GoPro HERO5 Black Video Sizes, Framerates, Modes & Options

A rundown of the various video modes, resolutions, framerates, fields of view, formats, bitrates, and stabilization options available on the GoPro HERO5 Black.

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The GoPro HERO5 Black shares many of the same video modes with its predecessor, the HERO4 Black.

The top-end video modes remain 4K30, 1080p120, and 720p240. So if you were hoping for 8K video or 4K60, you’ll have to wait a bit longer yet.

Two new additional features are available in many, but not all, video modes. They are the new Linear FOV mode, which corrects for fisheye distortion in-camera, and the built-in video stabilization that smooths out the footage in the camera.

Relative Sizes and Aspect Ratios

Here’s a graphic showing the relative sizes and aspect ratios of the available video resolutions. Click on the image to open a full-size version at 1:1.

gopro-hero5-black-video-resolutions

Note that in practice the zoom is done from the center of the frame.

Video File Types on the HERO5 Black

The HERO5 Black outputs .mp4 files in 8-bits with a variable bitrate setting. They’re encoded with the widely compatible H.264 (AVC) video codec, so you can edit and share them just about anywhere and with nearly all video editing, playing, and sharing software and services.

Fields of View When Shooting Video with the HERO5 Black

The GoPro HERO5 has a fixed lens, but it’s capable of outputting video in five different fields of view, or FOV settings (FOV is also often known as lens perspective).

Not every FOV setting is available in every combination of resolution and framerate–see the table below for details. The different video FOV settings available are:

SuperView FOV

SuperView

Unique to GoPro (and trademarked by them), SuperView is an even wider view than the standard wide view. It’s good for an exaggerated immersive look such as from chest harnesses or helmets, but it also adds even more distortion by stretching the content.

Wide FOV

Wide

This is with the most commonly used settings. It provides a large field of view in wide-angle but also adds that distinctive fisheye look that GoPro footage has become known for.

(It’s possible to correct the fisheye distortion in post-production.)

Medium FOV

Medium

This is a zoomed-in field of view, focusing on the center of the frame. Note that the “zooming” is a digital manipulation, not an optical change in the lens. That is, it’s really a type of cropping, although the output dimensions remain the same.

Linear FOV

Linear

This is a new setting with the HERO5 line that corrects for the fisheye distortion in-camera rather than having to do it in post-production. It’s good if you want a more traditional perspective, for aerial drone footage, or you don’t want bendy lines that should be straight. It does reduce the field of view around the edges of the frame.

I have more detail on the linear FOV setting here, along with more examples.

Narrow FOV

This is the most-zoomed-in perspective. But again, it’s really a type of digital cropping, not optical zooming (although the output video dimensions remain the same).

It’s also worth noting that there are actually two versions of the Narrow FOV: the one used in the ultra-high-speed 720p240 setting is smaller than at the other resolutions and framerates.

Protune Settings on the HERO5 Black

Protune is GoPro’s name for its suite of expert controls that lets you override some of the automatic exposure settings.

