As for the term “cinematic” is a contentious one. While most people would agree that the word carries a certain connotation, there’s no clear definition for what it means. The fact that it can mean so many things has led to a lot of debate about whether or not it is actually possible to achieve cinematic shots with all but the most expensive equipment. The truth is, though: you don’t need expensive gear to shoot a video that looks great. But you do need to understand how your camera works and how to make sure it’s set up properly to achieve such shots.
To get the most natural-looking image, you’ll want to use your action camera in Linear Mode. This will give you straight edges and eliminate the fisheye effect. I also recommend turning down the sharpness setting to as low as possible, and increasing the stabilisation setting.
Shutter speed is the setting that determines how long the camera will expose each frame of video. The shutter speed is measured in seconds and fractions thereof, and it can be set at any value between 1/8000th of a second and 60 seconds.
The longer the shutter speed, the more light gets into the camera and the brighter your image will be. It’s important to note that if you have too long of a shutter speed, motion blur may become an issue—especially if you’re recording fast-moving subjects like sports or action shots. The general rule of thumb for natural motion blur is double the shutter speed of the used framerate. So for example you are filming at 25fps, you want to use a shutter speed of 1/50 (2×25=50). For 50fps it’ll be 1/100, and so on.
On the other hand, shortening your shutter speed will allow less light into your camera, which means that your images will get darker and darker as you shorten it. This can be used creatively for nighttime photography or underwater shooting where there’s no ambient light available at all; however, keep in mind that when shooting at very low light levels it’s important not to leave your shutter open too long because it can cause what photographers call “noise” (which looks like grainy spots across your image). Using a higher shutter speed will also give you less motion blur, which can be used for a more creative style of shooting.
Another important feature to keep in mind is Exposure Lock. It allows the photographer to lock in their exposure setting. This is extremely important for making sure you don’t get any unwanted changes in your image during the middle of a shot if the lighting changes. On the GoPro, if you aren’t setting your shutter speed and ISO manually, press your finger on the LCD screen on the part of the image you want to expose for, and hold it there. The camera will then lock that portion of the image so that it doesn’t change during shooting.
When you’re trying to get the perfect shot, don’t just think about what you’re going to do with your camera. Think about how you can use the landscape around you to make the shot even better.
Remember that with an action camera, it’s all about composition! The best shots are ones that would look great without any camera movement at all. Think about your foreground, something that is particularly important with the wide angle lens of an action camera. Also, think about leading lines and where you want the viewer’s attention to be in the shot and design your composition around guiding their eye towards it.
As well as the above mentioned tips and tricks, it also helps to incorporate some movement in your shots. Whether that is a slider type shot, when you move the camera from one side to the other in a straight line horizontally, or maybe tilt the camera up or down like a jib or a crane. Use a tripod or an arm for different perspectives. Get creative and see what works best for you, and most importantly see what you like the most, find your own style!