GoPro HERO2 Protune Upgrade

GoPro HERO2 Protune

GoPro announced some pretty exciting stuff for the POV market at NAB 2012. A new firmware upgrade for the GoPro HERO2 called Protune adds 24p and 35Mbps data rate to the HERO2. In partnership with Technicolor, the new Protune update adds the ability to shoot with a flat Cinestyle developed by Technicolor.

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More details in the press release below.

HALF MOON BAY, CA & HOLLYWOOD, CA, – (April 17, 2012) – GoPro, the world’s most versatile camera, and Technicolor, a worldwide leader in technology and color-science, announced today at the NAB 2012 Show in Las Vegas they have worked to embed Technicolor’s CineStyle™ color profile for the debut of the new GoPro Protune™ (a free firmware upgrade available here for the HD HERO2 camera.

Certified by Technicolor, and developed by GoPro, the Protune mode firmware upgrade is a significant development for the professional production and post-production market, which incorporates Technicolor color science into GoPro’s latest product launch. These new features combine to allow professional filmmakers a vastly improved and flexible workflow for seamless integration with other source material and post-production platforms.

Key features of the GoPro Protune mode include:

24fps frame rate, enabling GoPro HERO2 content to be easily intercut with other sources without a frame rate conversion;
35Mbps data rate for the industry’s highest quality compressed image with virtually zero artifacts;
Neutral color profile, allowing for greater flexibility in a color correction workflow;
Log curve encoding, offering more detail in shadows and highlights;
Reduced sharpening and noise reduction for improved flexibility in professional post- production and color design workflows.

“GoPro Protune mode is an extraordinary development for the entire professional production market – from filmmakers, cinematographers and DITs, to editors and colorists who are increasingly relying on the HERO2 for cinematic productions,” said David Newman, senior director of software engineering for GoPro. “Developing this with Technicolor has provided us with a level of technological expertise that optimizes Protune for the professional market. Filmmakers are making critical decisions every day on the tools they’ll invest in for their cinematic productions, and we are confident our collaboration with Technicolor makes their decision that much easier. We’re looking forward to our customers’ reaction when we unveil Protune at NAB 2012.”

“Technicolor is thrilled to make its color science available to GoPro throughout its Protune upgraded firmware,” stated Technicolor’s Alejandro Guerrero, senior vice president, Technicolor Digital Productions. “With more than 130,000 (and counting) cinematographers already using our CineStyle color profile, we are committed to expanding the CineStyle toolkit and are thrilled to support GoPro as it expands its market base.”

Seamless Integration with GoPro CineForm Studio

GoPro Protune mode makes integration with GoPro CineForm Studio simple, automatically detecting Protune settings and applying the default adjustments to create stunning images. The workflow is further enhanced by a variety of color tuning presets, or ‘looks’ that further enhance the filmmakers’ story.

Using Protune with GoPro CineForm Studio Premium and GoPro CineForm Studio Professional provides additional benefits, offering extensive color correction controls and customizable presets to create professional, cinematic looks from the GoPro HERO2 captured content. Non-destructive 3D LUTs provide even more flexibility, enabling users to further tweak their images, manipulate saturation and contrast and color correction controls to create highly stylized content.

GoPro Protune mode is available as a free firmware upgrade through the GoPro CineForm Studio software, which is also available as a free download here.