gopro hero+ camera with lcd touch screen review supplier

The best adventurers need the best cameras to capture the essence of their exploits. Whether you’re big wave surfing or photographing wild animals, your camera has to be as tough as you without weighing you down.

If you’re diving with sharks, traversing a river in a kayak, or white water rafting, you need a reliable waterproof action camera. GoPro offers HD action cameras with sharp 4K resolution, enabling you to capture crystal-clear footage of your feats. And, it’s not just the high intensity activities where the best GoPro cameras shine. If you’re documenting your wine tour, zip lining, snowboarding, or even just making memories around the barbecue at home after your latest adventure, you can be your own daredevil and your own photographer with GoPro.

The sports action camera you choose should be lightweight so as not to slow you down. It"s also important that it attaches to your clothing or gear so you can focus on the moment and leave it to your GoPro to capture the incredible footage. An action camera with image stabilization will make sure your video isn"t shaking even if your hands are. Not the adventurous type? Use your GoPro for award-worthy footage of the solitude of hiking through the woods at your local park. No matter where life takes you, GoPro is there to capture the moment.

Compare from our various adventure camera models, like the all new GoPro HERO11 Black, to make sure you have the right one by your side to for all of your incredible adventures both in and out of the water. Use our GoPro comparison tool to compare up to 3 camera models and their features, modes, design and dimensions.

Exactly one year ago today GoPro announced the Display Mod, as part of the larger Hero 8 suite. At the time, a year before the Hero 9 would come out, it promised a way to see yourself from the front of the camera, aimed somewhat at vloggers, but realistically anyone that just wanted to frame the subject from in front of the camera (which I think is way more people than just vloggers). Undoubtedly it was a response to the DJI OSMO Action with its dual front and rear color screens.

Unfortunately, with delay after delay after delay, it wouldn’t finally see the light until just a week or two ago. By then, the GoPro Hero 9 had launched, which featured a similar front-facing screen as the DJI OSMO Action, negating the value for most people. Still, plenty of people have the Hero 8 cameras, and the Display Mod also offers a larger screen than the Hero 9’s front facing display. So perhaps there was still some value there – it was time to find out!

To begin, the Display Mod comes with both a USB-C charging cable (just like a normal GoPro would), as well as a small case for it, keeping it safe for when it’s not on your camera:

The GoPro Display Mod requires the GoPro Media Mod. In the case of the Hero 8, that’s the Hero 8 Media Mod, and in the case of the Hero 9, that’s the Hero 9 Media Mod. These are different models and aren’t cross-compatible because the GoPro Hero 8 and Hero 9 are different sizes, thus their shells are different sizes:

But, the good news is that as long as you have the appropriate Media Mod for the right camera, then you can use the same Display Mod with either. Also, for fun, I tried using the Media Mod with the GoPro Hero 7 (which has an HDMI port on it), and while it would illuminate, it would only show a gallery view of existing content on the card (like plugging into a TV), except half the navigation icons are cut-off, so you’re basically navigating blindly with the Hero 7 Mode & Power Buttons, hoping you don’t delete anything in the process.

Then, you’ll go ahead do a funky twisting snake maneuver with the cable to get it into its micro-HDMI hole without it flopping all over the place. It’ll look like this when done:

Now, you’ll twist up the Display Mod, which has the screen on the front-facing side. This hinge seems well built in terms of up/down movement, but wouldn’t do well with a strong shear (lateral) or twisting force on it. Long term I think disconnecting and re-connecting the wire is probably what will break first.

Next, go ahead and hold down the left button, this turns it on. If you have the screen on, but not yet the GoPro, you’ll see this (which assumes you haven’t connected the cable). You’ll also see the battery state in the corner (of the display mod). Once you turn on your GoPro, you’ll see yourself on the Display Mod, and the GoPro Hero 8 or 9 back screen will turn off:

On the front Display Mod screen you’ll only ever see the exact same thing: Yourself and the Display Mod battery. Meanwhile, on the front GoPro status screen you’ll see the recording time details more or less like normal. You’ll see the mode you’re in, recording time, battery life of the GoPro, etc…

At first you’re like – OK, no biggie, right? Except…biggie. See, you can’t adjust any settings now unless you literally turn off the Display Mod (which means it’s now sitting there flipped up and off – cause if it’s flipped down, it blocks your rear touchscreen):

See, the Display Mod isn’t a touchscreen, and it *NEVER* shows display settings, or allows you to adjust settings. It just shows yourself. That’s it. Again, it only shows yourself. Take for example this super cool new audio feature on the Hero 9 Media Mod (green lines at the bottom) – this is when the Display Mod is turned off:

Or, perhaps you want to adjust from Wide to the new GoPro Hero 9 Linear Horizon Leveling mode. Nope, you can’t do that either without shutting off the Display Mod, waiting for it to slowly disconnect itself, and then illuminate the other screen. And then of course once that’s done, you’ll turn back your Display Mod on.

So when you’re not having the Display Mod in use, then you can flip down the screen like this (shown partially, it goes all the way down as shown above elsewhere):

And that’s fine, you can still see the GoPro screen. Except it doesn’t go to sleep like the normal screen does. So it’ll just burn battery forever. Also, again, you can’t adjust any settings, or even see the recording times from the back – because that’s only on the status.  Mind, you, all this is the same on the Hero 8 or Hero 9.

Further, it ignores the GoPro display timeout settings as well. It’ll just stay on forever, until the GoPro turns off physically, in which case two minutes later the Display Mod turns off too. But this doesn’t match the normal settings where the displays go to sleep (timeout) earlier to prevent battery drain.

As in, there’s nothing else to talk about. That’s the sum total of the GoPro Display Mod’s capabilities. It’s basically a simple non-touchscreen display that you clip on the top and it reduces the functionality of your GoPro, by only very slightly increasing one aspect (seeing yourself on the front if on the Hero 8, or slightly bigger on the Hero 9). But that’s a massive tradeoff for the functions.

No, the Media Mod is required for either the Hero 8 or Hero 9, since neither camera has a micro-HDMI port. The Media Mod does, which is required for the Display Mod.

The screen measures 2” diagonal and has a resolution of 480×320, the exact same as the GoPro Hero 8 rear screen (but smaller than the Hero 9 rear screen).

No, it has its own battery that you must charge separately. Meaning, you’ll need to plug in two cables (one to your GoPro to charge that battery, and one to your Display Mod to charge that battery). The Media Mod doesn’t have an internal battery, so no need for a third cable there.

No, according to GoPro “Current hardware limitations prevent output to the Display Mod and enabling the full functionality of the Hero 9 Black back touchscreen at the same time”. Which, is exactly what I’ve seen. It will show status on the Hero 9 front display screen, just like the Hero 8 front display screen.

