daemn42 | GoPro Hero3+ Normal versus "SuperView" modes compared @daemn42 | Uploaded October 2013 | Updated October 2024, 18 hours ago.
The new GoPro Hero3+ has a new video mode called "SuperView" available in 1080p Wide and 720p Wide.
It records the using the full sensor in 4:3 aspect ratio, then compresses it vertically (or stretches horizontally) to a 16:9 ratio. This means you "see more" in frame, but it does makes things look a little more squished and tall things become shorter. Round things become oval, and so forth.
I think it's best used when filming non-human-made objects or terrain so the viewer has no frame of reference to compare it to.
I also noticed that because it sees more of the sky, if the sky is very bright, then the ground may become underexposed (darker). The fix for that is to angle the camera down a bit more. You'll see *much* more of the ground. You will see more barrel distortion at the top and bottom edges of the screen than you would during a normal 1080p 16:9 video.
One advantage to Superview when using the live output for FPV piloting, is that
it displays the live image full frame in 4:3 (no letterbox).
But same can be achieved by recording at 1440p (1920x1440), then cropping the final video back to normal 1080p (1920x1080).
Other random observations about Hero3+ Black.
New microphone placement handles wind pretty well, and makes my quad sound completely different.
MUCH better battery life. At least 2x better than H3 Black (I think the H3 had a fundamental hardware problem, that they only fixed by creating the H3+).
Yes the image is noticeably sharper.
The H3+ camera is identical dimensions to the H3. Only case is a little smaller/lighter.
The new GoPro Hero3+ has a new video mode called "SuperView" available in 1080p Wide and 720p Wide.
It records the using the full sensor in 4:3 aspect ratio, then compresses it vertically (or stretches horizontally) to a 16:9 ratio. This means you "see more" in frame, but it does makes things look a little more squished and tall things become shorter. Round things become oval, and so forth.
I think it's best used when filming non-human-made objects or terrain so the viewer has no frame of reference to compare it to.
I also noticed that because it sees more of the sky, if the sky is very bright, then the ground may become underexposed (darker). The fix for that is to angle the camera down a bit more. You'll see *much* more of the ground. You will see more barrel distortion at the top and bottom edges of the screen than you would during a normal 1080p 16:9 video.
One advantage to Superview when using the live output for FPV piloting, is that
it displays the live image full frame in 4:3 (no letterbox).
But same can be achieved by recording at 1440p (1920x1440), then cropping the final video back to normal 1080p (1920x1080).
Other random observations about Hero3+ Black.
New microphone placement handles wind pretty well, and makes my quad sound completely different.
MUCH better battery life. At least 2x better than H3 Black (I think the H3 had a fundamental hardware problem, that they only fixed by creating the H3+).
Yes the image is noticeably sharper.
The H3+ camera is identical dimensions to the H3. Only case is a little smaller/lighter.
