Best GoPro Hero 8 Protune Settings + Cheat Sheet

GoPro Protune allows you to use your GoPro Hero 8 to its full creative potential.

Protune gives you manual control of several advanced camera settings, which include Color, White Balance, ISO value, Shutter Speed and so on.

In this article, you are going to learn about the best GoPro Hero 8 Protune settings that will help you film cinematic GoPro videos.

GoPro Hero 8 Protune Specs

To begin with, watch this video where I explain the best GoPro Protune settings:

Here are some Protune specs which you can tweak in order to get a desirable shot with your GoPro Hero 8:

Bitrate

Bitrate determines the amount of data used to record each of video recorded through the GoPro Hero 8. In this Protune setting you can choose between high or low. Low bitrate means lesser data is used to capture videos, thereby minimizing the file size.

GoPro Hero 8 has ‘Low’ bitrate as its default setting. You can change it to ‘High’ in order to get bitrates up to 100Mbps (4K and 2.7K video) for optimal image quality.

Color

GoPro Hero 8 Protune has two Color profiles: GoPro Color & Flat. The default setting in GoPro Hero 8 is GoPro Color. This setting captures photos and videos with the classic GoPro color-corrected profile.

However, if you want a neutral color profile which can be color-corrected later on in post-production, select the ‘Flat’ color profile. Flat captures more details in shadows and highlights.

White Balance

White Balance allows you to adjust the color temperature of videos and photos captured with the GoPro Hero 8. You can optimize the white balance according to cool or warm lighting conditions. There are several options in this setting, which include: Auto (default setting), 2300K, 2800K, 3200K, 4000K, 4500K, 5000K, 5500K, 6000K, 6500K, and Native.

Keep in mind: Lower values give you warmer tones of the resultant image. If you plan to make adjustments in post-production, choose the Native setting to create a minimally color-corrected profile. The default Auto setting lets your GoPro automatically set the White Balance according to the prevailing situation.

ISO Minimum/Maximum

ISO Minimum/Maximum Protune setting lets you set a range for the GoPro Hero 8 camera’s sensitivity to light and image noise (which means the degree of graininess in the shot).

If you’re shooting in low light, higher ISO values will result in brighter images, albeit with more image noise. On the other hand, lower ISO values in low-light result in darker images with less image noise. The default for ISO Maximum in GoPro Hero 8 is 1600 for video and 3200 for photos, and the default for ISO Minimum is 100.

Shutter

The Protune Shutter setting only applies to the Video, Photo, and LiveBurst modes in the GoPro Hero 8. With this setting, you can set the duration of how long the shutter stays open to take the shot. The default setting in Hero 8 is Auto.

For Photo, the options are Auto, 1/125, 1/250, 1/500, 1/1000, and 1/2000 second. For Video, the options depend on the fps setting.

Sharpness

The Protune setting: Sharpness controls the quality of details captured by the Hero 8 in your video footage or photos. You get three options for this setting: High (default), Medium, and Low.

If you plan to increase sharpness during post-production, I recommend that you select Low for this setting.

Protune Audio Settings

The Protune Audio settings include Raw Audio setting and Wind-Noise Reduction setting. The Raw Audio setting creates a separate .wav audio file for your video in addition to the standard .mp4 audio track. You can keep its level at Low, Med or High. This setting is turned off by default. So, you need to manually turn it on to use it.

The Wind-Noise Reduction Setting should be turned ON when you to filter out excessive wind noise or when
your GoPro is mounted on a moving vehicle. It is set at Auto by default, which means that the camera automatically filters out excessive wind/water noise. Turn in OFF in the situations where wind does not affect sound quality, and when you want to ensure that your GoPro is recording in stereo.

For more settings tips watch this tutorial:

Should I Turn On Protune on GoPro?

The Best GoPro Hero 8 Protune Settings

Here are some of the best modes and settings for capturing your favourite activities. Try them as starting points for your presets, and then experiment to find what works best for you.

Find all the best Protune setting for your Hero 8 in the following video:

Shots from the Air

When you plan to use your GoPro in the air, for example, from a drone or an aircraft, don’t forget to use the following Protune settings for best results.

Video Settings

• 1080p120, Wide Lens
• 4K60, Wide Lens
• 15x TimeWarp 2.0 Video

Photo Settings

• Time Lapse Photo (1-second interval) 1080p120, Wide Lens
• Burst (30/3 Rate), Wide Lens

Bike Shots

Following are the recommended settings when you plan to shoot your biking adventures with the GoPro Hero 8 mounted to your bike.

Video Settings

• 1440p60, Wide Lens
• 2.7K60 4:3, Wide Lens
• 15x TimeWarp 2.0 Video

Photo Settings

• Time Lapse Photo (5-second interval), Wide Lens

Indoor Shots

Given below are the best settings when using your GoPro Hero 8 indoors.

Video Settings

• 1440p30, Wide Lens
• 1080p30, Wide Lens

Photo Settings

• Photo or Continuous Photo, Wide Lens

Shots from a Car/Windshield

I recommend that you use the following settings when shooting with your Hero 8 mounted to your car.

Video Settings

• 1440p60, Wide Lens
• 2.7K60 4:3, Wide Lens
• 15x TimeWarp 2.0 Video

Photo Settings

• Time Lapse Photo (5-second interval), Wide Lens

POV Shots

POV Shots means those shots which are taken from your point of view using a body mount or handheld mount. Here are the best settings for capturing some amazing POV shots.

Video Settings

• 1440p60, Wide Lens
• 1440p120, Wide Lens
• 15x TimeWarp 2.0 Video

Photo Settings

• Time Lapse Photo (2-second interval), Wide Lens
• Burst (30/3 Rate), Wide Lens

Selfie Shots

A widely popular form of shots taken today, selfie shots refers to those shots where you’re capturing yourself. Following are the best GoPro Hero 8 Protune settings for capturing some great selfie shots.

Video Settings

• 1440p60, Narrow Lens
• 4K60 4:3, Narrow Lens

Photo Settings

• Photo, Narrow Lens, SuperPhoto, Photo Timer

Snow Shots

Whether you’re skiing/snowboarding, or just spending your leisure time in snow-laden peaks, GoPro Hero 8 is your perfect photo/videography companion. Use the following Protune Settings when capturing snow shots.

Video Settings

• 1080p120, Wide Lens
• 4K60, Wide Lens
• 15x TimeWarp 2.0 Video

Photo Settings

• Time Lapse Photo (1-second interval), Wide Lens
• Burst (30/3 Rate), Wide Lens

Underwater Shots

One of the most popular features of GoPro cameras is their ability to capture flawless underwater shots. Here are the suggested Protune Settings for GoPro Hero 8 camera for underwater use.

Video Settings

• 1080p240, Wide Lens
• 1440p60, Wide Lens
• 4K60, Wide Lens

Photo Settings

• Time Lapse Photo (2- or 5-second interval), Wide Lens
• Burst (30/6 Rate), Wide Lens

Final Words

Use the above-mentioned Protune settings in appropriate scenarios to significantly enhance the footage you capture with your GoPro Hero 8 camera.

I highly suggest you to download the GoPro Settings Cheat Sheet. With that you will also  join our growing community of GoPro filmmakers who receive weekly tips and updates about action camera video making.

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Related Articles:

• GoPro Protune: Everything You Need to Know to Master Your Advanced Settings
• GoPro Time Lapse: Creating Stunning Time Lapse Shots
• GoPro Settings Explained: Best for Action, Travel and More
• GoPro Low Light Tips: Learn How to Improve Your Low Light Footage
• GoPro Editing: Step by Step Beginner Guide + Best Free Editing Software

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