The GoPro Hero 8 black is a fantastic little action camera and in this article and video I’m showing you how to shoot great hyperlapse sequences with it.
Thanks to GoPro's new TimeWarp 2.0 the Hero 8 really is an impressive ‘plug and play' hyperlapse camera. Here are a few shots as an example:
Buy the GoPro Hero 8 from B&H here or from Amazon here. (affiliate links)
If you prefer to watch the GoPro Hyperlapse Tutorial then hit play, otherwise keep reading.
Let's start with some context: Traditionally a hyperlapse is shot as a series of images then stabilised in After Effects or some other software and exported into a high res video file.
Over the years I’ve made a large number of hyperlapse tutorials on my YouTube channel so have a look at this new hyperlapse tutorial playlist if you want to learn more about the other ways of shooting hyperlapses:
This method still gives you the highest possible quality and an enormous amount of control however it does take a lot of work!
Now back to GoPro: A few years back GoPro developed their own stabilisation algorithm called HyperSmooth, the first GoPro to have this was the Hero 7 Black. HyperSmooth adds a digital stabilisation to your footage as you’re filming.
GoPro then improved on that mode and added it to the Hero 8 and called it HyperSmooth 2.0
They’ve then also applied this stabiliser to their timelapse mode, so you can flick your camera to TimeWarp and start shooting epic hyperlapse. Welcome TimeWarp 2.0!
So how do you shoot a hyperlapse on a GoPro?
- Turn to timelapse mode then enable TimeWarp
- Choose 4K resolution.
- Choose linear lens mode (this is my personal preference)
- Set your speed setting to 15x or 30x
- Turn on your grid view and turn off your screen saver.
- Long press the screen and then tap it to lock your exposure.
- Walk slowly and steadily while pointing the camera at the exact same spot.
It’s a bit counterintuitive but you want to have your speed setting set to 15 or 30x. The reason you choose this and not 2x or 5x is because when setting up these settings you give the camera more choice to choose the more stable frames. If you’re shooting at 2x it has to include more frames and won’t be able to find as many good ones.
If you want to learn how to hyperlapse the classic way then watch this older video I made about How To Hyperlapse:
Want to learn more about timelapse photography? Check out my newly discounted e-books:
