If shooting videos in slow motion is your thing then gear up to embrace GoPro's new firmware update, which will bring the ability to record 720p footage at 240fps!
The software update is set to release in February and will let users of GoPro's 4K action camera - the Hero4 Black - shoot 10 times slower than the traditional frame rate.
The impending firmware update is also set to bring other features users' way too. Users of the Hero4 Black and Silver editions will be able to convert time-lapse still shots to a video in the camera itself. Yes that's right! Users need not use their desktops. Moreover, the camera will also deploy the in-built accelerometers to rotate the videos automatically, making it easy when processing the data.
At the time of launch, the Hero4 Black was not capable of capturing both high definition and smooth slow motion footage at the same time. It was limited to 1080p video at 120 fps or 720p video as 120fps. If the resolution was 480p then it still shot at 120fps.
However, with the impending firmware update the problem of shooting HD videos at slow motion has been sorted. Post the update users will be able to shoot at 240fps at 720p. How do we know? The folks at Gizmodo got hold of the updated Hero4 Black (early update version) and shot some videos to demonstrate the same!
"We've got the very first footage from a GoPro Hero4 equipped with a hot new firmware update that will bring that and much more. And I scored that footage at the Winter X Games this weekend while strapped to a snowboard," writes Gizmodo's Brent Rose.
The video looks pretty crisp and the action looks amazing when slowed down to this speed. However, the field of view is pretty restrictive - just 65 degrees. If you're shooting another person that may still be adequate, but is definitely not enough if you are thinking of selfies as Rose points out.
Even though there is some loss of detail, all-in-all the ability is pretty cool! Check out the video shown.
