one. You use it with a touch slider on the back screen.
Note that there are two important limitations on using the digital zoom: you can’t use it when shooting 4K, and you can’t use it in the Slo-Mo mode.
Exposure control
The Silver’s exposure is fully automatic. You don’t get the Black’s Protune controls like shutter speed and ISO limits, but you do get a little control by choosing which part of the frame the camera uses to set the exposure.
It’s simple to use. Press and hold the back screen until a set of brackets (the Spot Meter) appears, then drag the brackets, or tap, to the part of the frame you want the camera to base its exposure on. (There’s also a Locked Exposure option that holds the exposure until you cancel it.) It comes in very useful in shots with high contrast between highlights and shadows. An example might be if the sky is getting blown out (too bright), but you want to highlight some dramatic clouds, in which case you can touch the sky area on the back screen, and the automatic exposure will be calculated using that part of the frame. Another example might be if a person’s face is in shadow, so you can select their face in the frame, and it should lighten the overall exposure by trying to correctly expose the face.
Note that exposure control is different from the exposure compensation that’s available on the Black. Exposure compensation lets you set a value for under or over-exposing by a designated amount as a way to override the standard automatic exposure.
Highlight tagging
The Silver has HiLight tagging. It lets you mark moments as they happen so they’re easier to find later when you’re watching your footage or creating a video. To add a HiLight Tag, press the Mode button while recording or playing back, use the GoPro app, or say “GoPro HiLight” with Voice Control on.
Short clips
Short Clips records 15- or 30-second clips (15 seconds is the default) that are designed for quick sharing online. All of the HERO7 models have it, including the Silver.
This isn’t a performance feature–it’s a convenience feature, part of the effort to make GoPros easier to use. They’re ideal for quick shots to share on social media.
They can be shot in 4K or in the Slo-Mo mode.
Slow motion
The Silver can record slow motion, sort of. It’s a much more limited feature than on the Black. In this case, it records at 60 frames per second and plays back at 30 frames per second. It’s half speed, or 2x slow motion, which is not especially dramatic. So the feature is there, but if you need more powerful slow-motion options, you’ll be wanting to look at the higher models such as the Black.
It isn’t available in 4K; if 4K is on, the camera turns it off when you switch to Slo-Mo. To use it, tap the snail icon on the back screen. You can play Slo-Mo clips back at 2x slow motion or at normal speed.
Time-lapse video
The Silver can do time-lapse video, which compiles the video in the camera and outputs it as an MP4 video file.
The Silver’s time-lapse video function is a little more powerful than the White’s in that you can choose to save it as a 4K video or a 1440p (the White can only do 1440p), but you’re still limited to the 0.5-second interval. You can’t choose longer intervals like you can on the Black.
Starting & stopping video
There are several ways to start and stop recording. The most obvious is the Shutter button on the camera. You can also use voice commands or the GoPro app. And with QuikCapture (on by default), pressing the Shutter button while the camera is off powers it on and starts recording in one step.
GoPro HERO7 cameras compared
| HERO7 Black | HERO7 Silver | HERO7 White | |
|---|---|---|---|
VIDEO SPECS | |||
| Resolution / Max fps | 4K / 60 4K (4:3) / 30 2.7K / 120 2.7K (4:3) / 60 1440p / 120 1080p / 240 960p / 240 720p / 240 | 4K / 30 1440p / 60 1080p / 60 | 1440p / 60 1080p / 60 |
| Stabilization | HyperSmooth | Standard | Standard |
| Max Bitrate | 78 Mb/s | 60 Mb/s | 40 Mb/s |
| FOVs | Wide Linear SuperView | Wide | Wide |
| File Format (Codec) | MP4 (HEVC / H.265) MP4 (H.264 / AVC) | MP4 (H.264 / AVC) | MP4 (H.264 / AVC) |
| Protune | ✓ | - | - |
| Digital Zoom | ✓ | ✓ | ✓ |
| Looping | ✓ | - | - |
| Audio Track | WAV + AAC | AAC | AAC |
| External Mic Compatibility | ✓ | - | - |
| HDMI Video Out | ✓ | - | - |
| Live Streaming | ✓ | - | - |
PHOTO SPECS | |||
| Max Photo Size | 12MP | 10MP | 10MP |
| FOVs | Wide Linear | Wide | Wide |
| File Format | RAW (.gpr) JPG | JPG | JPG |
| Protune | ✓ | - | - |
| In-Camera Image Enhancement | SuperPhoto | WDR | - |
| Top Burst Mode | 30 / 1 | 15 / 1 | 15 / 1 |
| Continuous Photo | ✓ | ✓ | ✓ |
| Night Photo | ✓ | - | - |
| Photo Timer | ✓ | ✓ | ✓ |
TIME-LAPSE SPECS | |||
| Timelapse Photo | ✓ | - | - |
| Timelapse Video | ✓ | ✓ | ✓ |
| Nightlapse | ✓ | - | - |
| TimeWarp Video | ✓ | - | - |
INTERFACE SPECS | |||
| Built-in Touchscreen | ✓ | ✓ | ✓ |
| Front Screen | ✓ | - | - |
| Voice Control | ✓ | ✓ | ✓ |
| WiFi / Bluetooth | ✓ | ✓ | ✓ |
| USB Port Type | USB-C | USB-C | USB-C |
DESIGN & BUILD SPECS | |||
| Waterproof Body | ✓ | ✓ | ✓ |
| Dimensions | 62.3 x 44.9 x 33 mm | 62.3 x 44.9 x 28.3 mm | 62.3 x 44.9 x 28.3 mm |
| Weight | 4.1 oz / 116 g | 3.3 oz / 94.4 g | 3.26 / 92.4 g |
OTHER SPECS | |||
| Battery Type | 1220 mAh | 1220 mAh (non-removable) | 1220 mAh (non-removable) |
| QuikCapture | ✓ | ✓ | ✓ |
| GPS | ✓ | ✓ | - |
| Memory Card | Recommendations | Recommendations | Recommendations |
Notes & References:
- NTSC and PAL refer to video format standards that are used in different parts of the world for recording, broadcasting, and displaying video. It’s most relevant for things like televisions, DVDs, and Blu-ray, and is much less relevant to sharing digital video on the web or through mobile devices. So if you’re shooting video to share on the web or social media, it doesn’t matter which you choose, but to simplify your editing workflow, it’s easier to choose either NTSC or PAL and stick to it. NTSC is the standard in the Americas, while PAL is used in the UK and Australia. [↩︎]
