The aspect ratio of a photo or video is the proportional relationship between its width and it’s height, in other words, how wide compared to how tall an image/video is shown. Aspects ratios are typically expressed as two numbers, which are separated by colon or “x", such as 16:9 or 16x9 (pronounced "sixteen by nine", or "sixteen nine"). A sixteen by nine aspect ratio means that if an image is 16 parts wide, it will also be 9 equal parts high.

• 16:9 - Most common aspect ratio across all platforms (phones, tv’s, computers, Netflix, YouTube etc…)
• Use for: YouTube video
• 4:3 - Less common aspect ratio for traditional mediums, however 4:3 allows you to capture more top and bottom in a video. This aspect ratio looks much more square as a 16:9 aspect ratio (which is more rectangular)
• Use for: Instagram/Facebook posts
• A 4:3 aspect ratio video generally looks better as it takes up more screen space on your social media news feed (it’s a lot taller than a 16:9 video) especially when viewed on a smartphone

• For example, a video that is shot in 1080p, this means the image is 1920 pixels wide and 1080 pixels tall. 

Nowadays, the most common shooting modes today are 1080p and 4K. Although it might be tempting to shoot at the largest setting to capture the most pixels (i.e. the clearest and largest video), that’s not always the best case. Before embarking on your adventure, ask yourself what you're going to be doing with the footage. Will you be editing the video yourself or will you be using a Video Editing Service? Let’s break down the various options below and provide some suggestions when you should use them.

• 720p: 1280 x 720 - Not worth shooting at this resolution (low quality, most smartphones have better image quality than this)
• 960p: 1280 x 960 - Still not worth it unless you really really want to conserve your battery and keep the video file sizes down
• 1080p: 1920 x 1080 - 1080p is the industry standard and is often called HD (High Definition). Most computers, TVs, and phones can easily play 1080p footage. If your simply looking to make a YouTube video of your trip or video, shoot it in 1080p.
• 1440P: 1920 x 1440 - Spivo's recommended shooting resolution. Why? Because you're capturing an extra 360 vertical pixels due to the for the 4:3 aspect ratio, which means your video has more top and bottom (a taller overall video). Notice in the screenshots below how when shooting in 1440p, I was able to capture the full waterfall. If you’re planning on posting a few Instagram videos or Facebook posts, we recommend using this resolution to capture the most in your videos. 

• 2.7k: 2704 x 1520 - (16:9 aspect ratio) 2.7k offers great image quality however, you’ll have to deal with larger file sizes and might have difficulty playing/editing videos depending on your device or computer, which can make 2.7k footage a bit of a nuisance.
• 2.7k: 2704 x 2028 - (4:3 aspect ratio) Best for Instagram and Facebook posts, but you’ll have to deal with larger file sizes and reduce battery when compared to shooting in 1440p. 
• 4k: 3840 x 2160 - The largest and best resolution offered on GoPro cameras  Although you’ll get very high-quality videos, manipulating and playing the videos can be time confusing and challenging due to the large file sizes. It’s important to keep in mind that you’ll also drain your battery much faster shooting at higher resolutions. This is especially noticeable in cold environments, where your battery life is significantly reduced. (Pro Tip: If your camera is dead in the cold, stick your GoPro under your armpit for a minute or two. Brrr, it’ll be cold, but worth it for the ‘gram)

If you're just starting out, we don’t recommend shooting in 2.7k or 4k for these reasons. When in doubt, film in 1080p or 1440p to keep your video file sizes relatively small, and still have great quality video, all the while not chewing up too much battery.

Frame rate is the number of pictures (or frames) per second in a given video. So we’re all on the same page, all videos (filmed on GoPro’s, iPhones, or any camera for that matter) are made from a number of images played in sequence. Frame rates are commonly written out as a number followed by FPS, which stands for “Frames Per Second”.

The most common frame rate for GoPros is 30 FPS, followed by 60 FPS, 120 FPS, and 240 FPS. It’s important to note that anything below 18-20 FPS, will appear blurry to the human eye. Depending on the environment and action in your video, in some cases, video shot at 30 FPS can appear blurry if an object is moving very fast. 

For most adventure and travel videos, like sightseeing or snorkeling trip, we generally recommend shooting in 30 FPS, which will conserve your battery and keep your video file sizes down.

You’ll want to use frame rates 60 FPS and above when shooting in fast environments or high action sports (car racing, to capture a soccer ball after being kicked, when flying by the camera while skiing/snowboarding, etc…) Another use case is if you plan on making slow-mo videos.

• For example, if your shooting at 80 FPS, you’ll be able to slow down when video editing your footage by 37.5% to bring it down to 30 FPS, while still capturing great video quality like in the snowboarding video below.

Verdict: For most adventures, shooting in 30 FPS (the default is either 24FPS or 30 FPS, depending on your camera) is sufficient, unless there are fast moving objects or you plan on slowing down the footage.

Field of view (FOV)

Aspect Ratio: 4x3

Resolution: 1440p 

Field of view: Wide

Frame rate: 30 FPS 

If this all seems a little complicated, try our Video Editing Service to make your videos look awesome no matter the settings

Choosing the right GoPro settings can certainly help your footage look good right out of the camera, but editing can work wonders if you haven't.  Over the years, we realized that so much GoPro footage goes unused because most people don't have the time or ability to edit their footage once they get home.

That's why we launched the first Video Editing Service specifically for GoPro adventurers. Our professional editors take your footage and edit it into an awesome storyline with transitions, video stabilization, color correction, and more. Check it out right now if you've got piles of GoPro footage laying around.