Tag Archives: Hero

GoPro Hero 10 Black Review: An Excellent Development

RRP $ 499.00

"Don't judge a camera by its housing, this new hero is full of hidden talents."

advantages

• 5.3K 60 fps video recording

• Improved stabilization

• Automatic cloud storage integration

• 2.7k 240 fps slow motion

• The touchscreen interface is remarkably useful when it is wet

disadvantage

• Image quality and stabilization deteriorate significantly in low light

• Short battery life

Often challenged but never conquered, GoPro has dominated the action camera scene since it existed. The GoPro Hero 10 Black shows why this product line is so successful. I'll get right out of it and say that this is certainly the best action camera out there right now, as well as the best action camera ever.

If you're looking to buy a new action camera, this is almost certainly the one you should get. So the question here is really whether existing GoPro owners of the Hero 9 or even the Hero 8 will find the tenth generation or not a convincing upgrade.

draft

If you put the Hero 9 Black and Hero 10 Black side by side, the only notable design change you will notice is that the logo is now blue. Otherwise, it has the same selfie screen on the front and the same touchscreen that spans almost the entire back of the camera. It has the same premium weather resistance and ruggedness, the same fold-out bracket, the same placement of the power and mode buttons, and the battery / microSD card slot.

However, this is actually a good thing as I don't see how it could be improved and it allows the Hero 10 Black to be compatible with all the accessories that worked with its predecessor. This includes things like the GoPro Media Mod and the Max Lens Mod, though compatibility with the latter will have to wait for the firmware update scheduled for November 16, 2021.

Andy Zahn / Digital Trends

Despite its similar appearance, the Hero 10's lens cap actually received some pretty significant upgrades that I really appreciated. The glass now has a hydrophobic, water-repellent coating that made for much clearer shots when swimming with the camera, and it's more scratch-resistant and less prone to ghosting.

I have to praise GoPro for the packaging, which is plastic-free and has a pretty nice travel case. It is clear that a lot of emphasis has been placed on reducing waste, which is both good for the environment and saves the disposal of a mountain of unnecessary waste.

Andy Zahn / Digital Trends

power

With any camera, the most important factor is the quality of its pictures and / or videos. For the most part, the Hero 10 knocks out of the park in this regard. The Hero 10's improved image quality comes from its new GP2 processor, which allows it to take full advantage of its 23 MP sensor. In the Hero 9, the resolution of still images was limited to 20 MP and video to 5K with 30 frames per second (fps). The Hero 10 can take full 23MP still photos and record 5.3K videos at up to 60 fps.

The Hero 10 beats it out of the park in terms of image / video quality.

Although the increase in resolution is not noticeable in practice, video recording at 60 fps is a big upgrade. This means that it is now possible to do slow motion with resolutions greater than 4K. It might well be debated whether 5.3K is useful at all for most videographers, but an important factor is that if you shoot at 5.3K, you can pull 15.8MP stills out of the video (19.6MP stills with 5K ). I was very happy with these stills and found them to be a huge step up over stills from 4K video.

Of course, 5.3K is just the tip of the iceberg of the Hero 10's video capabilities. For me, the most exciting aspect of this camera is the leap forward it makes for slow motion video at lower resolutions.

Andy Zahn / Digital Trends

The frame rate compared to the Hero 9 has not only doubled at 5K, but also at 4K and 2.7K. That is 120fps 4K video and Super-Duper-Slow-Mo 240fps at 2.7K. With the right subject, some really stunning footage can be captured, and with a lot more detail than the 1080p slow motion I'm used to from other cameras. The disadvantage is that at super high frame rates, especially at 240fps, artifacts definitely occur.

It's by far the best digital image stabilization I've ever used.

Another major upgrade that solidifies my love for the Hero 10 is the new Hypersmooth 4.0 video stabilization. It's by far the best digital image stabilization I've ever used, and it really gave results comparable to a mechanical gimbal in many situations. As I rode my bike down a gravel road with the camera in hand, I was able to capture usable footage from the rough ground without noticeable tremors.

Walking on the Hero 10 also gave stable results, although running on a bumpy path through the forest turned out to be a little too much. The tilt limiter has been increased from 27 degrees to 45 degrees, which means that the camera can hold the horizon better when activated.

Andy Zahn / Digital Trends

Although the new, more powerful processor improves performance in poor lighting conditions, there is no getting around the laws of physics. Image quality degrades a lot in low light, although I have to say the results were better than some other cameras I've used that have similarly small image sensors.

I was very impressed with the audio. Even on a windy bike ride on a busy road, the Hero 10 delivered usable recordings. It's good enough that I want to have it fully incorporated into the production of my own videos.

I was very impressed with the audio.

