As a content creator and filmmaker, I understand any quick-motion sport. Skiing or baseball requires a camera to film every detail of the action.
Your smartphone can be helpful in a hurry. However, investing in a separate video camera may elevate the quality of sports films.
So, is GoPros good for recording sports?
If you have any sense of adventure at all, a GoPro is an absolute need.
They boast the ability to record high-quality videos and take stunning photographs. It’s a common name among former athletes or adventurers engaged in sports like cycling, running, skating, or climbing.
GoPro knows you don’t have time to mess around with mounting brackets and camera settings. You like to be present in the here and now.
Let’s dive into more detail.
Catch Yourself In Action On Camera
You might want to improve your technique and analyze it later on. You might want to look for feedback from your coach.
In both of the scenarios, recording your sport makes a potential difference.
Furthermore, you can only sometimes be there to see every thrilling moment as it happens.
You might be an ardent follower who wants to recall that golden goal. You’ll want to keep track of sporting events so that you don’t miss a single heart-pounding moment.
You may be familiar with GoPro cameras if you’re into sports.
There’s a good reason why these little, ultra-durable gadgets have seen a surge in popularity over the last few years: they’re just adorable.
The spectacular video and fresh angles they capture are hard for conventional cameras to compete with.
Are GoPros Actually Effective For Recording Sports
You’ve probably heard a lot about the incredible power of action cameras. However, the major issue is whether or not it will do you justice while recording videos.
GoPro is a force to be reckoned with in its own right.
A GoPro is great for routine shooting needs like recording videos of athletic activities and lifestyle actions.
Even more power than your typical compact cameras is packed into this little gadget. It shines exceptionally bright while recording video.
The resolution of their videos is now capped at 5K at their maximum possible level. Even though it is a relatively small device, you will still be able to produce recordings that are quite clear.
A bike ride, a session of surfing, an outing paragliding, or any activity of a similar kind are all examples of the types of footage that might benefit from being filmed with a GoPro.
Why Is GoPro Good For Recording Sports
Without a shadow of a doubt, GoPro has always held the preponderant portion of the overall action camera market position.
Have you ever given any thought to the question of why so many people buy their items despite the high price tag?
You’ll find out the answer down below, so keep reading!
High-Definition Quality
Let’s be honest about it.
The camera’s resolution serves as one of the first characteristics we look at when purchasing one.
Why?
Simply put, we think of high-quality photographs when we hear that term.
But does the resolution really take into account everything that should be taken into account?
It is among the most crucial considerations in the context of a GoPro camera.
Having high-resolution equipment in such a compact body is impressive in and of itself, but the resultant images are really remarkable.
Image Stabilization Technology
GoPro has an excellent EIS, which they should take pride in.
This, of course, is to be expected, given that the equipment was designed for real-life usage.
Despite this, the picture stabilization capabilities of this minuscule device outperformed the expectations of both professionals and amateurs alike.
You need to have a good EIS when it comes to video recording. With it, your film would be stable and good-looking.
GoPro is a terrific option to consider purchasing if you want to create a brief motion picture that calls for very stable recordings.
Handy & Portable
GoPro is popular among photographers who document athletic activities. Why?
The reason for this is that the camera has a great deal of power packed into it, even though it is incredibly portable, to put it another way.
It’s small enough to fit in your pocket or purse, sturdy enough to attach to your belt or backpack, and versatile enough to be mounted on your headgear.
Both Time-Lapping and Time-Warping
These two elements are going to be quite important for videographers.
Timelapse, which you may be familiar with from your smartphones, is the process of filming for an extended period. Then editing the footage down to a few seconds is another feature.
However, recent GoPro devices offer a TimeWarp option, which is essentially a video with time with a little twist.
It is geared toward capturing subjects that are in motion.
You may let the camera do all the work for you in this situation by switching to Autospeed.
You need to begin recording, and everything else is handled automatically for you.
Consider The Basics of Recording Sports With GoPro
Taking Up Position
You should position the GoPro such that it captures an unobstructed view of the action.
The video will be less wobbly if the camera is mounted or set on a tripod.
Settings
You may require to tweak the settings so that the game can be seen well depending on the time of day and the venue.
A lower frame rate may benefit in low-light settings, while a higher frame rate helps catch fast-paced action more clearly.
Audio
While GoPro cameras include built-in microphones, the recorded audio quality may suffer.
If you want your viewers to feel like they’re really there, you should use an extra microphone or capture the background noise separately.
Proper Way To Record Sports With GoPro
Taking pictures of exciting plays and other highlights might serve as motivation for you even when you’re not competing.
Especially if the video is in good condition and shows off their greatest plays.
But it’s also true that GoPro cameras can destroy the quality of your footage pretty quickly if you don’t know how to use them, especially when filming sports videos.
