Tips for Using Your GoPro Hero5 Black

You’ve just purchased your first action cam; here’s how to get the most out of it. Some of these tips are specific to the Hero5 Black, but are still applicable to general action cams.

Clean Your Lens

Whether you’re using an older model with a lens protector or shooting with an uncovered Hero5, make sure you periodically wipe your lens. A drop of water or a tiny bit of oil from your fingerprint can ruin the image, so have a microfiber cloth handy.

Utilize Your Voice

The Hero5 Black can be triggered with voice commands, letting you snap a photo, start recording and even drop HiLight tags to mark the best parts of your shot. If you prefer to use a button in silence, remember to turn off the beeps in the Preferences menu.

Experiment with Angles and Mounts

The latest GoPro models have a few different fields of view, ranging from wide angle to narrow field. There are also plenty of mounts available for you to shoot from various perspectives, whether you want to stick it on your surfboard or on the top of your head.

Think About the Image

This means framing your shot well, which can be difficult for shooting extreme sports and the outdoors. Consider lighting, or at the very least where the sun is located. Lens filters will let you play with colors and shoot underwater, as well. If you want to be able to slow the video down, be sure to choose a high frame rate.

Choose Your Defaults

The Hero5 can shoot in a variety of modes, so be sure to pick the correct default to save time and battery. You can also adjust the auto-off timing to save battery, which can be further extended by turning off voice control, which keeps the camera on all the time.