The Mission 1 and Mission 1 Pro give you two distinctly different ways to use ND filters.
You can use GoPro's automatic Motion Blur system, where the camera adjusts shutter speed based on the ND filter you've installed and the amount of camera movement, or you can choose and lock the shutter speed yourself. In both cases, the ND filter is doing the same job: reducing the light so you can use a slower shutter.
Both are useful. Which one you should use depends on whether you want the camera to make the shutter-speed decisions for you, or whether you want full control and a consistent shutter speed throughout the shot.
Camera Butter Mission 1 / Mission 1 Pro filters work with the Mission 1 / Mission 1 Pro automatic lens detection system. When you install an ND8, ND16, ND32 or ND64, the camera recognizes which filter is attached. That is important if you're going to use the automatic system, since the camera uses the detected filter strength when managing exposure and can recommend moving up or down in ND strength.
Camera Butter Mission 1 / Mission 1 Pro ND Filters
Before you start: update the firmware
Do this first.
GoPro has already made changes to the cinematic motion-blur tuning on the Mission 1 and Mission 1 Pro through firmware updates. If you're testing ND filters using older firmware, or comparing your results with an early review or YouTube video, you may not be seeing the same behaviour. (GoPro)
Update the camera before spending time dialing in your settings.
Method 1: Let the Mission 1 / Mission 1 Pro manage motion blur automatically
This is the easiest way to use ND filters, but it isn't simply "auto exposure with a dark piece of glass in front of the lens."
With a recognized ND filter installed, the camera knows the filter strength and adjusts shutter speed to match the motion blur setting you've selected. It can also tell you when the lighting calls for a stronger or weaker ND.
The important part for action shooting is that the automatic system can take camera movement into account. If the camera is moving smoothly, it can allow a slower shutter and more motion blur. When the movement gets rougher, the motion-aware modes can use a faster shutter to reduce the ugly smearing that can happen when heavily blurred frames are stabilized.
That makes the automatic system particularly useful for things like mountain biking, skiing, motorcycles on bumpy roads and other situations where the amount of camera movement can change dramatically during the same shot.
Step 1: Choose how much motion blur you want
The Mission 1 and Mission 1 Pro give you several Motion Blur settings, including Cinematic Low, Medium and High, along with Adaptive and Max Blur Reduction.
For practical use, think of it this way:
Cinematic High is where I'd start if the camera movement is smooth and you deliberately want a strong cinematic blur.
Cinematic Medium is a better general-purpose starting point when you want visible motion blur but the camera may also experience some bumps or vibration.
Cinematic Low makes more sense for aggressive action where you still want some natural-looking blur but don't want to force a very slow shutter when the camera is getting knocked around.
Don't choose High simply because "more cinematic" sounds better. Too much motion blur can look excellent on smooth movement and terrible on a camera being shaken randomly.
Step 2: Choose a starting ND
A simple lighting chart gets you into the right neighbourhood:
| Filter | Light Conditions |
|---|---|
| ND8 | Overcast, later-day light, or sunny conditions when you only want a little blur |
| ND16 | Normal sunny conditions |
| ND32 | Bright sun or when you deliberately want a slower shutter |
| ND64 | Extremely bright conditions such as snow, beach or water |
There is an important catch: the light level is only half the decision.
You might use ND8 on a sunny day for rough mountain-bike footage because you only want a little motion blur. In exactly the same sunlight, ND32 might make sense for a smooth tracking shot where you want much more blur.
So use the table to pick the first filter, not necessarily the final one.
Step 3: Install the filter and make sure the camera recognizes it
This step matters.
Camera Butter's Mission 1/Pro ND filters aren't just made to physically fit the lens. The camera recognizes the ND8, ND16, ND32 and ND64 correctly, so the automatic system knows what has been installed.
Once the filter is on, the camera can also recommend moving up or down in density if the installed filter isn't appropriate for the current conditions.
With a filter that isn't recognized by the camera, you give up part of the automatic ND workflow.
Step 4: Test it while doing the thing you're actually going to film
Test the setup under the kind of movement you'll actually be filming. If you're filming a mountain bike, test it on the bike. If it's going on a helmet, test it on the helmet.
The camera's behaviour can change with camera motion. A setup that looks perfect while you're standing in the driveway may use a different shutter once you're bouncing down a trail.
The Mission 1 and Mission 1 Pro can display live capture information including shutter speed and ISO. Turn on Capture Info under Preferences → Displays. This shows the current shutter speed, ISO, EV and white balance on screen, which is useful when testing different ND filters and Motion Blur settings.
If the footage looks too crisp, try a higher Motion Blur setting. If the camera tells you the installed ND is too light for the conditions, move to the next stronger filter.
If you see smearing or apparently jittery stabilization when the camera gets knocked around, try a lower Motion Blur setting.
That effect is usually not HyperSmooth losing track of the image. The problem is that the individual frames contain motion blur in directions that no longer make visual sense after stabilization.
Why does action-camera footage sometimes look choppy or jittery?
ND filters and HyperSmooth: the real story
Method 2: Set the shutter manually
A lot of people prefer this, and it's not as complicated as it might seem at first.
If you're shooting something controlled and want exactly the same motion blur throughout the shot, a fixed shutter is much more predictable. Both cameras support manual exposure control as well as their automatic Motion Blur modes.
