GoPro’s proprietary video-editing software, called GoPro Player, just received a major update that greatly expands its capabilities. While before it was a useful piece of software for owners of GoPro’s Hero and Max cameras, it now offers extra features with the introduction of GoPro’s ReelSteady software, as well as other significant upgrades.
ReelSteady previously existed as a stand-alone application for applying an extra level of stabilization to camera footage. GoPro already has impressive “HyperSmooth” stabilization built into its cameras, but ReelSteady now offers a significant boost to that stabilization, utilizing the more powerful computing performance of a desktop or laptop computer. Horizon leveling can also be applied as part of this process.
Additional updates include new lens correction capability to remove wide-angle curvature, as well as a new batch export function that allows users to queue many files for export. These build on GoPro Player’s existing functionalities, such as viewing and reframing 360 video content from GoPro Max cameras.
One such existing function of GoPro Player is the ability to grab a still frame out of your footage while editing, which be can be used to create engaging thumbnails for YouTube, or to share particularly cool moments. With the update, 360 video now offers a wide variety of creative possibilities for creating mind-bending still images from the spherical video you capture using such cameras.
GoPro Player + ReelSteady is designed to be both easy to use and robust enough for professional use. ReelSteady stabilization can be applied and viewed immediately prior to export, giving you more control over the process.
Keep in mind that, while ReelSteady works with many generations of GoPros, footage shot using compatible cameras older than the Hero8 needs to have been captured with EIS or HyperSmooth disabled in order to apply ReelSteady. HyperSmooth shot with GoPro cameras from the Hero8 onwards is fully compatible with ReelSteady.
By combining GoPro Player and ReelSteady, GoPro has created a robust software suite for both action camera and 360 video enthusiasts. As someone who shoots with both varieties of cameras to create videos of my adventures, this is highly appealing. Being able to reframe and make composite video out of 360 footage, clip and apply extra stabilization to video captured with the Hero 10, and queue hundreds of clips for export simultaneously would be great additions to my workflow.
GoPro Player + ReelSteady is available as a $99 upgrade to the GoPro Player app, which is compatible with Windows and MacOS operating systems. You can download it through either the Windows Store or Mac App Store. Current ReelSteady GO users qualify for a free upgrade to GoPro Player + ReelSteady.
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