A more powerful processor is at the center of GoPro's Hero6 Black announcement today, enabling features like 4K/60p video recording and improved dynamic range compared to its previous Hero action cams. The custom-designed GP1 processor also enables 1080/240p slow motion video, and claims that improved image stabilization and better low light performance come with the package.
Like the Hero5, the Hero6 is waterproof without a case to a depth of 10m/33ft. It also supports GoPro's QuikStories, a mobile app feature that analyzes footage and automatically assembles short clips of what it identifies as the highlights of your adventure. GoPro says that the new GP1 chip offers advanced machine vision and computer learning capabilities to analyze scenes and create better automated stories.
Other improvements include 3x faster offloading speeds and a new digital zoom feature. The Hero6 comes of course with Wi-Fi and Bluetooth, as well as GPS, accelerometer, and gyroscope sensors to track all of the action.
I have a Hero4 and couldn't be more frustrated with it. Numerous shutdowns, bugs, totally bad camera interface where video/photo modes cannot be selected easily without the small LCD. Wireless having to be manually turned off to stop draining batteries, etc.
If that wasn't enough, Android Gopro APP is just pure garbage. I only wanted to control the camera and view the images/clips. Instead, I have to login, have loads of bloat, but sometimes camera fails to sync controls and Media doesn't show all images, even after refresh. So out of two most useful features, not a single one is working flawlessly.
I would understand if it was some rare device that very few people use. But millions of videos shot with GoPro and uploaded all over the internet hint that maybe YOU are doing something wrong. This is LITERALLY the first complaint I've ever heard about it.
Requiring a mandatory login kills GoPro for me. First - I found out in the middle of nowhere that I couldn't access my camera anymore because GoPro sabotaged the app. Second - personalized video and GPS data make GoPro a dream for industrial espionage through the NSA. They mark their areas of interest via GPS, and all the footage and pictures go directly to the NSA. For security reasons nobody outside the US should use GoPro espionage devices anymore.
Similar issues with the Hero 3 Black - the only GoPro I have ever bought for myself. Too easy to turn WiFi on (single button push) then masses of menu-hunting to turn it back off; frequent system crashes which require the battery to be pulled out and put back in for recovery; dreadful sound quality once the camera is in a waterproof case; and NOW - the GOPRO APP insisting you LOG IN. They have lost me as a potential future customer.
Slowmo is cool, but no improvements in audio :( I have gopro 5 and audio is bad (worse than in Hero 4) In general, not so many changes (see http://vegasaur.com/gopro-hero6-hero5-comparison ) Definitely not ready to pay another $500
That's a worthwhile hack - but I want an option to say, "NO ACCOUNT THANKS". The GoPro is NOT a piece of internet kit, it's a self-contained CAMERA, which I want to be able to use ENTIRELY off-line. Including when using my iPad to control it.
What's the point of carrying a phone if you have to keep it in airplane mode? C'mon, all we need is for GoPro to remove the lock-screen that insists on your logging into an account.
$500 for a phone-quality "image" without phone or candy crush ? Take an extra-mile with $100 more and you get the real 1"-sensor 100g action camera RX0, which can occasionally take decent photos, too. A no brainer for, e.g,, drone photography.
I just paid about the same for a phone-quality camera ... except mine has one special feature the GoPro doesn't. It FLIES! Sit a DJI SPark alongside a GoPro: one of them looks worth every penny. And it ain't the GoPro.
The Hero3+ Black had that issue, focus was too close, but all of the rest can go fairly close (under 1') to infinity. Lenses like these have been the standard for action cameras for around a decade now.
Also, since the Hero4 Black, the lenses are quite sharp. Defishing will certainly soften the final image a bit, but you can turn off sharpening with Protune and add more advanced sharpening in post, anyway.
Does it have the capability to do long term time lapse? To track leaves changing for a whole season as an example. This would entail the ability to be plugged into a long term power source and saving the large volume of pictures to the web or an external drive.