When GoPro announced the Display Mod, it was clearly in response to DJI. Some day we’ll find out for real whether this was in the hopper before DJI announced their OSMO Action 5 months earlier. My guess is it might have been on a napkin somewhere, but that’s about it. When GoPro held various media events leading up to the Hero 8 launch last September, the Display Mod was nowhere to be found, save under a glass case…untouchable. Yet, it was still slated to be released by December 2019 (something I was skeptical on at the time).

Fast forward to January 2020 and the Display Mod made its first appearance at CES in the booth for all to touch and caress. From briefly playing with it then, it was clear it was a hot mess. Which, probably explains why it was delayed and delayed and delayed until now.

I’ve bought literally almost every product GoPro has made. Every action cam, almost every mount, and even that drone. Yes, the remotes and accessory cables too. And ultimately, I think this is the most disappointing thing GoPro has made.  It’s as if the concept never really left the napkin stage and went through a proper productization. It’s as if someone shipped the napkin off to a manufacturer in Asia, and they shipped back this hardware with a coffee-stained half-ripped sticky note that says “KThxBye!”.

For Hero 8 users this would have helped bridge the gap, and sure, if you’ve already got the Hero 8 + Hero 8 Media Mod, and don’t care about changing settings or often changing the direction of your camera to point at something else, then maybe this is a good intermediate option for ya. But if you’ve got a Hero 8 with no Media Mod, you’re basically looking at $160 for both the Media Mod + Display Mod, which is about half-way to the cost of a Hero 9 assuming you’ve got GoPro Plus.

Even in the case of the Hero 9, there’s so much real potential for the Display Mod for its intended target audience – vloggers. Why couldn’t GoPro have put the audio levels on the screen? Why not an exposure graph? Why not additional ProTune metrics on the screen like ISO or shutter speed? Why not the ability to change zoom levels like the Hero 9 screen? Why not a 16:9 overlay when recording 4:3 content? Why not even GoPro GPS-based metrics that are available through the app, like speed? Why not dual-screen support like their actual product page originally showed? Why doesn’t it auto shut–off the screen per the GoPro screen savings settings? Why can’t I change settings when the Display Mod is enabled?

While I can hope some of those things happen, the reality is that I suspect they won’t. Which is too bad, as I think there actually are some use cases for the Display Mod, but as of today I’d have a really hard time recommending it to anyone. But hey, on the bright side – the Hero 9 Media Mod and Hero 9 Max SV Mod are actually mostly pretty cool…so more on those shortly.

Hopefully you found this review useful. At the end of the day, I’m an athlete just like you looking for the most detail possible on a new purchase – so my review is written from the standpoint of how I used the device. The reviews generally take a lot of hours to put together, so it’s a fair bit of work (and labor of love). As you probably noticed by looking below, I also take time to answer all the questions posted in the comments – and there’s quite a bit of detail in there as well.

If you"re shopping for the GoPro Display Mod or any other accessory items, please consider using the affiliate links below! As an Amazon Associate I earn from qualifying purchases. It doesn’t cost you anything extra, but your purchases help support this website a lot. Even more, if you use Backcountry.com or Competitive Cyclist with coupon code DCRAINMAKER, first time users save 15% on applicable products!

And of course – you can always sign-up to be a DCR Supporter! That gets you an ad-free DCR, access to the DCR Quarantine Corner video series packed with behind the scenes tidbits...and it also makes you awesome. And being awesome is what it’s all about!

Thanks for reading! And as always, feel free to post comments or questions in the comments section below, I’ll be happy to try and answer them as quickly as possible. And lastly, if you felt this review was useful – I always appreciate feedback in the comments below. Thanks!

Hopefully you found this review useful. At the end of the day, I’m an athlete just like you looking for the most detail possible on a new purchase – so my review is written from the standpoint of how I used the device. The reviews generally take a lot of hours to put together, so it’s a fair bit of work (and labor of love). As you probably noticed by looking below, I also take time to answer all the questions posted in the comments – and there’s quite a bit of detail in there as well.

If you"re shopping for the GoPro Display Mod or any other accessory items, please consider using the affiliate links below! As an Amazon Associate I earn from qualifying purchases. It doesn’t cost you anything extra, but your purchases help support this website a lot. Even more, if you use Backcountry.com or Competitive Cyclist with coupon code DCRAINMAKER, first time users save 15% on applicable products!

And of course – you can always sign-up to be a DCR Supporter! That gets you an ad-free DCR, access to the DCR Quarantine Corner video series packed with behind the scenes tidbits...and it also makes you awesome. And being awesome is what it’s all about!

Thanks for reading! And as always, feel free to post comments or questions in the comments section below, I’ll be happy to try and answer them as quickly as possible. And lastly, if you felt this review was useful – I always appreciate feedback in the comments below. Thanks!

Released in June of 2015, the GoPro Hero+ LCD is covered by a grey waterproof casing with the logos under the lens. The GoPro Hero+ has a latch on top of the device that removes the casing, and allows access to the touchscreen. This camera also has a built in mount and three buttons that allow the user to control the camera without opening the casing. The Hero+ LCD edition came with new additions to the GoPro line such as: built in Bluetooth, WiFi, LCD display, and a touchscreen. The Bluetooth allows the user to use one"s phone or tablet as a remote to have full control over the camera"s functions. After capturing the video or photo, WiFi allows the users to upload their work or art to social media. Please be aware that these capabilities can only be used if the GoPro App is downloaded onto a smartphone or tablet.

This model is mostly used for "rugged" shoots. This means that the device can handle anything from being dropped on rocks, to being submerged 40 meters in water. It also has a wide angle lens with auto low light settings to capture amazing images with video quality at 1080p60 and 720p60. The GoPro Hero+ is also capable of capturing 8MP photos ranging from 0.5 to 60 second capture times.

Several years ago I purchased a GoPro Hero Session with the intent to use it to record my fly fishing trips and biking activities. It served well for a few trips, but missing key footage opportunities over and over made it more frustrating than it was worth. Without a full display, I could never discern the series of beeps and lights to get it recording in the right mode or at the right time.

For the past several months, I had the opportunity to use the GoPro Hero9 Black, and compared to the older Session it has been a joy to use while skiing, fishing, biking, hiking, walking, and more. It not only has a rear color touch-sensitive display but a front color display that works well for framing the shot when you want to be in it with others. If you need any help figuring out what you can do with a GoPro, then make sure to check out this new article from GoPro.

I haven"t considered an action camera for the last few years because smartphones have amazing cameras and I didn"t think there was a need for a dedicated camera. Turns out I was wrong as the affordable GoPro Hero9 Black is priced at more than half the cost of smartphones and has much more flexibility in the design to capture moments to serve as an essential companion to a smartphone. While I"ve spent time with the camera in many situations, there is a lot more I can do with it and that I plan to do with it over time.

As expected, the GoPro Hero9 Black is a rock solid small brick of hardware and unlike GoPros of the past you no longer need an extra accessory case to add waterproof capability. Out of the box you can charge it up and dive into the water for recording your favorite marine life or watersports activities. There are some convenient design features of the hardware so let"s take a look around.

On the back we have a large 2.27-inch color touchscreen LCD display panel. Taps and swipes work to navigate the UI on the camera. The touch responsiveness isn"t quite as fluid and instantaneous as we see on smartphones and smartwatches, but intentional swipes and taps have proven to be reliable and repeatable. There is a large bezel around the display with status indicator lights in the far left corner.

Flipping around to the front we see the handy 1.4-inch color display that is useful for framing the shot, especially if you are using the camera for livestreaming, YouTube video creation, or other times when you are the subject of the action. To the right of the display is the large camera sensor with a detachable lens cover. You can swap out the default lens cover for the Max Lens Mod that adds wider field-of-view and Max HyperSmooth stabilization with horizon lock or swap it out for a new one if the default cover gets scratched during your adventures. I had to search around to figure out how to remove the lens cover because just turning it counter-clockwise doesn"t work. It turns out you have to pull the cover out a bit first and then rotate it, but even then it"s not easy to initiate that first pull out move. Below the camera is a microphone for recording audio content with the GoPro.

The door and latch to access the battery and USB-C port for charging is found on the right side of the GoPro Hero9 Black. When you insert your fingernail you pull down to release the latch and then lift up the door to access the battery and USB-C port. It snaps firmly into place when you close it to keep things sealed up.

The shutter button is found on the top and it sticks up just a bit with a matte finish and red circle on it. There is nothing else on the top of the camera.

A cool feature on the bottom is the integrated mounting bracket, aka folding fingers. Two pieces fold into the bottom of the camera and can be swung down 90 degrees to then serve as the standard two prongs for GoPro mounts. Overall, a very well designed piece of hardware that reduces the need for extra cases or mount attachments to get out and record.

The camera is capable of still and burst mode photos with 20MP output. A plethora of video recording options is present with 16:9 and 4:3 aspect ratios with wide, SuperView, linear, linear, and horizon leveling, and narrow lens options. You can record as high as 5K/30 fps down to 1080p 240 fps. Video file formats are MP4 (H.264/AVC) and MP4 (H.265/HEVC) with 100Mbps maximum video bit rate. There are also several options for time-lapse video and photo intervals and resolution quality.

Press the button on the left to turn on the GoPro Hero9 Black and the rear display will turn on with a live viewfinder image of what is in front of the camera. The remaining time/images left on your storage card will appear for the currently selected camera option in the top left with the selected camera mode (time-lapse, video, photo) in the center and the percentage remaining battery life in the top right.

Along the left side of the display are a timer, lens, and speed options. Two more icons are shown on the right side that control image type (including RAW), zoom level, HindSight, and more. These four shortcuts can be customized using the connected GoPro Quik smartphone software too. Tap one of the icons to view the various options, which may require a scroll up or down, and then tap to change the particular setting. It"s very easy and intuitive to change settings, but there are quite a few options so make sure to read the manual for all of the details on the modes.

The center bottom on the viewfinder shows your selected mode (time-lapse, video, photo) and primary setting. For still photos, we see default options for wide, LiveBurst, burst, and night photos. The default for video includes standard (1080p/24fps/SuperView), activity (4K/30fps/linear), cinematic (4K/30fps/linear plus), and slo-mo (1080p/230fps/wide). Tapping on this lets you re-order these options and add/remove them too so that you can fully customize the camera software for your most used modes (up to 10) and settings. I recommend you spend some time figuring out your most used options for quick switching on the go.

To easily switch between the three main modes (time-lapse, video, photo) you simply swipe left and right on the main display. A swipe up takes you into review mode where you can see your last captured content that is still saved on your microSD card. Swipe right and left to view your other content.

Speaking of voice control, simply say "GoPro", followed by capture, stop capture, start recording, stop recording, take a photo, start time-lapse, stop time-lapse, video mode, photo mode, and much more (14 commands available). The microphone is in the front and I"ve had good success when in a quiet environment or speaking close to the mic, but voice control performance hasn"t been that stellar.

A couple of settings available in the extensive camera software are HindSight and LiveBurst. HindSight lets you capture up to 30 seconds of video footage before you start recording so you can make sure you don"t just miss that one moment or create some fun bloopers. The LiveBurst option is similar and records 1.5 seconds before and after your still photo. You can then scroll through frames to find the perfect short or even share the entire captured content as a short video.

While you can use a GoPro Hero9 Black as a stand-alone camera, the GoPro Quik smartphone software significantly enhances the experience and is required for some things, such as software updates. The software has seen regular updates and improvements since I started testing the camera and it is quite powerful.

When you launch the smartphone app then you will see your downloaded content with the ability to view your GoPro account settings. The Mural feature launched in December 2020 and gives you a streamlined view of your content with the intent to help you enjoy and share your content rather than capturing it and forgetting about it.

Tap the top right icon in the software to connect to your GoPro camera in order to control the camera from your phone. You can enable a live preview of your camera, which can be very useful when your camera is set up somewhere and you want to remotely control it.

A very useful feature of the smartphone software is the ability to quickly set your camera preferences on the large display of your phone rather than the small display of the GoPro. I love the ability to customize each specific camera setting to your detailed requirements. This includes enabled HindSight, scheduled capture, timer, duration of capture, and even customizing the four shortcuts that appear on the viewfinder of the GoPro Hero9 Black. Your smartphone greatly simplifies the overall GoPro experience.

Live streaming from your camera through your smartphone is also supported through GoPro.com, Facebook, YouTube (you must have at least 1,000 subscribers), Twitch (iOS only), and RTMP. You need accounts for the service you wish to stream through with the GoPro.com option requiring a GoPro annual subscription.

Another way to optimize your GoPro Hero9 Black experiences is to consider using GoPro Labs where features are possible to optimize certain situations. These features are not yet present in the default camera software, but you may find them useful. I personally used the QR code control feature to create a code for a specific delayed action video to record the launch of a new Staten Island ferry launch in Florida where the GoPro Hero9 Black was secured to a steel bollard with the magnetic mount located about 200 yards away from where I was going to be standing in a safe zone. You can see a short video clip of this event below.

