GoPro Camera File Chaptering Information

[#1]

Question

How are chapters created with GoPro cameras?

Where does it apply?

• HERO9 Black
• MAX
• HERO8 Black
• HERO7 Black
• HERO7 Silver
• HERO7 White
• HERO6 Black
• Fusion
• HERO5 Black
• HERO5 Session
• HERO (2018)
• HERO4
• HERO Session + HERO4 Session
• HERO+ LCD
• HERO+
• HERO3+
• HERO3
• HD HERO2

Answer

When taking a video recording, the camera will automatically segment into a new file chapter once it has reached a certain size. These files when put together with editing software will play seamlessly as if they were never chaptered, and when played back from the camera directly will also play through as one continuation.

This chaptering is intentional and there is no way to keep the camera from doing so. Chapters are divided like this so in the event of a jolt or crash that causes a file to become corrupted, only a portion of your video will be effected and not the whole thing. While there is a file recovery feature in the camera, chaptering is a precaution step just in case the feature is unable to fix the video.

Here are the chapter lengths for each camera:

HERO9 Black, HERO8 Black, MAX, HERO7 Black, HERO6 Black, Fusion, HERO5 Black & HERO5 Session, HERO4 Black & Silver, HERO (2018)

• Chapter size: approx. 4.0 GB
• Chapter size with Looping set to 5 min: 1 minute
• Chapter size with Looping set to 20 min and above:  5 minutes

HERO7 Silver, HERO7 White, HERO+, HERO+ LCD, HERO Session / HERO4 Session

• Chapter size: approx. 2.2 GB
• Chapter size with Looping set to 5 min: 1 minute
• Chapter size with Looping set 20 min:  5 minutes
• Chapter size with Looping set to anything above 20 min: 10 minutes

HERO3+

• Chapter size: approx. 3.9 GB (HERO3+ Black Edition) / 2.2 GB (HERO3+ Silver Edition)
• Chapter size with Looping set to 5 min: 1 minute
• Chapter size with Looping set 20 min:  5 minutes
• Chapter size with Looping set to anything above 20 min: 15 minutes

HERO3

• Chapter size: approx. 3.78 GB (HERO3: Black Edition) / 1.99 GB (HERO3: Silver Edition & HERO3: White Edition)
• Chapter size with Looping set to 5 min: 1 minute
• Chapter size with Looping set to 20 min: 5 minutes
• Chapter size with Looping set to anything above 20 min: 15 minutes

HD HERO2

• Chapter size: approx. 1.99 GB