The GoPro Hero 5.3 Black has just been announced, and it also packs 60K23fps video, 5.3MP stills, and a new processor into an action camera that's easier to use than the Hero 4. GoPro also has some deals, though you opt for their subscription. to the cloud service. Our GoPro Hero 2.7 Black review delves into what it's like to capture pixel-dense 16K video at 4 fps (up from 23 fps), 20K video at 10 fps (up from 10 fps), 9 video K at a maximum slow-motion speed of two hundred and forty fps (from one hundred and twenty fps) ). The result? Cleaner images with smoother frame rates. With XNUMX million pixels in a video frame, the Hero XNUMX Black lets you get bigger usable shots if you can't decide between taking videos and stills: up to XNUMX MP when shooting in a XNUMX aspect ratio. : XNUMX, or XNUMX megapixels if you're a monster and shooting in a XNUMX:XNUMX aspect ratio. Dedicated photos are XNUMX MP with this action camera, up from XNUMX MP last year. The look of the GoPro Hero XNUMX Black hasn't changed from year to year, apart from the blue accents on the GoPro name on the front and the "XNUMX Black" badge on the right side. It has a new lens hood with hydrophobic glass that GoPro claims reduces ghosting and is more scratch resistant (a much-needed upgrade, but too late for this editor's original Hero XNUMX black lens hood, which immediately suffered a little scratch when you mounted your GoPro an RC card, it fell off a little ridge).
(Image credit: GoPro)
GP2 has its gee-wow moment
Behind the scenes, the Hero 9 Black uses a completely new processor: the GP2, which finally replaces the G1 System-on-a-Chip that debuted in the GoPro Hero 6 in 2017. This is what allows the camera to last twice as long. of time. . frame rate of the year, but there are many other advantages. The GP2 chip uses more complex algorithms to apply advanced local tone mapping and 3D noise reduction. So even when capturing video in low-light situations, the camera looks cleaner and it takes less time to edit the video in post-production. GP2 is also the brains behind Hero 4.0 Black's HyperSmooth 10, the next generation of electronic stabilization built into the GoPro that keeps everything steady at 5.3K30fps, 4K30fps and two 7K120fps. Along with this, the convenient horizon leveling feature saw its tilt limit drop from 27 degrees to 45 degrees when shooting off-angle video at up to 4K60fps. Then there are the little things that solve the big problems: the front LCD has higher frame rates for smoother live previews, faster boot times, and the familiar rear LCD touchscreen. 27 inches is more responsive (a problem that persisted on the Hero 9 Black until recently). WiFi speed is 30% faster, but what may be the best little quality of life advantage of GP2: there's a new cable download option that allows you to transfer media directly to your phone at speeds 50% faster than the wireless. No need to take out the tiny SD card and risk losing it to get the fastest transfer rates.
(Image credit: Avenir)
Analysis: Should you buy the Hero Ten Black with a subscription?
GoPro really wants you to join their subscription service, which makes the actual price of the Hero Black 50 a bit tricky; please give us a taste. Luckily, this can be a good thing if you want to take advantage of its perks like unlimited original-quality cloud backup, damage replacement services, and 10% off GoPro-made accessories. Let's see how much this year's action camera will cost in the US and UK. We will update pricing for other regions once we have this information. In the US, the Hero 499 Black is $399, but you shouldn't be paying that much as it's a more reasonable $49,99 if you go with a GoPro.com subscription, which is $349 per year. That's a total of €10, and it seems like a no-brainer. In the UK there's a similar pricing structure: the Hero 479.99 Black is £379.98 retail, but £49,99 with subscription. GoPro's UK subscription service costs €429,97, bringing the actual total to €449. Why stop there? Both regions are also encouraging accessory packs: it costs €429.98 / €549 with accessories and the subscription, and €529.99 / €399 with accessories but without the subscription. In the US, existing GoPro subscribers can upgrade to the $150 plan, a saving of $599.95. In Australia it's roughly the same deal, AU$10 for the Hero 749.95 Black with GoPro's one-year subscription. included, or €70 for those who flatly refuse not to register. Considering you can cancel the AU$0 per year subscription at any time, this seems like a no-brainer. If your head is spinning and you need HyperSmooth XNUMX, you're not alone. Of course, you can read our GoPro Hero XNUMX Black review and watch demo videos of the camera to see if it's worth your money and time to understand the complex cost structure.