As mentioned below, you can save money on the GoPro Hero9 Black by purchasing a GoPro annual subscription. You will also see the subscription offer in the smartphone app so let"s answer the question about what this is and if there is value in the subscription.

The GoPro annual subscription is priced at $49.99 per year and offers a few things that seem to make it worth the price. You can store 100% of your GoPro footage at 100% captured quality on GoPro"s servers with the ability to backup the content from the app, the camera, or the website. Given how easy it is to use the camera and the vast amount of still and video capture options this alone seems worth the $50 fee per year.

One thing I found while using the GoPro Quik smartphone app is that there are some features in that software that are limited for non-subscribers. GoPro subscription customers receive access to advanced editing tools, including GoPro music, themes, filters, and more.

GoPro also offers subscribers significant discounts on mods, mounts, cases, batteries, and even the cameras. Savings can be as high as 50% off so if you buy lots of mounts and extra batteries the subscription can easily pay for itself.

Live streaming of your GoPro content can offer others a way to experience your adventures in real-time from the comfort of their homes or other locations. With a GoPro subscription, you can stream to the GoPro.com site and provide a private link to your stream, which is a great option for those who don"t want to share their activities with the world.

Lastly, the GoPro subscription includes a no-questions asked camera replacement policy. There is a fee for a damaged camera replacement, $99 for a GoPro Hero9 Black, but GoPro offers two replacements in a subscription year. Lost cameras are not included since you must return the broken camera in order to receive a replacement. This policy offers some peace of mind and should encourage you to use your camera to its full potential.

There used to be decent GoPro alternatives, like the Garmin VIRB Ultra 30 or various Sony action cams. DJI has the 2019 Osmo Action for $199 with many similar features and functions of the GoPro Hero9 Black. GoPro offers nearly twice the camera resolution and longer battery life, but that DJI price is nice.

The GoPro Hero9 Black is available for $399.99 with occasional free microSD card offers. If you add the GoPro annual subscription ($49.99) then GoPro takes $100 off of the Hero9 Black and throws in another battery. $349.98 for the GoPro Hero9 Black, a 64GB microSD card, an extra battery, and a one-year GoPro subscription is a pretty sweet deal. For $50 more you get a magnetic swivel clip, floating hand grip, and camera case.

There are a ton of accessory options for the GoPro Hero9 Black and many are now available at reduced prices from the standard prices. I had the chance to try out the Chesty mount that wraps over your shoulders to capture hands-free content from your chest, the head strap and quick clip that mount to your head for that perfect fly-fishing shot, and the Shorty tripod that also serves as a 8.9-inch selfie stick.

One unique feature of the GoPro Hero9 Black is the removable front camera lens cover. You can add a filter, such as the Hero9 Black Max Lens Mod that provides improved HyperSmooth stabilization and an ultra-wide 155-degree field-of-view.

The GoPro Hero9 Black has exceeded my expectations and has encouraged me to capture more content than if I was simply using my smartphone camera. While a smartphone camera is great for many things, there is clearly a market for an action camera that is much more portable, more durable, and more affordable. The mounting options seem almost limitless and provide content creators with the ability to be creative with the capture and editing of footage.

I continue to explore ways to use the Hero9 Black and find myself seeking outdoor adventure opportunities that I can capture with the camera. It"s clear that I will be purchasing one of these cameras for myself and also subscribing to the annual service since there is a lot of value in both.

Fly fishing season on local rivers just kicked off a few weeks ago and I"ll be heading out with the GoPro Hero9 Black on my hat and then on my net as I capture trout fishing success to share with my family and friends who can"t get out to stand in the fast clear waters of local rivers.

GoPro did a fantastic job with the improvements in the GoPro Hero9 Black and I recommend you check out some of the cool software features in GoPro Labs as we get a glimpse of what is to come in future updates. If you are looking for a very capable camera for capturing more than extreme adventures, the GoPro Hero9 Black is highly recommended.

GoPro, Inc.GoPro and sometimes stylized as GoPRO) is an American technology company founded in 2002 by Nick Woodman. It manufactures action cameras and develops its own mobile apps and video-editing software. Founded as Woodman Labs, Inc, the company eventually focused on the connected sports genre, developing its line of action cameras and, later, video editing software. It is based in San Mateo, California.

On May 19, 2014, GoPro filed its Form S-1 with the SEC without specifying the number of shares or their price. The company stated that they hoped to raise at least $100 million through the sale of shares, using the money to pay off debt in full ($111 million as of March 31, 2014) and "to acquire or invest in complementary businesses, technologies or assets". They said that they planned to list on the NASDAQ stock exchange using the symbol "GPRO."

The expected price range was $21 to $24 a share; on June 25, 2014, GoPro sold 17.8 million shares to initial investors at $24 per share (totaling $427.2M).

One reason for GoPro"s decision to go public was the potential to become a media company to generate additional revenue from the content its cameras create.

Woodman worked on his first camera for two years after founding the company, eventually introducing the GoPro 35mm HERO in September 2004 at San Diego"s Action Sports Retailer trade show.

In 2014, the company was selling the HERO3+ in editions of different colors. It was capable of filming in 16:9 aspect ratio, supporting 4K UHD video and 12 MP still photographs.

On September 28, 2017, GoPro released the HERO6 Black, which claims improved stabilization over the HERO5 models and is capable of capturing 4K video in 60 FPS.

On September 20, 2018, GoPro came out with the HERO7 Black, which apart from providing improved stabilization over HERO6 models with HyperSmooth, also featured the new form of video capturing, "TimeWarp", providing a high speed effect to the videos. HERO7 also came out with capability to stream live across multiple platforms like Facebook and YouTube .

On October 15, 2019 GoPro released the Hero8 Black, which included improved in-camera stabilization by way of Hypersmooth 2.0. The Hero8 Black introduced integrated mounting "fingers" which could be folded down for use, and was also notable for not having an easily replaceable lens available from GoPro, though a third party replacement lens kit is available from a company called Camera Butter.

In 2014, GoPro entered into discussions with DJI for a private label model built with the GoPro branding. After the failure of these negotiations, GoPro entered into an agreement with 3D Robotics (3DR) for a similar partnership based on 3DR"s flight controllers. 3DR failed to meet their agreed-upon timelines. As a result, GoPro took full control of the development process in mid-2015.

Scheduled to be released early 2016, the GoPro Karma project was delayed several times before the GoPro Karma was announced with an introduction date of October 23, 2016. The Karma was released along with newer models of the HERO5 and Session cameras and features a removable handheld stabilizer (gimbal) integrated into the design. After a few customers complained about power failure during operation, GoPro recalled Karma drones and gave customers full refunds.

