It’s hard to go a day skiing at a resort without spotting a GoPro. It’s hard to go a day participating in any action sport without spotting a GoPro. The company leads the game in personal action cameras. And for good reason, too. Their HERO lineup is very high quality and very easy to use. The biggest downside is the price, usually costing around $400 for a brand new one. But GoPro’s newest, tiny action camera cuts that price in half.
Announced next to the HERO 13 Black, the new GoPro HERO costs just $199. It’s also tiny, weighing just 86 grams. But it still has built in mounting fingers, and it can still record in stunning 4K resolution.
The GoPro HERO is a simpler piece of equipment, featuring just three, easy to use modes. There’s the 4K video, with 4K30 + 4K25. There’s also a slow motion mode, capturing 2.7K footage at 60 frames per second, so those sweet slo-mo powder shots are still well within reach. Lastly, the HERO includes a point-and-shoot photo mode with 12 megapixel resolution.
The GoPro HERO works with existing GoPro mounts, so if you’re upgrading from an older model or just adding to the collection you don’t need to stress about purchasing several new mounts. It’s also waterproof up to 16 feet, and features a replaceable, water-repellant lens cover. The battery itself is built in, keeping the weight down. Also, while HyperSmooth video stabilization won’t be visible on the camera’s display, it is applied when the video is uploaded to the GoPro Quik app.
The GoPro HERO is available now for $199.99. It is less feature rich then the HERO 13, it does not allow for the lens mods that the HERO 13 allows for, and it does not have as much customization as the more expensive models. But for the person who’s just hoping to capture memories, get some good quality footage of their big ski trip, or get their first action camera, the GoPro HERO could be an amazing way to do so.