This 12 months’s GoPro launch is among the largest adjustments for the HERO product line ever, and places them again on prime of the motion digicam sport with critically spectacular new options and equipment on the brand new HERO 13 Black.
There’s additionally an especially light-weight however extra absolutely featured commonplace HERO mannequin that’s a worthy improve from the GoPro Mini launched alongside the HERO 11 in 2022. We’ll begin there, then dive deep on the top-tier 13 Black…
2024 GoPro HERO
For budding videographers on a funds, the new $199 HERO is their most reasonably priced motion digicam ever with a full-size rear display. Not like the Mini, which was a point-and-pray affair with no display (until you paired it with the app to make use of your cellphone as a monitor), this one has their acquainted type issue and rear display, letting you simply change settings and see what you’re capturing.
It’s compact, about 35% smaller than a regular HERO, and weighs simply 89g. It’s waterproof to 5m (~16ft), impression resistant, and has a replaceable hydrophobic lens. It has simply three modes: Extremely HD 4K, 2.7K 60fps sluggish movement, and 12MP images. The video seize has full picture stabilization like regular, and you may seize 8MP stills out of your 4K movies utilizing their Quik app.
GoPro HERO 13 Black
If you happen to’re attempting to seize higher sluggish movement or get nearer to your topics, then the brand new GoPro HERO 13 Black is well worth the improve because of 400fps slo-mo and swappable lenses with a brand new Macro choice. However there’s much more that’s new right here. Right here’s probably the most noteworthy upgrades and new options:
- 120fps 5K as much as 400fps 720p sluggish movement
- Magnetic charging latch & cable choice
- New Anamorphic & Macro swappable lenses w/ auto-detection
- Bigger 1900mAh battery capability
- New mounting choices w/ built-in fingers & 1/4-20 mount
- Airpod/Bluetooth headphone appropriate
Fast word about that slo-mo… these excessive body charges are for brief bursts solely. They take a TON of processing energy, and an excessive amount of will go previous what the onboard processor can deal with, however when you use it correctly you possibly can nail some spectacular pictures. Right here’s the bounds and their 30fps yield:
- 720p400: 15 seconds taking pictures = 3-minute, 20-second playback time
- 900p360: 15 seconds taking pictures = 3-minute playback time
- 5.3K120: 5 seconds taking pictures = 20-second playback time
It will get a brand new three-way mounting system on the underside. It comes with their normal two-prong mounts, however now there’s an built-in 1/4-20 mount between them.
Plus, you possibly can add new snap-on magnetic mounts, one with fingers, the opposite with a ball joint mount that snaps into commonplace GoPro equipment and stick-on mounts. These make it faster and simpler to maneuver the digicam between equipment, and the ball joint makes it simpler to get simply the best angle.
The anamorphic lens (left) provides you Hollywood-style visuals for an ultra-widescreen view, as much as 21:9.
However I’m extra excited concerning the Macro because it’ll focus 4x nearer than a regular lens, that means I can get simply 4.33 inches away from small particulars on bikes. This could open up much more artistic choices for everybody in any subject, particularly because it has a variable focus, adjustable by way of its rotating lens ring with on-screen focus peaking choice.
In addition they have 4 ND filter lenses (4/8/16/32) for altering the temper in shiny daylight. I’d like to see a polarized lens, however these are an excellent start thinking about what number of skilled videographers at the moment are utilizing GoPros for correct movies. Even higher, the digicam will routinely modify its publicity and shutter pace settings to ship one of the best image high quality, letting you employ them to simply seize movement blur. Or set these manually to get no matter outcome you need.
There’s additionally a brand new Extremely Vast Lens, which replaces the Max Lens Mod 2.0 from prior fashions (that mod nonetheless suits, it simply gained’t be routinely detected by the HERO 13 or get computerized updates). The graphic above reveals the Extremely Vast view on the outer edges and its Vertical mode within the middle, providing you with a large top-to-bottom view of what’s in entrance of you, as much as 177º FOV. And it helps HyperSmooth and 360º Horizon Lock.
The brand new battery has 10% extra capability than earlier than, providing you with 90+ minutes of 5.3K/30 filming. They declare about 13.5% enchancment in common battery life throughout all modes, partially additionally thanks to raised warmth administration (discover these fins underneath the lens?).
These preserve it cool when working for prolonged scenes…which is sweet as a result of run instances are almost double when there’s airflow to assist cool the digicam. Run instances are nonetheless improved for static use (suppose indoors or inside a car), however the extra you possibly can cool it, the higher it’ll do.
If you happen to want extra time, swap within the magnetic charging port and fasten the cable to the digicam and an influence supply (like their battery pack/selfie stick). It really works with or with no battery put in within the digicam, and the digicam maintains its 10m/IPX7 waterproof score when utilizing it.
For the tech nerds, it upgrades its HDR to HLG HDR, which meets broadcasting business HDR requirements and has a wider shade gamut with 10-bit and Rec. 2100 shade house. You’ll want a monitor able to displaying this stage of vibrancy to truly see it, however it will probably do it. Or you possibly can set it to plain HDR, or flip HDR off altogether. GoPro says about 14% of footage shot with the HERO 12 was in HDR, so don’t really feel dangerous when you aren’t utilizing it…it’s type of a professional setting that your mother gained’t even discover.
GPS is again, too, letting you geo-tag your footage and add issues like pace and mapping in publish manufacturing. You may also customized title your presets, tune the audio seize, and extra.
How does it evaluate to the HERO 12?
Aside from the options listed above, it’s very comparable by way of taking pictures modes, body charges, bitrates, 10-bit shade, FOVs, and so forth. The HERO 13 is 4g heavier, however has the identical dimensions, so just about each accent you’ve gotten ought to nonetheless match.
