GoPro 4 and the Hero- Crushing the Action Cam Market
GoPro announced updated action cams yesterday. The Hero 4 Black, Hero 4 Silver and the Hero. Most people are talking about the new Hero 4 Black that allows 4k recording at 30fps but the real news here is the pricing on the new, numberless model, Hero - just $129. The action cam market is quite crowded, though you might think there is only GoPro, and up until now one of GoPros weak points was price, with previous models starting at $299. The Hero at just $129 opens up the door for interested buyers who couldn't quite justify the price when they weren't sure the could even justify a need for a camera like this. Polaroid made news recently with their cute little Cube (we chatted about it on Episode 27 of Photo Mish Mash) and at $99 it looked like a good deal, now that the Hero is here it seems to me to be worth spending $40 more. Why?Polaroid Cube $99 - Buy from B&H
- 1.4 inches square (35mm)
- 1.6 ounces (45.4g)
- 124° View
- 1080p 30fps or 720p 30fps
- 6MP Stills
- Dust/shock resistant (not waterproof)
- Video files split into 5 minute chunks
- 32GB Micro SD card limit
- Colors - Black, Blue and
- Cute Mounts available and magnet on bottom for stacking or attaching to metal surfaces
Video quality I have seen is OK - certainly not spectacular.Go Pro Hero $129 - Buy from B&H
- 3.9 ounces (this includes waterproof/shockproof housing)
- 171° View
- 1080p at 30fps or 720p at 60fps
- 5MP stills
- Time lapse mode - (every 0.5 seconds)
- Burst Mode - (5 photos/second)
- 32GB Micro SD Card Limit
- Standard GoPro size fits all goPro accessories and mounts
The specs are very similar between the two cameras but the fact that you get a completely waterproof camera(inside the housing it comes with) and the additional modes- like time lapse- makes the GoPro Hero worth the extra money.The updated Hero 4 Black and Hero 4 Silver specs (compared to last year's 3+ Black)
GoPro Hero 4 Black | GoPro Hero 4 Silver | GoPro Hero 3+ Black | |
---|---|---|---|
Resolutions | 4K 30fps, 2.7K 50fps and 1080p120fps video | 1080p60 and 720p120 video | 4k 15FPS 2.7K 30fps and 1080p 60 |
MP | 12MP and capable of 30 fps bursts | 12MP and capable of 30 fps bursts | 12MP and capable of 30 fps bursts |
Connectivity | Wifi and Bluetooth Connectivity | Wifi and Bluetooth Connectivity | WiFI Connectivity |
Headline Feature | Improved Processor and IQ | Built in touch display | |
Price | $499 | $399 | Now $349- going out of stock |
BUY | B&H photo video | Amazon | B&H photo video | Amazon | B&H photo video |
Recommended GoPro Accessories - Watch my video on the best bag for your GoPro stuff