The action camera wars are back and this time around, it’s GoPro’s turn to try and outdo their biggest rival DJI with the newest version of the flagship Hero Black camera – the Hero9 Black.
The most obvious addition is that GoPro has opted to add a forward-facing 1.4-inch colour LCD to the front of the Hero9 Black, which will be of great interest to Vloggers, YouTubers and anyone who want to fit themselves properly into frame. However, while the front LCD may catch all the headlines, there’s plenty more new specifications worth discovering.
For starters, the GoPro Hero9 Black uses an all-new sensor that not only serves up a big jump in resolution (up from the Hero8 Black‘s 12-MP to 20-megapixels), but is also capable of recording some ultra high-quality video footage. In fact, the new GoPro can record 5K at 30p movies, along with offering 4K 60p, 2.7K at 120p and Full HD 1080p at 240 – meaning users can create 8x slow motion sequences.
The rear of the unit boasts a larger 2.27-inch rear touch display with touch zoom and GoPro explains that the Hero9 Black offers both 30% more battery life than HERO8 Black and improved cold weather performance, which should suit those who like to push their action cameras to the limits in harsh conditions and where traditional DSLR cameras may fail. What’s more, the lens cover is removable, meaning you can fix this should you have any big accidents.
GoPro’s stabilisation system has been given a makeover and is now called Hypersmooth 3.0 and the Hero9 Black can also Live Stream in 1080p and features a 1080p webcam mode. Of course, GoPro’s are famous for their toughness and the Hero9 Black is waterproof down to 33ft (10m). The Hero9 Black is also compatible with GoPro’s mods, including the new Max Lens Mod, which gives a wider field of view so you can capture more of the scene.
Along with being able to capture stills in RAW format, the Hero9 Black features 3 microphones with wind-noise reduction, a larger speaker for improved audio playback and HindSight, which aims to capture content before the shutter button is even pressed. Available from today, the GoPro Hero9 Black carries a price-tag of $449/£429.