GoPro firmware update to enable 240fps @ 720p, here's what it looks like

[Shawn Knight]

Slow motion is one of the cooler – and more accessible – film-making effects. It’s currently available on a number of smartphones and soon, it’ll be coming to GoPro’s latest Hero4 Black action camera.

Recording at 240 frames per second is already possible on the Hero4 Black although the resolution is a bit lacking at just 480 x 848. A new firmware update scheduled to arrive in February, however, will enable 240fps video capture at 720p. It’s not quite full 1080p but hey, it’s better than 480p.

Gizmodo recently got their hands on the update and was able to capture some 240fps footage at the Winter X Games this past weekend. While it’s immensely cool to slow down the action, it does come at the cost of overall image quality and a limited field of view – roughly 65 degrees.

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https://www.techspot.com/news/59560-gopro-firmware-update-enables-240fps-720p.html

 

[cliffordcooley]

So recording at higher frame rates, doesn't change the playback rates? Which is why the video was in slow motion?

 

[stewi0001]

If they really wanted to show it off, there would have be an explosion of some short.

 

[cliffordcooley]

If you didn't get an idea of what the camera is capable of by watching the video, an explosion is not going to help.

 

[SNGX1275]

So recording at higher frame rates, doesn't change the playback rates? Which is why the video was in slow motion?

Recorded at 240, played back at regular, which typically is ~24 or ~30.

 

[LNCPapa]

I'm pretty sure youtube maxes out at 60 fps so the best you could do using that as your player is 1/4 speed by doubling the playback speed in youtube. Even that looks really interesting but if you have the original files you could play it back at whatever speed you wanted.

 

[MilwaukeeMike]

Recording at 240 frames per second is already possible on the Hero4 Black although the resolution is a bit lacking at just 480 x 848.

It sort of has to be lower resolution. I think the fastest SD Card you can buy can only save data at HD resolution at like 60 fps. Bummer about the tradeoff, but it's the only way around it with current tech.

 

[stewi0001]

If you didn't get an idea of what the camera is capable of by watching the video, an explosion is not going to help.

I can already tell of the capability, but an explosion would be a lot more fun to watch

 

[Adhmuz]

It's a step in a good direction, slowing things down by a factor of 10 is neat, but I'm waiting for affordable 1000 fps video capture, in 1920x1080 resolution. In this size of camera it might take a while.

 

[j05hh]

Any info if this will be available for the Hero3? I'm sure the author would have mentioned if it was....