Yesterday GoPro announced a global release of a new camera aimed at the casual user – at half the price of their flagship product, the GoPro 6. The new camera is simply known as Hero – that’s right, no number.
I am the target audience for the Hero. I have been using its predecessor since 2014 but found it was lacking the features I needed to use it more than a few times a year – it is easier to pull out a smartphone which has a viewfinder and sharing options. Buying the $600 GoPro 6 was not viable as I don’t use it enough.
That’s why I jumped at the chance to get the Hero. At just $299, it is a much cheaper alternative for the rest of us casual users. It also packs all the key features of the GoPro 6 – a 2inch viewfinder, Wifi capability, time-lapse photography, full HD video and 10mp photos as well as voice activation commands so you can say ‘GoPro take a photo’ when you don’t have your hands free.
It also comes with Quick Stories – the camera sends your footage to your smartphone via the Quik app and then even edits the highlights into a short video which you can share instantly. So pack this little camera on your next weekend away, day out to the beach, or girls trip and you will have automatic shareable stories without spending hours in the editing room.
So what’s missing from the Hero compared to the GoPro 6? It doesn’t have 4k video, and comes with less range of time lapse options and a different processor – not features the casual user will miss. On the plus side, it is compatible with all the existing GoPro mounts and accessories so no need to rekit.
GoPro is sending a message that it can cater to users of all levels – it is time for the rest of us to join the GoPro movement.
