John Holguin
One of the great features of the GoPro 3+ is the ability to change the camera settings to narrow, giving you a more focused and closer image. Whether you’re capturing action shots or filming your latest adventure, narrowing the field of view can help you get the perfect shot.
To change the camera settings to narrow on your GoPro 3+, follow these simple steps:
- Access the settings menu: Turn on your GoPro 3+ and press the “Mode” button on the front of the camera until you see the settings menu on the screen. Use the “Shutter” button to navigate through the menu.
- Find the field of view options: Look for the “FOV” option in the settings menu. It is usually located towards the bottom of the menu.
- Select the narrow option: Once you have found the “FOV” option, use the “Shutter” button to select it. You will see a list of available field of view options, including wide, medium, and narrow. Use the “Mode” button to scroll through the options and select “Narrow” when you see it.
- Save your settings: After selecting the “Narrow” option, navigate to the “Save” option in the settings menu. Press the “Shutter” button to save your changes and exit the menu.
That’s it! Now your GoPro 3+ is set to narrow and ready to capture those focused and close-up shots. Experiment with different field of view options to find the one that suits your needs best. Remember, changing the camera settings can greatly enhance your footage, so don’t be afraid to try new settings and angles.
Always check the camera settings before starting a new recording to ensure you have the desired field of view. It’s also a good idea to review your footage after capturing to make sure you achieved the desired results. With a little practice and experimentation, you’ll be capturing amazing moments with your GoPro 3+ in no time!
How to Adjust Camera Settings on GoPro 3+
The GoPro 3+ offers a wide range of camera settings that allow you to customize your shooting experience and capture the best possible footage. Whether you’re shooting action sports, travel videos, or anything in between, knowing how to adjust the camera settings can make a big difference in the quality of your videos.
1. Accessing the Camera Settings
To adjust the camera settings on your GoPro 3+, start by turning on the camera and pressing the mode button on the front until you see the settings icon. Press the shutter button to enter the settings menu.
2. Navigating the Settings Menu
Use the front and side buttons on the camera to navigate through the settings menu. The settings are organized into different categories, such as video, photo, and general settings.
3. Adjusting Video Settings
| Setting | Description |
|---|---|
| Resolution | Select the desired video resolution, such as 1080p, 720p, or WVGA. Higher resolutions offer better video quality but result in larger file sizes. |
| Frame Rate | Choose the frame rate for your videos, such as 30fps or 60fps. Higher frame rates allow for smoother motion capture. |
| Field of View | Select the desired field of view, such as wide, medium, or narrow. Narrow field of view narrows down the footage and eliminates distorted edges. |
| Protune | Enable or disable Protune, which provides advanced settings for color, ISO limit, sharpness, and exposure. |
4. Adjusting Photo Settings
| Setting | Description |
|---|---|
| Resolution | Choose the desired resolution for your photos, such as 12MP, 7MP, or 5MP. Higher resolutions offer better image quality but result in larger file sizes. |
| Interval | Set the interval for capturing photos in time-lapse mode. |
| Burst Rate | Select the burst rate for taking multiple photos in quick succession. |
| Protune | Enable or disable Protune for photos, which provides advanced settings for color, ISO limit, sharpness, and exposure. |
5. Adjusting General Settings
| Setting | Description |
|---|---|
| Wi-Fi | Turn on or off the camera’s Wi-Fi connectivity. |
| Beeps | Enable or disable the camera’s beep sounds for feedback. |
| Date/Time | Set or update the date and time on the camera. |
| Default Mode | Choose the default mode the camera will start in when powered on. |
Once you have adjusted the desired camera settings, you can exit the settings menu by pressing the shutter button multiple times. Keep in mind that different shooting scenarios require different settings, so it’s important to experiment and find the settings that work best for your needs.
By taking the time to adjust the camera settings on your GoPro 3+, you can ensure that you capture incredible footage every time you use your camera.
Choosing the Right Aspect Ratio
When using your GoPro 3+ camera, it’s important to choose the right aspect ratio to get the desired framing and composition in your shots. The aspect ratio refers to the proportional relationship between the width and height of the image that your camera captures.
16:9 Aspect Ratio
The 16:9 aspect ratio is the most common and widely used format for video and is often referred to as widescreen. It offers a wide field of view, making it ideal for capturing action shots and landscapes. This aspect ratio is perfect for watching your footage on widescreen monitors or TVs.
