GoPro Protune lets you unlock the full creative potential of your GoPro Hero 9 camera.
It, essentially, refers to GoPro’s advanced features and settings. Protune settings allow you to have manual control of some key factors affecting the quality of your shots, which include Color, White Balance, ISO Limit, Shutter Speed and more.
GoPro Protune is compatible with most professional color correction tools and other editing software.
In this article, we discuss the best Protune settings for the GoPro Hero 9.
Best GoPro Hero 9 Protune Settings
Given below are the major specs of GoPro Protune settings that you can adjust according to your own preferences.
Color
Protune Color setting lets you adjust the color profile of your videos or photos shot on Hero 9. There are two modes in this setting:
- GoPro Color (default)
- Flat
The GoPro Color is the default mode in which Hero 9 operates. It provides an automatic color-corrected profile. So, if you don’t want to edit the image in post production, this is a great choice for you. Flat, on the other hand, gives a neutral color profile. When you choose this option, colors may appear washed off at first. However, since the Flat setting captures more details in shadows and highlights, it offers more flexibility when it comes to post-production.
Read more on color settings in the following article: Best GoPro Color Settings? [GoPro Color vs Flat].
White Balance
This Protune setting allows you to adjust the color temperature of videos and photos shot with your Hero 9. With White Balance, you can optimize the image for cool or warm lighting conditions. Here are the options that you can choose from:
Auto (default), 2300K, 2800K, 3200K, 4000K, 4500K, 5500K, 6000K, 6500K, and Native
Lower values will give you warmer tones. Auto is the default profile which the GoPro Hero 9 is set at. It lets your GoPro automatically set the white balance. You can choose Native if you want a minimally color-corrected profile. It allows for more flexibility and adjustments in post-production.
ISO Minimum/Maximum
ISO Minimum and ISO Maximum let you set a range for your GoPro’s sensitivity to light and image noise. Here ‘noise’ refers to the degree of graininess in the image. The ISO Minimum and Maximum values range from 100 till 6400. Have a look:
In low-light, higher ISO values result in brighter images, but with greater noise. Lower ISO values, on the other hand, 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.
Pro Tip: To lock the ISO at a specific value, set ISO Minimum and ISO Maximum to the same values.
Shutter
The Protune Shutter setting determines how long your GoPro camera’s shutter stays open.
For Photos, the options include:
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.
The default setting is Auto, which means that the camera automatically selects the shutter speed.
Pro Tip: Mount your camera on a tripod or keep it over a stable surface in order to reduce the amount of blur in photos/videos.
Sharpness
Sharpness lets you control the quality of details captured in your video footage or photos. There are three options for this setting:
- High (default)
- Medium
- Low
RAW Audio
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): No separate .wav file is created.
- Low: Applies minimal processing.
- Med: Applies moderate processing.
- High: Applies full audio processing.
Wind Noise Reduction
The GoPro Hero 9 Black has three microphones which capture sound while recording video. With the Wind Noise Reduction setting, you can customize how these 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.
Here are the three options you can choose from:
- Auto (default): Automatically filters out excessive wind/water noise (without the need to turn the setting on).
- On: Filters out excessive wind noise, such as when your GoPro Hero 9 is mounted on a moving vehicle.
- Off: Used when wind will not affect sound quality, such as while using the camera indoors.
Cheat Sheet
Here are the best settings that are suggested by GoPro for capturing your favorite activities using the Hero 9 Black camera:
Air
Using the GoPro Hero 9 Black, you can capture some amazing aerial shots, whether it’s from a drone or any other aircraft. Here are the suggested settings for aerial shots captured with Hero 9.
Video Settings
- 4K60, Wide Lens
- 1080p120, Wide Lens
- 15x TimeWarp Video
Photo Settings
- Time Lapse Photo (1-second interval) 1080p120, Wide Lens
- Burst (30/3 Rate), Wide Lens
Car
When you are travelling with the GoPro Hero 9 Black mounted on your car, you may use these GoPro suggested settings to get the best shots.