In November 2017, GoPro launched the Fusion camera,omnidirectional camera which is capable of recording 360-degree footage. The Fusion was the first GoPro to feature an increased maximum resolution of 5.8K.

GoPro produces various mounting accessories for its cameras including a 3-way mount, suction cup, chest harness, jaws-type flexible clamp, dog harness, surfing mount, etc.

In April 2014, GoPro was listed by Adweek as one of the "Top 10 Best Brand Channels on YouTube" based on a combination of views, shares, comments and overall engagement.

As part of its transformation to a media company in 2014, GoPro created additional channels with GoPro content on YouTube, Virgin America, and Xbox Live.PlayStation Network in 2015.

The 35mm camera (model #001) became available on April 13, 2005. It had dimensions of 2.5 by 3 inches (64 by 76 mm) and weighed 0.45 pounds (200 g). It included the camera, a clear case with quick release, a camera strap and ski glove adapter lash. It could pivot "on the fly" and be functional to a depth in water of about 15 feet (5 m). It was described as a "reusable wrist camera" and included a roll of 24 exposure Kodak 400 film.

The first generation of Digital HERO cameras (2006–09) were powered by conventional AAA batteries and included a rugged housing and wrist strap. Models were distinguished by their still image resolution and shot video in standard definition (480 lines or lower) with a 4:3 aspect ratio. Like the film camera HERO, the first-generation Digital HERO cameras were equipped with an optical viewfinder.

The original Digital HERO (DH1; 640×480 still resolution, 240p video in 10-second clips) of 2006 was succeeded by the Digital HERO3 (DH3; 3-megapixel stills, 384p video) and Digital HERO5 (DH5; same as DH3 but with 5-megapixel stills). All three of these had a 54° angle of view. A variant of the DH5 was released with an extreme wide-angle lens with 170° of angular coverage on the diagonal as the Wide HERO; the Wide HERO had a different housing than the other first-gen cameras (DH1/DH3/DH5) to accommodate its larger lens.

The Digital HERO released in 2006 (Model: SQ907 mini-cam) had a 640×480 camera and shot QVGA definition 320X240 (10 fps) video for a maximum of 10 seconds. The Digital HERO1 had 32 MB internal memory without SD slot.

The Digital HERO5 was first introduced in 2008. It had a 5 megapixel still photo sensor and supported standard definition (512×384) video capture. It ran on two AAA batteries, had 16 MB of internal memory and could function with a 2 GB SD card. Its housing was rated to 100 ft/30 meters depth. Its dimensions were 2.6 × 1.75 × 1.25 inches (66 × 44 × 32 mm).

The GoPro Wide HERO was the first model with a 170° wide-angle lens. It was released in 2008 alongside the Digital HERO5 and had the same 5MP sensor (2592 x 1944), capable of 512x384 at 30fps video with sound recording (up to 56 min. on a 2GB SD card), 5MP Photos, 10s Self Timer, 3X sequence still photo burst and Auto "Photo every 2 or 5 seconds" mode. It was powered by 2 x AAA batteries (not included in the box).

The second generation of the HERO cameras (2010–11) were branded HD HERO for their upgraded resolution, now offering up to 1080p high-definition video. With the HD HERO generation, GoPro dropped the optical viewfinder.

The basic HD HERO was marketed either with a basic set of accessories (case and mount) as the "Naked", or in bundles with additional accessories named for the intended purpose (such as the HD Helmet HERO, HD Motorsports HERO, and HD Surf HERO).

The HD HERO also offered an expansion port on the camera"s rear panel, branded the HERO Bus. Optional accessories included the LCD Bakpac, which offered a small monitor that displayed and played back video, and the Battery Bakpac, which doubled the battery life of the camera.

All three versions of the HERO3 come in a 30% smaller and 25% lighter package, with WiFi built in. The change of the physical dimensions of the cameras compared to the previous generations (HD HERO and HD HERO2 were physically identical) means that some accessories for HD HERO Original and HERO2 are not compatible with HERO3, so GoPro made new versions of those accessories specifically for HERO3, which mostly also were compatible with HERO3+, see below. Those new versions of accessories are usually not compatible with older Hero camera generations. However, a lot of other accessories are compatible with all HD Hero camera generations.

The Black EditionWVGA at 240 fps.BSI sensor included in a GoPro. The Black edition also includes the WiFi Remote. The Black Edition cannot record at 25/30 fps in 720p and WVGA resolutions; it can only record at very fast frame rates in those resolutions. This is a deliberate firmware limitation, as the manufacturer does not expect that this high-end camera model will be used at these lower resolutions and frame rates.

A timelapse recording one frame every 10 seconds with a GoPro HERO3 camera mounted on a bicycle helmet during a bike ride in Chicago. Note how the wide angle lens allows for the rider to capture wide images.

The HERO3+ camera models claim dramatically improved low light performance and have a waterproof enclosure which is 20% lighter and 15% smaller than the HERO3"s, according to the GoPro website. The HERO3+ camera housing is 20% smaller than the HERO3. The cameras are claimed to have improved image sharpness (close focus down to 7" vs about 3 ft on the HERO3, at the expense of distant focus which is slightly less sharp

The HERO4 Black Edition still has a 12 megapixel (MP) CMOS and a f/2.8 fixed maximum aperture and focus free. It adds Bluetooth connectivity, Highlight tag, Protune Available for photo and a new processor claimed by GoPro to be twice as fast as that of the HERO3+ Black Edition, doubling the frame rates in most resolutions. The HERO4 Black Edition can record 4K UHD video (3840×2160) at a frame rate of 24, 25 and 30 fps.Wi-Fi disabled at 4K/30, GoPro claims the HERO4 Black Edition battery life to be 65 minutes, increasing to a maximum of 1h 50" at 720p/240.

The HERO4 Silver Edition is basically a HERO3 Black Edition with the addition of a micro speaker,touchscreen display, Protune for photo and highlight tag (the first GoPro with this), a lower clocked Cortex-A9 and missing the Black Edition"s integrated analog-to-digital converter which supports a wider variety of professional low-sensitivity external microphones.4K video (3840×2160), but it supports Wi-Fi, Bluetooth and contains the sameAmbarella Inc. A9system on a chip (SoC) as in the HERO4 Black.

The HERO4 models maintain the H.264 video codec of previous versions and MP4 file formats. GoPro claims the mono microphone in both the Black and Silver Editions has twice the dynamic range of that in the HERO3+, and that the HERO4 Black and Silver Editions have improved low-light performance.

