Upgrade Hero firmware or not?

Joined
Dec 19, 2016
Messages
86
Reaction score
16
Age
58
I just picked up a good used Hero4 Black off of Ebay. The firmware is version 3.0. Is there any good reason to upgrade to the 5.0 version? I read that you gain a linear FOV setting but lose the ability to have the Hero turn on automatically with the solo. Can anyone offer any comments that will help me decide? Is the new FOV option worth giving up the auto turn on?
 
Not having auto turn on isn't that much of a hassle. Just turn GoPro on before each flight.
 
IMO, the new features are not worth the hassle if the only thing you're using it for is one a drone. Nearly all of the fancy protune settings you get a moot in the changing light conditions of a drone. And linear FOV is more or less a gimmick. I would stay on 3.0 and enjoy the auto turn on.
 
  • Like
Reactions: gmeeth
I hate to disagree with P2P about anything (because he's very knowledgeable and helpful) but I think that Linear FOV is awesome, and not at all a gimmick. I'd suggest at least TRYING the Linear FOV feature of version 5 on several flights yourself, and comparing its result to the standard GoPro Fisheye FOV's. I personally find that the benefit of having Linear FOV far outweighs the loss of auto-turn-on. You can easily revert to version 3 at any time if you want to. In any case, it costs nothing to try both, and you can upgrade & downgrade any time.

Unfortunately, nobody to date has posted a critical side-by-side comparison between shots taken with a linear replacement lens versus the GoPro Linear FOV setting. People here have claimed that the latter MUST be fuzzier than the former, which makes perfect sense theoretically, but I'd like to SEE exactly HOW MUCH fuzzier it is, in concrete examples. Maybe nobody here has both a modded and unmodded GoPro?
 
Yep linear works great and far from a gimmick. You're missing out if you don't upgrade.


Sent from my iPhone using Tapatlk
 
I hate to disagree with P2P about anything (because he's very knowledgeable and helpful) but I think that Linear FOV is awesome, and not at all a gimmick. I'd suggest at least TRYING the Linear FOV feature of version 5 on several flights yourself, and comparing its result to the standard GoPro Fisheye FOV's. I personally find that the benefit of having Linear FOV far outweighs the loss of auto-turn-on. You can easily revert to version 3 at any time if you want to. In any case, it costs nothing to try both, and you can upgrade & downgrade any time.

Unfortunately, nobody to date has posted a critical side-by-side comparison between shots taken with a linear replacement lens versus the GoPro Linear FOV setting. People here have claimed that the latter MUST be fuzzier than the former, which makes perfect sense theoretically, but I'd like to SEE exactly HOW MUCH fuzzier it is, in concrete examples. Maybe nobody here has both a modded and unmodded GoPro?

To view this content we will need your consent to set third party cookies.
For more detailed information, see our cookies page.
 
  • Like
Reactions: Maddog
I also have a 3.37 peau lens arriving tomorrow (I think - maybe Monday) which I plan on modding to one of my GoPro hero 4 silvers (I have 2). I can post a compilation video of a group of smart shots from the solo with both cameras here shortly. Too bad the gimbal doesn't support two cameras at once. :D
 
is it easy to change between firmwares? are all the firmwares available at GoPro.com? Is there a place to download old firmwares?
 
I also have a 3.37 peau lens arriving tomorrow (I think - maybe Monday) which I plan on modding to one of my GoPro hero 4 silvers (I have 2). I can post a compilation video of a group of smart shots from the solo with both cameras here shortly.

That would be great, thanks! However, a single pair of still shots of the same scene taken with both cameras would be the best comparison, since that would offer the best way to see how much fuzzier GoPro's "Linear FOV mode" is than the actual linear Peau lens.
 
That would be great, thanks! However, a single pair of still shots of the same scene taken with both cameras would be the best comparison, since that would offer the best way to see how much fuzzier GoPro's "Linear FOV mode" is than the actual linear Peau lens.
I can do that too. Actually easier.
 
  • Like
Reactions: Joe Horn
I have googled and all i get are links to new firmware. nothing to revert back.
 
some distance shots with vertical lines that are towards the edges of the FOV would be good - I find the defisheye process looks a bit weird on things to the edges and off centre whereas it isn't bad on things near the middle
 

Members online

Forum statistics

Threads
13,093
Messages
147,741
Members
16,048
Latest member
ihatethatihavetomakeanacc