Remember that amazing surfing trip last summer? You captured breathtaking footage with your GoPro Session, but when you reviewed it, you realized something was missing: the sound of the crashing waves and your exhilarated shouts. This is a common question, and understanding whether your GoPro Session records sound and how to optimize audio recording is crucial for creating truly immersive videos. This guide will explain everything you need to know about audio recording on your GoPro Session, helping you improve your future action videos.
GoPro Session Audio Capabilities
The GoPro Session, while compact, does indeed have the capability to record audio. However, the quality and effectiveness of the sound recording depend on several factors, including the model of the Session camera, its settings, and the surrounding environment. Understanding these factors is key to getting the best possible audio with your GoPro Session. We’ll explore these factors in detail below.
Microphone Placement and Sensitivity
- The GoPro Session’s microphone is integrated into the camera body. This placement limits its ability to capture sound from distant sources. The microphone’s proximity to the camera itself can also result in capturing vibrations from the camera’s movement, which may become noticeable as unwanted noise in your videos. Experimentation with camera positioning is vital to minimize this.
- The built-in microphone is relatively sensitive. While this allows for decent sound pickup in quiet settings, it can easily become overwhelmed in loud environments. This sensitivity can lead to distorted or clipped audio. You may need to manage the surrounding audio level to avoid such distortions.
Wind Noise Reduction
Wind noise is a significant challenge for any small, integrated microphone, and the GoPro Session is no exception. This section explores strategies to mitigate wind interference.
- Wind noise reduction settings: The GoPro Session’s software may offer some level of wind noise reduction. Explore the settings menu to find and adjust this. Experimentation to find the best balance between noise reduction and audio quality is essential.
- External windshields: Consider purchasing a wind muff or deadcat windshield designed for your GoPro Session. These accessories help significantly reduce wind noise by acting as a barrier between the microphone and the wind. This can dramatically improve audio quality in windy conditions.
Optimizing Sound Recording on Your GoPro Session
This section provides practical advice and techniques to improve the audio quality of your GoPro videos using your Session camera.
Microphone Positioning
- Reduce background noise: Position your GoPro Session strategically to minimize extraneous sounds. For example, if you’re filming a conversation, place the camera closer to the speaker to reduce the influence of ambient sounds.
- Avoid vibrations: Securely mount your GoPro Session to reduce vibrations from movement. Vibrations are transmitted directly to the microphone and can significantly impact audio quality. The use of a quality mount or stabilizing device is recommended.
Adjusting Audio Levels
Proper level settings are crucial for good audio. Too high, and you risk distortion; too low, and your audio is quiet and unusable.
- Pre-recording sound checks: Before starting your recording, perform a quick test to check the audio levels. Speak at your typical recording volume to ensure the sound levels are adequately captured without clipping (distortion).
- Post-production editing: Even with careful pre-recording planning, you may need post-production editing. Software such as Audacity or Adobe Audition can help adjust levels, remove background noise, and improve overall audio quality.
Does GoPro Session Record Sound in Specific Scenarios?
Let’s examine the audio performance in various common usage scenarios for the GoPro Session.
Action Sports
In action sports, the inherent movement and often noisy environments present a challenge for audio recording. The combination of wind noise and the sounds of the activity itself can make clear audio capture difficult.
- Wind muff necessity: A quality wind muff becomes almost essential for action sports, significantly improving audio quality by mitigating wind noise.
- Post-production cleanup: Be prepared to dedicate time to post-production audio editing to remove unwanted sounds and improve overall clarity.
Interviews
While not ideal for professional-quality interviews, the GoPro Session can still capture reasonably good audio for informal interviews provided you take certain precautions.
- Minimize background noise: Choose a quiet location with minimal ambient sound.
- Position the camera appropriately: Place the camera close to the interview subject to improve audio pickup.
Nature Scenes
The GoPro Session can adequately capture natural sounds in quieter environments. However, the quality can still be hindered by wind noise if precautions are not taken.
| Scenario | Audio Quality (without wind protection) | Audio Quality (with wind protection) |
|---|---|---|
| Calm forest | Good | Excellent |
| Ocean waves (moderate wind) | Fair | Good |
| Mountain stream (strong wind) | Poor | Fair |
Common Myths about GoPro Session Audio
Myth 1: GoPro Session audio is always unusable.
This is false. While not as high-quality as dedicated audio recorders, the GoPro Session can capture usable audio, especially in quieter environments or when using appropriate accessories and techniques.
Myth 2: There’s no way to improve the audio after recording.
Incorrect. Post-production audio editing software can significantly improve audio quality. This can include noise reduction, equalization, and other techniques to enhance the clarity of the audio.
Myth 3: Wind noise is inevitable with the GoPro Session.
While wind noise is a challenge, it is not insurmountable. The use of external windshields dramatically reduces this problem, yielding much more usable audio.
FAQ
Does the GoPro Hero Session 5 record sound?
Yes, the GoPro Hero Session 5, like other GoPro Session models, has a built-in microphone and records audio. However, the audio quality is significantly improved with wind protection and proper microphone placement.
How can I improve the sound quality of my GoPro Session recordings?
To improve audio quality, use a wind muff, position the camera to minimize background noise and vibrations, and consider post-production audio editing to clean up the audio. Experiment with settings for noise reduction.
Why is my GoPro Session audio so quiet?
Quiet audio might be due to low recording levels, significant distance from the sound source, or high background noise. Check your audio levels in settings and try repositioning the camera closer to the sound source.
Does GoPro Session record audio underwater?
The GoPro Session can record audio underwater to a degree, though quality is significantly reduced. The underwater environment muffles sound and creates other audio artifacts. You’ll want to manage your expectations.
My GoPro Session audio is distorted. What should I do?
Distorted audio is usually a result of overly high recording levels. Try lowering the audio input level in your camera’s settings. You may also be able to reduce the distortion in post-production.
Final Thoughts
While the GoPro Session’s integrated microphone isn’t a professional-grade audio recorder, it’s capable of capturing decent sound. With strategic microphone positioning, the use of accessories like wind muffs, and a willingness to tackle some post-production audio editing, you can significantly enhance your audio recordings. Remember to experiment, test your settings, and learn to master the limitations of the device to achieve the best possible results. Start filming today, and experience the difference!