Protune OptionHERO11 BlackHERO9 BlackHERO8 BlackHERO7 BlackHERO6 BlackHERO5 BlackHERO4 BlackHERO4 SilverHERO Session
10-BitOn
Off (default)
--------
BitrateStandard (default)
High
Low (default)
High
Low (default)
High
------
ColorVibrant
Natural (default)
Flat
GoPro Color
Flat
GoPro Color
Flat
GoPro Color
Flat
GoPro Color
Flat
GoPro Color
Flat
GoPro Color
Flat
GoPro Color
Flat
GoPro Color
Flat
White BalanceAuto (default)
2300K
2800K
3200K
4000K
4500K
5500K
6000K
6500K
Native
Auto
2300K
2800K
3200K
4000K
4500K
5500K
6000K
6500K
Native
Auto
2300K
2800K
3200K
4000K
4500K
5500K
6000K
6500K
Native
Auto
2300K
2800K
3200K
4000K
4500K
5500K
6000K
6500K
Native
Auto
2300K
2800K
3200K
4000K
4500K
5500K
6000K
6500K
Native
Auto
3000K
4000K
4800K
5500K
6000K
6500K
Native
Auto
3000K
4000K
4800K
5500K
6000K
6500K
Native
Auto
3000K
4000K
4800K
5500K
6000K
6500K
Native
Auto
3000K
5500K
6500K
Native
Manual Exposure / Shutter*Auto (default)
1/fps
1/(2xfps)
1/(4xfps)
1/(8xfps)
1/(16xfps)
Auto
1/fps
1/(2xfps)
1/(4xfps)
1/(8xfps)
1/(16xfps)
Auto
1/fps
1/(2xfps)
1/(4xfps)
1/(8xfps)
1/(16xfps)
Auto
1/24
1/25
1/30
1/48
1/50
1/60
1/96
1/100
1/120
1/192
1/200
1/240
1/384
1/400
1/480
1/960
1/1920
1/3840
Auto
1/24
1/25
1/30
1/48
1/50
1/60
1/96
1/100
1/120
1/192
1/200
1/240
1/400
1/480
1/960
1/1920
Auto
1/24
1/25
1/30
1/48
1/50
1/60
1/80
1/96
1/100
1/120
1/160
1/192
1/200
1/240
1/320
1/400
1/480
1/960
Auto
1/60
1/120
1/240
Auto
1/60
1/120
1/240
-
ISO Limit6400
3200
1600
800
400
200
100
6400
3200
1600
800
400
200
100
6400
3200
1600
800
400
200
100
6400
3200
1600
800
400
200
100
6400
3200
1600
800
400
200
100
6400
3200
1600
1200
800
400
6400
3200
1600
1200
800
400
6400
3200
1600
1200
800
400
1600
400
SharpnessHigh
Medium (default)
Low
High
Medium (default)
Low
High
Medium (default)
Low
High
Medium (default)
Low
High
Medium (default)
Low
High
Medium (default)
Low
High
Medium
Low
High
Medium
Low
OFF
ON
Exposure Compensation-2 to +2-2 to +2-2 to +2-2 to +2-2 to +2-2 to +2-2 to +2-2 to +2-2 to +2
Raw Audio TrackOff (default)
Low
Mid
High
Off
Low
Mid
High
Off
Low
Mid
High
Off
Low
Mid
High
Off
Low
Mid
High
Off
Low
Mid
High
---
WindAuto (default)
On
Off
Auto
On
Off
Auto
On
Off
---
Auto Audio Mode Group-Auto
On
Off
Auto
On
Off
Auto
Wind Only
Stereo Only
-----
* Note on manual shutter: The specific options available in the manual exposure / shutter section vary by the framerate you've chosen. The available shutter speeds you'll see available will be limited to multiples of the framerate you're using. As an example, if you set it to record at 1080p60, you won't see the option for a manual shutter speed of 1/96 but you will see 1/120 and 1/240. In general, the scale goes 1/fps, 1/(2xfps), 1/(4xfps), 1(8xfps), and 1(16xfps).

Master List of Video Modes Available on the GoPro HERO5 Black

Here’s a master list of all the video resolutions and framerates, along with the corresponding bitrates and whether or not stabilization is available with that setting.

