GoPro Lens Mod Review // Extensive Testing, Comparisons, Details
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- เผยแพร่เมื่อ 30 มิ.ย. 2024
- Here's your complete GoPro Hero 9 Black Lens Mod In-Depth Review. In this video I dive though everything from installing it to the numerous settings options, and the differences between HyperSmooth Max Mode, Horizon Leveling, and Horizon Lock. Plus, footage comparisons to another GoPro Hero 9 Black side by side with the Lens Mod to help you decide.
Main benefits:
- You get a bit wider shot, though not dramatically so
- You can lock the horizon, useful for when the camera (or yourself) is inverted)
- Incredibly useful for portrait video like Instagram, since most mounts are designed for bottom mounting, this allows that while still getting a portrait shot.
- Max HyperSmooth can be slightly more smooth. Barely.
- Fully waterproofed as normal
Downsides:
- No night mode for photos, no timelapse options, other reduced options.
- Reduced video resolutions (max is 2.7K)
- Having to swap it out means over time if you do it a lot you’re likely to get dust in places
- Underwater means you'll get distortion of the image
0:00 Intro/Shipping/Pricing
0:33 Installation & Enablement
2:05 Horizon Lock
3:55 Horizon Leveling & Samples
6:55 Max Hypersmooth Mode (vs GoPro Max)
8:13 The Best Feature: Portrait Mode Lock
9:40 The Downsides
11:09 Night Footage
12:04 Complete Pros & Cons
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#GoPro #GoProLensMod #GoProHero9 - กีฬา
Love how you go through all the settings and have clearly tested it all yourself.
Are you consider to buy one Karl? great camera
@@ImotoriumVLOG for filming scammers
More importantly... I learned that you use a teleprompter. Excellent video as usual Ray! Gonna need that max lens mod for when my arms turn into wet noodles 50 miles into an ultra.
Haha...nope! It’s just notes on a screen. Normally that’s my overhead cam screen, but this time I moved it to there since I don’t have a second cable to my second camera.
GoPro needs to rein in their fancy marketing terms for their features a little bit. They have gone so overboard with Hypersmooth 3.0 Boost, Hypersmooth Plus, Max Hypersmooth 3.0, not to be confused with Max Hypersmooth 2.0 or Hypersmooth 2.0 base. Plus there is Max Superview which requires the Max Lens Mod, unless you have a GoPro Max. And if you have the Max Lens Mod then you can do Horizon Lock, which is different than Horizon Leveling, but actually it is virtually the exact same unless you are physically upside down when filming. Of course don't forget that you need to be in Max SuperView in order to do Horizon Lock, but normal SuperView allows Horizon Leveling. Then there is Timewarp 3.0 which is better than Timewarp 2.0 and can be combined with Horizon Leveling, but not Horizon Lock and there is no reason for Hypersmooth if you have Timewarp. Oh did I mention that the camera also has HindSight and LiveBurst and SuperPhoto? But my fingers are getting tired and my brain is getting confused with all of these GoPro Marketing Terms, so I am going to wrap it up. And by the time you are reading this comment GoPro will probably have released Max Timewarp 4.0 and SuperHyperSmooth with HorizonVault which are coming to the GoPro X in summer 2021 (you heard it here first).
It is honestly too confusing for anyone that doesn't spend hours of their lives watching tech review channels explaining it. Even I forget sometimes when I am out on the trail what all this stuff means and I'm breathing heavy from just pedaling up 1,000 feet and I don't have enough oxygen in my brain at the time to recall the matrix of GoPro features that work with other features, so I end up just pressing the red button on the top of the GoPro, doing my thing down the mountain, and hoping for the best. At this point, I bought the GoPro 9, not because I want a certain feature, but because I hope its better than the previous one (ok actually I bought it because it has removable/replacable lenses that they took away from me and then sold back to me this year as a feature).
Yup, I totally agree with you. It's confusing (and, also why I attempted to try and simplify/explain it). On the bright side, your comment is a pretty good one for GoPro to consider for sure. Super valid. Hopefully they'll see it!
I agree, so many fancy marketing words to make the potential buyers believe that they'll have a spacecraft in their hands.
You said it well, if you're not like us, subscribed to the best reviewers and watching dozens of reviews you can't understand. Even for us, we need to have a mental organizational chart of what all of our stuff can and can't do and when you're in the action you cannot lose time so you end up spraying and praying the red button.
