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GoPro HERO (2018) Photo Resolution, Modes, and Settings

Here's a rundown of the specifications and options of the photo mode on the GoPro HERO (2018), including filetypes, fields of view, and enhanced dynamic range.

GoPro HERO (2018)

By David Coleman | @havecamerawilltraveldc
Last updated about 10 months ago // Categories: Photos
Tags: GoPro HERO (2018)

Save $220 on GoPro HERO9 Bundle

GoPro is running a deal on the new HERO9 Black, their newest and best camera. It's a bundle that includes the HERO9 Black, a 1-year subscription to GoPro, a free extra battery, and a 64GB SD card. It's all for $349.98.

GoPros are best known for video, but they can also work well with still images, whether it’s an individual image, a fast sequence using burst mode, or a longer sequence of time lapse shots.

Here’s a rundown of the specifications and options of the GoPro HERO (2018)’s photo mode.

Some users hack the firmware of the HERO (2018) to turn it into a fully functional HERO5 Black. But I’m focusing here on its features as a HERO (2018).

Photo Size on the GoPro HERO (2018)

Some GoPros let you choose an image size, but with the HERO (2018) you don’t get any choice–it’s a fixed 10MP image size (ie. 10 megapixel). That produces images that are 3648 by 2736 pixels with an aspect ratio of 4:3.

While the HERO (2018) probably isn’t necessarily a first choice of camera if you’re looking to take photos to print and hang on your wall, that 10MP resolution is comfortably large enough to make 8 by 10 inch prints at full resolution (and much of the time significantly larger than that will also look good). It’s certainly more than enough for sharing images online while still allowing plenty of room to crop.

The file size of the JPGs varies because of the way that JPG (or JPEG) image compression works. Images with few tones and little detail can be compressed better than images with lots of smooth tones and heavy on details. That means that the file size can vary shot to shot. I’ve gotten images anywhere from 3MB to 10MB, with most falling around 4-6MB.

Photo Format on the GoPro HERO (2018)

All photos on the HERO (2018) are saved as JPGs. There is no option to save as RAW files (GoPro’s .gpr file).1

Fields of View

Fields of View, or FOV, refer to the perspective of the lens. The ultra-wide angle perspective that we’re most used to with GoPros produces that distorted, bulging fisheye look. It creates an immersive feel, but it doesn’t look “normal” to us, and it’s not ideal for all shooting situations. But there are other fields of view available when shooting photos on the HERO (2018).

The other FOVs available are Medium and Narrow. Those are essentially crops rather than corrections. Or, put another way, the result is like a digital zoom (not an optical zoom). Nothing changes with the lens—it just crops in on the center part of the image. But the resulting file dimensions remain constant across all the fields of view (ie. they’re always 3648 by 2736 pixels).

Wide FOV

This is the default fisheye view. In capturing a super-wide perspective, it also distorts the view beyond what we’d consider normal. The center of the frame seems to bulge, while lines that should be straight, such as the horizon or vertical walls, end up curved. The effect, or barrel distortion, is more exaggerated closer to the edges of the frame. The EXIF metadata registers this FOV as a 15mm focal length when converted to 35mm (or full-frame) equivalent.

GoPro HERO (2018) Wide FOV

GoPro HERO (2018) Wide FOV

Medium FOV

Here’s an example using the Medium FOV. It was taken from the same camera and same spot. The EXIF metadata registers this FOV as a 23mm focal length when converted to 35mm (or full-frame) equivalent.

GoPro HERO (2018) Medium FOV

GoPro HERO (2018) Medium FOV

Narrow FOV

And here’s an example the Narrow FOV, again from the same camera and position. The EXIF metadata registers this FOV as a 35mm focal length when converted to 35mm (or full-frame) equivalent.

GoPro HERO (2018) Narrow FOV

GoPro HERO (2018) Narrow FOV

Wide Dynamic Range (WDR) on the GoPro HERO (2018)

Wide dynamic range, or WDR, is a special mode that tries to capture more detail in the shadows and highlights.

So it’s the same sort of idea as what is usually referred to as high dynamic range (or HDR) images. (The HERO6 Black has an HDR mode instead.) But WDR is less aggressive (and also less effective than the HDR mode on the HERO6).

Here’s a side-by-side example of a standard non-WDR image and a WDR image, both taken with a HERO (2018).

GoPro HERO (2018) Standard Photo

Standard photo without WDR.

GoPro HERO (2018) With WDR

Standard photo with WDR.

Burst Mode

Burst mode is a special photo mode that takes a high-speed sequence of photos. It’s especially useful for fast action shots.

The HERO (2018)’s burst mode is limited to 10 photos in 1 second.

The HERO also has a variation of burst mode known as continuous shooting. Rather than shooting a preset number of photos in the sequence and then stopping, continuous mode keeps shooting rapidly while you hold the shutter down. It can capture up to 4 frames per second for a maximum of 30 shots.

Protune

The HERO (2018) doesn’t offer any Protune settings in either photo or video modes.


  1. The RAW (.gpr) format is available for some of the still image modes the HERO5 and HERO6 models. ↩

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By David Coleman
Instagram: @havecamerawilltraveldc

Last updated on April 8, 2020

Categories: Photos
Tags: GoPro HERO (2018)

I may earn a commission for purchases using links on this page. Learn more.

GoPro News & Deals

New Smart Remote GoPro will be announcing the new Smart Remote for the HERO9 Black on December 17, 2020. The HERO9 Black isn’t compatible with the previous version of the Smart Remote.