ResolutionFPSFOVDimensionsAspect RatioBitrate (megabits/s)
- Protune / + Protune
Stabilization?
4K30Wide3840x216016:960 / 60-
25Wide3840x216016:960 / 60-
24Wide3840x216016:960 / 60-
SuperView3840x216016:960 / 60-
2.7K60Wide2704x152016:960 / 60✓
Medium2704x152016:960 / 60✓
Linear2704x152016:960 / 60✓
50Wide2704x152016:960 / 60✓
Medium2704x152016:960 / 60✓
Linear2704x152016:960 / 60✓
48Wide2704x152016:960 / 60✓
Medium2704x152016:960 / 60✓
Linear2704x152016:960 / 60✓
30SuperView2704x152016:945 / 45✓
Wide2704x152016:945 / 45✓
Medium2704x152016:945 / 45✓
Linear2704x152016:945 / 45✓
25SuperView2704x152016:945 / 45✓
Wide2704x152016:945 / 45✓
Medium2704x152016:945 / 45✓
Linear2704x152016:945 / 45✓
24Wide2704x152016:945 / 45✓
Medium2704x152016:945 / 45✓
Linear2704x152016:945 / 45✓
2.7K 4:330Wide2704x20284:345 / 60✓
25Wide2704x20284:345 / ✓
1440p80Wide1920x14404:360 / 60-
60Wide1920x14404:345 / 60✓
50Wide1920x14404:330 / 45✓
48Wide1920x14404:330 / 45✓
30Wide1920x14404:330 / 30✓
25Wide1920x14404:330 / 30✓
24Wide1920x14404:330 / 30✓
1080p120Wide1920x108016:960 / 60-
Narrow1920x108016:960 / 60-
90Wide1920x108016:960 / 60-
80SuperView1920x108016:960 / 60-
60SuperView1920x108016:930 / 45✓
Wide1920x108016:930 / 45✓
Medium1920x108016:930 / 45✓
Linear1920x108016:930 / 45✓
Narrow1920x108016:930 / 45✓
50SuperView1920x108016:930 / 30✓
Wide1920x108016:930 / 30✓
Medium1920x108016:930 / 30✓
Linear1920x108016:930 / 30✓
Narrow1920x108016:930 / 30✓
48SuperView1920x108016:930 / 30✓
Wide1920x108016:930 / 30✓
Medium1920x108016:930 / 30✓
Linear1920x108016:930 / 30✓
Narrow1920x108016:930 / 30✓
30SuperView1920x108016:930 / 30✓
Wide1920x108016:930 / 30✓
Medium1920x108016:930 / 30✓
Linear1920x108016:930 / 30✓
Narrow1920x108016:930 / 30✓
25SuperView1920x108016:930 / 30✓
Wide1920x108016:930 / 30✓
Medium1920x108016:930 / 30✓
Linear1920x108016:930 / 30✓
Narrow1920x108016:930 / 30✓
24SuperView1920x108016:930 / 30✓
Wide1920x108016:930 / 30✓
Medium1920x108016:930 / 30✓
Linear1920x108016:930 / 30✓
Narrow1920x108016:930 / 30✓
960p120Wide1280x9604:330 / 45-
60Wide1280x9604:330 / 30✓
50Wide1280x9604:330 / 30✓
720p240Narrow*1280x72016:960-
120SuperView1280x72016:930 / 45-
Wide1280x72016:930 / 45-
Medium1280x72016:930 / 45-
Narrow1280x72016:930 / 45-
100SuperView1280x72016:930 / 30-
60SuperView1280x72016:930 / 30✓
Wide1280x72016:930 / 30✓
Medium1280x72016:930 / 30✓
Narrow1280x72016:930 / 30✓
50SuperView1280x72016:930 / 30✓
Wide1280x72016:930 / 30✓
Medium1280x72016:930 / 30✓
Narrow1280x72016:930 / 30✓
30Wide1280x72016:920 / 45✓
Medium1280x72016:920 / 45✓
Narrow1280x72016:920 / 45✓
25Wide1280x72016:920 / 45✓
Medium1280x72016:920 / 45✓
Narrow1280x72016:920 / 45✓
480p240Wide848x48016:930 / 30-

Video Bitrates

The HERO5 Black retains the 60 megabits per second (60 Mb/s) bitrate for the top-end video modes, with lesser modes at 45, 30, and 20 megabits per second. See the table above for details on which bitrates used for individual modes, with and without Protune.

Video Formats

The HERO5 Black can shoot in NTSC and PAL formats—you choose which in the main camera preferences, not in the video settings where you might expect it.

Some FPS settings are only available in the corresponding format. For instance, if you want to shoot at 50fps, perhaps to match some existing footage, then you’ll need to first put the camera into PAL format.

