I’ve had the chance to use the best GoPro cameras for a long time, and I can say with confidence that they’ve become the standard for action cameras. What’s impressive is that the company keeps coming out with new and different products every year. They have what you need, whether you want a traditional action camera or something as cutting-edge as the GoPro Max.
From my own experience, the best GoPro cameras stand out because of how well they are made. These cameras are made to handle the rough conditions of adventure, which is something I’ve really liked. Also, the ability to record high-resolution video is a game-changer. It lets me write in amazing detail about what I’ve done.
That does not mean that you cannot find a better action camera. For example, if you want a cheaper GoPro and are willing to give up the latest features, you can step back a generation and upgrade to the GoPro Hero 9, an action camera capable of recording 5K footage. It makes sense that you can further reduce costs by taking a step back and considering the GoPro Hero 8. With the ability to record 4K video and Media Mods, which vloggers will probably find exceptionally adaptable, this former top model is still excellent. Below we have listed the best GoPro cameras.
Best GoPro cameras to buy
GoPro Hero 10 Black
The GoPro Hero 10 Black is the latest action camera from the brand that has become synonymous with the category. It is the most powerful and refined version, thanks to the new GP2 processor. That said, it is not a big improvement over its predecessor, the Hero 9 Black. You can now shoot in 4K/120p and slow-motion at 2.7K/240p, a fun and usable feature rather than a novelty.
The latest iteration also features new frame rates and shooting resolutions. The Hero 10 Black is built around the same 23 MP, 1/2.3-inch sensor as its predecessor and is waterproof to 10 meters, but it is the new GP2 processor that unlocks most of its unique talents.
Some new shooting modes include 5.3K/60p, 4K/120,p and 2.7K/240p options. Other enhancements include a much more responsive touchscreen interface, a handy new wired data transfer mode for phones, and some under-the-hood image quality improvements, including local tone mapping and improved low-light noise reduction. Video quality has also improved.
GoPro Hero 9 Black
The predecessor to the latest GoPro Hero catalog offers good value for money if you don’t necessarily need the latest technology. It was redesigned from the ground up at the time, but retained the pocket form factor of its predecessors and added a color screen on the front for easy framing. Also new is the 23.6 MP sensor, also found in the Hero 10 Black.
4K recording is limited to 60 frames per second, but the highlight of the Hero 9 Black is 5K recording at 30 frames per second: with a frame rate of 100 Mbps and the right lighting conditions, it can capture more detail than any GoPro to date. The HyperSmooth Boost option in all shooting modes allows you to always benefit from GoPro’s most robust stabilization setting, while the larger battery capacity ensures longer recordings.
The GoPro Hero 9 Black is not a radical upgrade over the Hero 8 Blac. However, after a firmware update that largely fixed problems with auto exposure and touchscreen responsiveness, the GoPro Hero 9 Black should be considered. There are also some new software tricks: HindSight, for example, allows you to save actions that occurred up to 30 seconds before the shutter was released. Other, even older options offer better value if 5K and front camera are not on your list.
GoPro Hero 8 Black
GoPro revolutionized the sports camera market when it first appeared in 2004. Since then, the California-based company has grown to become one of the world’s most respected and high-quality camera and adventure camera brands. Since the original HERO1 in 2004, GoPro’s evolution has seen pocket cameras go from being a product that only extreme sports professionals would use to becoming a household name and something that children, families, travelers, and professionals use in their daily lives.
Not everything has gone smoothly for GoPro. Action cameras became increasingly popular. And GoPro has had to stay focused on quality. But when it released the HERO7 Black in 2018 with its revolutionary HyperSmooth, TimeWarp, and SuperPhoto technologies, the company rose up the ranks to beat the action camera competition.
GoPro Hero 7 Black
The GoPro HERO 7 Black offers advanced digital image stabilization for 4K resolution video, as well as handy features such as voice control and a small screen on the front that displays current settings. It is no longer the best GoPro on the market: for that, see our review of the GoPro HERO 9 Black (released September 2020 and currently the best action camera in the world) or our review of the HERO 8 Black (released October 2019).
Instead of trying to offer higher resolution or more frames per second than the H6, with the HERO 7 Black GoPro focused on making videos less blurry. The result? A technology called HyperSmooth: a built-in electronic stabilization that lets you ditch the gimbal and capture smooth, professional-looking footage on the go (it has since been improved, but the original HyperSmooth is still excellent). Powerful updates to the HERO 7 Black include improved audio, TimeWarp (time lapse) video, live-streaming, and a fun gesture-based user interface.
GoPro Max
Last year, Insta360 revolutionized the idea of what a 360 camera might be able to do with the Insta360 One X. The One X was marketed not as a 360-degree camera, but rather as a camera that could shoot 360 degrees of possible angles that could be accessed after the fact. Footage shot with the One X was also merged into the camera and could be edited directly on the phone to quickly upload to social platforms.
A year later, GoPro is responding to the One X with the $499.99 GoPro Max. It is the successor to the GoPro Fusion, released in 2017, which required two memory cards and stitching to a desktop: all the headaches of 360 cameras of the past in a conveniently forgettable package. But with the GoPro Max, the company has borrowed Insta360’s book and made the most accessible 360 camera ever. For this reason, I believe this is the first 360 camera to find a permanent place in my kit.
Final Words
Best GoPro Cameras is the undeniable leader in the action camera industry, but the best GoPro for you may not always be the most recent model. This guide is meant to assist you decide where to put your money if you’re considering investing.
