GoPro is back on the scene with its annual September product release. This year the company has two action cams on deck, a Hero11 Black that looks a lot like last year's Hero10 on the outside, and a screen-less Hero11 Black Mini, sure to please fans of the long discontinued GoPro Session. Inside the two cameras have the same imaging and video capabilities, so it's really up to you as to which form factor better suits your style.
GoPro Hero11 Black and Hero11 Black Mini
The GoPro Hero is the camera that defined what an action cam should be—the palm-sized video specialist sports an extra-wide lens so you can mount it interesting in places. The Hero11 includes integrated mounting clips, is built to withstand drops and take abuse, and can work 33 feet underwater without the need for any additional protection.
And while the form factor has varied a bit over the years, the Hero11 Black doesn't stray too far. It includes a front-facing LCD, a plus for both vloggers who want to monitor the frame while presenting to camera, and to surfers and adventurers who want to mount or adjust the angle of view without looking behind the camera. The rear display takes up the entirety of the camera body and supports touch input.
We've not yet seen the 11 Black Mini in person, but in pictures it appears to be a pared-down edition of the camera. There are no screens to monitor video, just a status display up top, and a big Record button for easy operation. The Mini does lose the ability to swap its battery—it puts its extended-life cell inside, like a smartphone, where the full-size Hero11 Black is powered by a swappable extended-life Enduro power pack. We do like that GoPro added a second set of mounting clips to the Mini so you have more options when it comes to mounting.
We're happy to see Enduro included in the box this year—with the Hero10 it was only sold as an add-on accessory. And while our review unit didn't come in retail packaging, a GoPro representative tells us that the Hero11 will ship to customers in a reusable, zippered carrying case.
Squarish Sensor Format for Reframed Video
We've had a little hands-on time with the standard version of the Hero11 Black, and are able to dish out all the details on GoPro's new flagship. First up, from the outside, the Hero11 matches the Hero10 form factor to a tee, and works with all of the same accessories. This means you can use the same Media Mod cage and add-on mic for vlogs, and attach the ultra-wide Max Lens mod if you want an immersive frame as possible.
The need for the Max lens ($99) is a little lessened, though. GoPro has swapped out the old-TV-shaped 4:3 (1.33:1) aspect sensor for one that's nearly square, 8:7 (1.14:1). This means you can take advantage of Horizon Lock and other advanced digital stabilization features without having to buy the add-on lens. The imager is also upsized versus the earlier edition, it is now a Type 1/1.9 design for a bit more surface area than the slimmer Type 1/2.3 used by earlier versions.
More surface area is usually a good thing for picture quality. We took the Hero11 out around New York for some tests and walked away with sharp, stabilized 5.3K footage. You can opt to record at 16:9 widescreen to deliver footage to YouTube and TV screens. If you want more flex, switch to the open gate 8:7 aspect, a format that makes it easy to pull out either widescreen 16:9 or tall 9:16 social media video with plenty of pixels to spare.
Frame rates are the same as the Hero10; at 5.3K the camera pushes as many as 60fps, and when you drop down to 4K you can push 120fps. Capturing video at a brisk frame rate allows for slow-motion and speed ramping effects, and offers up a clearer view of action scenes. The Hero11 also supports time lapse with motion and still photos. Photo resolution is 27MP, and 24MP frame grabs can be pulled from 5.3K video clips.
Given the number of creative options, new users can be a little overwhelmed, so GoPro has added an easier-to-use interface for beginners this year. If you don't know what frame rate to use for slow-mo, don't worry—the Hero11 just lets you pick a slow-down effect in its easy interface. GoPro power users can swap to a pro mode to pick frame rates and adjust video settings.
Video frame rates may match the previous GoPro, but the Hero11 does offer a big upgrade for editors who want to take control of color: 10-bit capture. If you dive into settings and turn on ProTune you can turn on the video mode that samples twice as much color as standard 8-bit footage. To take advantage of the format, a flat profile is available to better handle edits to the picture in post-production.
Automatic Uploads and Edits With GoPro Service
The GoPro online service isn't a requirement to use either Hero11 camera, but it does offer up some real benefits. Uncapped cloud storage for your video and pictures is the big draw, and the Hero11 can automatically upload right from the camera—just plug it in to charge when you get home and it will beam the video to the cloud using your home Wi-Fi.
Running around grabbing video clips is, for many adventures, the fun part. Putting the footage together can be more of a chore for many of us. Content creators and editing pros can work with Hero11 clips in the suite of their choice. PCMag editor Eric Zeman took the Hero11 Black out for a helicopter and boat ride around Manhattan, and I put together our sample reel on a Mac Studio with Final Cut Pro, for example.
If you're not an editing pro, you can use the GoPro Quik app to cut together footage instead. If you use the auto upload feature on the camera, footage automatically shows up in the app, and you can have it assemble highlight reels on demand. If you're curious as to how it works you can read our Quik editing hands-on from earlier this year.
GoPro is pushing its automatic editing feature one step further with the Hero11. Its servers will create a highlight footage capturing your day's adventures for you on its own, automatically. Automatic editing was not available for testing during our pre-release testing, but is rolling out to the service today.
Pricing and Availability
Perhaps to hammer home just how much it wants you to sign on for its online service, GoPro incentives subscriptions with its approach to pricing. The Hero11 Black and Hero11 Black Mini cost more when bought without the subscription.
The full-size Hero11 costs $499.99 when bought on its own, but is only $399.99 when purchased with a bundled subscription. It is available to purchase today. At $50 a year for the service, you're better off going for the bundle—just remember to turn off auto-renewals for your account if you're worried about getting charged to re-up. The Hero11 Black is available today.
The Hero11 Black Mini is coming later, orders open up on Oct. 25, and costs a bit less. It's $399.99 on its own, or $299.99 when bought with a year of the GoPro service. We hope to have detailed reviews of both cameras ready soon.
This story was updated to correct an error regarding the scope of delivery; we initially reported that the Hero11 would ship to consumers in a disposable cardboard box, but that is not correct. The retail version of the camera comes in a reusable zippered case.