Tiki Tips: GoPro HERO 10 Settings (And New Releases?!)
Hello everyone! With some new releases on the horizon, we wanted to talk about the GoPro HERO10, what the differences are with it compared to the older models, the settings we like with it, and what we hope to see with GoPro's new releases! Read to the bottom to learn more about what the new releases may entail, it sure is big news! I have done a blog on settings for the GoPro HERO9, and while this will be similar, we also have some fun new features to discuss, as well as some things I don’t want to bore you with by repeating. If you want to get all of the information on similar considerations for the HERO9, be sure to check out that blog too. Without further delay, let's jump in!
What is new from the GoPro HERO9 to the GoPro HERO10?
The major difference between the two latest GoPro Cameras is that the Hero10 Black is created an all new GP2 processor, whereas all previous models from the HERO6-9 use the GP1 processor. The touch interface is also supposed to be more responsive, as we saw a bit of a jump with the 9, with many users complaining the touch interface was a bit slow and you had to press hard on any icons, though I personally didn’t mind this, as I always found the touch screen to be finicky and too easily manipulated on anything pre HERO8, so I welcome a more robust touch screen. Additionally, the HERO10 is slightly faster to turn on and is faster to begin capturing content. Lastly, the main visual difference is simply the new color that hasn’t been seen with GoPro before, that blue lettering over the traditional light grey. Perhaps you have a HERO5 or similar though and are wondering what updates have occurred from yours to the newest cameras. If this is the case and you would like a more in depth discussion on this, check out my previous blogs.
Now that we have discussed the differences, let’s get into some settings!
As I mentioned in my previous blog on the HERO9, the presets that GoPro has included in their action cameras are pretty decent, and as a beginner, you may not even want to worry too much about changing things up until you feel ready. Additionally, if you are reading this to decide if you want to make the upgrade to the HERO10 perhaps try working with what you have, and checking out the information below to get your current camera’s settings as close to these as you can, and decide from there if you are ready to make the switch, or want to keep practicing on your existing camera while you wait for one of the new releases coming out soon!
As a disclaimer, our blogs are all about our preferences and opinions, and we realize that we may all have different artistic approaches, preferred methods, and unique approaches for photography and videography, so this is only to give you an idea of what we like, as well as the opportunity to fine tune and learn what your favorite settings might be. That is what’s so awesome about this community, is that everyone has a unique way to shoot, edit, and present their content, and we are here for ALL OF IT!
My settings that don’t change between shooting styles:
I use the GoPro Presets as an opportunity to have a quick selection to choose from based on my activity. Will I be underwater, wanting to slow it down in post, shooting a sunset, a hyperlapse, or something else? These are all very different activities and will require some variation in your settings, but here are some things I don’t tend to change up too much between my presets.
White Balance: Some like this to be on auto, and for the most part, GoPro does a good job at this. I like somewhere between 5000-6000, and 5500 is a pretty good sweet spot most of the time. I rarely need to change this. The higher the number, the warmer the lighting. I do a lot of my shooting in, under, or near the water, so this warmer tone is preferred for my needs.
Color: I have always shot in flat before, but I have heard good things about the GoPro Color in the 9, I decided to see how it would do to move away from flat, and I am overall very happy with the color grading that GoPro sets you up with. However, shooting flat allows for more personalization and editing in post, which I do still prefer.
Resolution: I usually only shoot in 1080p. Times for shooting in 4k or 5k would be for cinematic filming or using it to vlog at home, rather than capture adventure and fast-moving moments that you may want to slow down in post-production. These higher resolutions offer better quality but this is only really useful if you are playing your footage on a projector, large screen TV, or something similar. 1080p is still great quality and just about the most popular choice for social media! You are not as limited with the restrictions on what fps you can use as you are with the 4k and 5k settings.
Field of View: I typically always shoot on a Wide FOV, but play with Superview if I am doing some really fun action shots (think mountain biking, hiking, skiing, etc). I don’t generally shoot at all in linear. I personally prefer the fisheye look you get from the Wide and Superview FOV options.
Shutter Speed: I don't do a lot of night shooting, as my passions are generally water sports related, and shot during daylight hours. However, if I was doing a night session, I would likely be manually adjusting my shutter speed to have longer exposure in order to better capture a clear, crisp image.
Sharpness: When I first got into videography and photography, I thought I needed to shoot as sharp as possible, but this is definitely not always the case. If you shoot in low, you are best off for editing in post. Medium allows for some decent editing, but shooting in sharp doesn’t leave you much room to play in post. No matter what I am shooting, I usually leave my sharpness on low or medium.
Bitrate: If you can afford the space and download ability, shoot in high bitrate. This will provide the best quality, but does take up more storage, and can take longer to download. Overall, I don’t notice a huge difference if I am only uploading to Instagram or another social media platform. However, if you are aiming to shoot for professional purposes, the higher quality can definitely come in handy for those more fancy times.
Hypersmooth and Boost: I have shaky hands, so I definitely appreciate these features to help keep my footage more stabilized and smooth, but keep in mind that it will crop your shot a bit, which can lead to a bit different picture if you aren’t careful with your framing. Make sure to play around with these settings to see which is the best for you!
These are all the settings that don’t change much from one activity to another. Now, let's get into the specifics! Again, a lot of this is the same or similar to the GoPro HERO9, so if you have played with the settings I recommended in my previous blog, you may know already which of these you enjoy using and which you prefer to make your own adjustments to.
VLOGGING (HOME/INDOORS): 4k or 5k at 30fps. If you just have your GoPro mounted at home to do reviews, updates, or other vlogs where you aren’t moving around, then shooting at a higher resolution may be something to try here. You can still shoot at 1080p and get a great image, but shooting at 4k or 5k will give you a very crisp shot. Do keep in mind that the higher you go on these, the more you risk your computer not supporting the format, so I recommend testing these out a bit before shooting a long post and then realizing you can’t transfer the file. Been there, done that! It is not a fun realization.
VLOGGING (ON THE GO/OUTSIDE): 1080p 30-60fps. You aren’t likely doing much slow motion on this setting, but if you are, consider looking at one of the options below, or playing with the fps. I definitely recommend turning on Hypersmooth and Boost on for vlogging on the go, to give yourself the best quality as possible. Also, make sure to put that front LCD screen to use!
nu bear & nu grip 4in1
NIGHT SHOOTING: White balance around 4000-4500K. ISO min at 100, and play with the max when you get to location until you find what you are happy with. This is usually around 400-800. Set your max at this number once you have found it. Recording in Flat color allows you to play with your shot more in post edit, but shooting in GoPro Color isn’t bad at night. Medium sharpness gets you a decent shot with enough wiggle room to still mess around in post if you would like.
SKATEBOARDING: 2.7K /120fps - 4K/60fps. This is one of those times I would switch to Superview, to show off everything around you! Also, Superview tends to help stabilize the shot a bit more, so bouncing around on a bike could make this FOV more desirable. I'd turn your ISO down as well, so you don’t have issues with exposure as you ride through the day.