The Latest Model: GoPro HERO11 Black

Released in the fall of 2022, the HERO11 is GoPro's current model. Well, actually two models.

First, there's the flagship Black that has all the bells and whistles and sets the standard for action cameras.

GoPro HERO11 Black
  • Shoot 5.3K60 & 4K120 video at up to 120Mbps bitrate
  • Take 27MP photos
  • Waterproof to 33ft / 10m without a separate housing
  • Built-in mount point
  • HyperSmooth 5.0 In-camera Video Stabilization creates smooth video without a gimbal
  • Shoot up to 8x slow motion

A couple of months later, they released Black Mini. It's smaller and shares many of the flagship models capabilities, but it's also stripped-down in important ways. For instance, it doesn't have a touchscreen, its battery isn't removable, and it shoots video only (so no photo mode).

GoPro HERO11 Black Mini
  • Shoot 5.3K60 & 4K120 video at up to 120Mbps bitrate
  • Compact form factor
  • Waterproof to 33ft / 10m without a separate housing
  • 2x built-in mount point
  • HyperSmooth 5.0 in-camera video stabilization
  • Shoot up to 8x slow motion @ 2.7K
  • Built-in battery
David Coleman / Photographer

David Coleman

I'm a freelance travel photographer based in Washington DC. Seven continents, up mountains, underwater, and a bunch of places in between. My images have appeared in numerous publications, and you can check out some of my travel photography here. I've been shooting with GoPros for years, starting with the HD HERO, and have owned and used every model since. More »

12 thoughts on “GoPro HERO5 Black Video Sizes, Framerates, Modes & Options”

  1. I have a hero 5 black. I’m taking videos and editing them with Quik on my Android tablet. My videos played off the camera chip look fine and aspect ratio is correct. When i edit them in quik, save them and then view the results the aspect ratio is making things look stretched. How can I prevent this? The video is stretched or compressed depending on how the tablet is held and is stretched on a desktop.

    Reply
      • Since I got this camera, I had this love/hate relationship all along. The video quality is good (minus the sound), here I use the Zoom H1 for sound. But I have to admit that I gave up using the camera for photos. I just can’t deal with this wide FOV that comes along with the RAW format, meanwhile I can’t settle with Linear FOV that only uses JPG format. To edit JPG photos is like painting a rusty car…, compared to edit in RAW format. Don’t get me wrong, because I don’t mind exporting to JPG (if it’s needed) as long the source is the RAW format. Once you’ve started with working with RAW, it’s hard to work with less…

        Reply
        • I hear you. I really don’t like shooting in JPG if I can help it. But I’ve also come to embrace the wide format and am using them more and more for photos. Even though I have a bunch of different cameras on hand, including waterproof ones, I love some of the shots I’ve gotten with GoPros that I couldn’t as easily get with other cameras. You really have to get in close–which isn’t going to work all the time–and you have to like wide-angle, which I do. I just got back from a trip kayaking in the Arctic where I was testing a bunch of different waterproof cameras, including some very high-end ones. And some of my favorite shots I came back with ended up being taken with the GoPro I would throw in a pocket from time to time on a whim.

          There is one other approach worth trying if you haven’t already (I’ve been meaning to do a post on this and hope to soon): shoot in RAW format as usual. Process in Lightroom. Use Lightroom’s Lens Corrections > Enable Profile Corrections and use that slider to adjust the field of view. A big advantage of doing it that way is that you’re not stuck with either Wide or Linear but can use the slider in between. And you still get to shoot in RAW. Of course, that only works in Lightroom. It might work in other editors, but I’m not sure off-hand of the status of GoPro lens profiles in other processing apps.

      • Good point. I haven’t checked whether GoPro Studio includes a one-click linear FOV template for GPR files–maybe the latest versions already do–but it would seem a fairly easy thing for them to include if they were so inclined.

        Reply
  2. Great article. Do you know of any other software that can use the built in GPS data on the video file? The gopro one isn’t great.

    Reply

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