GoPro HERO10 Black can shoot 23MP stills, with new algorithms to boost low-light performance (Image: GOPRO)
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GoPro has revealed its latest action camera, the GoPro HERO10 Black. From the outside, the tenth camera from the company looks almost identical to its predecessor, the HERO9 Black announced one year ago, but don’t be fooled – the company has managed to squeeze a dizzying number of upgrades under the bonnet of this new model.
Those all-important changes come courtesy of the new custom-designed GP2 processor inside the GoPro HERO10 Black, which has enabled GoPro to introduce pixel-packed new video recording options as well as improve overall performance on the camera. GoPro says the extra brawn provided by the GP2 should make scrolling through on-screen menus feel much more responsive.
For the first time, the touchscreen experience on a GoPro will be identical to the one found on your smartphone, GoPro has promised. This will be music to the ears of anyone who has tried to scroll through menu options on a ski slope with freezing cold hands with previous GoPro cameras.
GP2 is the first update to GoPro’s custom system-on-a-chip since the GP1 debuted in HERO6 Black, back in 2017. The new chipset allows the HERO10 Black to capture single photos of up 23megapixels.
Not only that, but it can pull an individual frame from a 5K video file and export it as a 19.6megapixel photo, which should have more than enough detail to withstand being printed on a gargantuan A1 poster – let alone a Facebook profile picture.
While the GP1 topped-out at 5K video at 30 frames-per-second, the HERO10 Black can capture twice that. The new 5.3K video format in 60 frames-per-second means you’ll be able to shoot slow-motion video with the pixel-packed format. And if you’re looking to export in 1080p HD, you’ll be able to zoom-in and crop into the 5.3K, enabling more flexibility in your edits.
Elsewhere, the HERO10 Black can record 4K video in up to 120 frames-per-second, and 2.7K in 240 frames-per-second for super slooooooooow-mo.
HERO10 Black packs so many pixels, it’s possible to zoom and crop and still export in HD (Image: GOPRO)
Like the HERO9 and HERO8 before it, the HERO10 has built-in mounting prongs (Image: GOPRO )
All of these video recording modes benefit from new algorithms created by GoPro to apply local tone mapping and 3D noise reduction when shooting in low-light conditions. According to the US company, this should boost the amount of detail in gloomier videos.
Rounding out the improvements afforded by the new chipset is HyperSmooth 4.0, which employs a bucket load of clever software tricks to remove shakes and bumps from your video. So, you won’t need to worry about feeling sea-sick when you watch back footage from a mount on your bike helmet, or leave a GoPro strapped to the side of a surfboard or skis.
HyperSmooth 4.0 is also available when live-streaming with your GoPro. And if you’re not planning anything more adventurous, you can use the GoPro HERO10 Black as a webcam for your next videoconference call. Connected like a webcam, the camera is capable of streaming crisp 1080p video to your colleagues. The 132º field-of-view means you’ll never have to worry about disappearing out of frame. For those who host livestream workouts from their home, this could be a game-changer.
The rugged GoPro HERO10 Black is water resistant to a depth of 10-metres without the need for a case (Image: GOPRO )
It’s worth noting that while the design of the GoPro HERO10 Black hasn’t altered compared to its predecessor, there are still improvements to be found. GoPro has added a hydrophobic coating to the glass covering the lens, which naturally repels water – so droplets should run off without interrupting your footage, even when you’re causing a splash. The glass is also more scratch-resistant, GoPro says.
Like the HERO9 Black, the camera is water resistant to a depth of 10-metres without the need for a case of extra housing – just press record and plunge the HERO10 Black into the water, trust us, it’ll be fine.
HERO10 Black includes the same “Folding Fingers” mount system built into the bottom of the case, which was introduced with the HERO8 Black, and means you won’t need to bother with a frame or extra case to attach your GoPro to the dizzying number of accessories and mounts available from GoPro and third-parties.
“HERO10 Black is one of the most impressive cameras in the world, regardless of price,” said Nicholas Woodman, GoPro founder and CEO. “Congratulations to our product and engineering teams on creating such a worthy 10th edition of our beloved HERO camera.”
The front-facing display lets you line-up shots and check the shooting mode easily (Image: GOPRO )
Of course, the touchscreen on the back offers a better view for playback and changing settings (Image: GOPRO )
When you’ve finished shooting with the impressive new pixel-packed formats available with the GoPro HERO10 Black, you’ll notice the improvements to transfer video files to your other devices.
Wireless transfers to your smartphone or tablet are faster, thanks to the new GP2 brains inside the camera. Although, if you’ve shot gigabytes worth of 5.3K footage, it’s obviously going to take some time to wirelessly beam to the GoPro Quik editing app on your handset.
That’s where the new wired transfer option comes in. It takes 50 percent less time to transfer footage than wireless connections, GoPro says.
Android users can rely on any USB-C to USB-C cable to take footage from the camera, while iOS devices require a Lightning-to-USB-C adaptor to work.
The ability to transfer huge video files with a wired connection should speed-up your edit (Image: GOPRO )
GoPro HERO10 Black can also automatically back-up footage to the cloud overnight. If you’re a little forgetful, or fast running out of free storage included with your iCloud, Google Drive or DropBox account, this is sure to be one of the biggest advantages of this new action camera model.
This back-up solution means you won’t lose all of your footage if the worst should happen and your camera is stolen when you’re on holiday …or if you somehow manage to break one of these incredibly rugged cameras.
Videos, photos and timelapses are all stored at full resolution on GoPro’s servers. The automatic upload only takes place when your is GoPro charging, so you don’t need to worry about the process depleting battery.
GoPro subscribers will get a discount off the new HERO10 Black as well as the other advantages included with the subscription plan, including unlimited lossless cloud backup and up to 50 percent discount on all GoPro-branded mounts and accessories for your new camera.
As always, GoPro has a huge number of accessories and mounts available (Image: GOPRO )
The HERO10 Black is compatible with previous accessories too (Image: GOPRO)
If you’re not already a GoPro subscriber… if you’re looking to buy this new camera, you really should sign-up. HERO10 Black costs £379.98 with an included one-year GoPro subscription (usually £4.99 a month, or £49.99 for the year) or £479.99 for those without a subscription.
Better still, subscribers will benefit from no-questions-asked camera replacement, should something terrible happen to your camera.
HERO10 Black is now the flagship camera in GoPro’s line-up. It joins the likes of the dual-camera, 360-degree GoPro MAX camera, which costs £379.98 with an included one-year GoPro subscription (£479.99 without a subscription), last year’s HERO9 Black at £329.98 with an included one-year GoPro subscription (379.99 without), and finally, the HERO8 Black at £259.98 with a one-year subscription (£279.99 without).
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