The process is different from using the automatic system.
Step 1: Pick your frame rate first
Choose the frame rate based on what you want the finished footage to be. For normal-speed footage that will usually be 24, 25, 30 or 60fps.
Don't choose the ND filter yet.
Step 2: Decide how much motion blur you want
The traditional starting point is a 180-degree shutter:
| Frame rate | Approx. 180° shutter |
|---|---|
| 24fps | 1/48 |
| 25fps | 1/50 |
| 30fps | 1/60 |
| 60fps | 1/120 |
That's a starting point, not a rule.
For smooth camera movement, 180 degrees can look excellent. For very rough action you may prefer something faster. At 30fps, for example, 1/120 can still give you useful motion blur while giving HyperSmooth considerably sharper frames than 1/60.
The big difference from the automatic method is that if you lock the shutter at 1/60, the camera cannot speed it up when you hit a rough section. You've made that choice yourself.
Step 3: Lock ISO at 100
For a fully manual setup, set ISO to 100 and leave it there.
The ND filter is there to reduce the light enough to let you use the shutter speed you chose. If you put on a strong ND filter and then let the camera raise ISO to compensate, the two are simply working against each other.
With shutter speed and ISO both fixed, the ND filter becomes your exposure control.
Step 4: Choose a starting ND filter
Use the lighting chart earlier in this guide to choose a starting ND strength.
That chart is usually enough to get you into the right range, but actual light levels can vary a lot even within something we'd simply call "sunny."
For a more precise starting point, use our free ND Meter app for iPhone and Android. Set the shutter speed and ISO you're using, measure the available light, and the app will recommend the ND strength for that exposure.
Camera Butter ND Meter for iPhone and Android
For example, if you're shooting 30fps at 1/60 and ISO 100, the chart might get you close, while ND Meter can account for the actual light where you're standing.
Either way, this is just the starting point. Put the recommended filter on the camera, then check the actual exposure in Step 5.
Step 5: Check the exposure
Check the exposure on the camera LCD:
- If the image is too bright, move to a stronger ND.
- If the image is too dark, move to a lighter ND.
Because your shutter and ISO are already locked, there isn't much ambiguity. You are simply changing the amount of light entering the camera with the ND filter until the exposure is where you want it.
Step 6: Test the shutter under real camera movement
This is the step people tend to skip.
A fixed 1/60 shutter can look beautiful on a smooth car mount and terrible on a mountain bike.
If the stabilized footage develops that characteristic smeared or jittery appearance when the camera is being bounced around, try increasing the shutter speed before changing anything else.
At 30fps, for example:
- 1/60 gives a lot of blur.
- 1/120 gives less blur and cleaner individual frames.
- 1/240 gives considerably less blur again.
There is no universally correct answer. Use the slowest shutter that gives you the look you want without creating problems with the type of movement you're filming.
What about Shutter Range?
The Mission 1 and Mission 1 Pro also let you set a shutter range instead of leaving shutter fully automatic or locking it to one value.
From the capture screen, tap the mode button at the bottom → Shutter → Range, then set the range you want. GoPro confirms that Shutter offers Auto, Fixed and Range modes.
Range can be useful when you want some exposure flexibility but don't want the shutter getting so slow that motion blur starts causing problems after stabilization. For example, you can let the shutter adjust as the light changes while setting a lower limit on how slow it is allowed to go.
For more advanced control, GoPro Labs also lets you set things such as shutter angle and minimum shutter angle.
Slow motion is different
ND filters are primarily useful when you're trying to slow the shutter down.
High-frame-rate shooting changes the situation completely.
The regular Mission 1 shoots up to 4K120 and 1080p240. Mission 1 Pro goes to 4K240 and 1080p480, and can capture 1080p960 for up to 10 seconds in Burst Slo-Mo.
At 480 or 960fps, you need a huge amount of light. Putting an ND filter on simply because you're outside can be counterproductive.
For high-frame-rate slow motion, start without an ND. Add one only if you have enough light and have a specific reason to control the shutter.
In other words, don't treat "sunny day" as an automatic reason to install an ND. Frame rate matters.
Camera Butter Mission 1 / Mission 1 Pro ND filters
Camera Butter Mission 1 / Pro filters are recognized by the camera as ND8, ND16, ND32 and ND64, so the camera can use its automatic lens detection, filter recommendations and Motion Blur functions as intended.
They're made with 2mm Corning Gorilla Glass in anodized aircraft-aluminum frames, with coatings to reduce reflections and repel water and oil. They replace the original clear lens cover, twist into place without tools, and maintain the camera's waterproof seal.
Camera Butter Mission 1 / Mission 1 Pro ND Filters
The short version
If you're shooting fast, unpredictable action, start with the Mission 1 / Mission 1 Pro automatic Motion Blur system. Let it vary the shutter as camera movement and conditions change, and don't automatically assume that more motion blur is better.
If you want a specific, consistent look, set your shutter manually. Choose your frame rate and shutter first, then use ND Meter to choose a starting ND and check the final exposure on the camera.
For high-frame-rate slow motion, start without an ND unless you have enough light and a clear reason to use one.
And if you're going to use the automatic ND features on the Mission 1 / Mission 1 Pro, make sure the filter is actually recognized by the camera. Camera Butter's are.