GoPro's action cameras are already versatile little companions outdoors, but now the company wants to make them the best vlogging cameras with a new battery grip accessory and Hero 10 Black bundle. (Want to skip to our verdict on the new GoPro grip? Head over to our full GoPro Volta review.)
(*10*) New Volta Grip, which you can buy alone or as part of a new Hero 10 Black Creator Edition bundle, combines a battery-powered handle, tripod and wireless controller into one convenient accessory. It's primarily designed for the Hero 10 Black and Hero 9 Black, which benefit from its remote control powers, but will also charge and mount with older GoPros.
One of the main benefits of Volta for vloggers and YouTubers is that it dramatically increases the battery life of your action camera. On the Hero 10 Black, for example, it'll go from 74 minutes (when recording 5.3K/30p video) to over four hours when used with the Volta. Overheating limitations aside, that should mean you can leave spare batteries at home.
Volta's built-in camera buttons also let you control your GoPro with one hand, or you can detach it to let you remotely control your Hero 10 or Hero 9 from up to 98 feet away. This means the Volta effectively combines three of GoPro's existing accessories (the remote, spare batteries, and a tripod) into one.
Perhaps the only drawback, as our review explains, is that the Volta is only weatherproof, rather than completely waterproof. So if you're planning on diving, you're always better off getting a Handler float grip instead.
While Volta is useful on its own, it still needs the help of mod accessories like the Media Mod to become a truly powerful vlogging setup. That's why GoPro has created a new Hero 10 Black Creator Edition bundle, which includes the action camera, a Volta grip, a Media Mod (which has a built-in directional microphone, plus 3,5mm HDMI in and out ports). ) and Mod light to help illuminate your subjects.
Naturally, this is quite an expensive setup. You can buy the Volta for just €90,99 / €83,99 with a GoPro subscription, or €129,99 / €119,99 without a subscription. But if you want the full Hero 10 Black Creator's Edition, you'll pay €581,96 / €558,46 / AU$890,33 (for existing GoPro subscribers) or €784,95 / €759,95 / AU$1204 AU$ 0,75 (without subscription).
Afortunadamente, también hay una offer especial en Creator Edition en este momento para los nuevos suscriptores de GoPro. If you don't have a Hero 10 or an existing subscription, you can grab the bundle for €531,95 / €508,45 / AU$820,33, which is pretty decent considering the achievement powers of the configuration.
Analysis: A very practical complement, but is it a palliative?
Our GoPro Volta review concludes that the accessory is a "compelling option for creators on the go" that is "comfortable to use and adds a lot of functionality" to the Hero 10 Black and Hero 9 Black.
(*10*) Volta is actually three GoPro accessories in one, as it can act as a tripod, battery grip, and controller (wired and wireless) for the action camera maker's two newest Hero models.
The only real downsides are that it's not completely waterproof, it can't function as a wireless remote for older GoPros, and it doesn't have extended powers for larger group shots. But could the Creator Edition bundle just be a mid-cycle stopgap for a more streamlined vlogging setup?
Earlier this month, we discovered GoPro's patents for a DJI Pocket 2-style camera that suggest it plans to resurrect its Karma Grip as a new all-in-one mechanical gimbal camera.
Naturally, the patents can only be treated as concepts rather than signs of concrete plans, but these were highly developed and dovetail with GoPro's comments earlier this year that it is planning new "types" of action cameras for 2022.
The downside of the Volta grip and Creator Edition game is that it lacks a mechanical gimbal to follow vloggers in a scene as they talk to the camera. So while both are worth looking into if you already have a Hero 10 or Hero 9 action cam, there may be a more exciting vlogging solution later this year.