GoPro has been the go-to consumer-level action camera pretty much since the Hero2 launched in 2011. Other cameras have been around in the same time frame, but no brand has become synonymous with the segment like these guys.
Mind you, in recent times, as the Hero series has become smarter, sharper and gathered features, the prices have been creeping up. The current model Hero6 Black retails for US$399, which is a fair chunk of change to stick on top of gear costs for your action sport of choice.
Hence this. Simply called the Hero, GoPro's newest offering is a simple and capable action cam built to a price point of $199 in the United States.
Max video quality is a very useable 1440p/60 fps, with 10-megapixel still shooting. It's got a two-inch touch display on the back, and voice control options to start/stop/shoot/turn the thing off.
Out of the box without a cover, it's waterproof to depths of up to 30 ft (10 m), making it suitable for beach shenanigans and scuba diving. Naturally, it fits with the full range of GoPro mount accessories.
Impressively, it also manages to include smartphone connectivity (presumably via Wi-Fi like other models) and video stabilization (presumably in software rather than mechanical form) to make it a pretty nifty piece of gear.
If you want full 4K vision, slow motion and the very best imaging available at this point, you'll still have to stump up for the Hero6. But at around half the price, the new Hero will likely be more than adequate for the vast majority of non-professional users – and you can spend that spare couple of hundred on another skydive, or shark wrestle, or whatever the heck is it you're doing.
Check out a video below.
Source: GoPro
