GoPro HERO 7 Black HyperSmooth
Is It Actually Perfect for 4K Video?

The new GoPro HERO 7 was already released, with three models available, White, Silver, and Black, respectively. As before, the Black variant is the most advanced one. GoPro HERO 7 Black has many features that HERO 7 White and HERO 7 Silver don't possess, for example HyperSmooth. So what is HyperSmooth?

HyperSmooth is a kind of Electronic Image Stabilization (aka. EIS), aiming to give your GoPro video recordings gimbal-like stabilization but without the gimbal. It is conducted by cropping in slightly on the picture and warping the edges to compensate for shake. HyperSmooth can be used for many resolutions and frame rates, including several 4K video modes, namely, 4K 60/50fps, 4K 30/25fps, and 4K 24fps. How is HyperSmooth doing in 4K videos? Is it really perfect for 4K videos? Do we still need gimbal or post-processing to stabilize GoPro 4K video? Well, read on.

• Part 1: Is HyperSmooth Perfect for GoPro 4K Video Stabilization?
• Part 2: Is Gimbal or Post-Processing Still Necessary to Stabilize 4K Videos?

Is HyperSmooth Perfect for GoPro 4K Video Stabilization?

We have watched many HyperSmooth-assisted videos, and find that HyperSmooth does make a big difference. The videos with HyperSmooth are less shaky than those without HyperSmooth. However, nothing is perfect. Browse the web and we find those discussions.

1. HyperSmooth isn't available for 4K 60fps

Some users report online that their GoPro HERO7 Black doesn't have HyperSmooth for 4K 60fps. As we mentioned in the second paragraph, HyperSmooth can be enabled while recording 4K 60fps videos. However, the aspect ratio format must be 16:9. If you're in a 4:3 format, change it to 16:9. If HyperSmooth is still not available, you probably haven't done the firmware 1.51 update. Now update it following the steps below:

1. Open GoPro update page and choose HERO7 Black.

2. Under "OTHER WAYS TO UPDATE", choose "Update your camera manually".

3. Enter your 14-Digit Serial Number and other requested information, click "Next Step".

4. Click "Download Update."

5. Click "Click here to download firmware."

6. Follow the steps on the screen for detailed instructions for your operating system.

After finishing update, you should be able to use HyperSmooth stabilization technology for 4K 60fps with 16:9 format.

2. HyperSmooth causes issues in videos during slow panning

If you do slow panning left right or up down with HyperSmooth on, you will see noticeable rubber banding, stutter or freeze. This issue has displeased many users, and worse still, there's currently no way to fix it except for disabling HyperSmooth. This is because HyperSmooth is built for creating more smooth video captures as the camera moves along, as opposed to slow panning. Perhaps, this can be fixed by further firmware updates.

3. HyperSmooth doesn't work well in low light

Have you noticed that the video is still very shaky at night or in low light conditions, although you have turned on HyperSmooth and you have applied the best settings? You will figure out the reason after you know how EIS works.

EIS needs a lot of information in the original picture to be able to stabilize video well. When you shoot in low light, there will be limited information that EIS can use to stabilize your capture. That's why HyperSmooth cannot stabilize video well in low light situations. To improve the EIS performance in low light, you can increase the shutter speed and raise the ISO. But the drawback is that it will add noise to your video.

4. HyperSmooth also drains the battery

HyperSmooth will consume a bit of battery. According to some users' feedbacks, the battery doesn't usually last more than an hour when shooting videos in 4K 60fps mode with HyperSmooth. When HyperSmooth is disabled, the GoPro HERO7 Black can work longer.

5. HyperSmooth crops away lot of frame area

While stabilizing video, it will crop off 10% to 20%. As a result, the FOV will be too narrow.

Is Gimbal or Post-Processing Still Necessary to Stabilize 4K Videos?

Different people have different ideas. Some people think GoPro HERO 7 Black's HyperSmooth can replace Gimbal. They think that the results are impressive under normal use, and can also be great in certain situations if they try hard enough. However, others believe that gimbal cannot be replaced. This is because there are still times when only Gimbal can work efficiently, after all HyperSmooth isn't as perfect as GoPro advertises.

And there is still a need to do stabilization in post-process, if HyperSmooth doesn't work well in some situations and if you don't have a gimbal. The professionals can choose Adobe Premiere Pro CC, while the beginners are recommended to try a simple yet powerful VideoProc.

How to Stabilize 4K Video with VideoProc?

Step 1. Download and install VideoProc on your computer. You can click the download buttons below to get the setup file.

Step 2. Launch VideoProc, click Video, and then click + Video button to load target GoPro 4K video you want to stabilize through post-processing. All GoPro 4K videos are supported, no matter what the aspect ratio is, 4:3 or 16:9, and no matter what the frame rate is.

Step 3. Go to ToolBox and find Deshake. You can double click the Deshake button or the little gear icon to move to the Video stabilization setting window.

Step 4. Hit RUN button to export the resulting video.