As a former GoPro shareholder, I became frustrated that the company has ignored - and has even disregarded - the smartphone. I have worked in extreme sports. I know that there is IP out there to be had with products like the iXtreme iPhone case (which is apparently floundering in the hands of the current investors). If a case like this was modified to support the top-tier Android phones, it would open up a massive lower tier that would gladly spend $80 or less to armor their smartphone with a "GoPro Phone Case" that included mounting and lenses. Just my $0.02
Still no optional date and time stamp display like many of their overseas competitors offer? I have no idea why GoPro has ignored this suggestion I have mentioned in numerous communications (email, app, telephone) over the past 2 years on their cameras.
It shoots HDR video. Better DR confirmed! Low light would probably be adding some NR to the mix. Very doable with a decent processor, which GoPro claims to use.
I bought a Session once and returned it because I found that I missed having a rear LCD screen, so I could make sure of the composition and positioning. I've had two of the regular GoPros and recently bought a Yi (with gimbal and "selfie stick"). Liked all of them; fun cameras - even my dog had one of the hand-me-downs.
Probably some size / power / heat limit with the new processor. 4K-60 isnt too important for most folk though. Other disappointments: 1. No Karma mount for the Session. 2. No Apple style price drop for the older tech.
I bought a Hero 5 last week and returned it two days later. All it did was seize, wheeze, freeze and sneeze., oh and hiccup too. Sooooo many things wrong with it! I think that's why they made it so you don't have to use a waterproof housing, because you have to pull the battery out so often to reset everything. Everytime I tried something it would freeze! I find it really difficult to believe people actually rely on these. After using that thing I also believe that they should be selling them for around $39. I have a polaroid cube and it was only $79 and has never failed.
@rivetedger @Hinder no not an anomoly in fact if you search for the issue you will see that this has been an ongoing problem. Dont want to take my word as an internet searcher ok...how about my word as a Hero 4 purchaser with exactly the same problems. Bought it for a 3 month trip out West. Besides terrible battery and almost useless wireless capability it started failing in exactly the same manner Hinder describes. Biggest POS camera ever. I will post my experience from time to time and say that the GoPro marketing team all deserve raises. Great marketing, terrible product. Getting another action cam but it will not be a GoPro.
Your point? My point is the problems described by the OP are not an anomoly. Many have had major problems with the device. Happy for those that dont have problems and are making a killing although doubt there are all that many actually making a killling.
The Yi+ is great value and I have one for 4k60 but if you want ultimate quality then the Hero 5 log flat profile and higher bitrate WDR already beats the Yi by a good margin if you are willing to grade your own. I imagine this will be at least as good. Raw stills, waterproof without a case and GPS also add an edge for serious work. The Yi screen is better and it is lighter as well (without case) Interestingly I travel pretty much full time now and I hardly ever see a Yi despite it almost certainly being a better choice for a lot of people I see with Gopro. That is their current market advantage for most consumers, not necessarily the typical cynical, Dpreview.com audience, action cam and Gopro are synonymous. For pros the support, ecosystem and image quality keep it at the top of their list.
Now then. Just seen my first Hero6 low light footage. It's early days, but as I suspected, utter fuzzy, noisy garbage. Any benefit of increased resolution is completely obliterated. It just goes to show, tiny sensors cannot cheat physics.
Surely, a manufacturer somewhere has seen a gap in the market, for a compact, robust action camera that has the chops to do 4K justice ? Why would ANYBODY pay $500 for this ? For 60fps ?
The Sony sounded interesting to me until I read it doesn't do internal 4K. So, I went with a Yi. Even after this announcement, I would have still gone with the Yi, which is replacing a GoPro3+, which I like.
Sony isn't pitching it as an action cam. It's an ultra compact production camera. Similar to a tiny RED, that needs things plugged in to take advantage of fully.