In September 2014, GoPro released an entry level camera named simply "HERO", priced at $130, alongside the HERO4 Black and HERO4 Silver. It is built into a waterproof housing, unlike the HERO4 line.

The GoPro HERO (2014) can capture 5mp still images and has a 5fps burst option. It is able to record 1080P at 30 or 25fps and 720P at 60 or 50fps on to a MicroSD card up to 32GB. It has an LCD non touch display on the front and is waterproof down to 40m.

In June 2015, the company started to sell the GoPro HERO+LCD, which provides video recording at 1080p at 60 fps and 8 megapixel photos. The HERO+LCD is also built into a waterproof housing.

The HERO6 Black was introduced on September 28, 2017.HEVC video recording at up to 60 fps and 1080p at up to 240 fps, automatic upload of footage to cloud, voice controls and 5 GHz Wi-Fi. It was the first GoPro sporting GoPro"s custom system on a chip (SoC) the GP1.

The HERO7 White, HERO7 Silver and HERO7 Black were announced and released in September 2018, as the seventh-generation action camera series from GoPro.

The HERO7 White was intended as the entry-level camera, featuring only 1440p resolutions for video and time-lapse video functions and a lack of WDR or HDR in its photos. The HERO7 Silver was intended as the mid-range camera, featuring 4K resolutions for video and time-lapse video resolutions and WDR in its photo mode. Initially, both the HERO7 White and Silver defaulted to a video resolution of 1440p with 1080p only available by cropping.

By contrast, the HERO7 Black was introduced at the high-end level and primarily encompasses the features of the HERO6 Black with major improvements. The HERO7 Black introduced a heavily improved electronic image stabilisation known as "HyperSmooth" video stabilization, which GoPro has advertised heavily as "Gimbal-Like", as its primary improvement.

During its release, the HERO7 Black largely competed with rival camera and camera accessory manufacturer DJI which released the DJI OSMO Action, which also introduced a similar enhanced stabilization feature.

On February 28, 2019, GoPro released HERO7 Black in a new "dusk white" color. This is a limited edition and it has the same specs as in regular version and differs just in color.

The HERO8 Black essentially contained the former features of the HERO7 Black, however improved on certain functions. Most notably, the "HyperSmooth" feature introduced in the HERO7 Black was improved on and named "HyperSmooth 2.0", also resulting in an improvement of the TimeWarp feature introduced in the HERO7 Black. The HERO8 Black also improved the image quality, improving the HDR functions of the camera to allow HDR to assist the SuperPhoto function of the camera that automatically chooses what image processing to use such as high dynamic range (HDR). GoPro also reintroduced the field-of-view (FOV) functionality as, "Digital Lenses" which retains the original SuperView, Wide, Narrow, Linear FOV settings. Moreover, live-streaming now streams in 1080p instead of the HERO7 Black"s 720p and the RAW imaging functionality has now been expanded for all photo modes.

The HERO8 Black largely introduced several new functions into the camera. Physically, the HERO8 Black now incorporates the connecting prongs that are used to connect accessories, directly onto the camera. Originally, the cameras would only be able to access the prongs if the cameras utilised either the frames (for cameras HERO5 to HERO7) or the protective cases for HERO4 and before. Moreover, the GoPro logo moved under the LCD screen to make way for extra microphones. More additions to the camera most notably were part of the software aspects of the camera. These included an option to switch between various settings presets, including standard, activity, cinematic and action shots and adjusting on-screen shortcuts of the user interface. Most notably as part of software, was the introduction of the night-lapse video, which similar to the time-lapse video mode, automatically stitches the frames captured by the camera at set intervals, however with the addition of improved low-light performance.

The HERO8 Black also attempts to address vloggers who may wish to use the GoPro in such a manner. As such, GoPro has also introduced an external accessory known as the "Media Mod" which includes a USB Type-C port for supplying power to external microphones and accessories, a micro-HDMI port and a 3.5mm microphone port. Moreover, the accessory includes a mount to connect either external microphones, LEDs or an LCD screen.

The HERO9 Black essentially contained the former features of the HERO8 Black, however, improved on certain functions. Most notably, the "HyperSmooth" feature introduced in the HERO7 Black and refined in HERO8 Black was improved on and named "HyperSmooth 3.0". It also features a max resolution of 5K for video and 20M for photos and adds a front-facing 1.4-inch color "selfie" screen.

The HERO10 Black essentially contained the former features of the HERO9 Black, however, improved on certain functions. Most notably, the "HyperSmooth" feature introduced in the HERO7 Black and refined in HERO8 Black was improved on and named "HyperSmooth 4.0".

The major changes new GP2 processor, HERO10 Black shoots 5.3K video with double the frame rate, 23MP photos, enhanced low-light performance and HyperSmooth 4.0 video stabilization in all modes. On top of all that, HERO10 is cloud connected—so the moment you charge it, your footage is automatically uploaded to the cloud.

Karma Drone became available October 23, 2016. The drone is compatible with the HERO7 Black, HERO6 Black, HERO5 Black and HERO4 Black and Silver. The Drone has 20 minutes of battery life.

GoPro released the 3D HERO system in April 2011, which coupled two HD HERO cameras via a synchronization cable in a single housing to form a stereoscopic 3D camera. One of the cameras is used in upside-down mode.anaglyph to be viewed wearing red-cyan glasses.

In 2014, GoPro released an update as the Dual HERO system, which provides similar functionality using two HERO3+ Black edition cameras. The updated Dual HERO BacPac sync/link cable now has an asymmetric design: the right or primary camera (viewed with the lens facing away from the user) is larger than the left (secondary) camera, and the left camera is used in upside-down mode.

The Odyssey is a 16-camera panoramic stereo rig designed to produce content for the Google Jump virtual reality platform by synchronizing the cameras and automatically stitching their footage together.Google I/O in May 2015

The Fusion was announced alongside the HERO6 Black360° Panorama video. Fusion Studio can export to several formats, including H.264 (4K), CineForm 422, and Apple ProRes 422.

The GoPro GP1 is their own System-on-Chip with the main task of image processing. It replaces the earlier used Ambarella SoC"s and launched in the GoPro HERO6.Socionext.

GoPro considers the Hero+ LCD an entry-level camera and, looking at its specs and capabilities, it has stripped of much of what you"d find on the higher-end Hero4 Silver and Black models.

The GoPro Hero+ LCD puts a live-view touchscreen on the back of a camera that"s capable of very good 1080p video capture at 60 frames per second. Built-in wireless lets you use your phone or tablet to remotely control the camera.

The camera is permanently in its polycarbonate housing; the battery is nonremovable; limited shooting options compared with others in its price range and a significant drop in features and performance from the $400 Hero4 Silver.