However, keep in mind that shooting in 16:9 aspect ratio will result in a narrower field of view compared to other aspect ratios. This means that you may need to position your camera farther away from your subject to capture everything you want in the frame.
4:3 Aspect Ratio
The 4:3 aspect ratio is the standard format for most digital cameras and is also used in some video applications. It has a squarer shape, offering a larger field of view compared to the 16:9 aspect ratio. This makes it suitable for subjects that are closer to the camera or when you want to capture more of the scene vertically.
One drawback of shooting in 4:3 aspect ratio is that it may not be compatible with widescreen displays. If you plan on watching your footage on a widescreen monitor or TV, you may notice black bars on the sides of the screen.
Overall, the choice of aspect ratio depends on your specific needs and the look you want to achieve in your footage. Experiment with different aspect ratios to find the one that works best for your intended composition and viewing platform.
Note: The GoPro 3+ camera offers various resolution and aspect ratio options, so make sure to check the settings and select the aspect ratio that suits your needs before shooting.
Optimizing the Exposure Settings
Getting the right exposure is crucial when capturing high-quality footage with your GoPro Hero 3+. Here are some tips for optimizing the exposure settings:
1. Understand the Basics of Exposure
Exposure refers to the amount of light that reaches the camera sensor. A properly exposed image will have a balance between the brightness of the highlights and the darkness of the shadows. To achieve this balance, you need to adjust three exposure settings: aperture, shutter speed, and ISO.
2. Use the Protune Mode
The Protune mode allows you to manually control the exposure settings on your GoPro Hero 3+. You can access this mode by selecting “Protune” in the settings menu. Once in Protune mode, you can adjust the exposure compensation, ISO limit, and color profile to your liking.
3. Avoid Overexposure
Overexposure occurs when too much light enters the camera, resulting in a loss of detail in the highlights. To avoid overexposure, make sure the exposure indicator on the GoPro display is not indicating a white-out. You can adjust the exposure compensation to bring down the brightness and restore detail in the highlights.
4. Minimize Noise in Low-Light Conditions
When shooting in low-light conditions, it’s important to find the right balance between proper exposure and noise reduction. Increasing the ISO sensitivity can help capture more light, but it can also introduce noise. Experiment with different ISO settings to find the optimal balance.
5. Use Spot Metering
The GoPro Hero 3+ offers a spot metering mode that allows you to measure the exposure based on a specific spot in the frame. This can be handy when you want to prioritize the exposure for a particular area of the scene, such as a subject’s face. Use spot metering to ensure the subject is properly exposed.
By following these tips, you can optimize the exposure settings on your GoPro Hero 3+ and capture stunning footage in various lighting conditions.
Mastering White Balance
White balance is an important camera setting that determines how colors appear in your GoPro 3+ footage. It allows you to adjust the camera’s interpretation of the color white, ensuring that it appears neutral and accurate in different lighting conditions. Mastering white balance can greatly enhance the overall quality of your videos and photos.
Auto White Balance
The GoPro 3+ has an Auto White Balance (AWB) mode, which automatically adjusts the white balance based on the lighting conditions. This mode is a good starting point for beginners, as it takes care of the white balance settings for you. However, it may not always produce the desired results, especially in challenging lighting situations.
Preset White Balance Modes
In addition to the AWB mode, the GoPro 3+ offers several preset white balance modes, each designed to handle specific lighting conditions:
- Daylight: This mode is ideal for shooting outdoors in natural daylight. It enhances warm tones and brings out vibrant colors.
- Cloudy: Use this mode when shooting on cloudy or overcast days. It compensates for the cool light and helps avoid a blueish cast.
- Incandescent: This mode is suitable for indoor shooting under tungsten lighting. It counteracts the warm, yellowish hue often associated with artificial lighting.
- Fluorescent: Use this mode when shooting under fluorescent lighting. It minimizes the greenish cast caused by these types of lights.
- Night: This mode is specifically designed for low-light situations, such as shooting at night or in dimly lit environments. It adjusts the white balance to capture accurate colors in challenging lighting conditions.
Custom White Balance
If you want complete control over the white balance, you can manually set a custom white balance. This involves using a white or neutral gray object in the scene as a reference point. To set a custom white balance on the GoPro 3+, follow these steps:
- Select the Custom White Balance mode in the camera’s settings.
- Hold a white or neutral gray object in front of the camera, filling the frame with it.
- Press the shutter button to set the custom white balance.
Setting a custom white balance ensures that colors are accurately reproduced, even in challenging lighting conditions or when shooting underwater.