Hey. Do you know what’s the real difference between horizon lock and horizon leveling? I understand that horizon lock works for 360 degrees, whereas I couldn’t figure out until what degrees the horizon leveling works. Thanks
@@polaxgr I think I saw something like 30º in a youtube video.
Thank you. I thought I was the only one.
Ray, this is I think one of your best videos - very to the point, and very clear. Many thanks!
Thank you for actually explaining for people who may not be techy! I've been looking at SO many different reviews and this is the first one I've been able to understand!!!
I'm glad to see the Max Lens mod works with Superview, from the testing I've done, I tough I would have to use linear mode with the Max Lens mod. It's gonna work great for chin mount. Thanks to my #1 source of information when it comes to detailed specs of the Gopro stuff mate!
You go deep in your (honest) comparison, with pros and cons, congratulations and thanks 👍🏻
Cheers for the review.. your reviews are my Go to reviews.. Easy to watch, lots of info, and not just the normal "influencer" positive reviews, but real life reviews, good or bad..
Thanks, appreciate it!!
Thanks Ray. As usual, in depth insight. Thanks for your hard work.
I’m so excited. Got the email yesterday that was in stock. Ordered it right away - and noticed it was sold out about 30 minutes later. Can’t wait to get it. Funny you mentioned Instagram stories. That’s actually one of the reasons I’m getting this for IG stories and IG Reels which I have to shoot in vertical and this will help out big time with that.
Awesome video. I was waiting for GoPro Lens Mod Review!
Ask and you shall receive!
GoPro hero 9 Black reviewed and Explained in one video, thanks mate! I’ll look forward into buying this!
I whack the like button before I even hit PLAY. Your videos are ALWAYS top notch. Thanks buddy.
That’s the spirit!
Impressive review, you covered everything I wanted to know. Thank you!
Glad you enjoyed it!
This guy is the best ! Very clear explaining products and unbiased !
Thanks!!!
@@Dcrainmaker Can the max mod go on a hero 7
@@petersmulders8058 no
@@petersmulders8058 😂😂😂
Great videos as usual, Ray. 👌🏻
thanks for all the information my friend. i just bought the GoPro Lens Mod today... cant wait to test it tommorrow. keep safe everyone :)
Ray, leave the front cap on when installing the Max Lens Mod. It protects it from palm prints. Once you have rotated the mod in to place, slide off the cap.
Yup indeed, good tip!
He didn't touch the lens.
Very well done demo and explanations.
I think I will have to wait a little more to understand it before I buy it, really good review!
Nice review. You can lock the display in portrait orientation from the dashboard as an alternative to pressing record in portrait orientation.
Correct. But you can't set it to portrait if already mounted. Yesterday was a good example of where I had mounted the camera to a bike (landscape), but wanted to get a few Instagram stories and have it be vertical. The only way to do that is unmount it from the bike, tilt it, then lock it, and remount.
Thanks again! I know how much work it is and it helps me again a lot :)
I finally got one ordered yesterday!
I am so on the fence on which camera to buy! I use a ION pro 3 and have for years for simple motorcycle helmet videos on my riding vacations. Time to upgrade and your videos are helping immensely!
Merry Christmas, wonder if GoPro 9 mod will have a Black Friday sale, will be watching.. great videos.👍
Thanks sooo much! I was so lost and your video really just lied things out and explained it well!
I believe that you can lock the orientation at portrait mode first before you start recording the video. It will stays in portrait mode even when you stopped recording. Use orientation LOCK swipe down menu.
great review. Thank you !!
"My ass should not be above my head" love it!
Thx. Very clear explanation.
Is there protective housing for the max lens? I also love your background.
That is the big question. It's almost useless if there is not a housing the hero can fit in with this lens attached
Hugely helpful thanks, i'm on the cusp of ordering one for my new 9 black but you've convinced me otherwise!
Thanks for the top tip again
Another brilliant video - without the Mod, what are your recommended settings for MTB with a chesty - I would want as wide and as stable as possible.
Wonderful work friend
Great review! I think I might pull the trigger on this GoPro.. wish I could find a mount for my bike stem to shoot forward. Every thing is stem extenders or stem caps but I have bike computer and a light and I want the camera central to. Think the lens max mod would be cool to use smaller mounts on car footage
Thank you for the review and making us aware of the resolution limitations. So for me and my applications...shooting at the highest resolution (5k) is most important so I can crop in post. No Max Lens Mod for me.