So, let’s see how to properly set up and use your GoPro camera to film cinematic high-quality footage for your sports videos.
Consider the Aspect Ratio
The ratio of the width to the height of a still or moving image is referred to as its aspect ratio.
The GoPro may record in either a widescreen (16:9) or a more conventional (4:3) format.
The aspect ratio of a wide screen that is 16:9 is the ratio that is utilized the most often across practically all platforms. It works with smartphones, televisions, YouTube, and computers.
As opposed to the more rectangular appearance of the 16:9 ratio, the 4:3 ratio gives the impression of a more traditional square shape.
Use this aspect ratio on social media platforms like Facebook and Instagram for outstanding results.
Resolution
Different models of the GoPro camera, such as the 720p, 1080p, and 4K models, each provide a different maximum resolution that may be recorded.
When taking photos of fast-moving action, I recommend maintaining the resolution as high as possible.
Both the 4K and 1080p have become standard standards in recent years.
There is more. I don’t suggest recording on 720p resolution as it’s low quality. Even your smartphone might offer better than this.
Again, 960p is only my recommendation if you need to conserve the space in the SD card or the camera’s battery.
Suppose you’re looking for a taller movie.
In that case, 1440p is your best bet since it captures more of the vertical space (4:3) than the horizontal space (16:9).
Therefore, if you’re creating a video to share on Instagram or Facebook, utilizing this quality on GoPro is what I suggest doing.
Regarding resolution, GoPro cameras, 4K is the highest possible. The picture quality is outstanding.
However, video editing and playback may be difficult and time-consuming, owing to the large file sizes involved.
Additionally, your GoPro’s power will die considerably quicker if you record at 4K quality.
Rate of Frames
The frame rate of your video indicates how many still images (frames) your GoPro camera takes per second. Set the frame rate to at least 30 frames per second.
A human’s vision would become impaired below that threshold.
Shooting at 30 frames per second (FPS) or greater is ideal for documenting your exciting sporting events.
When filming fast-paced landscapes or high-action sports like auto racing, a frame rate of 60FPS is essential for capturing natural-looking motion.
You may slow down the film without sacrificing quality by shooting at a faster frame rate: 60FPS/120FPS/ 240FPS.
FOV (Field of View)
When a video is being played back for an audience, the field of vision is the primary factor in determining what viewers will see.
The width of the video captured by your GoPro may be adjusted here. You may choose from a broad, medium, or narrow field of view for the GoPro.
Pick carefully so that you don’t miss anything!
With a large field of view, you can simultaneously take in more of the scene. It’s possible to take in your whole environment at once.
If you film wide, your movies will seem stretched to the edges. But it’s not that obvious!
When to Use Wide Field of View
- First-person perspectives
- Intimate Photographs of Oneself
The medium field of view is excellent since it allows you to get the whole scene in without having to crop anything out.
However, it’s still wide enough for those breathtaking landscape images.
When to Use a Medium Field of View:
- Photographing landscapes
- distant subjects
And everything seems like it’s occurring right next to you when your field of view is narrow.
This photo, however, does not seem to have been captured with a GoPro.
Narrow FOV should be used when:
- UAV Photography
- Interviews
Protune
Using Protune, you can take more creative control of your GoPro and improve the image quality in such ways that were previously impossible.
These aspects include the color, the white equilibrium, the maximum ISO, and the camera’s shutter speed.
FAQs
Do GoPros Have Watertight Casings?
Well, modern cameras can take pictures in the water without requiring a special waterproof covering.
Starting with the Hero 5, devices may be submerged in water up to a certain depth without issue.
It’s made of water- and pressure-resistant materials so that you may bring it along with you all the way to the ocean below.
However, this feature is not available on older GoPro cameras. They may still be used underwater thanks to the additional waterproof casing they come with.
That, though, is as fantastic as it gets. Make sure the exterior cover is snug enough to protect your action cam from falling out when using an older model.
Does the GoPro (Properly) Capture Sound?
Yes! Despite their compact shape, they’re equipped with microphones built-in to guarantee that your movies have sound.
It’s reasonable to expect inferior recording of audio capabilities from earlier models. However, they are capable of recording sound.
Are There Zoom Capabilities On GoPros?
Some updated models do, yet only within specific parameters.
The latest models, including the HERO9, HERO8, and HERO10, have included a zoom function that may be used in both video and still image capture in recent years. Thus, getting up close and personal with a GoPro is possible.
Final Thought
Now you know, are GoPros good for recording sports? GoPro is, without a doubt, one of the most impressive action cameras now on the market.
It is designed to keep up with fast-moving activity and is up to the challenge of recording every thrilling occurrence that occurs in your presence without skipping a beat.
