GoPro Cameras For Dummies. Carucci John

your camera is charged, you’re ready to start recording. The video mode is the default mode when you turn on the camera. Press the Shutter/Select button to record video; press it again to pause it.

      7. Take a still photo.

      Press the Power/Mode button to find the Photo button, which looks like a camera. You can also pick other still-photo choices like Burst Photo and Time-Lapse, but more on that in Chapter 3.

       THERE’S ALWAYS A GOPRO CHARGER

      Because the camera uses a USB mini connector, those old cell phone chargers used by BlackBerry and others work perfectly with charging the camera. So, take them out of the drawer when you need an AC charger for your camera. Newer models now come with a USB-C connector with a mini plug. Those need an adapter.

      Controlling Your GoPro

      If you’re a first-time user, you’ll find that the GoPro differs from any other camera you’ve operated. It can take some time to get used to the lack of a viewfinder on the Session (as well as some older models), the camera’s ultra-wide-angle lens, and its dependence on Wi-Fi.

      The GoPro HERO5 has two buttons, one for shutter, and the other for mode. But it also has a touch screen monitor that provides intuitive access to camera functions, preview, and adjustments. You can also control the camera from a distance using the Capture app. The Session also has two buttons, shutter and a menu button.

Controlling the HERO4

      The GoPro HERO4 has three buttons:

      ❯❯ Power/Mode: This button acts as both a power button and a means of cycling through camera modes and menus.

      ❯❯ Shutter/Select: Press this button to start and stop video recordings, take photos, and toggle among menu settings.

      ❯❯ Wi-Fi: To turn the camera’s Wi-Fi signal on or off, hold this button for three seconds. This button also allows you to enter the Settings menu, connect to the remote, or connect to smartphones and tablets via the Capture app.

Turning the camera off

       Powering down your GoPro requires you to hold the Mode button for a few seconds. Whatever you captured will be saved before the camera powers off.

Setting the date and time

      Not setting the date and time on your camera would be the equivalent of not setting the clock on a DVR. All your pictures, including the ones you took during the summer, would be dated January 1. While you can do it on the camera, the easiest way to do this is connect to the Capture app and it will sync automatically.

Syncing your GoPro

      Your GoPro connects to your smartphone or device via Wi-Fi so that you can control the camera, clear the media card, and update its firmware when necessary. More important, the Capture app provides a comfortable way to use the camera because chances are you’re not always going to be that close to the action, and if you are, then you can concentrate on what you’re doing. You can read more about the Capture app later in the chapter.

      Mounting Your GoPro

      GoPro has a lot of mounts and one for every occasion and situation, as you see in Chapter 2. There are mounts for your ski pole, the roll bar of your all-terrain vehicle, and the top of your bicycle helmet. There’s even one that your dog can wear as a harness.

I mention GoPro mounts throughout the book, but I take a little time here to explain some of the key pieces (see Figure 1-10):

      ❯❯ Pivot arms: The pivot arms come in two varieties: straight and angled. You use them to put the camera farther from the mount or to rotate it. When you add an angled extension, it changes the mount by 90 degrees, so each one that you add turns the camera. You can add as many arms as you need, joining them with the thumbscrews that come in the GoPro package.

      ❯❯ Quick-release buckle: You get two of them, one of which is slightly larger and more flexible than the other. The pivot arms attach to many of the mounts as well as the quick-release buckle that locks into some of the mounts. When using the quick-release buckle, you just slide and clip, as shown.

      ❯❯ Double-stick base plates: One of the adhesive mounts that accommodates the quick-release buckle is flat, and the other is slightly curved. The quick-release buckle can be used with either adhesive mount.

       These plates are permanent, so be sure to put them where you want them to stay.

       Even though the base-plate seal is somewhat permanent, you may have to wait a while for it to set and as much as 24 hours during cold weather. It’s possible to remove it with heat for reuse. A blow dryer works great.

       FIGURE 1-10: The pivot arms, quick-release buckle, and double-stick base plates.

      Working with the Different GoPro Apps

      The GoPro apps are the heart and soul of the operation, providing the means to control the camera, make a comprehensive edit, randomly assemble clips into a movie, or upload to social media. The app family includes the GoPro App for controlling the camera, Splice, for serious video editing, and Quik, for automatically transforming clips and music into a movie.

Downloading the software

      The GoPro App is a free download away. Just go to Apple’s App Store or Google Play. You can find more information at http://gopro.com/apps.

      Using the Capture App

The Capture app (see Figure 1-11) allows you to control the camera from a distance and monitor the scene. It also lets you wirelessly update camera firmware and get the latest features to maintain best performance. The app lets you control the camera and do more with your content than ever before, including sharing it over social media. It provides full remote control of all camera functions so you can start and stop your recording, adjust camera settings, or take a photo.

       FIGURE 1-11: The Capture app

Live Preview (see Figure 1-12) lets you see what your camera sees for easy shot framing while capturing the scene. You can also play back video and view photos right on your smartphone.

       FIGURE 1-12: Live monitoring of a scene with the Capture app

      Updating firmware on electronics isn’t for the faint-hearted. It’s complicated and bothersome, and nobody wants to do it, so it doesn’t always get done. The Capture app, however, changes all that by allowing you to keep your camera up to date via Wi-Fi.

      You can share your favorite video clips and photos via email, text, Instagram, Facebook, and other social networking sites. Although you can’t share directly from the camera, you can use the app on your smartphone or other mobile device to access the image files and then share them (see Figure 1-13). It’s a free download at http://gopro.com.