Dedicated 3rd Party Lens Discussion (Examples Updated)

TheBasicPilot · Nov 18, 2015

I just read that the peau lens profile mod is independent of the firmware on the gopro. I wonder how that works?

Matt Chevalier · Nov 18, 2015

What are the actual advantages of replacing the GoPro lens? I mean other than the lack of fisheye eye distortion.

Do any of them have better optics?

Killboy · Nov 18, 2015

Matt Chevalier said:
What are the actual advantages of replacing the GoPro lens? I mean other than the lack of fisheye eye distortion.

Do any of them have better optics?

That's it from my experience. A lot of people do it also because they end up scratching the factory lens like I did and needed to replace it anyway.

pyrate · Nov 18, 2015

Matt Chevalier said:
What are the actual advantages of replacing the GoPro lens? I mean other than the lack of fisheye eye distortion.

Do any of them have better optics?

that is a mater of opinion. Its why the lens manufacturers are all in business outside gopro. Just look at the DSLR lens industry
spec wise many manufacturers make the same lens. Users will prefer one over the other because the subtle appearances of the lens appeal to their tastes.

I personally rejected replacing the stock lens for a very long time. Shooting 2.6K and cropping out most of the fisheye correction in GP studio provided good enough results for me.
But me I tinker, so I decided to give it a go. i personally like the image quality and the no fisheye on the replacement lens enough to keep it over the two most common reasons not to.
the slight pink tinging and slight increase in vibrations being noticeable.

pyrate · Nov 18, 2015

TheBasicPilot said:
I just read that the peau lens profile mod is independent of the firmware on the gopro. I wonder how that works?

I think all gopro models have a lens profile to help the stock lens deal with the distortion of the wide angle stock lens.
so without that distortion you get the pink.
as someone else put it, remove the distortion from the stock lens (replace it) and then the profile is not needed regardless of gorpo model of firmware

J R · Nov 18, 2015

TheBasicPilot said:
I just read that the peau lens profile mod is independent of the firmware on the gopro. I wonder how that works?

Basic,

Funny you should ask! I just got off the phone with Peau after ordering the 4.35mm lens due to be delivered tomorrow. Apparently, going to this lens will create the pink color in the corners that others have brought up. Peau has created some process to remove that pink. However, they need the camera to do it. It's not something you can do yourself. Most people would probably just deal with it in post. I don't envision that I'll ever go back to the stock lens so I'm going to have it done. Tomorrow the stuff I ordered gets delivered and than it get repackaged with my GoPro and sent back to Peau. A slight setback but the people at Peau have been great to work with so far.

Jerry

pyrate · Nov 18, 2015

wish you could grab some quick video with that lens before sending it off for profile correction
more or less pink as compared to the 4.4 might tell us something about the difference in optics of the two lenses.

J R · Nov 18, 2015

pyrate said:
wish you could grab some quick video with that lens before sending it off for profile correction.

Pyrate,

I'll see what I can do. I'm probably not going to get to fly with it as the weather is going to be crap for the next few days. Maybe I can hang it out the windows and do some shots of a white poster board or something.

Jerry

pyrate · Nov 18, 2015

understood, if it were me I would let them do the lens install
its good to help out here, but take care of your equipment keep us posted will be good to hear from someone who has had both lenses

Jubalr · Nov 18, 2015

pyrate said:
wish you could grab some quick video with that lens before sending it off for profile correction
more or less pink as compared to the 4.4 might tell us something about the difference in optics of the two lenses.

@pyrate ,

Here is a video I shot a couple of months ago after getting the 4.35 from Peau. No correction for the pink in the corners. I don't think it is all that bad, and could be improved with a little post work.

J R · Nov 18, 2015

Jubalr,

Very nice!!! (That's because you know what the hell you're doing. I need all the help I can get!)

Jerry

Steven Ackerman · Nov 19, 2015

J R said:
Basic,
... but the people at Peau have been great to work with so far.
Jerry

Second this - Peau have been awesome to work with.

TheBasicPilot · Nov 19, 2015

J R said:
Basic,

Funny you should ask! I just got off the phone with Peau after ordering the 4.35mm lens due to be delivered tomorrow. Apparently, going to this lens will create the pink color in the corners that others have brought up. Peau has created some process to remove that pink. However, they need the camera to do it. It's not something you can do yourself. Most people would probably just deal with it in post. I don't envision that I'll ever go back to the stock lens so I'm going to have it done. Tomorrow the stuff I ordered gets delivered and than it get repackaged with my GoPro and sent back to Peau. A slight setback but the people at Peau have been great to work with so far.

Jerry

I think they want the camera instead of sending you the software to do it. Once that gets out then everyone could do it themselves.

J R · Nov 19, 2015

TheBasicPilot said:
I think they want the camera instead of sending you the software to do it. Once that gets out then everyone could do it themselves.

Basic,

No doubt. They say they're the only company that has figured out how to do it. I guess I can't blame them, we all gotta make a buck!

FWIW, after I told him about the difficulty I had getting the stock lens off of my GPH4B, I was told that GoPro is trying to make it more difficult to get the lenses out because so many people are starting to do it. He said on the new Hero Sessions, they can't even get the lenses out.

Jerry

pyrate · Nov 20, 2015

Honestly I still have my 3 Black, and only recently gave my 2 to a friend
As you shoot more video you find out how nice it can be to have a second or third camera running in addition to your main one.
I was shooting a sunset in Panama City Beach and just happened to have my GH3 running on a tripod when I dispatched solo.
Not even thinking about it.

End the end I had a shot of the sunset and solo entering screen left and flying out to the sunset, and then switched to the solo footage.
Awesome

So I may actually wait for some more price drops on the hero four black and buy another one.
Even if solo adopts a new camera and Gimbal the Hero 4 Blacks can always be used to shoot B roll footage on site. 4K 30 footage will be relevant for a very long time

pyrate · Nov 20, 2015

Jubalr said:
@pyrate ,

Here is a video I shot a couple of months ago after getting the 4.35 from Peau. No correction for the pink in the corners. I don't think it is all that bad, and could be improved with a little post work.

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Quick question, what settings were you using here, and was there any filter on the lens.
That does look nice. Any post?

Jubalr · Nov 20, 2015

pyrate said:
Quick question, what settings were you using here, and was there any filter on the lens.
That does look nice. Any post?

I'm using the ND8 filter from Polar and shooting in 2.7k 60 with PT on and GP color. Post primarily consisted of adding a small amount of sharpness due to the poor job I did of focusing when I installed the 4.35 Peau lens. I have since re-focused the lens through a monitor. No stabilization.

pyrate · Nov 20, 2015

looks good

mistergreen · Nov 21, 2015

My initial work with the Peau 4.35 GP4B.

J R · Nov 21, 2015

mistergreen said:
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My initial work with the Peau 4.35 GP4B.

Mr,

Beautiful! Nice flying too. Waiting on my Peau stuff now, snow storm screwed up delivery. Please Give us the lowdown, filters, post, software, etc.?

Jerry