GoPro announced today the release of TWO new action cams: HERO13 Black and the new HERO – the smallest and most compact GoPro camera to date. With attention to customer requests to their flagship lineup, the HERO13 Black offers much more over the HERO12 Black. I’ll run down the new features and comparisons here – much gleaned from their provided reviewer’s guides. I also tested it briefly and will share my results, but look for a much deeper dive review once I’ve had a chance to really dig into the features and accessories available to me.
(From press release):
San Mateo, Calif., Sept. 4, 2024 – Today, GoPro (NASDAQ: GPRO) announced two new GoPro cameras: the top-of-the-line $399 HERO13 Black with its HB-Series Lenses, and the smallest, simplest 4K camera, the $199 HERO. Each camera offers unique new features that build upon GoPro-patented, customer-favorite technologies.
“This year’s two new GoPro cameras are inspired by and built for the GoPro Community,” says GoPro Founder and CEO Nicholas Woodman. “HERO13 Black features four new interchangeable lens mods that HERO13 automatically detects and adjusts its settings for, magnetic latch mounting, GPS, and a more powerful battery that provides longer runtimes and improved thermal performance. And then there’s HERO, the smallest, lightest 4K GoPro ever with a screen that will appeal to new and experienced users with its rugged, ultralight design and impressive 4K image quality.”
What’s New?
HERO13 Black
HERO13 Black is a powerful combination of leading-edge tech and endless creative possibilities. Beyond best-in-class 5.3K 60 frames per second video, Emmy® Award-winning HyperSmooth stabilization, and core GoPro characteristics, HERO13 Black features new:
- Incredible 13x Burst Slo-Mo – Captures up to 400 frames per second at HD-quality 720p video, as well as 5.3K at 120 frames per second and 900p at 360 frames per second video.
- Redesigned 10% Larger Capacity, More Power Efficient Enduro Battery – Extends runtimes in all weather conditions.
- Snap and Go Magnetic Latch Mounting – Joins built-in mounting fingers and 1/4-20 mounting threads for three ways to mount HERO13 Black.
- Faster WiFi 6 Technology – For up to 40% quicker content transfer speeds.
- Professional-Level Hybrid Log Gamma (HLG) HDR Video – Broadcast-standard 10bit and Rec. 2100 color space and a wider color gamut than HDR alone.
- More Customizable Audio Tuning – Choose balanced true-to-life sound or a Voice setting that enhances vocal clarity, while also preserving ambient background sounds.
- GPS + Performance Stickers – Track speed, path, terrain, altitude and g-force, and help with geotagging in third party media management apps.
- Plus, more custom preset options, improved QuikCapture and more.
HERO13 Black ($399.99) customers can choose between the standalone camera, the HERO13 Black Creator Edition ($599.99) complete with the Volta Power Grip, Media Mod and Light Mod, or activity-optimized HERO13 Black Accessory Bundles exclusive to GoPro.com. All are available for preorder today. Preorder shipping and global retail on-shelf availability will begin on September 10.
Runs cooler for longer
The HERO13 Black is designed to run cooler in both static environments and in motion, where utilizing their Airflow case and heat dispensation designs. This addresses one of the main complaints that have been voiced in the past few models that would overheat and shut off until the camera cooled down to be reset again.
Here are a some comparisons:
Redesigned Power Solutions
A 10% larger capacity 1900mAh Enduro battery combines with improved power efficiency and a redesigned battery enclosure to deliver longer runtimes in all conditions. HERO13 Black provides 1.5 hours of continuous recording in the highest resolution 4K30 and 5.3K30 settings, plus over 2.5 hours of continuous recording at HD-quality 1080p30.
NOTE: The new 1900mAh Enduro battery is unique to the HERO13 Black and not interchangeable with the previous Enduro batteries used in the HERO12 and 11.
Level up to all-weather power by adding the Contacto Magnetic Door and Power Cable Kit ($79.99). This power extension accessory magnetically attaches to a specially designed side door for HERO13 Black that allows for a quick, simple and weatherproof way to connect an external power source.
HB Series Lenses
HERO13 Black customers can level up their creative game by adding the innovative, new HERO Black (HB)-Series Lenses to their cart. Each lens is automatically detected by HERO13 Black to provide optimal settings options based on the lens type and the environment.
The four HB-Series Lenses are the only lenses compatible with GoPro-patented HyperSmooth stabilization and are waterproof and scratch resistant with hydrophobic coatings.
- Ultra Wide Lens Mod ($99.99): Transforms HERO13 Black into the ultimate POV camera by capturing more in every shot with a 177° field of view and new 1:1 aspect ratio, giving you more field of view and the freedom to crop your footage to widescreen 16:9 or vertical 9:16 shots— no matter how the camera is mounted. And, this lens maximizes HyperSmooth performance for unbreakable 360° Horizon Lock in-camera video stabilization up to 4K60 resolution.
- Macro Lens Mod ($129.99): Expand creative possibilities with variable focus on objects in the distance and objects that can be up to 4x closer than the standard GoPro lens. The variable focus ring lets you manually adjust the focus distance from as close as 4.3in (11cm).
