Ever since GoPro 35mm Hero was launched in September 2004 at San Diego’s Action Sports Retailer trade show, the camera lineup has risen to become an extremely popular action camera. The brand faces stiff competition from the likes of DJI and Insta360 GoPro’s latest action cameras come with significant upgrades that set them apart. The new models are the GoPro Hero 8 and GoPro Hero Max.
GoPro Hero8 Black adopts a new body design that incorporates GoPro’s signature mounting system right into the case. With this design, you no longer need add-on frames to attach it to selfie sticks, suction mounts, body mounts and more. The GoPro Hero8 Black shoots at a resolution between 1080p and 4K and also gains HyperSmooth 2.0, the second generation version of GoPro’s proprietary digital stabilization technology. The first version, which premiered on the GoPro Hero7, got positive reviews for its effectiveness. This new version is touted to be more powerful. The software equally comes with new adjustment options which allow users to adjust the level of effectiveness.
Further, the GoPro Hero8 comes with TimeWarp 20, an upgrade of GoPro’s proprietary variable speed recording mode. The action camera equally provides better on-board wind suppression for mic-free recording. The body changes mean that the lens is no longer removable, but GoPro is planning to release a new mounting system for filters soon to make up for this limitation.
On top of the new design, there’s a series of new aftermarket add-ons, which GoPro calls “Mods,” to provide add-on features. There’s a Media Mod ($79.99) that includes a built-in shotgun mic; a Display Mod ($79.99) which has a flip-up LCD viewfinder for vlogging, and a Light Mod ($49.99) which has a 200 lumen LED continuous video light source. The Hero8 Black comes with a $399 price tag.
On its part, GoPro Hero Max is a successor to the GoPro Fusion, its 360-degree ruggedized action camera. The Max equally provides 360 captures and is designed to also produce great single lens, traditional wide-angle footage. The camera also has its own version of HyperSmooth stabilization called Max HyperSmooth.
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The Hero MAX coms with a front-facing display which should bring ease to vlogging for those who use the camera to vlog. The front-facing display also aids advanced content creators who want maximum editing flexibility.
The HERO MAX has two lenses and can record sharper 5.6K video in 360-degrees. It also comes with a new Max SuperView ultra-wide camera mode for fitting more of the scene into pictures and videos, can livestream in 1080p and offers an option that lets people automatically backup videos and photos to the cloud. It also has six microphones, which GoPro says will offer the “best stereo sound ever” from one of its cameras.
The Hero MAX is priced at $499 and will start shipping on October 24. The GoPro Hero8 will start shipping on October 15. Both action cameras are available to pre-order.
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