Gopro Protune review

Gopro just released the long awaited Protune firmware update. Protune unlocks some really great and much needed features to the Gopro Hero 2. The features it adds include. 24fps allowing the Hero2 footage to be cut with other cameras with out the need of frame rate conversion.
Higher data rate is now at 35mbps giving higher quality image with virtually zero artifacts.
Neutral color profile giving more flexibility in grading the image.
Log curve encoding allowing more detail in the shadows and highlights.
Cineform Studio automatically detects Protune and applies the adjustments to the images. Cineform Studio also offers a variety of color presents and color correction controls to help get the most out of the image. Also with the new firmware the hero2 is wifi enable and there is an Iphone app to make adjustments and view right on your phone.

Downloading the Protune settings is as easy as plugging the usb cord into your workstation. Cineform automatically detects that the Gopro needs to update the firmware after a few clicks  its loaded. Once loaded you'll have to go into the menu to enable Protune then you can select 24p.

I grabbed two of my gopro hero2's one with Protune and the other without. Sachtler ace tripod and Smallhd dp6 for framing. I started out doing quick timelapse with both Gopro's side by side. Took around 500 pics on each. After the timelapse I walked around the backyard and filmed the same footage with each. Not having the skeleton case I handheld the Gopro in one hand and held the dp6 in the other.

After I got all the footage and downloaded it. I started to look at the Protune footage next to regular Go Pro footage and the Protune is really flat. Like shooting with Flatt profile or Canons neutral profile turned down to 0-4-2,0. I opened up Cineform and put the Protune footage in and clicked on the button that says protune and the footage was brought alive. The colors became vivid and there is a lot more shadow and highlights brought out. I didn't adjust anything else. I wanted to see what it would do on its own. The one shot I did to see how Protunes would handle skintones I didn't do anything else too it and with this shot it appears that with all the added contrast you will differently need to touch any shot with people in them. The skintones weren't ideal at all very punchy and overly yellowish. I'll do some more testing with skintones. It might of been me using just the outside light.  Next I batched all the pics for the timelapse comparison right in Cineform which is really nice, no need to run a different software just to make a timelapse and clicked the Protune button and it applied the color correction to the whole timelapse. The colors on the timelapse looks good. Nice and vivid and the colors are nice and contrasty. The other Gopro footage I left it untouched.

 There were a few things I noticed after the install of Protunes. One being with the Smallhd dp6 hooked up it didn't show recording time like it did before the new firmware.I'll need to playback the footage to make sure it recorded which is not ideal if on a set and you have to take the time to check.  The other thing is you can no longer select the narrow setting for framing with 24p.

Overall I like the added features of Protunes. It makes the color correction in one step and you can further tweak them if you like. Without any other adjustment to the color correction it gives a really nice looking image.  The 24p feature is probably the best addition you can now film with the Gopro and not worry that you'll have to adjust the frame rate to match other cameras.

timelapse footage 
http://youtu.be/jieVl33iz50 
Protune on top, non Protune bottom


frame grabs from both go pros

hero 2 

protune

hero 2

protune

hero 2

protune

hero 2

protune