Not happy with my still pictures, how can I do better?

[jlemoo]

I have the GoPro HD Hero Naked camera set at 5 Mp taking a picture once per second. This is what I got from my last batch.
https://picasaweb.google.com/110405810906958915251/20120930?authuser=0&feat=directlink
The trees and houses are a little fuzzy. It seems like the focus of the camera is at about 50 feet in front of it. Is there anything I can or should do to get better pictures at a distance? I'm hoping to take good aerial shots of houses, but I think I'm going to have to get a lot closer to them than I thought.

 

[Stacky]

You arent helped by the stills files from the gopro or the flat light from a cloudy day. First thing I would do is remove the plastic lens cover from the gopro mount. If you dont want to take of the lens cover then make sure it is perfectly clean, often we can leave a dirty big finger print on the inside or outside of the lens and not notice it which ends up being like a big soft focus filter. Also try the camera set to the closer field of view for the stills and see if you like that more. There are other options to help with the file, I think Jes recommends DXO which I have used a long time ago but have forgotten how it works etc.
Check how well balanced your props are too.

Mostly however it looks to me like a dirty lens cover on the gopro case. I removed mine and the difference was visible in quality. Its another bit of glass/plastic in front of the actual lens which in those lighting conditions will always add lens flare or degrade the quality.

 

[kloner]

it's a hero1,,,,,, nothing will help you more than a new cam. 5mp is like a cellphone picture these days

they make a better video camera and even then are hard to work with...... they make jello

 

[jes1111]

DxO Optics Pro won't help - it doesn't "understand" the GoPro (but then neither do I ) - if you want to do real estate I'd recommend a better camera, something without a fisheye lens! At least a s/h Canon S90 or S/95, a s/h Panasonic LX3 or 5, a Sony NEX5, etc.

 

[kloner]

This is hero2, while shes not a very valuable photo, it does alright at a low end

 

[jlemoo]

Thanks everyone. I've ordered one of those sunex lenses dsl355a-650-f2.8 to try to get rid of fisheye. The pictures I take from about 50 feet away are much better.