GoPro Video Editing Tips - Convert, Import and Edit Your HD MP4 Outdoor Clips

GoPro Video Editing
If your experience with GoPro HD MP4 video hasn't been very smooth then don't worry. Help is on its way to you!

Perhaps you can't import, convert or edit the MP4 clips in your current video editor and you feel you've been screwed paying $300 for a camera that doesn't allow you to do anything else but shoot...

NOT true my friend! I've been there and if it's one thing I've learned about internet it is this: whenever you have a problem, Google is there for you.
GoPro Editing Software - Magix Movie Edit Pro Plus

Click Here To Get Magix Movie Edit Pro and Easily Edit Your Videos. It Works with All Video Formats: MP4, MOV, MTS (AVCHD), AVI, etc. If you're using a Mac, get Final Cut Pro.

However, if you don't have the time to browse through endless search results looking for the right solution to your video editing issues then choose a certified shortcut and read the GoPro tutorials below.

Most of the links refer to articles on video editing tips but I guess your biggest wish is to learn how to convert the MP4 clips to AVI format as to be able to properly import and edit your extreme sports videos without buying another video editing software (check out the fifth link in the list for that).

GoPro HD Video Editing Resources
For a cool gliding effect shoot your videos with a DIY steadicam for GoPro camera.

Cheers!


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24 comments :

  1. So cool that you do all this research for us. I'm going to see if GoPro will send me a camera to review and then I'll come here to learn how to use it.

    ReplyDelete
  2. Thanks Constantin, as you know, I learnt alot from your posts, and after a lot of trials & errors, I posted an article about editing GoPro videos fast free and easy.. hopefully you don't mind sharing it..

    http://mountainbiketrailsusa.com/blog/edit-gopro-hd-videos-free-easy-and-fast/

    ReplyDelete
  3. all i wanna do is drag my gopro hd videos onto my windows moviemaker and make a video..... having a nightmare

    please help me..... paulmcgrath52@hotmail.com

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  4. You need to convert the MP4 video files to AVI in order to drag the HD vids into Movie Maker.

    I replied via email. Let me know how it goes.

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    Replies
    1. Go pro records in mp4 so why covert for you tube uploads cant get my head round this .

      Delete
    2. You can upload to YouTube directly without converting. But if your video editor doesn't work with MP4 then you may need to convert the video files to a more common format.

      I edit with Magix which works with MP4 files.

      Delete
  5. there's some other tools
    I currently use
    Video Download Studio
    download, edit, convert, play features.

    ReplyDelete
  6. my file size is more than 3.5 Gb. I tried to save as .MOV file with MPEG Streamclip, but an error occured and my file wasnt changed to MOV. What;s the problem? May be file is too big?

    Thanks

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  7. Hi Ignas!

    I'm not sure what can be the problem... The file size should't have to do anything with it.

    Try to save it as AVI instead and see how it goes. Try to convert it with Leawo as well.

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  8. Hi - I have just tried MPEG Streamclip and it crashed when I tried to open GoPro's MP4 file. So I changed the file extension manualy to MOV, imported to Premiere Pro CS4 - it worked only ONE time, after reopening the program the file didn't work anymore (evil magic?). So finally I tried Super Coder (free) and used "direct stream copy" to make MOV out of MP4 - and this solution worked. Hope I could save somebodys time - because I just lost over an hour of mine to find this out. :)

    ReplyDelete
  9. Hey Luke! Thanks for your intervention!
    I never had this problem with Streamclip so I'm not sure what may be the problem.

    If Super Coder converts GoPro HD MP4 clips to MOV then people should definitely know about it.

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  10. I tried the FoxTab video converter (above) and it is horrible quality. Pixalation is horrible. Advice? It seems like if you convert or edit your video it loses quality.

    ReplyDelete
  11. Don't know about FoxTab. Maybe it was an automatic ad generated by Google.

    Anyway, convert your GoPro HD videos with MPEG Streamclip. You can convert MP4 toAVI without loosing any quality.

    See tutorial here.

    ReplyDelete
  12. It's simple to just say "convert to avi and get the job done".

    we should talk about codecs

    There are codecs for distribution and codecs for editing.

    To be extremely short:

    Editing codec:

    - low compression
    - low cpu usage
    - big size files

    Very popular codecs are Cineform and Prorez (both in avi or mov)

    Distribution codec:
    - High compression
    - High cpu usage
    - Small files

    most popular are flashvideo (flv), avc, 3gp, mpg

    Talking about Gopro, the correct workflow is:

    - Copy camera files from flash memory to HDD
    - Convert mp4 files in an editing codec files
    - Video editing session
    - Render final result in a distrubution codec

    OR:
    edit directly a full hd gopro mp4 file, but you will need a nuclear plutonium powered computer by nasa

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. :-) I see your point and you're right.

      But I was surprised to see that Magix Edit Pro Plus works pretty well with HD mp4 files even with an old laptop. That's why I've been sticking with it for all this time - it does the job for me (very easy and intuitive to work with).

      It's a paradox but I find it easier to work directly with the MP4 files instead of working with large uncompressed AVI files.

      Ever since I used a cooler with my laptop - editing became smoother - the software would run well, no stalls, etc.

      I guess it depends on many other factors (type of processor, RAM, video graphics card, how well you can cool your machine, etc).

      I output my final GoPro HD video in AVI and then I compress it to MP4 (distribution format as you said) for smaller file size and faster online upload.

      That's because if I try to export directly as MP4, I loose some quality. But when I edit, I do use the original GoPro HD MP4 files.

      Delete
  13. Just ordered Magix Edit Pro Plus thanks to this feed. I tried converting for Windows Movie Maker, but couldn't get it to work. Sounds like the 1080 video I just shot with the GP Hero 2 is probably a little overkill and could bog down my computer (Dell Windows 7 32 Bit 3GB RAM) even with Magix? R1 will really be good enough for burning to DVD in HD and/or uploading to YT or FB?

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. Try R2 (R1 is fine as well but is not HD). But why do you need to convert for Movie Maker?

      You either convert the clips to AVI with MPEG Streamclip so then you can edit them with Movie Maker. Or you edit the MP4 files with Magix (no need to convert) and then export it. Here's my full tutorial.

      Yup 1080 p might be too much. Go for 720 p, use a laptop cooler and close all other programs when editing.

      Delete
    2. Thanks. I took some time lapse footage for the first time. What is the best way to download 850 time lapse stills to Magix and make it look like video? I assume there is an easy way.

      Delete
    3. Thanks, What is the best way to download timelapse stills from GoPro to Magix and turn it into video?

      Delete
    4. Hey.

      It's quite easy:

      Import all pics in your video editor (CTRL + A and drag them into the timeline) and make the settings so the software takes each picture as a frame = 1 picture/frame - see this picture for details.

      Then you export all pictures as a movie in at least 24 fps.

      More about this process in this tutorial.

      Let me know how it goes.

      Cheers!

      Delete
  14. Thanks for all these good tips on programs for editing gopro videos. I'll try them out as soon as possible.

    ReplyDelete
  15. Here's a good list of video editors: Consumer video editing software

    Top 3 are: Sony Movie Studio, Corel PowerDirector, Magix Movie Edit Pro.

    The most versatile in my opinion is the first one.

    ReplyDelete
  16. I wish to try this GoPro, but I don't know where I could download this.,. Can you help me with that?

    ReplyDelete

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