Looking For A New GoPro? We’ve Got The Ultimate Guide Right Here
Here's how to choose the right model for you...
Photo: GoPro
What could possibly be better than a perfect day on the slopes, on top of a mountain or in the water with your mates? Re-living that day over and over again afterwards, going through footage you took of yourself and your crew, of course!
It’s no surprise that everyone and their mum owns a GoPro nowadays. With a myriad of mounts and other accessories to get that never-seen-before angle, you soon find yourself in a tech jungle that’s not always easy to navigate.
When you don’t have unlimited funds, you need to work out which is the best GoPro for you.
Luckily, we have some insight from our former Cooler German editor Anna, who grew up with GoPro and has tested out of their models over the years.
FOR THE PRO | HERO4 BLACK (OR SILVER)
Photo: GoPro/bhphotovideo.com
The Hero4 Black edition is GoPro’s high-end model and their designated “best camera”. This means video footage with super sharp 4K resolution, photos with 12 mega pixel, as well as WiFi and Bluetooth connection.
The housing is waterproof up to 40m and the night lapse mode even allows for footage with very little light.
These specs make the Hero4 Black the best choice for everyone looking to use their camera for professional purposes, say filmers and photographers, but also riders looking to produce high quality content for their (future) sponsors.
However, you do need high tech tools – such as data-intensive editing programs, HD-ready TVs and a computer with enough RAM to make use of the masses of data you’re juggling.
The price tag of £369 is not small either. So if you’re not on 4K, you might also want to take a look at the HERO4 Silver that is nearly £100 cheaper and comes with a built in display to film 1080 with 60 frames and take 12 megapixel photos.
FOR THE WEEKEND SHREDDER | HERO4 Session
Photo: GoPro/actioncamerarumors.com
Launched in 2015, the Hero4 Session is ideal for someone looking for a lightweight, smaller GoPro. It is 50 per cent smaller, 40 per cent lighter and waterproof up to 10m without an extra case.
With the capacity shoot 8 megapixel photos, film at 1080 resolution and 60 frames, it will be more than enough for most users. WiFi and Bluetooth are included as well.
The one-button interface may be a bit confusing for someone using a GoPro for the first time, but once you get the hang of it, it’s pretty straight forward.
For £159, the Session is an amazing all-rounder that will never let you down (and will very seldom run out of battery since it automatically shuts down after a certain amount of down time).
FOR THE SEASONAIRE | HERO+ LCD
Photo: GoPro
The new Hero+ is great for all newbies in the selfie-sector as the built in LCD screen lets you see what you’re aiming for and capturing.
While the free GoPro app does offer this feature (using your mobile phone) for all models with built-in Wifi and Bluetooth, having the display right there on the back of the GoPro is invaluable
Plus the new LCD screen allows you to review all your footage straight away using a touch screen, so you don’t have to navigate through the button click-through menu.
For the same price as the Hero4 Session, you’ll get the same video and picture resolution with the display on top.
FOR THE BEGINNER | HERO
Photo: GoPro
GoPro’s very basic entry level camera costs only £99, is waterproof up to 40m with case and still offers 1080 resolution with 30 frames and 5 megapixel photos.
The main difference to all other GoPro models is the lack of WiFi – which means you will definitely have to wait until the end of the day to be able to review your footage.
This can lead to a bit of a trial-and-error period when you first get it and don’t have much experience with the camera’s range of view yet. But it can also make for great experiments, random gems and brimming anticipation.
Remember how excited you were when your old film camera was finally ready for pick-up after developing? Exactly.
Take a look at the GoPro website to see the whole range of cameras
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