You’re missing the point, frame rate is everything for certain action sports, 2 years ago 1080p240fps was unheard of outside of the top end cinecams, 1080p120fps cost over a grand and most action cams weren’t even doing 720p120fps... 4K60fps would be great for standard non-slomo work giving loads of cropping potential For the price, very enticing for a lot of people who would never have looked at an action cam before
A lot of people seem to forget that you don't need to upgrade your camera every year. I've owned a GoPro HD, Hero 3 Black and Hero 5 and every time I've upgraded I've been blown away by how much better it is. Each new version might only be incrementally better but if you wait a few years those increments will build up. Won't be getting a 6 but will definitely be keen to update in a couple of years.
The 4 was also $499. The 5 dropped in price, probably because it wasn't as huge of an upgrade. But the 6 returns to the original price, with significant improvements.
How about a Gopro with a 1" sensor or at least something bigger than this tiny 1/2.3" sensor? I wouldn't mind a bigger / heavier Gopro for better low light performance.
The problem is the size of the lens to go with it. You might not mind a gopro that size, but the majority of the market likely would, and that's what matters.
Samsung NX 10mm f/3.5 fisheye is quite tiny and made for APSC sensor. It's roughly equivalent to 6mm f/2 on 1" sensor so that's plenty fast and relatively small. Some savings could be made as this is not interchangeable lens camera, but it would still be much larger than generic action camera.
the worst kept product launch secret in recent history.
GoPro is not innovating on this space anymore. It's difficult to build a drone and a action cam for a small company. There is nothing innovative or propriety with this product. At this point, Sony seems to have more innovation in this space.
HEVC with increased bitrates, so roughy 1.5-2x the quality for the same settings, and inline with doubling the frame rate. Stabilization works on all settings except the highest fps, so 4K30 is available.
Every single GoPro remains the wrong shape for me. I'm going to be moving them through the air at 100mph on a model airplane so a big rectangular box with all that frontal area is a non-starter. I need one shaped like a Mobius but with the ability to remotely trigger 12+MP still captures. I also need a narrow-angle option like 60 degrees instead of these 120-170 degree devices.
Still can't find exactly what I need so I still haven't bought anything.
On the other hand, for the extreme sports people they're mainly aimed at, they're the ideal shape. I'd hate to have something like the Sony sticking out the front of my chest or ski boot. Horses for courses.
The Sony is the right shape but bigger overall; it has great image quality and great stabilisation but it's a small camcorder pretending to be an action cam. Had 2 broke 2 doing things that a Gopro would shrug off.
The Gitup F1 meets that spec, and is intended for that purpose including photos via the aircraft remote control, except that the narrow lens option is 90 not 60 degrees and it's not available for another week or two: http://www.gitup.com/home/78-gitup-f1-4k-wifi-action-camera.html (And it has a 16:9 sensor so photos are 4K, not 12MP)
That's a very nice camera. I did use the chinese alternatives that are much cheaper and do get footage but grading and editing the Protune LOG 2.7K footage I really find it beautiful. Much much more pleasing that the alternatives (for drone footage). I imagine this will be a great addition to the line. Waiting for reviews.
If you want a good GoPro at a better price, get the Session 5. The only compromise is the battery life. I get about 1.5 hours out of it. I generally shoot 1080 60 with stabilization. Sometimes you can get it for under $250.
The only downside to the Session models is that if the battery takes a crap, you can't change it (or if you can, it requires surgery on the unit). That's why I opted for the older Hero4 Silver over the Session 5. It's a bit older, but at least I can swap batteries as needed (and 4k15fps wasn't that big of a deal to me personally). If you're one of those people who goes out for long periods of time (more than 2 hours) then you might want to consider getting a Hero4 Silver/Black (yes, it's a few years old but if you don't need 4k, then it's the perfect match between price and functionality) and cost. I was able to get a hero4 Silver recently (about 3 months ago) for only $200 new from B&H.
Just use small external usb battery packs. I have several. They are light and can strap easily to most things I attach my session to. No battery issues!
@Sirhawkeye64: I didn't think of that (the battery stuck inside the unit). Good point.
