Robert,

I am new to GoPro cameras and I would like to get your advise. I have the Black & Silver Hero 3 cameras that I use and I would like to know what is the advantage of using Cineform software to convert or just take the video clip and do the editing and enhancement in PD11 and bypassing the conversion in Cineform. I have tried both methods and I can't seem to see much difference.

As I understand the video is already a MP4 file so why convert to AVI file to enhance and make changes using Cineform and then convert back to a MP4 file and then edit again in PD11.
Thanks for your advise in advance.

Walter

P.S. It stresses my computer also and takes a lot of time using Cineform. Windows 8 Pro 64bit
Cameras. Panasonic AG-HMC40, GoPro Hero 3 Black
Edition.

Hi Walter,

I suppose I should start with why I think you would use Cineform.

1. If you did not have a video editor Cineform at least allows you to split your video and apply some simple tweaks.

2. Cineform converts the mp4 video to .avi which although produces HUGE files, I mean HUUUUGE files, someone with an old computer would have a better chance of editing .avi as against mp4.

3. The Protune setting inside the camera is almost like a RAW photo in a still camera. A Protune video is virtually raw data straight off the sensor and as such when played without editing looks flat and lifeless, but it retains more data.

GoPro has developed a "Protune" pre-set inside Cineform that brings back, with a single click, the pop of normal Gopro footage. Something similar to the "Video Enhance" slider in PowerDirector. It automatically adjusts, contrast, sharpness and saturation to save someone the trouble of individually adjusting each slider.

So to sum things up.

1. I only use Cineform on Protune footage out of the camera.

2. In the little testing I did today with my protune footage, I seem to get a better result using the Protune pre-set in Cineform, then adding the "Video Enhance" slider in PD. Now some of my hanggliding friends have stated they think my videos are too saturated, but to me they look better, but hey each to their own.

3. I am a tinkerer and as such like to eek out every last drop of quality out of my youtube videos. If you were just doing videos for normal people, say relatives and friends they would not notice the extra detail protune brings out of the shadows for example.

Lastly one little trick Cineform does is neat. After your .avi is produced and say you used the "night time" pre-set to make it look like your daylight video was shot at night and you closed down CineForm and loaded the video onto PowerDirectors time line. You then realised, bummer that doesn't work for you.

Without closing down PD you just open up Cineform load the .avi and make any change in lighting or preset you like and it automatically gets applied to the video inside PD or for that matter even inside your video player, it is weird to see it happen. You don't have to re-save or re-render the video

Something to do with "Meta Data" I don't understand it but this is apparently how it is done.

Cheers

Robert2 S My youtube channel====> http://www.youtube.com/user/relate2?feature=mhsn

Robert,
That is some very good information. I am still in the learning stage with the GoPro cameras. I have been shooting videos with Panasonic AG-HMC40 and AG-HMC150 and I find the GoPro a little hard to deal with. Since the new apps from GoPro using my Tablet, I find that it is easier to change the settings on my Silver and Black now...

The information about using PD11 and Cineform AVI file and editing in PD11 is amazing.
I can't thank you enough for the information.

Merry Christmas and a Happy New Year from Florida.

Walter

P.S. And as a footnote I think the Cyberlink Power Director 11 is the best video editing software I have ever used... Windows 8 Pro 64bit
Cameras. Panasonic AG-HMC40, GoPro Hero 3 Black
Edition.

Hi Walter is was thinking the samething on the Cineform. I had never downloaded it till last weekend. I try it and did not see why I need to do all that conversion to avi and back to mp4. But I have the frist generation GoPro HD and it does not have the Protune setting. But I guess I will learn more this spring when I get a Black Edition. Intel i7 5960X overclock to 4 Ghz 16 GB of ram.
GoPro 4
Canon VIXIA HF G10
Canon EOS Rebel T3
Canon EOS 70D
My Vimeo Channel http://vimeo.com/user3339631/videos

Hi Robert,

Harking back to your initial post in this thread and the comment about RAM useage.
All the advice from PC suppliers and many editors on this forum recommend LOTS of RAM
when using Windows 7 64Bit. With this in mind I had 12GB installed when I purchased my
last PC which runs Win7 64bit. (Same CPU as you)
I have yet to see my RAM useage go above 4GB no matter what I am doing in PD10/11 or
for that matter in any program.
I wonder is there any way to utilise more RAM apart from building a RAM disk, and then how
would I use a RAM disk to do something productive ? ?

PS. I enjoy watching your videos and your commentary, super.

Patrick

Hi Walter,

Yes being able to use PowerDirector with Cineform without having to re-render your video is a bonus. Re Gopro's settings you're right it is a pain in the butt to change anything on the camera.


Hi Michael8511,

Yes not worth using Cineform with a HD1 gopro.

Hi Pat,

I have notice the same thing over the years regarding ram usage. Don't know of any way to use it all. I think PD would have to be re-written to use more ram.

My youtube channel====> http://www.youtube.com/user/relate2?feature=mhsn

I am guessing there is a misprint in the manual. The web site says 2704x1524. __________________________________
CORNBLOSSOM

Ah thanks Jamie, it is the electronic pdf manual, so you would think it would be easy to fix.

Having a close look at the page it seems they may have stated the 2.7 cin specs, as the 4K cin is larger than the normal 4K. My youtube channel====> http://www.youtube.com/user/relate2?feature=mhsn