Thank you, very well explained…
Love the 5 k and image view forward. Will there be more lenses to pick from?
I'm pretty sure you can enable orientation lock before recording and then mount it and just press record to always be in portrait mode.
Quality info!
Thanks man! Question, do you film your videos with GoPros? and what's the mic you use? Thanks again your videos are really helpful !
Great review as usual. I am very new to GoPro (10) and am trying to get my head around it. So it is very possible I have this wrong however my understanding is horizon leveling is only available with Linear which has a FOV which is significantly narrower then the Lens Mod to the extent that there are many situations where it is sub-optimal. So at my very early stage of experimentation it seems to me the combination of a very significantly wider FOV with holding the horizon level is the big point of differentiation and more significant than the rare use of holding level upside down. Please do correct me if I have this wrong, I am here to learn.
I have the hero 9 & max lens mod. I haven’t per say used it in anger yet. My thinking was using the lens mod when mounting the camera to my helmet or backpack when snowboarding.
I need with editing the video. Your easy on the eye.
Thanks for sharing
Thank you for good video.
I would think it would be very useful snorkeling and diving, especially if GoPro every comes out with a domed housing of some sort to keep things sharp below 30 feet.
Thanks a lot for the very good review (as always).
I received the email about the availability today, "12 seconds later" I was on GoPro website to finally buy the GoPro and the mod plus accessories... Not in stock anymore (France). So my GoPro 9 purchase is delayed again cause I do not want to buy the camera and wait months hoping the lens to be in stock again.
I ordered it today - planing to use it at snowboard, where I am messing with some stick around me so it should be wider angle + better stabilization/horizon lock
Do you know if you get that horizon leveling with the max lens mod without being in linear?
@@LoganRides yes, check my latest video from the snow - max lens + horizon leveling (from the riding part)
Ok!
Excellent explanation! I see that the lens mod will widen the field of view, but does it also increase the height of the FOV?
Увеличивает, если не включать максимальный режим)
Vertical capture with max mod can be fixed with firmware update to avoid having to record first and then rotate.
Been holding off to see if this would be good for MTB POV. Don't feel it's worth it as that extra FOV isn't massive. I'd need to give up 4k and have an ultra fragile lens that have need to worry about. Really neat mod, but I'll leave it out of my workflow.
Great overview!
Indeed, it’s a cool solution for certain perspectives, but it’s not quite a massive jump from Superview already in the camera.
@@Dcrainmaker The Problem with MTB: horizon leveling only works with linear mode - and that sucks on a MTB. so i think if i want the horizion leveling (which is great) i need the maxmode.
@@philipp2104 yes.
I disagree, for me this would the only reason to update from my Hero 7. A larger FoV is paramount when you use stabilization, so that the viewer is able to see the handlebar move and shake to get a glimpse of how rough the terrain actually is. With a too narrow FoV it just looks like you're floating, which is pretty weird (unless you're following someone).
Nice review! Where did you buy the Side by Side GoPro Mount you are using? Thank you!
ray is that a extra seat on you bike in a few shots looks like there is a seat between you knees. Love your videos so much good and useful information.
Yup indeed! It’s for my daughters to go mountain biking with me too. I just got it a week to so ago, probably first ride with them tomorrow if the weather holds. kidsrideshotgun.com
I just ordered a gopro 9, do you think it is work buying the max lens mod? I will be using my gopro for fishing and mountain biking.
This mod will be great for motorcycle videos. I found the Gopro Hero 9 horizon leveling worked most of the time but turns can go beyond the 45 degree limit causing the video to suddenly tilt significantly.
Good point/use case!
turn on the max lens setting even if you dont have the lens... no one really talks about this yet... but i will soon lol
@@LifeofAccro That works! Thanks! The only downside seems to be a more cropped field of view (so more narrow than linear), but also no other lens required.
@@LifeofAccro yea that's the first thing I tested when I got it. It works.
Not my bike. Think 45° max then it scraps my pegs
Very interesting 👍🏽
Thank you for talking about photo as well. Kept on looking around to see if it’s worth it for photos as well. Unfortunately, it’s not
6:32 'you can see me mountainbiking'... near Amsterdam, in a country famous for being super flat :-D
j/k great video again man, thanks!