HERO8 Black firmware v2.0 now available. Enables webcam mode; enables Display Mod compatibility; expands HyperSmooth 2.0 High and Boost availability to more video settings; general bug fixes. Update through the mobile app or manually.

GoPro Launches New Live Streaming Service for GoPro PLUS. GoPro has launched their own live-streaming platform for PLUS subscribers. It’s a pretty bare-bones offering for now, with livestreams shared with a dedicated URL. This is alongside their efforts to make the HERO8 Black useful as a webcam when connected to a computer (via USB plug-in-play, not requiring the Media Mod accessory with HDMI out). New firmware adds that functionality for Mac users, and the Windows version is in Beta.

New GoPro Zeus Mini Video Light. GoPro has released released a new video LED light designed to complement their GoPro cameras. It’s tiny, waterproof, and has a built-in magnetic swiveling clip. It’s waterproof down to 33 feet (10 meters), has four levels of brightness, and includes a diffuser to cool the color temperature to 5000K. GoPro claims that the built-in battery lasts up to 6 hours (presumably at the lowest brightness setting, although they don’t specify). It’s available now and priced at $69.99.

DJI Osmo Action firmware update adds live streaming. DJI has released a firmware update for the Osmo Action (v. 01.08.00.10) that adds live streaming support, so you can upload directly to platforms like Facebook and YouTube (it goes through the DJI Mimo mobile app). They’ve also improved the in-camera video stabilization. You can find the new firmware here.

New Underwater Housing for GoPro HERO8 Black from Isotta. Isotta, an Italian brand specializing in underwater housings, has announced a new high-quality underwater housing for the HERO8 Black. It’s an aluminum housing depth-rated to 650 feet (200 meters), has a one-handed open/close switch, double o-rings, and can be used with filters. There’s also a dual-handled tray to go along with it. And like all their housings, it’s in their distinctive red. Priced at $450, it’s only for those who need a highly specialized piece of underwater kit. It’s available for preorder from underwater specialists Backscatter.

Light Mod Now Shipping The Light Mod, one of the three new GoPro accessories, is now shipping. It’s a standalone light that is waterproof, rechargeable and compatible with all GoPro mounts. It was originally announced along with the HERO8 Black, but it hasn’t been available until now. It’s priced at $49.99, and you can find them at GoPro.com.

GoPro MAX Now Shipping. The new 360° camera, the MAX, is now shipping.

GoPro HERO8 Black and Max Unveiled. The new GoPro cameras and accessories have been unveiled. I have a rundown of the highlights of the HERO8 Black here.

DJI Osmo Action vs GoPro HERO7 Black. I’ve posted my detailed hands-on comparison of the Osmo Action and the HERO7 Black. There’s a lot similar between the models, but once you start digging down into the details there are differences that can help in choosing between them. And each has strengths the other doesn’t have. You can find my review here.

GoPro HyperSmooth vs DJI RockSteady. The new DJI Osmo Action also has built-in electronic stabilization to smooth out video. They’re calling it RockSteady (GoPro has HyperSmooth). I’ve been out testing them side-by-side. You can see the results here.

GoPro Deals page. I’ve put together a dedicated page on GoPro deals. So if you’re looking for cheap GoPro deals, check it out.

DJI Osmo action 4K Camera. Best known for their camera drones, DJI has released a new 4K action cam that’s taking direct aim at the GoPro HERO7 Black. It shoots up to 4K60 video and 12MP stills, includes electronic stabilization, has high-dynamic range video at 4K30, voice commands, a touchscreen on the back and another smaller live view screen on the front, and is waterproof down to 36 feet (11 meters). It’s priced at $349, and they’re now available at B&H Photo.

Comments

  1. Debbie says

    August 22, 2019 at 6:20 pm

    HI – I have a hero go pro 7 black and am new to this. I am disappointed when I video or take pictures in that my subject is shrunk to a tiny size – even with the zoom at max. It’s smaller than any other video size – including why iPhone. IS it supposed to be that way? If so, I can’t use it because it makes whatever I am filming too small to really see at playback. Thanks PS I called support and they want samples via youtube but I am hoping for a simple answer. – fast! Thanks

    Reply
    • David says

      August 22, 2019 at 7:42 pm

      It sounds like what you’re running into is the ultra-wide angle lens. It’s much wider than most cameras and iPhones. It can be a mixed blessing, and unfortunately, there’s a limit to what you can do about it. It works well if you’re in very close to your subject, but that’s not always practical. You can find more on it here—not so much solutions, as such, but examples and workarounds.

      Reply
  2. Buffy says

    May 16, 2019 at 11:44 am

    I have a GoPro Hero 2018 and the FOV always shows Wide and I cannot change it. Can you help me find where I can change this to medium?
    Thank you,

    Reply
    • David says

      May 16, 2019 at 12:09 pm

      I assume you’re shooting video rather than the photo mode? If so, the other FOVs are available when using the 1080 setting. With the 1440 resolution, it’s locked at Wide. If you’re in the photo mode, you should have the option for Wide, Medium, and Narrow by tapping on the FOV info at the bottom right of the main viewing screen.

      Reply

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About Me

I’m a professional travel & location photographer based in Washington DC and traveling all over. Seven continents. Dozens of countries. Up mountains. Under water. And a bunch of places in between.

I’ve owned and used every GoPro since the HD HERO and particularly like finding new and different ways to use them to capture photos, video, and time-lapse.

You can find my main site at havecamerawilltravel.com.

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