Remember, experimenting with different white balance settings and understanding how each one affects your footage is the key to mastering white balance on your GoPro 3+. Practice in different lighting situations to achieve the desired results and capture stunning videos and photos.
Selecting the Ideal ISO
One important camera setting that can greatly impact the quality of your GoPro footage is the ISO setting. ISO refers to the sensitivity of the camera’s image sensor to light. It determines how bright or dark your footage will appear.
When selecting the ideal ISO for your GoPro 3+, it’s crucial to consider the lighting conditions of your shooting environment. Here are some tips to help you choose the right ISO:
| Lighting Conditions | Ideal ISO |
|---|---|
| Bright, well-lit environment | ISO 100 |
| Partially shaded or indoor lighting | ISO 200 |
| Low-light conditions | ISO 400 |
| Extremely low-light conditions | ISO 800+ |
Keep in mind that higher ISO settings can introduce more digital noise or grain to your footage. Therefore, it’s best to use the lowest possible ISO setting that still allows you to capture properly exposed footage.
Experimenting with different ISO settings in various shooting conditions will help you determine the ideal ISO for your specific needs. Remember to review your footage and make adjustments as needed to achieve the best results!
Understanding Shutter Speed
Shutter speed is a crucial aspect of photography that determines how long the camera’s shutter remains open to capture a photo. It is measured in fractions of a second, such as 1/500 or 1/60. The faster the shutter speed, the shorter the time the shutter remains open, resulting in a frozen or sharp image. Conversely, a slower shutter speed allows for a longer exposure time, which can create motion blur or a sense of movement in the photo.
Here are some key points to understand about shutter speed:
- Freezing motion: A fast shutter speed is ideal for capturing fast-moving subjects such as sports or wildlife. It helps to freeze the motion and produce sharp, detailed images.
- Creating motion blur: On the other hand, using a slower shutter speed can be used creatively to capture motion blur. It can be particularly effective for photographing moving water, car lights at night, or any subject where you want to convey a sense of movement.
- Exposure: Shutter speed is one of the three exposure factors, along with aperture and ISO. These three elements work together to control the amount of light that reaches the camera sensor. Adjusting the shutter speed can help you achieve the desired exposure for your photo.
- Manual mode: To have full control over the shutter speed, switch your GoPro camera to manual mode or a mode that allows you to adjust the shutter speed. This will give you the flexibility to experiment with different settings and achieve the desired effect.
Experimenting with different shutter speeds is key to understanding how it affects your photos. Take the time to practice and see how different shutter speeds can transform your images. Remember, mastering shutter speed will help you capture stunning photographs and tell better stories with your GoPro 3+ camera.
Utilizing the ProTune Feature
The GoPro 3+ offers a great feature called ProTune, which allows you to have more control over the camera settings. By enabling ProTune, you can make adjustments to the white balance, ISO limit, color profile, sharpness, and exposure.
White balance: ProTune allows you to adjust the white balance settings to match the lighting conditions. You can choose from options like auto, 3000K, 5500K, and 6500K.
ISO limit: ISO determines the camera’s sensitivity to light. With ProTune, you can set the ISO limit according to your preferences. The camera will adjust the ISO value based on the lighting conditions. Keep in mind that higher ISO values may introduce more noise to the image.
Color profile: ProTune offers two color profile options: GoPro Color and Flat. The GoPro Color profile enhances the colors to make your footage vivid and vibrant, while the Flat profile keeps the colors more neutral. The Flat profile is ideal for post-production color grading.
Sharpness: You can adjust the sharpness level with ProTune to make your footage look crisper and more defined. The options include high, medium, and low.
Exposure: ProTune allows you to adjust the exposure value compensation to make your footage brighter or darker. Increasing the exposure value will make the image brighter, while decreasing it will make the image darker.
By utilizing the ProTune feature, you can take full control over your GoPro 3+ camera settings and customize them according to your needs. Experiment with different settings to achieve the desired look for your videos and photos.
Adjusting the Field of View
One of the great features of the GoPro Hero 3+ is the ability to adjust the field of view (FOV) to get the shot you want. The FOV determines how much of the scene is captured by the camera and can be changed to a narrow, medium, or wide perspective.
Changing the Field of View
To adjust the field of view on your GoPro Hero 3+, follow these steps:
- Ensure that your GoPro is turned on and in camera mode.
- Press the Settings button on the front of the camera to access the settings menu. The Settings button is located on the side of the camera.
- Use the Mode button (located on the front of the camera) to cycle through the different FOV options: narrow, medium, and wide.
