The company that invented extreme sports filming is back with the new camera, a new sensor, and a set of interesting features. We’ve tested it.
The past three years of the global pandemic have not been good for GoPro. After all, in a time of lockdowns and a dramatic decline in travel, you need a good network camera more than an extreme sports camera.
But it seems that the world is on its way out of the pandemic, and like every September, this year too, the American manufacturer announced its new flagship camera for the year: GoPro HERO11. So what are the innovations, what remains the same, and should you upgrade? We took it for a spin.
No news on the specs Let’s start with a quick run-through of the specs, which haven’t changed much from the GoPro HERO10.
The camera allows you to shoot in resolutions up to 5.3K at 60fps, including 4K at 120fps, 2.7K resolution at 240fps, and more. Like its predecessors, the camera allows you to shoot horizontally and vertically, and it also includes a rear touch screen measuring 2.27 inches and a regular front screen measuring 1.4 inches.
The brightness of the rear screen is good, although its responsiveness still looks lacking – especially after being immersed in water. Apart from that, it still supports diving up to a depth of 10 meters, includes voice commands (does anyone really use this?), and comes, like its predecessor, with a hard carrying case, a helmet mount sticker, a quick-release buckle with a screw, and a short USB-C cable. This is important because the camera is “picky” and won’t accept any USB-C cable thrown at you – not for charging and not for data transfer.
The main difference in design: is the text on the side In terms of design, the cameras are almost identical. In fact, if you don’t look at the text on the left side of the camera 10 or 11 – even the CEO of GoPro can’t tell the difference between them. In contrast to previous years where we saw dramatic changes such as the built-in mounting brackets of the camera, which saved cases; or the addition of the front screen, the HERO11 looks identical to its predecessor.
Unfortunately, the drawback of the cameras in recent years, which I already complained about in HERO 9, has not been addressed, and you will still need Wolverine’s claws to open the camera’s charging and battery door.
So externally, there is not much difference. The bigger changes can be found inside the cameras.
Hello to the new sensor
Unlike DSLR or mirrorless cameras, the sensor in action cameras is rarely talked about as a killer feature. But in the HERO 11, the camera includes a new sensor that seemingly boasts the same 5K resolution (we’ll get to why I only say “seemingly” soon) – but the innovation this time is twofold.
The new sensor, unlike the previous sensors that captured an image in a rectangular aspect ratio (3:4 or 16:9), offers an 8:7 aspect ratio.
That is, the sensor has grown in height significantly and now offers almost square proportions. Technically, it still offers a resolution of 5.3K like the HERO 10 sensor, but because it has grown vertically, the number of pixels inside has increased significantly. For example, the number of pixels in the HERO 10 with a 16:9 aspect ratio was 5,312 x 2,988, or a total of around 15.9 million pixels. In the HERO 11 – we’re still talking about 5,312 pixels in length, but the width is now 4,648 pixels – which means 24.7 million pixels. As I immediately discovered, the new sensor with its aspect ratio and extra pixels primarily allow for two new capabilities.
Hello TikTok/Story
The first advantage is cropping to a different image format. For decades, ever since the invention of cameras and cinema, we’ve been used to shooting video horizontally. At one point, people even used to make fun of “portrait” shooters. In recent years, thanks to social media networks (especially TikTok, but also Reels and Shorts, Facebook and Google’s replicas respectively) and thanks to the format of our smartphone – everything has turned upside down, and vertical video is now the norm. This sensor allows us to take full advantage of this format and shoot with a sensor that natively fits it. The result is that if you plan to post your footage on TikTok, for example, you’ll be able to use the full height of the sensor without losing pixels due to cropping, which translates into better-quality videos, especially in terms of detail.
Pros
- High-resolution 5K video and 20MP photos can produce excellent image quality
- Improved image stabilization compared to previous models, which helps produce smoother footage
- 8:7 aspect ratio sensor that produces a nearly square image, which can be advantageous for social media or certain types of video editing
- A durable and waterproof design that is ideal for capturing action shots in challenging environments
- Intuitive touchscreen interface that makes it easy to navigate settings and preview footage
- Advanced features like TimeWarp, LiveBurst, and SuperPhoto can enhance the creative possibilities of your videos and photos
Cons
- High price point compared to other action cameras on the market
- The battery life can be relatively short, especially when recording at the highest resolutions and frame rates
- Larger file sizes due to the high resolution can require more storage space and processing power
- The camera can become quite hot when recording for extended periods of time, which could potentially impact performance or longevity
- Limited low-light performance compared to larger cameras or smartphones with advanced camera systems
- Some users may find the 8:7 aspect ratio sensor to be too square and prefer a more traditional widescreen format
- Tags:
- GO PRO
Thank you for the update on the GoPro HERO11. It seems that while there are some minor improvements and additions, such as the ability to shoot in higher resolutions and frame rates, the overall specs haven’t changed much from the HERO10.