@ImagerOf: The camera will operate while attached to an external battery pack? That's interesting. I suppose, of course, the hatch stays open, but if you don't need waterproof for a scene, etc., that's a great idea.
The battery is technically replaceable, but you will void your warranty if you disassemble the unit to replace the battery. Now, will your battery go bad? probably not. But there is that percentage (say 5%) that might experience premature battery failure. to me, it's too much hassle. I don't need 4k, so I'm content with the Hero 4 Silver edition which has battery packs.
@SirHawkEye64, I don't use 4k either. In fact, what I learned about the Session 5 is that it only has image stabilization at 1080p or lower. It's digital stablization (and works well), but it's obviously cropped, which is why the entire sensor can't be used for filming if you need stablization.
4K/60, 1080/240, and waterproof without a housing. It might be a minor update, but for $500 that's still pretty darn good, really.
Sure, there's the Yi 4K+ for $330. But it doesn't have the slow-mo capabilities, and it needs a housing to be sealed and protected, which is a lot more awkward from a functional point of view.
Honestly, this Hero 6 seems like the most competitive product GoPro has released in years.
Only difference on the Yi 4k+ is 120 fps at 1080p vs 240 on the Hero 6
Personally I like how the Yi gets a 1/4" female tripod socket. The GoPro is waterproof naked, but still needs to be put in a housing to mount to most anything anyway. Stupid.
What? You can still mount the Xiaomi Yi in a housing too, if you need 'more flexibility', but you can't mount the GoPro on anything without a housing. The Yi can screw straight onto a standard tripod, like any P&S, for timelapse etc.
Point is the GoPro doesn't need a housing to be waterproof, but still needs a housing to attach to anything.
Well the Yi does not have log (Which for a licence costs a big chunk of the difference between the two bodies) or H. 265 or waterproof without a case or raw stills or GPS or a voice remote or a front LCD. But it's a great camera if you don't need those things.
To answer a question regarding being waterproof when I use an external usb battery pack. Once I have it plugged in I use a silicone earplug and mold it around the connection area. Never had a problem in inclement weather while doing long time lapse.
H265 at lower bitrates just gives you the same quality as H264 at high bitrates. H265 is not an advantage, given that the bitrates used on the GoPro 6 are low. In any case, the 4K IQ seems better on the Yi. Also, the Yi is hackable, with people upping the 1080 frame rate to 150 (still not 240) and the 4K 60P bitrate to 180 Mbps. A front LCD helps how?
Looks nice but is not for me: -I already have 2 GoPro 4 silver. -Not possible to pair 2 cameras for 3d pictures. -10m is not enough for scuba diving. I know that is a housing but I will prefer a camera that can dive to 3o~40m without additional housing. -I don't shoot video much. Anyway my TV is an 3DTV only HD. I hope that GoPro will make again cameras for 3D.
They are a few big differences between these two. 1. The lens, gopro is much wider, better suited for sports. 2. RX0 doesn't take 4k by itself. 3. RX0 doesn't do digital image stabilization, which could work quite well with nowadays sensors. 4. I found the voice control on gopro is quite useful.
Without doubt, RX0 will provide superior IQ, but it needs to work with 3 axis gimbal plus external recorder for the best performance. Hero 6 is better for casual use or sports.
The less than 1 stop advantage is specifically in low light or noise in midtones/highlights, because in terms of DR we're probably looking at roughly 2 stops difference (S-LOG to take advantage of it).
Given the RX0's 3.12x crop, maybe 1.5 stops difference in DR. Reasonably. Assuming exact parity in sensor technology. Usually smaller formats punch a bit above their weight in terms of performance per area (smartphone sensors perform much better than they have any right to due to their optimization).
But yes, 1-1.5 stops of additional DR is certainly a valuable difference. As long as you don't need 4K, or any of the other versatile features the GoPro offers than the RX0 doesn't. And don't need the wider field of view, either.
I would have no idea. They've all looked pretty square and ugly to me. I like this one. Looks are all the really matter with cameras, don't care about features. The cuter the better. Chicks dig cute cameras.
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