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Shooting Video with the GoPro HERO7 White: Video Modes, Resolutions, Framerates, and Features

Here's a rundown of the various features and options available when shooting video with the GoPro HERO7 White.

GoPro HERO7 White

By David Coleman | @havecamerawilltraveldc
Last updated about 3 months ago // Categories: Video
Tags: GoPro HERO7 White

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.

The GoPro HERO7 White is the entry-level offering of the three cameras in GoPro’s HERO7 lineup. So it has the most basic set of features.

That’s very true when it comes to its video offerings. While the Black and Silver editions offer quite a range of resolution and frame rate combinations, along with several features like superfast framerates for slow motion or the new HyperSmooth in-camera stabilization the live streaming (those last two are Black only), the features of the White are significantly pared down. That’s quite deliberate, not only to justify the lower price but also to make it much simpler to use for those who don’t want to be overwhelmed with options and just want to get out and start shooting. After all, if you don’t need all of those bells and whistles they can just get in the way.

If you’re trying to decide whether the HERO7 White’s video capabilities fit your needs, here’s a rundown on its various options and features available when shooting video. For comparison, I have a separate rundown of the video features of the HERO7 Silver.

Resolutions and Framerates

There are only four combinations of resolution and framerate available. In NTSC, they’re 1440p30 and 1440p60. In PAL, they’re 1440p50 and 1440p25.

Put more simply, the only resolution available is 1440. That’s a rectangle 1920 pixels across and 1440 pixels high that looks like this:

GoPro HERO7 White video resolution

That resolution is considered HD video and is suitable for general web use. Typical HD videos on the web display at either 1080p or even the smaller 720p. But if you need 4K video, you’ll need to step up to one of the higher models like the Black.

It’s an aspect ratio of 4:3. So it’s the same width as the standard 1080HD, but it’s a taller aspect ratio. That comes in handy when shooting video, because it gives you more leeway vertically. That’s useful when the camera or the subject (or both) are moving.

Here’s a visualization of how those aspect ratios compare, with the box in the middle the traditional 16:9 HD aspect ratio and the background the taller 4:3 aspect ratio of 1440p video.

GoPro HERO7 White video resolutions compared

There are four available frame rates–two each in NTSC and PAL video modes. In NTSC, you can choose either 60 frames per second or 30 frames per second. In PAL video mode, you can choose either 50 frames per second or 25 frames per second.1

Video Bitrates on the HERO7 White

The HERO7 White’s video records at 40 Mb/s in all the available combinations of resolution and framerate. That makes it much less demanding of the speed of the SD card than the Black (up to 78 Mb/s) or Silver (up to 60 Mb/s), so you can get away with a slower SD card. (Here are some recommendations).

Resolution FPS Bitrate Mb/s Mode
1440p 60 40 NTSC
30 40 NTSC
50 40 PAL
25 40 PAL

I find the way in which you switch framerates to be a bit odd. There’s no option in the menu system for you to select the framerate. Instead, you have to hit the snail icon on the main screen. That denotes the slow motion mode (or Slo-Mo, as GoPro puts it) and does the faster framerate options (60fps in NTSC and 50fps in PAL). Calling that slow motion is a bit of a stretch, but that’s how you switch the framerates between the faster and slower options.

File Format & Video Codec

The HERO7 White produces mp4 files that are encoded with the H.264 codec. So they’re very widely compatible with most current devices and online video services and have good compression and video quality.

The White doesn’t use the newer and less-compatible H.265 HEVC codec (optionally) used on the Black.

Protune

The HERO7 White doesn’t have any Protune options for either video or photo modes.

Video Stabilization

The White does have built-in electronic stabilization. It’s the older generation, not the most recent HyperSmooth used in the Black edition. It works reasonably well, although it’s not a replacement for an external gimbal stabilizer.

One thing to note is that you can’t turn the stabilization off–it’s always on.

Digital Zoom

The White 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. Essentially, it’s digital cropping. But you can apply it while filming by using touch controls on the back screen using a slider. It eases in and out, but it’s not the smoothest zoom you’ve ever seen, so don’t expect silky smooth zooming shots.

Note that the zoom function is not available when filming the Slo-Mo mode.

Exposure Control

The White uses automatic exposure, but you can specify which part of the frame is used to calculate the automatic exposure. You do that by using the touchscreen–just select the part of the frame you want to use. 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.

The White doesn’t have exposure compensation. That’s a Protune option, and the White doesn’t have Protune.

Highlight Tagging

The highlight tagging feature that the last several generations of GoPros have had is also available on the White. It lets you mark specific moments as they happen so that you can quickly reference them later when editing in the GoPro app or GoPro Studio. Highlight tags can be added on-the-fly in-camera, using the GoPro mobile app, or with the Smart Remote.

Shot Clips

This is a new feature that GoPro introduced with the HERO7 models. It lets you shoot 15 or 30-second clips that are designed for quick sharing online. All of the HERO7 models have it, including the White.

Slow Motion

The White can record slow motion, but it’s a much more limited feature than on Black (the Silver has the same slow motion capabilities as the White). In this case, it records at 60 frames per second and plays back at 30 frames per second. So it’s half speed, or 2x slow motion. So the feature is there, but if you need more powerful slow motion options you’ll be wanting to look at the Black.