- Anamorphic Lens Mod ($129.99): Capture ultra wide-angle, artistic footage with less distortion than traditional wide-angle perspectives in a dramatic 21:9 aspect ratio—just like you see in feature films. Cinematic lens flares add to the character of your footage, while in-camera “de-squeezing” makes it easy to capture, review and edit anamorphic content without intensive post-production workflows.
- ND Filter 4-Pack ($69.99): Easily create cinematic motion blur in your shots with HB-Series neutral density (ND) filters in ND4 / ND8 / ND16 / ND32. Simply attach a filter and your HERO13 Black automatically detects it, toggles into Auto Cinematic video mode, and dials in the best settings based on your environment.
Ultra Wide Lens Mod, Macro Lens Mod and the ND Filter 4-Pack are sold separately from HERO13 Black and are now available for preorder at GoPro.com. Preorder shipping and global retail on-shelf availability will begin on September 10. Anamorphic Lens Mod will be available in 2025.
Mounts & Accessories
New Magnetic Latch ($24.99) and Ball Joint Mounts ($39.99) introduce the quickest way to move HERO13 Black between various mounts. They are compatible with all existing GoPro mounts and use a quick dual-latch system to secure your camera. Simply pinch to release and swap mounts or flip your camera 180° to change up the perspective.
HERO13 Black customers can also mount their camera using built-in mounting fingers for the most secure, low-profile mounting option and 1/4-20 mounting threads to be used with tripods and standard professional camera accessories.
I’ll be showing more on these in my extensive Hands-On review at the end of the month.
Hands-on with the HERO13 Black
The one thing I really wanted to test for this first look review was the new Macro Lens and the Magnetic Latch mount. So I decided to just film some shots making dinner one night and cut them up like you might an home cook influencer video.
In this case, it’s “Mushroom Meatballs” where I use ground Turkey for the protein and 5 different kinds of mushrooms for the gravy. All shot in my kitchen with available overhead lighting – no studio lights or screens (which it really needed but I was hungry!) 😉
I tried one shot in super slo-mo but the LED lights in my kitchen strobed poorly so I cut it down to 2X (50%) and shot in 4K.
I simply jump cut all the steps and ingredients together to simulate the process but these are all full res and retimed in some clips for the slo-mo effect, but straight out of the camera with no post processing (and no audio):
Look for more tests and comparison videos in my extensive Hands-On review at the end of the month.
New HERO
HERO is the smallest, lightest, simplest to use and lowest cost 4K camera ever with a screen. It features:
- Ultra Compact Design, Weighing Only 86g: With built-in mounting fingers included, HERO has 35% less volume and 46% less mass than HERO13 Black.
- Rugged + Waterproof to 16ft (5m): Completely waterproof and built with legendary GoPro durability, HERO is ready to capture the fun whether you’re ripping through mud, snow, water or just exploring a new city.
- Intuitive Touch Screen + One-Button Control: Use HERO’s LCD screen to frame your shots perfectly and simply swipe or press the mode button to swap modes. When you’re ready, hit the shutter button to start capturing.
- Stunning Image Quality + 2x Slo-Mo: Capture in Ultra HD 4K and HD 1080p video, 12MP photos or slow things down with 2.7K 60 frames per second. You can also grab 8MP frame grabs from your 4K videos using the Quik app.
- 16:9 Aspect Ratio: Delivers YouTube-optimized, horizontal video.
- HyperSmooth Video Stabilization With the Quik App: The GoPro Quik app uses HyperSmooth video stabilization to automatically smooth out the bumps in your footage.
- Long-Lasting Enduro Battery: HERO can record continuously for up to 100 minutes at its highest video setting on a single charge.**
HERO ($199.99) is available for preorder today. Preorder shipping and global retail on-shelf availability will begin on September 22. (I’ll be including the HERO in my deep dive review at the end of the month).
Quik Software
Both HERO13 Black and HERO are compatible with the Quik app to benefit from the following GoPro subscriber perks:
- Highlight Videos Automatically Sent to Your Phone – Simply plug in your GoPro when connected to your home Wi-Fi. While it’s charging, your footage is automatically uploaded to the cloud and used to make a highlight video complete with beat-synced music and effects. Videos are automatically sent to your phone and ready to share.
- Edit Your Shots with the Quik App – Tap into an array of easy-to-use tools that let you edit your footage like a pro. You can tweak the highlight videos created by the app or make your own videos from scratch. You can also zoom in, crop, add filters and data overlays, and more with your footage.
- Easy Transferring + Unlimited Cloud Backup – Transferring photos and videos to your phone via the Quik app is a snap with wireless upload. There’s also unlimited cloud storage with hassle-free auto-upload. Just plug in your camera when connected to your home Wi-Fi and your GoPro does the rest.
GoPro customers can unlock the above with the Premium ($49.99/year) or Premium+ ($99.99/year) GoPro subscriptions, available in the Quik app or at GoPro.com.
The Comparisons
As always, I like to include all the technical specs and comparisons between new/previous models:
