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In this post, we've modified two GoPro® HERO® 4 Black cameras to show how our two most popular zoom lenses perform for close up filming scenarios. We also have a guide showing how these lenses compare in field of view which you can read HERE.
What you should get out of this post:
If the camera or the subject being filmed is moving in distance from one another, use the 8.25mm lens (PeauPro41) due to its larger depth of field focus.
If both the camera and subject is at a fixed, rigid distance and you can easily turn the lens and refocus each time the distance changes, use the 25mm lens (PeauPro14).
Cameras Used:
PeauPro41: 8.25mm f/3.0 41d HFOV 16MP (No Distortion)
PeauPro14: 25.00mm f/2.0 14d HFOV 5MP
*Note that the camera's color profile was removed using our exclusive service HERE, so you don't get a red vignette around the captured media
Cameras were positioned 24" from the middle box seen in the bottom right corner of each photo. The box to the left is 3" further from this middle box (and thus the camera), and the box in the top right is 3" closer. Each lens was then focused at this 24" distance such that the middle box (24" away) was in focus.
1080p video was captured in the Narrow (2x sensor crop) on the 8.25mm lens, and in Wide on the 25mm lens. The 8.25mm lens has a aperture (f-stop) of f/3, and the 25mm with a f/2 aperture. The smaller the number in the f-stop the shallower the depth of field focus, which is what this comparison is attempting to show.
Cameras Focused On Non-Moving Subject at 24" Distance
LEFT: 8.25mm Focused at 24" Object (Bottom Right Box) at 24" Distance (GoPro® HERO® 1080p Narrow FOV)
RIGHT: 25.00mm Focused at 24" Object (Bottom Right Box) at 24" Distance (GoPro® HERO® 1080p Wide FOV)
8.25mm Focused at 24" Object at 24" Distance (GoPro® HERO® 1080p Narrow FOV)
25.00mm Focused at 24" Object at 24" Distance (GoPro® HERO®1080p Wide FOV)
Notice that while the 25mm is (6 degrees HFOV) narrower in these field of view settings, objects even 3" further and closer away are out of focus. The 25mm lens works very well when the camera and subject do not move much in distance from each other, and the subject is very flat (less than a few inches of distance change). Each time the camera or subject moves you would need to turn the lens and check focus on an external monitor. You can also put the camera with the 25mm lens installed in Medium (1.5x) and Narrow (2x) field of view modes to further zoom in.
Cameras Focused at 24" Distance But Subject Moves +/- 6"
In the below photos, the cameras are still focused on the bottom right box when at 24" distance (with resulting photos above). We then move the camera to 18" and then 30" without re-adjusting the focus. Remember the boxes are at varying distances, each 3" from one another. This simulates the camera or subject moving in distance from one another. Such cases could be when the camera is mounted to a person's head or an overhead light, such as in dentistry or surgery.
8.25mm Focused at 24" Object at 18" Distance (GoPro® HERO® 1080p Narrow FOV)
8.25mm Focused at 24" Object at 30" Distance (GoPro® HERO® 1080p Narrow FOV)
25.00mm Focused at 24" Object at 18" Distance (GoPro® HERO® 1080p Wide FOV)
25.00mm Focused at 24" Object at 30" Distance (GoPro® HERO® 1080p Wide FOV)
You can see that the 8.25mm keeps all the boxes in nearly readable focus regardless of the distance change. As you focus the lens for objects even further from the camera, the depth of focus further increases. You can see that the 25mm lens is not useful in situations where the camera or subject are moving, unless you are able to re-focus the lens each time.
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