GoPro Video Format: Using GoPro Video File Format


GoPro cameras are all the rage these days. Extreme sports people use them all the time to video their impressive achievements. Social media influencers and many young people like to use GoPro to shoot their videos. This is because of the great video quality it offers. Here are some great insights about the GoPro video file formats.

What video format does GoPro use?

GoPro cameras record videos in two main formats. These are MP4 and HEVC. There are other file formats that the GoPro camera uses, but they will depend on the model you use. Most GoPro HERO cameras record videos using the h.264 video codec in Advanced Video Coding (AVC) format. These videos are produced using the MP4 file container and the resulting footage will have a .mp4 file extension. This is a common media format that is recognized by any media player or video editing software.

There are some GoPro cameras in the HERO series that are an exception to this rule. These are the HERO 5, 6, and 7 black GoPro cameras, which use a h.265 codec in the High-Efficiency Video Coding (HEVC) format. The video produced by this format is better quality than .mp4 videos. They usually have 4K resolution and a much higher frame rate of 60 frames per second. H.265/HEVC files are produced using the MOV file container and have a .mov file extension.

This extension is not as common as the MP4 and thus, many devices and software have a hard time recognizing it. It is incompatible with older devices and can be hard to edit since most people find it challenging to incorporate visual effects, voiceovers, or audio narration. It is also difficult to trim, which is a very basic editing function. For these reasons, it is important to convert the MOV file format to something more versatile, like the MP4.

How to convert GoPro video files

To make your editing work easier and allow you to share your video as much as possible, it might be necessary for you to convert your videos to a different format. Here are some steps to help you do just that.

Choose the right converting software

There are tons of video conversion software in the market today. Whether free, pro, or premium, the bottom line is that the best video conversion software should have all the features you need. You should do a bit of research to make sure that the software will work for you, and it's up to date with GoPro video formats.

When you find the right software, buy and install it on your computer.

Import files to the software

The next step you should take is to import the video files you wish to convert into the software. Most video conversion software will automatically access the video files on your device and ask you to choose the ones you wish to convert. The most common prompt is usually labeled as “add files.”

Choose your output format

After you select the videos you'd want to be converted, you need to choose from the list of file formats that your software can support. At this point, you'll be able to get first-hand experience of your video conversion software and see if all the video formats are present as advertised.

After you select the output format, the software should do the rest of the work for you. You can also change the video settings to have a custom resolution, frame rate, bit rate, and file encoder.

Save, share, or edit your video.

At this point, most of your work is done. All you need to do is save the converted video, edit it to your wish, or share it with your friends and followers on social media.

Conclusion

The GoPro camera series produces some of the most impressive video footage. The resultant file formats, though high quality, may be incompatible with several devices and video editing software. With the steps above, you can change the GoPro video file format to make your work a breeze.

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