Not only for GoPro 6 Black, also for other GoPro models
DSLR cameras excel in low light footage. For example, an entry Nikon D5300 DSLR camera is equipped with a 23.5 x 15.6 mm CMOS image sensor. Move up the Nikon range to the D750 and the CMOS image sensor is a whopping 35.9 x 24.0 mm. That’s a seriously big image sensor that will give you amazing low light photos and video.
The GoPro image sensor, on the other hand, is 1/2.3″, which translates to 6.3 x 4.7mm. These are only about a quarter the size of the Nikon D5300 DSLR camera.
Tip 1 – Turn ProTune ON
Firstly, you will need to turn ProTune ON to enable manual control over the most important GoPro settings. Here are the best ProTune settings for your GoPro low light settings.
- Shutter = Auto
- EV Compensation = +0.5 for slightly dark or +1.0 for really dark
- White Balance = Auto
- ISO Min = 400 for slightly dark, 800 for medium-dark, 1600 for very dark
- ISO Max = 800 for medium-dark, 1600 for very dark
- Sharpness = Medium
- Color = Flat
- Raw Audio = Off
Pro Tip: To lock the ISO value onto a specific value, set the ISO min and ISO max to the same value.
Typically the ISO will be either 800 or 1600 for low light, 800 is preferable. If you can get away with lower ISO settings than definitely do it, you will have a less grainy result. This is definitely the most important GoPro low light setting to get right.
Pro Tip: Rule number 1 in all forms of photography is to use the lowest ISO setting you can get away with. This will help to avoid noisy photos/video.
Tip 2 – Lower the Frame Rate
Using a lower frame rate will let more light in, thus decreasing the amount of grain/noise in the footage. 2.7K resolution with 24 frames per second is the preferred resolution/frame rate setting for low light. Note that you will have to set your aspect ratio to 16:9 to use 2.7K resolution.
If you wish to use 4:3 aspect ratio, you may choose 1080P x 24 frames per second. This aspect ratio is, of course, personal preference. Personally I prefer 16:9, which is the standard YouTube size.
Tip 3 – Increase the Resolution
Nighttime is the perfect time to increase your resolution. Go all the way, to 4k if you like. Your footage will definitely come out better than using a lower resolution like 1080P. Definitely do not under any circumstance go lower than 1080P.