Some mountain bike shots were beer Amsterdam, but many were in the Swiss alps. ;)
very good video!
Thanks!!
🤣 my mantra "my ass shouldn't be above my head". You killed me on this one.
Hi, very informative clip. I wonder if one can use the Max mode feature with the normal lens!
yes, it works ;)
Super bro
That outro got me think about DDE!
Any other DDE fans here?
Why no mention of and video from enabling the Max Lens Mod mode with the regular lens on the camera? It would enable the horizon lock and the portrait video with the camera in landscape mode, just with less FOV, right?
Super Mate
Glad you liked it from a hardware point of view. Keep it in the Top Cap when installing to keep fingerprints off the lens and put the camera's cover glass in the Rear Cap to keep dust off the inside. When doing the side-side comparison, try hard mounting to the handlebars. Wearing on the chest takes out many of the bumps and vibrations. Mounting direct to the bike is where the stabilization really shines.
I'm going to purchase this for my son's. I gave the video a well deserved 👍🏾
i'd love to see a 2x lens mod
I know, how cool would that be?
Agree. 2x converters have been available for SLR cameras for decades. I'm amazed nobody has one out for GoPro cameras.
Another point here is that you might be better off with a standalone Max if you really want this stuff - then you also get over capture. Resolution differences will be gone when they release a Max2 with updated sensor spec. ;-)
Honestly I’ll buy it just for horizon lock
Thanks for the review if I may suggest one extra conclusion: the Hero 9 with the Max lens mod is really the end of the gimbal. I have the Max and the hero 9 (but not yet the Max lens mod = out of stock) but would use the Hero 9 with Max lens mod for my cinematic MTB videos (enjoying the landscape while I Mountainbike).
Yup, I agree with you. I'd even argue the Hero 7 was the beginning of that end, the Hero 8 started hammering the nails, and the Hero 9 pretty much seals the deal. I even think that in many ways Hero 8/9 MTB footage looks better sans-gimbals, because the gimbal tends to do unnatural things and tends to make everything look super boring. I actually like the tilt/rotation aspects without Horizon leveling.
@@Dcrainmaker Motion blur is the only thing that makes gimbals one step better. (If you analyze closely digitaly stabilized footage, there's a motion blur at individual frames from time to time, especially when the shutter speed is slower (it's pretty fast most of the time tho) And you can set the gimbal to stabilize less on some axis, because yes, leveled horizont makes footage more boring in my opinion too. However the comfort not have to bring gimbal is unbeatable.
@@ivanekprochazka You are correct: a grey filter is not possible on the Max and not on the Max lens Mod. So in Very bright condition a standard Gopro with greyfilter and gimbal is more cinematic. But I agree that the gimbal is a little bit to unnatural sometimes.
Max lens mod looks pretty cool. I think I'd buy it if it cost a little less. Also, are you turning into a mountain biker? Do you want me to send you some aero bars that you can add to your mountain bike so that you can tri-dork that bike up a little bit? ;)
I wish mountain biking was easier to get to. There's some good-ish flat but fun twisty stuff about 30 mins away by car (but we don't have a car, so I have to get a car-share thing, and that adds another 30-45 mins all-in). Where I went for this footage is fun, and only 10 mins away, but it's a pretty small loop. Albeit today setup for cyclocross or something.
There is in camera Max Mode. Use with horizon levelling and you get the same 360 level.
Gonna grab the Max Lens Mod. 2.7K is okay but I shoot 1080 60 anyways.
Thank you
Hey Ray, I have the GoPro 9 and was keen to get the Max Lens Mod until I discovered that you can still do a full 360° horizon lock with the standard lens. The only difference I can tell is that your field of view isn't as wide and you get a little warping on the edges when you turn the GoPro through a 180 degree arc.
Still its pretty dope that you can do this with the standard lens. Just turn on lens mod on the settings screen, then it shows Max Lens Mod is activated. Make sure you turn on Horizon lock and that your lens is set to Max Super View.
I'm keen to see if anyone can show if there is a major difference between the Max Lens Mod and the standard lens. From what I have read I don't think it will be a huge difference - Max Lens Mod 180 degree compared to Standard Lens 155 degree angle of view.
Can anyone else confirm?