The GoPro Hero+ LCD isn"t exactly a bargain for its entry-level specs, but if you appreciate a streamlined feature set and its built-in touchscreen, it"s worth the extra money over the very basic Hero.

The Hero+ LCD"s price, on the other hand, does not say "entry level." At $300 in the US and £250 and AU$430 in the UK and Australia, respectively, this is a somewhat pricey camera for the category given what it can do. The $130 (£100, AU$169) Hero model is truly entry level in price and features. That"s a considerable price gap between it and the Hero+ LCD.

For one, you get Wi-Fi and Bluetooth that can be used to connect to GoPro"s Smart Remote (not included), which basically replicates the camera"s controls so you can remotely change settings and shooting modes and start and stop recordings and take pictures.

The wireless is also used to connect to an iOS, Android or Windows mobile device to use GoPro"s app to control the camera and change settings as well as remotely preview and review your shots and transfer them to your device for sharing.

Beyond that, the Hero+ has a higher-resolution sensor -- 8 megapixels as opposed to 5 -- and instead of just a single 0.5-second time-lapse interval setting you get seven. You"ll also get a loop record feature, so you can more easily use this as a dash cam and it supports GoPro"s HiLight Tagging, which lets you quickly mark a section of your video for easier editing later on.

It does have that screen, though, which again isn"t something you"ll find from most of the competition. If that"s a must-have feature for you and you just need good-quality video for sharing online, your search is over.

That is, as long as you"re willing to put up with the rest of the Hero+ LCD"s design. Like the Hero, this camera is permanently in its rugged housing. Some might find this to be a plus since it means the camera can"t fall out and is always protected. However, since you can"t pull the camera out, if you damage the housing you"re not easily swapping it for a new one. While it can certainly handle a lot of abuse, if you manage to scratch the lens glass, you"re stuck.

Next to the screen are the microSDHC card slot supporting cards up to 64GB and a Micro-USB port. So what"s missing? The Hero lacks a Micro-HDMI port letting you playback directly from the camera to a display or HDTV. Not a huge loss, but still it"s a loss.

With its standard solid plastic backdoor, the housing is waterproof to 131 feet (40 meters). There is also a waterproof touch backdoor that"s good down to 10 feet (3 meters) as well as a skeleton door that lets more sound reach the built-in mic. External mics, by the way, are not supported on this model.

Along with the backdoors you"ll get a Micro-USB cable for charging and transfers; two adhesive mounts, one flat and one curved; a quick-release buckle to use with the mounts and a rubber-locking plug to keep the quick-release buckle from accidentally releasing from a hard impact.

Shooting options are better than the Hero, but just barely. Video resolutions include 1080p at 60 frames per second and 720p at 60fps. There"s also a 720p at 60fps with GoPro"s SuperView feature, which basically takes 4:3 video and digitally stretches it at the sides so you get a taller 16:9 video. To help you out when you lose daylight, GoPro"s Auto Low Light feature can be turned on, dropping the frame rate so your video isn"t too dark when shooting in dim light.

The touchscreen is no doubt the easiest route and GoPro simplified navigation compared with the Hero4 Silver. Instead of swiping and tapping your way through menus, you just tap on the right side of the screen to bring up the mode menu, while the left side opens a context-sensitive menu related to what mode you"re in. One other nice addition: You can trim out 5-, 15- or 30-second clips or grab a still from a video on camera.

Of course, the more you use the touchscreen or wireless, the less battery life you"ll have for recording. Even with both of those off you"re looking at a maximum of 2 hours of continuous recording at 1080p at 60fps or up to 2 hours and 30 minutes set to 720p at 60fps in SuperView mode.

The camera"s QuikCapture feature, which allows you to turn on the camera and start recording with a press of the record button, helps maximize battery life. However, if you"re not careful about how you store the camera, you can easily turn the camera on accidentally and drain your battery.

On its own, the video from the Hero+ LCD is very good and stands up to other models priced around $300 such as the Drift Ghost-S and Replay XD Prime X, though only the former has a live-view screen. Sony"s Action Cam Mini with its Live-View Remote is another option and is better in image quality and features, though it"s not as easy to use.

For casual viewing on a smartphone or tablet and posting to YouTube, you likely won"t be disappointed with what you get from the Hero+ LCD. As with most cameras in this category, when viewed at larger sizes you"ll see compression and motion artifacts and details are pretty soft and mushy. These things only get more pronounced when shooting in low light.

If you want to view your videos at larger sizes like on an HDTV, you"ll want to spend the extra money for the Hero4 Silver. You"ll get fewer artifacts, sharper fine details, better color performance and greater dynamic range.

It"s pricey for its shooting options and performance, but the GoPro Hero+ LCD is also one of the few action cameras available with a built-in live-view screen. That"s a feature that"s tough to beat, especially if you"re looking to simplify your shooting experience.

This is the most substantial update of the GoPro Hero Black range in several years. With 5K video, 20MP stills, 30% more battery life, improved stabilization and much more, the GoPro Hero9 Black is a formidable camera with a wide range of uses.

When it arrived I was a little dismayed by the size increase and the lack of compatibility with last years MediaMod module. A few month’s on and I’m still annoyed at the GoPro’s change in form factor, but at least some of that disappointment has been absorbed by just how good this new GoPro is.

Image quality and specifications might all be much the same with the addition of 5K at 30fps, but this marginally larger GoPro feels far more rounded than previous generations.

The differences between this, the GoPro Hero9 Black and the GoPro Hero8 Black are small when it comes to actual specification changes, but for some reason it feels like a camera with a hell of a lot more to offer.

The GoPro Hero9 Black is the latest incarnation of what is arguably the world’s most popular action camera. And the Hero9 Black might represent the biggest jump in specification and body design since the Hero5 Black.

The new GoPro camera can record video in 5K at 30p and in 4K at up to 60P. Slow motion movies can also be recorded in 2.7K at 120fps. You can also now capture 20-megapixel stills.

The Hero9 Black offers built-in Hypersmooth 3.0 stabilisation technology with in-camera horizon levelling. What’s more, you can use the Hero9 Black from live streaming or as a web cam at 1080p.

Have I used 5K 30fps since the initial review? No. Why, it’s 30fps and aside from setting the scene it’s pretty pointless. However, there really does seem to be a boost in overall video quality, especially in low light.

The controls and touch screen also seem to be far more responsive than the Hero8 Black, and I have no idea why, but the small Hero9 Black always now seems to be with me.

I’ve become slightly obsessed with the slow motion 1080p, hyper lapse and overall quality of the camera. It just feels like a huge step up from the Hero8 Black.

