The latest GoPro is out! The GoPro Hero 9 now has 5K video recording. It’s incredible what advances in technology can bring you. 5K recording at 30 fps in a camera that fits in the palm of your hand, for less than $700! The form factor is similar in proportions to the previous Hero 8, but it’s gained a little bit of weight. Each side is about half a centimeter longer compared to the 8. It’s also now 30g heavier than the previous generation, and 42g heavier than the Hero 7. A fun fact about the new Hero 9 Black: it’s actually 4 grams heavier than the Hero Max!
All this weight gain and size inflation isn’t for nothing though. Just looking at the product images, the most evident change is the new front screen. Previous models had a front screen that displayed useful information such as recording time and format. However, this is now a full colour 1.4-inch display.
The options for the non-touch screen are: Full Screen, Actual Screen, and Status Only. ‘Full Screen’ is a zoomed in view that shows you the center of your shot. ‘Actual Screen’ is basically an electronic viewfinder. As the screen is a different ratio to the video, you’ll see black bars and the current recording time, battery etc. ‘Status Only’ is the same display as the previous generations. It will show battery, recording time, recording format and resolution.
One of the headlines is the ability to shoot 5K video. With the new sensor, you can shoot 24 or 30fps. For stills, the megapixels increase from 12 to 20 too! The rest of the resolutions remain at the same framerates.
Shooting at increased resolutions and at high framerates is all well and good, but it causes a higher drain on the battery. That’s why for the Hero 9, GoPro have put in a larger battery. It’s nearly 50% larger, going from 1,220 mAh to 1,720 mAh.
Last but not least, the Hero 8 Mods show up again. The Media Mod has been upgraded to be weather-resistant and comes with a windshield to block buffeting noises. The Display Mod stays the same but sized for the Hero 9, and so does the Light Mod. A new addition is a Max Lens Mod. It widens the field of view and enhances HyperSmooth stabilization. It’s perfect for wide-angle action!