It’s been a long time coming for many users of the popular GoPro HD HERO2, but the Protune firmware update first announced at NAB 2012 is finally being released. This free upgrade provides a number of features necessary for matching higher quality cameras in a cinema application, like 24p, a 35mbps recording mode, and a flat color profile. GoPro is also releasing their iOS app, which will allow remote control of all of the camera’s settings and give you a live preview of the image, as well as a number of other features. Click through for more details on the release.

Here’s a little preview of the app:

The app isn’t completely functional in the first version, here’s a little bit about what’s not working (from engadget):







Still, it is a v1 release and while our reader Khena reports it’s stable, it does have some rough edges. Currently you can’t access or view any recordings already stored on the camera or control more than one camera, although GoPro says those features are coming, while other gripes include delay between the camera and the app’s “live” viewfinder that can be as much as five seconds and the inability to preview the ProTune settings while recording.

These are the features of the Protune firmware upgrade for the HERO2:

• 35mbps data rate and 24fps
• Neutral Color Profile — Log Curve captures more detail in shadows/highlights
• Frame rates available using the firmware: 1080p 30, 25, 24 | 960p 48 | 720p 60, 50

Many have been asking about when the firmware update would be available, and that question has been answered. Finally being able to match camera frame rates for movie shooting means no conversions have to be made in post, and the footage should be able to go right on the timeline without an issue. With higher bitrates (35mbps to be exact), the HERO2 should have a lot less artifacts caused by extreme motion, and the flat profile means you’ll actually be able to color grade the footage, rather than dealing with an image that already has clipped highlights or shadows.

You can find links to both the app and the firmware upgrade below.

What do you guys think about the firmware upgrade? Do you think the HERO2 can now be incorporated into your cinema footage a lot more seamlessly with this update?

Links:

• GoPro HD HERO2 Protune Firmware Update
• GoPro Update Instructions
• GoPro iPhone App — iTunes
• GoPro iPad App – iTunes
• GoPro App — GoPro Website

Last month a test was conducted by Robert Rozak, President of juicedLink, comparing the preamps from his company’s products with a similar offering from Beachtek, with both going right into the Canon 7D. He received so much feedback that he’s added a number of devices to the test and is now comparing the signal-to-noise ratio performance of the preamps of a number of devices, the Sound Devices 702, Zoom H4n, Tascam DR-100 MKII, Tascam DR-680, Edirol R44, Beachtek DXA-SLR PRO, and juicedLink Riggy Micro/Assist.

The results aren’t very surprising if you’ve used any of these devices before, though the results of any of the recorders would certainly be improved by using a mixer with a good preamp in front of the recorder. The Sound Devices 702 is actually the recorder that I use most often, combined with a Rode NTG-3. Even in difficult situations and without a mixer, I’m able to get stellar results. The juicedLink still seems like a good option as a preamp regardless of the final recorder being used (even if it’s a Canon 7D or Canon 60D), but you will find that the more sensitive the microphone, and the closer you can get it to the subject, the better the signal performance should be.

I’m sure some of you will take issue if you own any of these devices and you’ve been happy so far, but it’s always best to do your own testing, as it’s certainly possibly that you’re getting great results from the equipment you have.

Link: Audio Recorder Shootout: Sound Devices 702, DR-100 MKII, H4n, DR-680, and more … — juicedLink Blog

There is a big debate currently over the life of celluloid film.....that silver for the silver screen. There has and always will be a certain aesthetic that is captured by film.....will digital ever have that romance? here is a quick tutorial on the process of emulating celluloid film grain onto digitally captured media......and oh my how romantic it is.

With the emergence of the blackmajic cinema camera, there will be many people looking to color grade their wide dynamic range footage in Davincci Resolve. Here are some informative posts from renound Dp and director Philip Bloom, as well as colorist Dan Moran.

Now for the color grading portion