I liked the Hero8 Black and the fixed, no replaceable lens has stood up to the abuse of a years use relatively unscathed. But, then I’ve been gentle with it, knowing that one face plant would write this GoPro off in one go. That train of thought doesn’t exsist for the Hero9 with it’s removable lens.

The Subscription gets you GoPro unlimited cloud storage, 50% off GoPro at GoPro.com, and if you smash your camera GoPro replaces it for free. The question is did anyone pay an extra £100 for the camera alone?

It does seem that GoPro has stopped the madness of offering the camera on it’s own for more than with the Sub and on GoPro.com the option for the camera only purchase has now been removed.

The first thing that struck me when starting my GoPro Hero9 Black review is that the action camera is noticeably bigger in every way. And while it may not quite hark back to the bloated size of the pre-Hero5 Black design (with housing), it’s still a considerable size increase.

So much so that it’s’t going to squeeze into those Mods GoPro released last year with the Hero8 Black. The Mods are a thing of the past. In fact, the screen Mod never arrived anyway.

So is the Hero9 Black bigger? Yes. Undoubetdly. But, to be honest, the additional bulk on a device that’s so small – even despite the Hero9 Black’s slight weight gain – isn’t really a hardship.

Aside from the fact that it’s bigger, the Hero9 Black is also quite impressive in use. I’ll run through why in more detail over the course of my GoPro Hero9 Black review, but here are the some of the highlights.

Another new feature of the GoPro Hero9 is the battery. According to GoPro, this sees a 30% increase in longevity. Helpfully, as before, it’s also swappable.

I’ve been out with the new GoPro Hero9 with the GoPro Hero8 Black in tow to compare the results of the two side-by-side. What has become very obvious is the extended use I’m getting out of the new GoPro Hero9 Black battery.

Using both cameras with the same resolutions and framerates, and treating them in exactly the same way, the Hero9 normally shows between 25 and 35% battery life remaining when the Hero8 runs out of steam.

The side door doesn’t fall off when you open the side, the rear screen is huge, the front screen is impressive and the lens comes off if you scratch it.

At the outset of the review, I instantly ran into a few issues, most of these were addressed with an early firmware update, here’s a brief overview of those issues.

The main issue with the GoPro Hero9 Black is that the touch screen. Looking back at the GoPro Hero8 Black that screen was fast and responsive while the one on the GoPro Hero9 Black is sluggish and slow. Some real finger tapping and pressure is required in order for the camera to respond.

Another bigger issue is that during the early stages of the test the GoPro Hero9 Black has become unresponsive, and the only way to start and stop the camera is to use the mobile app.

Even then on two occasions, the small revolving connecting to camera icon has spun for over five minutes meaning the only way to access the camera is to pull the battery, essentially restarting the camera.

Applying the latest of these updates and all seems to be fixed and those early touchscreen issues seem to be resolved, and so far there hasn’t been one crash or freeze since the firmware has been updated.

Before powering on a quick charge of the camera is needed to ensure a full battery. As with previous GoPro cameras the battery charges from within the camera, although there are external chargers available as well.

As with the Hero8 Black, the battery slots into the side of the camera and this is protected by a clipped side door. The design of this has been greatly improved and doesn’t instantly come away in your hand as it did on the GoPro Hero8.

Alongside the battery is the small MicroSD card slot, for those with larger fingers squeezing the small card in and out is quite difficult, but for kids or those with longer nails this process is apparently easy enough.

As with the Hero8 Black the battery door is removable so that the MediaMod can be fitted. The fixing on the hinge is a far better design and while it takes a little more effort to remove and refit it feels far more secure.

When it comes to refitting there is a small technique that makes the process easy. Make sure the camera is sat on its base, then rest the door at a slight angle and push to fit in place. Pushing in at an angle seems to make all the difference to the ease of fitting.

One of the big disappointments of the GoPro Hero8 Black was the lack of a removable lens. This meant that once a scratch appeared on the lens that was pretty much it.

If you’re using the camera for any type of off-road, water or any sport for that matter, crud, mud and dirt are all going to be thrown at the front of the camera and Gorilla Glass or not, a scratch or two is going to happen.

To have the removable lens back is a huge and welcome step. But, GoPro has gone one further with the launch of the Max Lens Mod, this enables an ultra-wide 155º field-of-view and image stabilisation up to 2.7K resolution. The Max Mod may just be the first of more lenses that we’ll see from GoPro.

GoPro introduced the touch screen as an accessory was back in the past, Hero3, possibly before, as an optional accessory. The new design has been around since the Hero5 and when that launched it was far from the first seen on an action camera but it redefined usability.

That interface has changed and simplified over the last few iterations of the camera, but here with the GoPro Hero9 Black, we have a larger screen than we’ve seen before. Still not quite edge to edge but still big.

Like the DJI OSMO Action, the full-colour screen is able to show you a preview of what you’re about to film, so great for selfies, Vloggers etc. While the screen is similar in use to that of the DJI OSMO Action there are two major differences.

First is that the screen reflects the rear screen, there’s no need to turn it on and off. The other is that it’s limited on framerate so the preview image you see is a little flickery. Whether this is something that will be sorted out through a firmware update will have to be seen.

There are also a few options for the front screen in the settings, a choice of screen saver and orientation, but other than that those options are limited and there’s no way to switch off the screen if you need.

The flip-down GoPro mount was introduced with the GoPro Hero8 Black and it makes a successful return here. While the mount is fundamentally the same there have been a couple of minor tweaks.

Primarily when you fold the mounts down they’re perfectly straight, on the GoPro Hero8 Black the moulding meant that there was a slight inward inclination.

This small change makes it far easies to mount the camera in tricky places as you’re not battling with the position of the two mount pins. The stiffness of the hinge also seems to have been greatly improved.

On the side of the camera below the power button is a new feature that looks like a small door. WARNING, this is not a door, so before you reach for a screwdriver and start prizing it open, it’s not a door, hatch, covering its part of the camera, it’s the Mic Drain hole.

The GoPro Hero9 Black setup process is much the same as previous generations and only takes a couple of minutes to run through. Click through the screens, connect to your smartphone with the GoPro App installed and you’re ready to go.

My first port of call is always to set the resolution and frame rate, on the Hero5 and 6 there was quick access to these from the main screen, now you have to delve into the menu and circumnavigate around the presets.

Options selected filming can start with a short press of the shutter button. If the camera is off then the shutter button will also act as the power button, booting the camera, 3-4 seconds and starts recording.

GoPro has adjusted the interface layout a few times since it’s launch with the GoPro Hero5 Black. I’d like to say it’s more refined with each release but unfortunately, it just keeps getting more complicated.

On the first iteration, the framerate