Comparing two helmet cam setups in the bike park at Snow Summit in California. I had both cameras mounted on my full face helmet recording the same run at the same time.

Under the visor is a GoPro HERO 5 Session. This has been my goto favorite setup for quite a few years. The camera is lightweight, it can fit very close to eye-level and the FOV is a tad taller than the comparable HERO 4 Black.

On top of the helmet, with the classic world cup racing angle, is the new GoPro HERO 7 Black.

Just so you know, my goal when recording a POV is to capture the most authentic first-person view. I like when you feel immersed as if you were in the helmet riding the trail. And to achieve that look, there's a delicate balance between natural head motion and stability that's extremely tricky to get right. I'm not trying to make a cool sick edit, or have the bumpy sections look butter smooth, or make it look like an indie short-film. So if you dig that kind of true raw uncut POV, then you're on the right channel.

My process for setting up an angle goes like this in that order of priority:
1) Framing the shot. I get the camera centered as close to eye-level and select the tallest vertical FOV that lets me frame the handlebar and the trail ahead.
2) Frame rate is key. I select the mode that lets me get 60 fps for fluid lifelike motion without compromising the framing.
3) Stabilization. I turn it on only if it's possible to add a natural-looking stabilization without compromising the 2 steps above. Most of the stabilization still comes from a tight mounting and mindful camera handling.
4) Make it pretty. I use whatever is the best resolution and exposure settings that remain available without compromising the above.

The gear used for the HERO 5 Session setup:
Camera → [ Ссылка ]
ND Filter → [ Ссылка ]
Microphone → [ Ссылка ]
Windscreen → [ Ссылка ]
Mic Adapter → [ Ссылка ]
Screws → [ Ссылка ]

The gear used for the HERO 7 Black setup:
Camera → [ Ссылка ]

I use an ND16 filter on the Session to create that sweet looking motion blur effect by controlling the shutter angle. Learn more about this technique here: [ Ссылка ]. The filter I use is made for the HERO 5/6/7, but I pop out the glass from the cap and glue it over the Session's screen. Unfortunately, the HERO 7 cannot have that motion blur because the HyperSmooth algorithm needs a clearer image to work well.

Settings used for the HERO 5 Session:
Aspect Ratio: 16:9
Resolution: 1080p
Frames Per Second: 60
Filed of View: Superview
Stabilization: OFF
Protune: ON
Color: Flat
White Balance: 5500K
Low Light: Off
Shutter: Auto
EV Comp: -0.5
ISO Min: 100
ISO Max: 800
Sharpness: Low

Settings used for the HERO 7 Black:
Aspect Ratio: 16:0
Resolution: 2.7K
Frames Per Second: 60
Filed of View: Superview
Stabilization: ON
Protune: ON
Color: Flat
White Balance: 5500K
Low Light: Off
Shutter: Auto
EV Comp: -0.5
ISO Min: 100
ISO Max: 800
Sharpness: Low

Post-processing done: Color grading and exposure correction. I normally re-add just a tad of sharpness back, but I totally forgot for this video. The audio from the HERO 7 was in Auto and left untouched.

From 7:03 until the end, the cameras were recording in 4:3 and dynamic scaling (aka Superview) was done in post. The HERO 5 Session was recording at 1440p60 Wide and the HERO 7 Black at 2.7K 4:3 60 Wide. That's the mode I prefer and what I use for all my videos on my channel.

Let me know what you think of both angles in the comments below.
Subscribe for more 👍

#hypersmooth #hero7black #mountainbiking

свернуть