When you change the lens on the GoPro® you are able to install a lens with much more zoom, allowing very close filming applications. This is useful for surgery, dental and other similar scenarios.

Which lens you install will be based primarily on 2 things: where will the camera be mounted and how much zoom do you require? Please read below for an explanation.

Where will the camera be mounted?

Typically there are two locations considered for mounting: on the head (moving) or on an overhead light (not moving). These zoom lenses have a narrow depth of field focus, meaning the camera is focused for a particular distance and you can only move it closer or further away a certain amount before the footage becomes less sharp and unfocused. See below link for photo examples of the depth of field focus between our 2 recommended lenses. The narrower the lens typically the less you can move the camera before it becomes out of focus. So if you are mounting it to your head, which typically moves, then choose a lens with a wider angle of view (8.25mm, PeauPro41). If you are able to hold your head still enough at the correct distance, or more ideally mount it to a non-moving overhead arm (such as a light) then you can consider a lens with a narrower angle of view (25mm, PeauPro14). The 8.25mm lens is much sharper than the 25mm, which is useful if you plan to crop/zoom the footage in post production editing. 

How much zoom do you require?

Our 8.25mm lens is 3X narrower than the original GoPro® lens. The 25mm lens is 8.5X narrower. You can then zoom up to an additional 2X closer using the camera's included digital zoom. Keep in mind though that as you zoom in the depth of focus becomes less, so see our comments above about this. Check out our lens calculator to determine how narrow a lens will see from a particular distance. Email us if you need some assistance, we're happy to help.

In almost every application the 8.25mm lens is going to produce the best footage, as it's optically 3X narrower than the original GoPro® lens, has more depth of focus than the 25mm lens, allows you to capture in the highest resolution the camera supports, and still allows you to use the on-camera 2X additional digital zoom (or crop in post). The other advantage of the 8.25mm lens in the newer GoPro® Hero 7/6/5 cameras is the camera retains its waterproof rating so you can more easily disinfect it.

Useful Guides for Choosing Zoom Lenses for Surgical/Dental Applications:

Filming Surgery From Fixed Height with 8.25mm and 25.00mm Lens in GoPro® Camera

Depth of Field Focus Comparison Between Zoom Lenses on a GoPro® HERO Camera