Now GoPro has ditched the cute cuboid models – the Session and Hero 5 Session – and replaced them with a cheaper version of the Hero 5 called, simply, Hero. Read our full review of the 2018 Hero.
When is the GoPro Hero release date?
The Hero goes on sale 29 March 2018 worldwide at retailers and direct from GoPro.com.
How much does the GoPro Hero cost?
In the UK it costs £199.99. If you’re in the US, it’s $199.99. In Europe it’s €219.99. That’s the same price as the outgoing Hero 5 Session, although you can now buy that model for around £170/US$170. You’ll find more information on all GoPro models that are currently available to buy in our GoPro buyer’s guide.
What are the specs and features?
The good news is that the design is the same as the Hero 5 and 6. That means it will fit into harnesses and mounts designed for those cameras, though for some reason it isn’t compatible with the Karma drone. On the rear is a 2in touchscreen on the rear which makes it a heck of a lot easier to use and control than the Session models which had only a tiny LCD screen for settings and a battery indicator.
It also gets the voice control from recent models, so you can say “GoPro start recording” or “GoPro take a photo”. Like its pricier stablemates, it’s waterproof and rugged, so you don’t need any extra housing when using it in the rain or underwater. It’s water-resistant to a depth of 10m.
There are differences of course. Internally there’s a 10Mp sensor, so photos have a slightly lower resolution than the 12Mp sensor in the Hero 5 and 6. Video tops out at 1440p60, so there’s no support for 4K at any framerate. At the front is the same small LCD screen so you can quickly check the current settings and battery life:
You do still get video stabilisation, though, which is good news, and there’s the nifty auto-low-light mode which helps to ensure you get the best, brightest images at night without having to change settings such as dropping framerate to 30fps. Digging deeper, the Hero lacks a Protune mode (of no consequence to casual users) and doesn’t allow you to record in RAW mode or adjust the exposure. It isn’t compatible with external microphones, either. Again, this is no deal-breaker as the Hero still has three on-board mics with automatic processing to choose the best two to give stereo audio. There’s no on-board GPS, nor is there 5GHz Wi-Fi for transferring footage more quickly to your phone. Instead it uses 2.4GHz, and the same GoPro app as the other cameras. Jim has been testing and reviewing products for over 20 years. His main beats include VPN services and antivirus. He also covers smart home tech, mesh Wi-Fi and electric bikes.