Video Settings
- 2.7K60 4:3, Wide Lens
- 1440p60, Wide Lens
- 15x TimeWarp Video
Photo Settings
- Time Lapse Photo (5-second interval), Wide Lens
Bike
You can capture some amazing shots with your GoPro Hero 9 mounted to your bike while you’re out and about. Here are the suggested GoPro photo/video settings when using the camera on a bike.
Video Settings
- 2.7K60 4:3, Wide Lens
- 1440p60, Wide Lens
- 15x TimeWarp Video
Photo Settings
- Time Lapse Photo (5-second interval), Wide Lens
Indoor Use
When you’re using the GoPro Hero 9 indoors, these settings might come in handy to capture some amazing photos/videos with your camera.
Video Settings
- 1440p30, Wide Lens
- 1080p30, Wide Lens
Photo Settings
- Photo or Continuous Photo, Wide Lens
Selfie Shots
Are you one of those who loves taking selfies using your GoPro? Don’t forget to use these GoPro recommended video/photo settings to achieve the best selfie shots.
Video Settings
- 4K30 4:3, Narrow Lens
- 1440p60, Narrow Lens
Photo Settings
- Photo, Narrow Lens
- SuperPhoto, Photo Timer
POV Shots
If you want to show how the world looks from your own POV, adjust your GoPro Protune settings to these values. You’re sure to achieve some fabulous shots!
Video Settings
- 1440p60, Wide Lens
- 1440p120, Wide Lens
- 15x TimeWarp Video
Photo Settings
- Time Lapse Photo (2-second interval), Wide Lens
- Burst (30/3 Rate), Wide Lens
Water
GoPro Hero 9 Black has the ability to capture some amazing shots while you’re enjoying your adventures over/underwater, be it snorkelling, diving or surfing. Here are the recommended GoPro video/photo settings in such scenarios.
Video Settings
- 4K60, Wide Lens
- 1080p240, Wide Lens
- 1440p60, Wide Lens
Photo Settings
- Time Lapse Photo (2 or 5-second interval), Wide Lens
- Burst (30/6 Rate), Wide Lens
Snow
Use these GoPro recommended settings when you use the GoPro Hero 9 while capturing snow shots.
Video Settings
- 4K60, Wide Lens
- 1080p120, Wide Lens
- 15x TimeWarp Video
Photo Settings
- Time Lapse Photo (1-second interval), Wide Lens
- Burst (30/3 Rate), Wide Lens
Trail
Here are the GoPro recommended settings for capturing some amazing pictures/videos with the GoPro Hero 9 Black while you’re out hiking on some picturesque trails.
Video Settings
- 4K30 4:3, Wide Lens
- 1440p60, Wide Lens
- 15x TimeWarp Video
Photo Settings
- Photo, Wide Lens
For more settings read this: Absolute BEST Settings for GoPro Hero 9.
Should I Turn Protune On or Off GoPro?
Whether or not to turn on ProTune on your GoPro depends on your specific needs and preferences.
If you are an experienced videographer or photographer and want more control over your camera’s settings, such as white balance, ISO, exposure, and more, then ProTune is a useful feature for you. It also enables you to shoot in a flat color profile, which provides more flexibility in post-production color grading.
On the other hand, if you are new to using a GoPro camera or prefer to keep things simple, you may find that the camera’s default settings work well for you, and you may not need to use ProTune.
Ultimately, whether to turn ProTune on or off depends on your specific needs and the type of footage you want to capture. It is a personal choice, and you can experiment with both settings to determine what works best for you.
Ready To Use Protune on Your Hero 9?
By utilizing these suggested photo and video settings along with your preferred ProTune settings, you can capture stunning footage with your GoPro Hero 9, tailored to the activity you’re filming.
It’s worth noting that when shooting slow-motion videos, good lighting is crucial, as high frame rates can impact the amount of light reaching the sensor. With these tips in mind, you’re sure to capture some amazing shots.
It’s recommended to use a lower ISO setting in low light conditions, and to adjust the shutter speed based on the frame rate you’re shooting at. When using ProTune, you can also adjust the color profile to suit your preferences, such as using the Flat color profile for more flexibility in post-production editing.
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