Protune is what GoPro calls their advanced settings. It basically lets you unlock full creative potential of your GoPro Hero 7 Black camera by giving you greater control over the GoPro settings.
GoPro Protune offers you manual control of some really important factors that affect the quality of your shots, like Color, White Balance, ISO Limit, Shutter Speed and more.
In this article you are going to learn how to setup your GoPro Hero 7 Protune settings in a few simple steps.
How to Turn ON/OFF Protune in GoPro Hero 7
By default, Protune is turned ON in the GoPro Hero 7 Black camera. But, you have the option to turn it ON or OFF according to your preference.
Here’s how to turn ON/OFF Protune on your GoPro Hero 7 Black:
Steps to Turn Protune Off – GoPro Hero 7 Black
- In the Video Mode screen, touch the information box at the bottom of the camera’s screen.
- Toggle the Protune ON/OFF button and select OFF.
Steps to Turn Protune On – GoPro Hero 7 Black
- As above, in video mode, touch the information box at the bottom of the camera’s screen.
- Toggle the Protune ON/OFF button and select ON.
GoPro Hero 7 Protune Specs
Here are the major specs of GoPro Protune settings that you can tweak according to your usage and preferences.
Color
GoPro Hero 7 Protune Color setting lets you adjust the color profile of the videos/photos you shoot with the camera. It comprises two modes: GoPro Color (default) mode and Flat mode. The GoPro Color mode provides automatic color-corrected image.
Flat mode, on the other hand, provides a neutral color profile in which colors may appear washed off at first. However, this mode offers more flexibility when it comes to post-production. This is because Flat mode captures more details in shadows and highlights.
White Balance
White Balance lets you tweak the color temperature of the image. You can adjust the white balance and optimize it for cool or warm lighting conditions. There are several options for this setting, including Auto (default), 2300K, 2800K, 3200K, 4000K, 4500K, 5500K, 6000K, 6500K, and Native.
Lower values provide warmer tones. Choose Native for a minimally color-corrected profile that allows for more flexibility and adjustments in post-production.
ISO Minimum/Maximum
Protune setting ISO Minimum/Maximum lets you set a range for the GoPro Hero 7 Black camera’s sensitivity to light and image noise (which means the degree of graininess in the image). In low light scenarios, higher ISO values result in brighter images, albeit with greater noise. Similarly, lower ISO values result in darker images with less noise.
The default for ISO Maximum is 1600 for video and 3200 for photos. The default for ISO Minimum is 100 for both photos and videos.
Shutter
The Protune Shutter setting determines how long the GoPro Hero 7 Black camera’s shutter stays open. The default setting is Auto. For Photos, the options you get are Auto, 1/125, 1/250, 1/500, 1/1000, and 1/2000 second. For Video, the options depend on the fps setting. They include Auto, 1/fps, 1/2x fps, 1/4x fps, 1/8x fps.
Pro Tip: Mount your camera on a tripod or keep it over a stable surface in order to reduce the amount of blur in the resulting videos and photos when using the Shutter setting.
Sharpness
The Protune’s Sharpness setting lets you control the quality of details captured in your video footage or photos. There are three options for this setting: High (default), Medium, and Low.
Audio Settings
There are two audio settings in GoPro Hero 7 Black camera’s Protune, which include RAW Audio and Microphone settings. The RAW Audio setting creates a separate .wav file for your video, in addition to the
standard .mp4 audio track. You can select from various levels of processing in the RAW audio track, which include Off (default), Low, Med and High.
The Microphone Settings let you customize how the GoPro’s microphones are used. You can choose its levels: Auto (default), Stereo, and Wind based on conditions where you’re shooting and what type of sound you want in your finished video.
For more settings tips watch this tutorial:
Cheat Sheet: Suggested Protune Settings For Different Activities
Here are the best Protune settings for capturing your favorite activities with Hero 7 Black:
Camera Mounted on Car
I suggest that you use the following settings while you’re travelling with the GoPro Hero 7 Black mounted on your car.
Video Settings
- 1440p60, Wide FOV
- 4K60, Wide FOV
- 5x TimeWarp Video
Photo Settings
- Photo/Continuous Photo, Wide FOV
Cycling / Mountain Biking
While you’re cycling/mountain biking with the GoPro Hero 7 Black, these are some Protune photo/video settings that will give you best results.
Video Settings
- 1440p60, Wide FOV
- 2.7K60 4:3, Wide FOV
- 15x TimeWarp Video
Photo Settings
- Time Lapse Photo (10-second interval), Wide FOV
Motorcycling
When the GoPro Hero 7 Black is mounted to your motorcycle on your adventure, use these settings to capture some amazing photos/videos with your camera.
Video Settings
- 1440p60, Wide FOV
- 2.7K60 4:3, Wide FOV
- 15x TimeWarp Video
Photo Settings
- Time Lapse Photo (5-second interval), Wide FOV
Skiing/Snowboarding (non-POV)
Taking the GoPro Hero 7 Black with you while you’re out for your skiing/snowboarding adventure? Don’t forget to use these Protune video/photo settings to achieve your best non-POV shots.
Video Settings
- 1080p120, Wide FOV
- 4K60, Wide FOV
- 15x TimeWarp Video
Photo Settings
- Time Lapse Photo (1-second interval), Wide FOV
- Burst (30/3 Rate), Wide FOV
Skiing/Snowboarding (POV)
If you want to show how the world looks from your own POV when you’re skiing/snowboarding, adjust your GoPro Protune settings to these values. You’re sure to achieve some fabulous shots!
Video Settings
- 1440p60, Wide FOV
- 1440p120, Wide FOV
- 15x TimeWarp Video
Photo Settings
- Time Lapse Photo (2-second interval), Wide FOV
- Burst (30/3 Rate), Wide FOV
Surfing
Are you someone who loves heading towards the sea with your surfboard and capturing the waves you face with your GoPro Hero 7 Black? These Protune video/photo settings might come in handy for you to get the best shot with your camera.
Video Settings
- 1080p240, Wide FOV
Photo Settings
- Time Lapse Photo (5-second interval), Wide FOV
- Burst (30/6 Rate), Wide FOV
Hiking
Use the following Protune settings for capturing quality footage with your GoPro Hero 7 Black while hiking.
Video Settings
- 1440p60, Wide FOV
- 4K30 4:3, Wide FOV
- 15x TimeWarp Video
Photo Settings
- Photo, Wide FOV
Underwater Activities
Whether you’re snorkeling or scuba diving, the following Protune Photo/Video settings will surely help you get some amazing underwater shots.
Video Settings
- 1440p60, Wide FOV
- 4K60, Wide FOV
Photo Settings
- Time Lapse Photo (2-second interval), Wide FOV
Last Word Of Advice
While GoPro Protune is a great feature which lets you take full control of your GoPro Hero 7 Settings, you should also know what you are doing of these settings… so my suggestion is: if you just want to film quick shots, without investing some time to understand these settings, then leave Protune OFF and GoPro will put all these settings on Auto mode.
But, if you want to take control of your camera settings, and potentially increase the quality of your videos, then switch Protune ON and have fun experimenting! To help you with that, download the free GoPro Settings Cheat Sheet (you’ll find best GoPro Protune Settings for most filmed GoPro activities).
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