What The GoPro Spot Meter Does & How To Use It (2026 Guide)

OK, so you found the GoPro Spot Meter function, right?

Well… maybe not.

If you are using a GoPro HERO5 Black or anything newer (HERO6, HERO7, HERO8, HERO9, HERO10, HERO11, HERO12, or HERO13), the original “Spot Meter” setting is no longer there.

Don’t worry though — the feature didn’t disappear.

It evolved.

In this updated 2026 guide, I’ll explain:

• How to fix exposure mistakes in post-production
• What Spot Meter originally did
• Why GoPro removed it
• What replaced it (Exposure Lock)
• How to use it on modern GoPro cameras
• When to use it (and when not to)

Sure you can control things such as the field of view and you even can optimize the settings for low light.

But in some cases, the shots don’t look as good as you would want them to that’s where some more manual tweaking of the settings would’ve been helpful.

Well, that’s why you have the Spot Metering feature. Here’s what it does.

Oh, and did I tell you that we are editing videos for clients such as yourself?

So make sure to check that out if you need help with your videos.

What does GoPro Spot Meter do?

Spot Metering is a camera exposure feature found on many DSLR and mirrorless cameras.

It tells the camera to calculate exposure based only on a small portion of the frame — instead of averaging the entire scene.

By default, your GoPro automatically measures brightness across the whole frame and sets exposure accordingly.

In most cases, that works perfectly.

But in tricky lighting situations, automatic exposure can fail.

That’s where Spot Meter came in.

When enabled, Spot Meter told the camera:

Ignore the whole scene. Expose only for the center of the frame.

So the brightness of whatever was in the center would determine the exposure for everything.

When to use GoPro Spot Meter?

Starting with the HERO5 Black, GoPro replaced Spot Meter with Exposure Lock — which is more flexible and more powerful.

Instead of being limited to the center of the frame, you can now:

• Tap anywhere on the screen
• Choose exactly where exposure is measured
• Lock exposure
• Or allow it to auto-adjust dynamically

In other words, Exposure Lock is Spot Meter 2.0.

Source

The vice-versa can happen too.

Other examples in which the GoPro Spot Meter will work great is when you skying or snowboarding and you have the GoPro pointed at your face and there’s a lot of snow in the background, or maybe you have a bright sky behind you.

Normally, your face will be underexposed because everything else around you is so bright, so the shoot will look bad. The Spot Meter is a quick fix to that. Of course, you want to make sure your face is in the center of the shot all the time.

How Exposure Works on Modern GoPro Cameras (HERO9–HERO13)

On modern GoPro cameras (HERO9 through HERO13), exposure is handled through:

• Touchscreen exposure control
• Exposure Lock
• EV Comp (Exposure Value Compensation)
• Manual mode (ISO, shutter control)

To use Exposure Lock:

1. Tap and hold on the rear screen.
2. A box appears.
3. Drag it to the area you want exposed properly.
4. Choose:
   • Auto exposure tracking
   • Or lock exposure

This allows you to expose for:

• Your face in bright snow
• A darker subject inside a car
• The inside of a cave
• A sunset silhouette

This is more advanced than the old fixed-center Spot Meter.

When To Use Exposure Lock

Exposure Lock works best when:

• Your subject stays in roughly the same position.
• There’s a big brightness difference between subject and background.

Example 1: Shooting Through a Windshield

Inside of car = dark
Outside = bright

Without exposure control → outside gets overexposed.

Lock exposure on the outside → balanced result.

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Example 2: Snowboarding or Skiin

Bright snow + sky
Your face = darker

Without exposure control → your face looks too dark.

Lock exposure on your face → proper skin tones.

This is one of the most common GoPro exposure problems in snow environments.

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Example 3: Shooting a Cave Entrance

Bright outside
Dark interior

Without exposure lock → cave becomes black.

Lock exposure inside cave → you see interior details.

When NOT To Use Exposure Lock

If:

• Lighting conditions change constantly
• The camera is moving through mixed environments
• The brightness across the frame is fairly even

Then let your GoPro handle exposure automatically.

Using exposure lock in constantly changing scenes can cause weird-looking brightness shifts.

Advanced Option: Manual Exposure Mode (Pro Users)

Modern GoPro models (HERO9 and newer) allow more manual control than older versions.

In ProTune settings, you can control:

• ISO Min / Max
• Shutter speed
• White balance
• EV Comp

If you want maximum control, manual settings may be better than exposure lock.

But that’s a more advanced workflow.

What If You Forgot to Use Exposure Lock?

Don’t panic.

You can often fix exposure in post-production.

Depending on how badly clipped the highlights are, results will vary.

Fixing Exposure in Post (Updated 2026 Workflow)

You can fix exposure using:

• DaVinci Resolve (Free)
• Adobe Premiere Pro
• Final Cut Pro
• CapCut Desktop (for lighter fixes)

Basic Fix Method:

1. Duplicate the clip.
2. Place duplicate on top track.
3. Mask the area that needs correction.
4. Feather the mask.
5. Adjust brightness, exposure, or highlights.

Modern software also allows:

• Selective highlight recovery
• HDR tools
• AI masking

If footage was shot in 10-bit color (HERO11 and newer), you’ll have significantly more flexibility in fixing exposure.

Use Histogram & Zebras (Modern Feature)

On newer GoPro cameras, you can enable:

• Histogram
• Zebra warnings

These tools help prevent overexposure before it happens.

If you see zebra stripes on highlights, that means clipping is occurring.

This is especially useful in bright outdoor shooting.

Final Thoughts

Here’s the simple breakdown:

• Spot Meter = Old center-based exposure tool
• Exposure Lock = Modern replacement
• Manual mode = Full control
• Post-production = Backup solution

In 2026, GoPro cameras are smarter than ever.

But tricky lighting still requires understanding how exposure works.

If you learn when to use Exposure Lock — you’ll instantly improve your footage.

And if you forget?

Fix it in post.