Time-lapse Video

The White can do time-lapse video, creating the video in the camera. But the options are limited. The resulting video is 1440p, and it’s a preset interval of 0.5 seconds (ie. you can’t change the interval). The field of view is also preset to Wide and not configurable.

Starting and Stopping Video on the HERO7 White

There are several different ways you can control the video record button. The most obvious is to use the shutter button on the camera. You can also use voice control, the GoPro mobile app, or the Smart Remote or REMO remote.


  1. NTSC and PAL refer to standards that are used in different parts of the world for recording, broadcasting, and displaying video primarily on televisions. NTSC is used in much of the Americas, while PAL is used in countries like the UK and Australia. It’s also relevant to DVD and Blu-Ray, but it’s far less relevant if you’re only displaying video on the web. So if you’re shooting video to share on the web or social media, it really doesn’t matter which you choose, but to simplify your editing workflow its easier to choose one and stick to it. ↩

Where to Buy

You can find the HERO7 White at Amazon and B&H Photo. If you buy directly from GoPro.com, they’re including free 2-day shipping and a memory card.

GoPro HERO7 Cameras Compared

 HERO7 BlackHERO7 SilverHERO7 White
gopro hero7 black - Shooting Video with the GoPro HERO7 White: Video Modes, Resolutions, Framerates, and Featuresgopro hero7 silver - Shooting Video with the GoPro HERO7 White: Video Modes, Resolutions, Framerates, and Featuresgopro hero7 white - Shooting Video with the GoPro HERO7 White: Video Modes, Resolutions, Framerates, and Features
MSRP$399.99$299.99$199.99
Buy AtAmazon
B&H Photo
GoPro.com
Adorama
Walmart
Amazon
B&H Photo
GoPro.com
Adorama
Walmart
Amazon
B&H Photo
GoPro.com
Adorama
Walmart

VIDEO SPECS

Resolution / Max fps4K / 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
StabilizationHyperSmoothStandardStandard
Max Bitrate78 Mb/s60 Mb/s40 Mb/s
FOVsWide
Medium
Linear
SuperView
WideWide
File Format (Codec)MP4 (HEVC / H.265)
MP4 (H.264 / AVC)
MP4 (H.264 / AVC)MP4 (H.264 / AVC)
Protune✓--
Digital Zoom✓✓✓
Looping✓--
Audio TrackWAV + AACAACAAC
External Mic Compatibility✓--
HDMI Video Out✓--
Live Streaming✓--

PHOTO SPECS

Max Photo Size12MP10MP10MP
FOVsWide
Linear
WideWide
File FormatRAW (.gpr)
JPG
JPGJPG
Protune✓--
In-Camera Image EnhancementSuperPhotoWDR-
Top Burst Mode30 / 115 / 115 / 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 TypeUSB-CUSB-CUSB-C

DESIGN & BUILD SPECS

Waterproof Body✓✓✓
Dimensions62.3 x 44.9 x 33 mm62.3 x 44.9 x 28.3 mm62.3 x 44.9 x 28.3 mm
Weight4.1 oz / 116 g3.3 oz / 94.4 g3.26 / 92.4 g

OTHER SPECS

Battery Type1220 mAh1220 mAh (non-removable)1220 mAh (non-removable)
QuikCapture✓✓✓
GPS✓✓-
Memory CardRecommendationsRecommendationsRecommendations
* Not every feature is available in every shooting mode. As examples, video stabilization is not available in every resolution/framerate combination and the option to save RAW images is not available in burst mode.

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By David Coleman
Instagram: @havecamerawilltraveldc

Last updated on October 12, 2020

Categories: Video
Tags: GoPro HERO7 White

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. Alvin says

    January 28, 2019 at 10:53 am

    Hi there, great review! 2 quick questions:
    1) Can you use the touchscreen underwater?
    2) Is it safe to go snorkelling with the goprohero7 white itself, ie without a case?

    Thanks!

    Reply
    • David says

      January 28, 2019 at 12:42 pm

      1. You can use it as a viewfinder as normal, but the touch aspect of it doesn’t work, so you can’t use it for navigating the menu system etc. I have more on that here.
      2. Yes. It’s rated down to at least 33 feet / 10 meters, which is much deeper than you’d normally go in normal snorkeling, even if you’re diving down to take a closer look. You’d really only need a dive housing if you’re going Scuba diving with it or are a specialist freediver.
      Reply
  2. Peter Wittrock says

    November 6, 2018 at 7:41 am

    Dear David Coleman

    I’m looking for a start GoPro for my daughter (10Years) she have to use it for making Video for youtube and just for her friends. I can’t chose which GoPro to go with. I’m looking at Hero7 White and Hero5 Black. I have found it for the same price. My idea is that Hero5 Black takes better video(4K) and Hero7 White is more simple to use. Which we you pick for a 10 year old.

    Reply
    • David says

      November 6, 2018 at 10:55 am

      I would go with the White. The HERO5 Black is a much better camera, but it also has a lot more options and settings that can make things more complicated. The newer menu system on the HERO7 White is also a bit easier to use. And the 4K video doesn’t sound like something she’s like to need or use much. My kids are a little younger than that, but I’d hand them the White before the HERO5 Black.

      Reply
      • Peter Wittrock says

        November 7, 2018 at 2:21 am

        A big thanks. I will go with the White. I just hope it will be on Black Friday sale..

        Thanks

        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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