GoPro4 Silver "Sun Spots"

[Flyfast 0]

I recently upgraded from a GoPro 2 to a GoPro 4 Silver over the winter. With both, I use it as my primary still picture camera, set for a shot every 0.5 seconds. I have noticed that over the past 20-30 jumps that I've jumped the GP4, I get these awful looking "sun spots" in the majority of the pictures I take. See attached.

I'm wondering if anyone knows what is causing this and how I can avoid it going forward. I would get these occasionally with my GoPro2, but with the 4 these are in almost every picture the camera takes.

Any insight is appreciated..
-Matt

ZC OG

[Anachronist 2]

Not a photo expert by an means so take what I say with a grain of salt.

So lens flare is caused by intense light bouncing around inside the lens. Usually occurs when you are shooting in a very bright environment (e.g. skydiving) Makes sense since I can see the edge of the Sun in your photo. As far as I know there is no internal setting that can change lens flare.

You could try using a filter for the GoPro, lots of companies make them, even polarized ones, or avoid shooting into light. Otherwise, Photoshop.

Lens quality also affects flare but not much you can do about that with a GoPro. Those hoods you see on cameras are designed to reduce flare but I haven't seen any that look feasible for skydiving for the GoPro.

P.S. Also clean the lens and housing, dust, oil, and condensation make it worse.

[johnmatrix 21]

As above, it looks like lens flare to me.
It's a common photographic artefact and you can even apply a filter in Photoshop to add one if it's not there.

I don't think it looks bad actually, I don't mind it, but each to their own.

[jumpsalot-2 2]

Does that jumper have a prosthetic leg ?

Life is short ... jump often.

[Flyfast 0]

It's his real leg, it's just the one he pounded in on back in early 2015. This was his first jump back since that injury.

Thanks for the input. I've never had Photoshop, so i'll give that a shot. I'll be checking out some of the GP filters as well.

ZC OG

[johnmatrix 21]

Flyfast

I've never had Photoshop, so i'll give that a shot.

Using the Clone Stamp tool you can get rid of those spots in just a few seconds.

[Flyfast 0]

Perfect, thanks for the help!

ZC OG