I also have to emphasize the time lapse functions of the Hero 10. In addition to the more traditional standard time laps, they also include Hyperlapse and Nightlapse. This is one of the things I use action cameras for the most. The small size and durable, waterproof properties of the Hero 10 make it the perfect device for leaving the weather outside to capture long time-lapses in changing weather or traffic on a city street.

software

The onboard software of the Hero 10 is quick and easy to use via the touchscreen and the mode selection button. The new processor makes everything from booting to menu navigation faster, and the rear screen runs at higher frame rates so the live view better matches the footage being captured.

The Hero 10 can also be controlled remotely via the Quik app, which also includes some very handy editing functions. I honestly said that I preferred some aspects of editing footage with this app on my phone over using Adobe Premiere on my PC.

Connectivity

I am very impressed with the seamless connection between my phone and the Hero 10. Just open the app and turn on the camera and the two will automatically connect with no fuss once you've enabled all permissions in your phone setup. This ease of use has made me much more likely to use the app with the Hero 10. Most other camera companion apps are so cumbersome to connect devices that the effort is usually not worth it.

The Hero 10 goes one step further because with a GoPro subscription you get free, unlimited cloud storage for photos and videos taken with the device, and the Hero 10 can do this automatically when it is charged. Simply connect the camera to your home WiFi via the app and you no longer have to worry about transferring recordings from your camera to your computer via USB (although you can instead if you prefer or if you have a weak internet have connection). Once in the cloud and again with a strong internet connection, your footage can be quickly downloaded to any device.

I was very impressed with the seamless connection between my phone and the Hero 10.

For me, this ability was more of a tempting vision of the future than reality, as my internet connection at home runs at around 10 Mbit / s on good days. For those who have decent, modern broadband internet, the automatic cloud storage is a very valuable feature.

Another feature worth mentioning is that the Hero 10 now enables live streaming in 1080p with Hypersmooth enabled. The front display can be used for framing, making the Hero 10 a compelling option for various live streaming applications.

Andy Zahn / Digital Trends

battery

When I first started using the Hero 10, I was a bit shocked at how quickly the battery drained. Just a short session with it will burn off most of the juice, but it's important to put this in the context of the device. I use action cameras to capture short clips, typically less than a minute long, and while the battery pack has a remarkably short lifespan, I never really felt limited by it. That said, you'll want to use a few extra batteries, especially if you want to record in 5.3K or high frame rates.

Price and availability

With an MSRP of $ 499, the GoPro Hero 10 Black seems quite expensive at first, especially when you consider that this is $ 50 more than the Hero 9, which was launched a year ago however, it helps reduce this significantly if you choose to subscribe to GoPro. With the subscription, the total cost is only $ 399, which is much easier to swallow, and you can enjoy all the benefits of the GoPro subscription for a year.

After your first year, this subscription will cost you $ 5 a month or $ 50 a year, and for that price, I would personally consider it a bargain, especially if you have an internet connection that allows high-resolution footage to be automatically uploaded. The subscription offers other benefits such as discounts and the replacement of damaged cameras.

An accessory pack is also available with the Hero 10 for $ 50 and includes a shorty tripod, magnetic rotating clip, additional battery, and a 32GB microSD card.

Andy Zahn / Digital Trends

Our opinion

the GoPro Hero 10 Black may on the surface look like a clone of its predecessor, but once you get under the hood, you'll find that almost everything about this camera has undergone a drastic upgrade. At a time when everyone carries a powerful camera in the form of a smartphone, it is difficult to develop a compelling dedicated camera. The Hero 10 does this by being tough where your phone is fragile and by offering an amazing level of versatility, making it suitable for a wide variety of different uses. Action may be where it shines, but the truth is that if you are creating videos of any kind, this is a tool that should be in your kit.

Is there a better alternative?

No, there is no camera like the Hero 10 that outperforms it. However, if you need something that fits into a smaller budget, the Hero 9 Black is available for $ 349 and the Hero 8 Black is available for just $ 279. Both are still great options, though I'd recommend the DJI Osmo Action for $ 200 on the Hero 8. Alternatively, you can opt for a 360-degree camera such as the GoPro Max or the Insta360 One X2.

How long it will take?

A new GoPro Hero is as much a fall season staple as pumpkin spice, but each new iteration remains a relevant and powerful tool for years to come. Of course, that depends on how roughly you handle these sturdy little cameras. However, if you choose the GoPro subscription, you can get a replacement camera (two per year) for a fraction of the cost of a new camera. This is a great advantage with cameras that are designed to be at risk.

Should you buy it?

If you are looking for a new action camera this is the clear and obvious choice. For owners of existing Hero cameras, the enormous increase in slow-motion functions alone can make the upgrade worthwhile.

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