There are a lot of choices out there when it comes to memory cards for your GoPro camera. So, what size memory card do you need? We’ll help you figure it out.
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Introduction
GoPro cameras are a popular choice for many people who want to capture high-quality video and photos. One of the most important things to consider when using a GoPro camera is what size memory card you will need. There are many different sizes and types of memory cards available, so it is important to know which one is right for your camera and your needs.
The best way to figure out what size memory card you need is to consult your GoPro camera’s user manual. This will give you specific information about the types of cards that are compatible with your camera and what capacities they come in. Once you know the maximum capacity that your camera can use, you can narrow down your choices and pick the best card for your needs.
Generally speaking, there are four main types of GoPro cameras: the Hero4, Hero3+, Hero3, and Hero2. Each camera has different requirements when it comes to memory card capacity and type.
The Hero4 cameras can use SD cards that are up to 128GB in capacity. They also support microSD cards, but they must be formatted using a specific tool before they can be used with the camera. The recommended SD card speed class for the Hero4 cameras is Class 10 or UHS-1.
The Hero3+ cameras can use SD cards that are up to 64GB in capacity. They also support microSD cards, but they must be formatted using a specific tool before they can be used with the camera. The recommended SD card speed class for the Hero3+ cameras is Class 10 or UHS-1.
What factors determine the size of your memory card?
The size of your memory card depends on a few factors. The first is the video resolution that you want to record in. The second is the frame rate, or how many frames per second, you want to record in. The last factor is the bitrate, which is the amount of data that is recorded per second.
Resolution
The GoPro HERO4 cameras can shoot at a few different resolutions and frame rates. The table below shows the approximate file size you can expect for different settings. These sizes are based on shooting in the highest quality GoPro Cineform codec (.mp4).
| Resolution | Frame Rate | Approx. File Size |
|————|————|——————|
| 1440p | 30 fps | 12 MB/sec |
| 1080p | 60 fps | 7 MB/sec |
| 720p | 120 fps| 4 MB/sec |
Video quality
The simplest answer to the question is that the size of your memory card is determined by the video quality you want to record. Here is a general guide:
|Video Quality | Recommended Memory Card Size|
|———————————————————————–|—————————–|
|1080p (30fps/60i), 720p (60fps), 848 x 480 (60fps) | 32GB |
|2.7K 4:3 (30fps), 2.7K 4:3 (60fps), 1440p (80fps) | 64GB |
|4K (30fps), 2.7K 4:3 120fps, 1080p 120/240fps, 720p 240fps | 128GB |
Frame rate
GoPro’s range in price and quality, so does the frame rate. The frame rate is the number of frames per second that the camera takes. GoPro cameras range from 15 to 240 frames per second. The GoPro Hero6 Black can take up to 4K at 60 frames per second, while the Yi 4K+ can take up to 4K at 120 frames per second.
The size of your memory card will also affect how long you can record for. A lower resolution and lower frame rate will use less data per second, so you can fit more footage on your card. For example, if you are recording in 1080p at 30fps, you will use about 3GB of data per minute. But if you are recording in 4K at 60fps, you will use about 12GB of data per minute.
To work out how long you can record for on your memory card, divide the total capacity of your card by the average number of Gigabytes (GB) that your recording setting uses per minute. For example, if you have a 64GB memory card and you are recording in 1080p at 30fps, you will be able to record for just over 5 hours (64 / 3 = 21). But if you switched to recording in 4K at 60fps, you would only be able to record for 1 hour and 20 minutes (64 / 12 = 5).
Bitrate
The GoPro Hero7 Black records at 4K/60p, which means very large file sizes. A 64GB card will fill up quickly, so you’ll probably want to invest in a larger card. 128GB and 256GB cards are now common, and they’re reasonably priced.
The table below shows the approximate recording time for various activities at different video qualities. These are only estimates; your actual recording time may be longer or shorter depending on a number of factors, including frame rate, resolution, and file format.
| Video Quality | Approximate Recording Time (minutes) |
| ————- | ——————————- |
| 4K/60p | 20 |
| 1080p/120p | 40 |
| 720p/240p | 80 |
As you can see, even at lower resolutions and lower frame rates, the file sizes are still quite large. If you’re planning on doing any serious recording, you’ll need a large memory card.
How to calculate the file size
The amount of video that can be stored on your memory card depends on the recording format, frame rate, and resolution that you choose for your GoPro. In this section, we will calculate the file size for each recording format so that you can choose the right memory card for your needs.
Resolution
GB = gigabytes
MB = megabytes
KB = kilobytes
1 byte = 8 bits
1 KB = 2^10 B = 1,024 B
1 MB = 2^20 B = 1,048,576 B
1 GB = 2^30 B = 1,073,741,824 B
Frame rate
The GoPro Hero9 Black can shoot up to 5K video at 30 fps, while the GoPro Hero9 Silver goes up to 4K video at 60 fps. If you’re shooting in 1080p, you can go up to 240 fps for super-slow-motion video. The GoPro Hero9 Black also offers a new TimeWarp 3.0 feature that has three settings:
-Real Time: This slows down time by 2x or 4x.
-Halftime: This doubles the playback speed for a more dramatic effect.
-Flashback: This plays your footage in reverse from where you stopped recording.
Bitrate
The GoPro calculators use a bitrate of 20 mbps for 1080p and 30 mbps for 4K. These are considered to be high bitrate settings that yield great video quality, but come at the cost of generating large file sizes.
To calculate the file size for 1 minute of 1080p video at 20 mbps, you can use the following formula:
(bitrate / 8) x 60 x 6 = file size in megabytes
For 4K video at 30 mbps, the formula is:
(bitrate / 8) x 60 x 9 = file size in megabytes
Both of these formulas assume that you are shooting at a frame rate of 60 frames per second (fps). If you are shooting at a lower frame rate, such as 30 fps, you can divide the results by 2.
For example, here is the file size calculation for 1 minute of 1080p video at 20 mbps shot at 30 fps:
(20 / 8) x 60 / 2 = 150 megabytes
Conclusion
In conclusion, the size of memory card you need for your GoPro depends on several factors such as the resolution and frame rate you plan to shoot, the length of your trip, and how often you plan to offload your footage. We recommend starting with a 32GB card for most users, but if you plan to shoot a lot of 4K video or go on longer trips, you may want to consider a 64GB or 128GB card.