Here is a video I took using the standard lens activated with Lens Mod th-cam.com/video/lXzTEzwxazE/w-d-xo.html
U talk about DIVING, Does this 9 with lense fitt into underwater Housing ?
Since the max mod is not connected electronically, can we just use the max mod setting in the camera but at the same time use the normal lens?
What’s the difference between horizon lock and horizon leveling ? Horizon lock works 360 degrees ? Whereas horizon leveling works until what degrees?
If one is into sky sports..the max lens mod is a good addition.
I will buy it
Can you explain what is the difference between Horizon Leveling and Hypersmooth? Like what technically each feature does that the other feature doesn’t?
Horizon leveling will keep the frame parallel to the horizon, hypersmooth will allow the frame to match the tilt of the camera. Both come with a drop in resolution, but it’s worse with horizon leveling
I love your t-shirt....where did you get it?!
Ask and you shall receive: amzn.to/2FF00Er
Looks like there is less fisheye warping on the edges with the Max mod lens.
GoPro needs to step up their game, I purchased this camera because of the MLM and it’s sold out so quick, I didn’t even get an email, so frustrating.
same. purposefully put in my email to get notified when this went on sale. you know how i got notified that this was on sale? this video told me it was. never got the email. only found out because i ran across this video by accident. really need to produce more of their stock so when they go on sale they have enough for those who want to buy it. feel there's some sort of poor/dishonest sales practices here
@@DaxtonOliverAshlocke same
the lens flare are different with max lens at 6min30. Less distracting with the lens. But when you compare lens flare with the gopro max, well the max looks better. Your teleprompter computer monitor looks far. How are the bugs and touch screen response going on?
You can lock horizon with out lens. I did it. I just put in a had lens in setting. And locked horizon
Indeed, however, depending on the resolution you choose, you'll get weird artifacting/edges.
so what is the difference between horizon leveling and horizon lock? assuming the max lens mod is on in both cases. thanks.
Would the mount work in reverse. If i want to mount vertical to save space but have the footage horizontal? Theres a third party making vertical mounts.
I’m looking for horizon lock with a fairly zoomed in crop ( mounting on Kitesurf lines 12+ ft away). Would you recommend the Gopro Max in hero mode with narrow lens, or the lens mod in 2.7k cropped in post?
That's tough. Horizon lock is awesome, but in this case you're sorta giving up a lot of resolution compared to regular 4K superview mode on a Hero 9. I'd almost always choose the Hero 9+Lens Mod over the Max though for your specific purpose, because you still get better resolution on the 9+Lens than you would on Max in single lens mode. Plus, you've got the flexibility to do other things with it. Just my two cents.
@@Dcrainmaker thanks!
What happens if you enable “max mode” with the original lens attached? I imagine that it will crop more the image. But maybe that way you can have “horizon lock “ with just some missing FOV. But useful still in some situations
Yup, exactly. It's funny, I almost included it in my original GoPro Hero 9 Review video, but didn't because I figured there was some scenario I was missing. But correct, it does 'technically' work for horizon lock, but you get some weird artifacts. I didn't extensively test it.
Does the portrait mode lock (turning the camera sideways) need to be re-done with every stop/record?.. I am a skier, and turn the camera off/stop it, at the end of every run. I'd hate to do the 90 degree tilt everytime when it's attached to the helmet..
Granted I can tilt my head, but no way of knowing if I did that correctly without unscrewing the gopro.
Does it shoot pictures in raw at least or you lose that option too?
Can you research and write about the problems others and I are having regarding extracting telemetry data (performance stickers like GPS path, speed, etc.) from GoPro Hero 9 videos? This problem persists in Hero 8; I bought Hero 9 hoping that it would not be an issue, but no luck. It’s very, very frustrating.
So with horizon lock if your on a roller coaster the camera view will not follow you upside down?
It's a shame you say it doesn't work well underwater. Do you think it would work better inside a dome?
you can disable max mode with the lens on... you would have a wider fov than normal. i dont think it's that bad. I dont have the max mode yet, to test this. Oh lool you did try it, talked to early.. xD.
Mine has 4 hypersmooth options - off, on, high, boost
It depends on the exact mode you're in. I talked through all four modes, but the mode I was in at that exact second was just the three levels.
If you are good at video production you don’t loose anything, what DP uses the same lens for every shot?