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GoPro MAX Series

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The GoPro MAX series is our recommended consumer-grade 360° camera to use with Mapillary. The MAX 2 is the highest resolution version available, but the MAX and MAX 2025 will also work well. If you are looking for a relatively inexpensive camera with high image quality to take your mapping to the next level, this is it.

With a 360° camera you can capture in every direction at once and mount it on your car, bicycle, or on a stick for walking.

We recommend the GoPro MAX series over other popular 360° cameras like the Insta360 X series because the MAX has built-in GPS and is natively natively supported by the Mapillary Desktop Uploader and Mapillary Tools for the command line.

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How-To: Using a GoPro MAX for Mapillary

🎒Equipment needed

  • GoPro MAX/MAX 2025/MAX 2 camera
  • Memory card (we recommend MicroSDXC 256GB and above)
  • Power bank/battery pack - optional for sessions over 2 hours
  • Mounting equipment for driving & biking or a selfie stick for walking


📍Ensure GPS is on

mceclip0.pngThe GoPro MAX featured built-in GPS. Make sure GPS is turned on in settings. Footage or imagery without GPS cannot be processed by Mapillary. 

 

🚗 Driving Setup

Group 1321317661.pngIf you will be capturing while driving with your GoPro MAX we recommend configuring it to shoot 360 video at 25 frames per second and 5.6K (8K for MAX 2) resolution. 

  • Using video while driving means that you will be able to capture enough imagery even while moving relatively quickly
  • Using these settings will create .360 video files at a rate of about 500 MB per minute (so a 256 GB SD card will fit about 8.5 hours of video)
  • You can upload these .360 video files directly with the Mapillary desktop uploader or command line tools

Tips:

🚲 Biking Setup

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If you will be capturing while biking with your GoPro MAX we recommend configuring it to shoot 360 time lapse video at an interval of 0.5 seconds and 5.6K (8K for MAX 2) resolution. 

  • Using time lapse video mode while biking means that you will be able to capture enough imagery while still keeping the output file size very small. Having the camera shoot every 0.5 seconds is sufficient for biking (up to ~13 mph or ~22 km/h), but too sparse for driving.
  • Using these settings will create .360 video files at a rate of about 35 MB per minute (so a 256 GB SD card will fit about 120 hours of video(!)
  • You can upload these .360 video files directly with the Mapillary desktop uploader or command line tools
     

Tips:

  • The LCD screen of the camera should be facing the left or right side of the street (to minimize wind resistance and improve image clarity for signage on the left and right sides of the street)
  • Charge your GoPro fully before embarking on a capture adventure or carry a power bank if your session will continue for more than 2 hours
  • Be sure to keep the camera at least 30 cm above your head to minimize interference from your head. 


🚶‍♂️Walking Setup

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If you will be capturing while walking with your GoPro MAX we recommend configuring it to shoot 360 time lapse photos (one frame every 2 seconds, 16MP or 29MP for MAX 2).
 

  • Using time lapse video photo mode while walking means that you will be able to capture imagery with the highest 360 quality that GoPro MAX offers (with less compression and slightly higher resolution than video modes). Having the camera shoot one image every 2 second is sufficient for walking (up to ~3 mph or 5 km/h), but too sparse for biking or driving.
  • This will create .jpg files at a rate of about 100 MB per minute (so a 256 GB SD card will fit about 42 hours of photos)
  • You can upload these .jpg files directly with the Mapillary desktop uploader or command line tools

Tips:

  • The LCD screen of the camera should be facing the left or right side of the street (to minimize wind resistance and improve image clarity for signage on the left and right sides of the street)
  • Charge your GoPro fully before embarking on a capture adventure or carry a power bank if your session will continue for more than 2 hours
  • We recommend using a selfie stick when walking
  • You can either hold the stick in your hand or fasten it to a backpack in a steady, upright position
  • Be sure to keep the camera at least 30 cm above your head to minimize interference from your head. 

 

📤Upload GoPro MAX imagery to Mapillary

Uploading GoPro MAX imagery and video is a simple process and is natively supported by the Mapillary Desktop Uploader and Mapillary Tools for the command line.

  1. Import the imagery from the camera to your Windows PC or Mac.
  2. Use the Mapillary Desktop Uploader to upload your imagery. You do not need to do any stitching in GoPro tools.
  3. Drag and drop or browse for your .360 video files or .jpg images. The Desktop uploader will show you a map of where the imagery was captured.
  4. Click on "Upload" to upload the imagery to Mapillary. It normally takes about 2 days to process, after which you should be able to see your imagery on the Mapillary platform.
  5. You can also upload imagery using the Command Line Tools if you prefer

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