Need GoPro tips - It always seems grainy in dark settings...

[FireflyTX]

I was even hesitant to post this cause I know people are going to be like"Put away your camera...etc" BUT one of the ways I create art is through video and photo editing. I am a virgin to Burning Man but I have been attending Burning Flipside on a regular basis and I am super corteous and I do respect other burners privacy when it comes to not shooting them. It will be my friends, the art and MOSTLY when my husband and I renew our vows.

I don't use my Gopro often enough as I haven't had it very long but I noticed in dark settings and especially when there is crazy dance lighting my video is grainy. Can someone give me some tips? Should I turn down the High Def........I really have no idea what I am doing when it comes to this camera. I have a Silver GoPro 3+ if that info is helpful. I am shooting photos and video.

[geospyder]

Just a general comment about taking pictures at Burning Man. I've found that if you use the flash at night you will highlight all the dust particles in the air Better to not use the flash. But then again I use a very inexpensive point and shoot digital. My criteria was that it be cheap, use AA batteries and not have a movable lens (no failure due to dust)

[DrYes]

I was even hesitant to post this cause I know people are going to be like"Put away your camera...etc" BUT one of the ways I create art is through video and photo editing. I am a virgin to Burning Man but I have been attending Burning Flipside on a regular basis and I am super corteous and I do respect other burners privacy when it comes to not shooting them. It will be my friends, the art and MOSTLY when my husband and I renew our vows.

I don't use my Gopro often enough as I haven't had it very long but I noticed in dark settings and especially when there is crazy dance lighting my video is grainy. Can someone give me some tips? Should I turn down the High Def........I really have no idea what I am doing when it comes to this camera. I have a Silver GoPro 3+ if that info is helpful. I am shooting photos and video.

I don't have a GoPro, so don't know how much control you have over it, but sounds like it's just a function of the ISO being cranked way up so as to be able to take pics at night. For shots of stationary objects (or if you don't mind anything moving being blurred), you could (if a GoPro allows you to do this...I have no idea) manually set the ISO to 100 (typically the lowest) and then take longer exposure pictures.

If you have people or anything else that fundamentally doesn't stand still very well, you need a fast shutter speed, and the only way your camera is going to be able to achieve a fast shutter speed while properly exposing the photo is to jack up the ISO (basically, the sensitivity of the sensor to light). The graininess (called 'noise') results from that.

[VultureChow]

Hey,

I can't help you, but you go and rock that GoPro. I never remember to take photos and video and count on others so I can show friends and family what was there.

The video of the guy in the dust storm is one of my favorite playa vids ever.

[media]

[FireflyTX]

Yes, that is moments I am actually looking to capture!! Freaking NUTS!

As far as still pics go I don't I think that should be too bad. I don't think I can control the ISO for those (I WISH I COULD). But I noticed I DO have to stay really still for dark shots and there is no flash so I don't have to worry about that going off. More of my issues is with the videos I have taken in dark studios with dance lighting. Definitely grainy. The High Res on clear shots is so super ridiculously awesome and then I go to shoot things in the evening and it is slightly disappointing. I just figured I don't have enough practice with this thing yet. I seen some great Burning Man videos that people shot at night with a GoPro if I can just get there secret to what settings they have it on I should be set.....

I hope I actually take pictures and videos cause at our regional burn I do get in the moment and my art projects seem to get on the back burner.

Is there anybody out there......

[Just_Joe]

Don't waste too much of your time your time. GoPro and night time (darkness) just don't mix.
You might get a little better quality if you reduce Frames Per Second to the lowest setting you can find for whatever resolution you're shooting, but it will still be pretty crappy if there isn't a lot of ambient light.