- Once you have selected your desired FOV, press the Shutter/Select button (located on the top of the camera) to save the changes.
Choosing the Right Field of View
The field of view you choose depends on the type of shot you want to capture. Here are some guidelines to help you decide:
- Narrow FOV: This setting is ideal for getting close-up shots or focusing on a specific subject. It reduces the amount of background in the shot and gives a more focused view.
- Medium FOV: This setting strikes a balance between the narrow and wide options. It captures a slightly wider view than the narrow FOV but still maintains some level of detail and focus.
- Wide FOV: This setting captures the widest view of the scene and is perfect for capturing landscapes, large groups of people, or action shots where you want to include as much of the surroundings as possible.
Experiment with different field of view settings to find the one that best suits your needs and the shot you want to capture. Don’t be afraid to try different settings and get creative with your shots!
Customizing the Color Profile
The GoPro 3+ camera allows you to customize the color profile to achieve the desired look for your footage. By adjusting the color profile settings, you can create vibrant and vivid videos or achieve a more neutral and natural look.
To customize the color profile on your GoPro 3+ camera, follow these steps:
- Access the camera’s settings by navigating to the settings menu.
- Scroll through the settings options until you find the “Color Profile” option.
- Select the “Color Profile” option to enter the color settings menu.
- Choose the desired color profile preset such as “GoPro” or “Flat”.
- If you want more control over the color settings, you can select the “Custom” option.
- Adjust the various color parameters such as contrast, saturation, and sharpness to achieve the desired look.
- Once you are satisfied with the color settings, press the “Ok” or “Save” button to apply the changes.
It is important to note that customizing the color profile settings may require some experimentation and fine-tuning to achieve the desired results. Additionally, different lighting conditions and shooting environments may require different color profile adjustments.
By customizing the color profile on your GoPro 3+ camera, you can greatly enhance the visual quality of your videos and bring out the best in your footage. Take some time to experiment with different color profiles and settings to find the look that best suits your needs and creative vision.
Setting the Metering Method
The metering method on the GoPro 3+ allows you to control how the camera measures and calculates exposure. This can greatly affect the quality of your photos and videos, particularly in challenging lighting conditions.
To change the metering method on your GoPro 3+, follow these steps:
| Step | Action |
|---|---|
| 1 | Power on your GoPro 3+ and press the Mode button repeatedly until you reach the Setup menu. |
| 2 | Press the Shutter/Select button to enter the Setup menu. |
| 3 | Use the Shutter/Select button to navigate to the Camera Settings menu. |
| 4 | Scroll through the options using the Shutter/Select button until you find “Metering.” |
| 5 | Press the Mode button to select the Metering option. |
| 6 | Use the Shutter/Select button to cycle through the metering options: Spot, Center Weighted, and Average. |
| 7 | Once you have selected the desired metering method, press the Mode button to save your changes. |
| 8 | Exit the menu by repeatedly pressing the Mode button until you return to the main screen. |
The metering method you choose will depend on the lighting conditions and the effect you want to achieve in your photos and videos.
Spot Metering: This method measures the exposure based on a small area in the center of the frame. It is useful when you want to expose for a specific subject or object.
Center Weighted: This method measures the exposure based on the entire frame, with more emphasis on the center. It is a good all-around metering method for general shooting situations.
Average Metering: This method measures the exposure based on the entire frame evenly. It is useful when you want an evenly exposed image across the entire frame.
Experiment with different metering methods to find the one that works best for your specific shooting conditions and creative vision.
Question-answer:
How do I change the camera settings on my GoPro 3+ to narrow?
To change the camera settings on your GoPro 3+ to narrow, you will need to access the settings menu on the camera. From the main screen, swipe down to reveal the settings menu, then scroll to the “FOV” option. Select the “Narrow” option to change the camera’s field of view to a narrower setting.
Can I change the field of view on my GoPro 3+ camera?
Yes, you can change the field of view on your GoPro 3+ camera. To do so, go to the camera’s settings menu by swiping down from the main screen. Scroll to the “FOV” option and select it. You will then be able to choose between different field of view settings, including narrow, medium, and wide.
What are the steps to narrow down the camera settings on a GoPro 3+?
To narrow down the camera settings on a GoPro 3+, start by swiping down from the main screen to access the settings menu. Scroll to the “FOV” option and select it. From there, choose the “Narrow” option to set the camera’s field of view to a narrower setting. This will help focus the camera on a specific area or subject.
