The most used compact camera is my GoPro Hero 11 camera. This camera is a very important tool when it comes to shooting in different conditions. It is waterproof and dustproof, can take a beating and has a plethora of external extensions to achieve those shots. You see GoPro Hero cameras in the air, underwater, on land in different conditions (wet, dry, dusty etc.) and there are also people who launch them with a rocket. These cameras can film in 16:9, 9:16, 1:1 and 8:7 aspect ratios, 5K3 @60fps. 4K @25 up to 120fps. In 1080p even up to 240fps. The possibilities are almost limitless for a camera in such a small body.
The GoPro Hero 11 and its successors all have built-in electronic stabilisation. With a built-in chip, movements are registered and corrected by the built-in processor. Therefore, these cameras have a higher resolution chip that registers the image. By correcting the image across multiple axes, you get a nice stable image. They call this HyperSmooth 6.0 video stabilisation with a 360° Horizon Lock at GoPro. The Hero cameras can take photos in addition to video. The Hero 11 has 24.7 megapixel resolution and the Hero 12 takes 27 megapixel images and 24.7 megapixel photos from the video footage.
The GoPro Hero 11 and 12 do not need an external housing under water up to about 10 metres deep. Provided you have everything tightly sealed and no dirt can be found between the closures. A little moisture can corrode the entire inside of the camera and cause metals to decay.
For internal storage of all images, as with the DJI Osmo Pocket, I use the same Micro SD cards from Sandisk Extreme Micro SD Memory Cards UHS-I U3 V30 available from DATAIO.NL for just over 30 euros. These cates are suitable for capturing all image formats. The Jupio Tri-Charger offers storage for two of these cards as spare, as well as three SD cards and three CFast type A cards for Sony cameras, and the PGYTech Create mate High-speed card reader offers space for four SD and Micro-SD cards that can be read or written on with the internal card readers. More than enough spare storage for all cameras.
Handles, underwater housings, filters, selfie sticks, head straps and chest straps are available for the Hero cameras. In the two videos below, you can see very well how well the Hero range has developed when it comes to stability. The first video was taken with a Hero 8 and used during a beach ride on the beach of Texel. The same ride was taken again in 2023, but this time with a Hero 11. In both cases, stabilisation is fully in-camera.
Given the conditions under which the footage was shot, it is clear that an ordinary video camera or an Osmo Pocket 3 could not be used here; it would probably fail prematurely due to the splashing sand and salty water. The GoPro is fully protected against this. A tip: after such a recording session, rinse and clean the camera completely with lukewarm water. Only then take up flaps and inspect the camera for sand, salt and water. For those who want to go for sure: there is also an external housing that allows you to take the camera up to 30 metres underwater, and this housing offers even more protection.
GoPro cameras can also capture their recordings in LOG. You still have to use a LUT afterwards or correct the recordings manually. Using 10-bit LOG files offers more colour depth in recordings and more room for colour corrections and film styles. The Hero 11 and 12 cameras all have a 1/1.9-inch sensor (6.3 x 5.5 mm). I personally still use the Hero 11 because I find GPS coordinates important. GoPro has chosen not to build the GPS chip into the Hero 12 anymore. I find that a miss and that’s why I didn’t make this update.
The glass of the Hero lenses is water and dirt repellent. Rinsing with clean water is enough to keep them clean. Through the Hero 11, the Max lens mod and, for the Hero 12, the Max 2.0 lens mod can be bought as an extension of the optical range. The cameras also get a few nice extra features and one drawback: you can record in 2K7 at most.
For those who want to film in 4K with the lens Max mod will have to opt for the Hero 12 and the Max Lens Mod 2.0. This lens also gives a much larger field of view.
Pro has continued to develop more besides the many updates in their cameras and software. For example, the batteries have been updated and fitted with a white top. The blue batteries only had a soft case which made them easy to dent. That problem has been solved with the new Enduro batteries. The name also says it all: enduro also offers longer playing time. For example, you can keep filming in 5K3 for up to over 70 minutes. There are alternative batteries for sale, but I would like to test them myself first. I’ve done that in the past and it didn’t turn out very well. With an on-screen message: ‘This battery is not compatible’, it doesn’t inspire much confidence in the brand.
That GoPro has set the standard regarding all accessories on the market is evident from the fact that other brands like DJI and Insta360 also use the same dimensions and materials to mount their cameras. Garmin and Sony still like to go their own ways in that area and that is also the reason for me to keep working with GoPro. It would make no sense to get rid of all those accessories. Besides, you never miss out.
Electronic stabilisation works differently from a gimbal, but as you’ve seen, you can achieve very good results with it. In this case, GoPro cameras continue to offer a very nice comprehensive and virtually indestructible range of cameras and accessories. And if you do unexpectedly lose a lens, cover or mount, these, like the accessories, can be bought separately.