GoPro is the best selling action camera in the world. Now they look to set the world alight with the release of the GoPro Hero 9 but is it a worthy upgrade from the Hero 8. The Hero 8 itself was an excellent successor to the Hero 7 Black. The Hero 9 will set you back an extra R2000 over the Hero 8 Black.Hero 9 takes on the conventions of the GoPro Hero line. One of the biggest drawbacks of Hero 9 is the price as its way more expensive than the just as great Hero 8.
A new design
Hero 9 sports a new design. It weighs 158g, has a width of 71mm, and a depth of 33.6mm. This makes it bigger than Hero 8. It can still be pocketed just as easily which doesn’t make much of a difference. But you can feel the weight when you start using it.
Higher resolution
Hero 9 has nearly double the sensor resolution of the Hero 7 and 8. It sports a new 23.6MP sensor. It can also frame grabs at 14.7MP and can take clear photos with its 20MP stills.
Better battery life
While previous GoPro batteries were 1 220mAh, the Hero 9 has a 1 720mAh battery. The Hero 9 can capture full HD video for more than 2 hours. The Hero 8 died after 30 minutes.
A new front display
The Hero 9 now has a full-colour front screen. This is the perfect GoPro for vloggers and gives them access to the screen without having to use the rear.
However, The front display isn’t touched sensitive and isn’t great for previewing the 5K video capture.
Fan favourite feature returns
The Hero 8 ditched the removable lens feature that the previous models had. This was received quite poorly. Now with the Hero 9 that feature makes its return, called the Max Lens Mod. With this mod, you can shoot up to 2.7K resolution at 60fps with a 155-degree field of view.
This also supports a horizon locking which was found on the GoPro Max.
Better Stabilization
The Hero 9 features the new Hypersmooth 3.0 stabilization. While the Hero 8 stabilization isn’t bad, for cyclists or mountain bikers you’ll want to stick with the Hero 9.
You can turn back time
If you ever wanted to turn back time, the Hero 9 is for you. The Hindsight feature can capture up to 30 seconds before you hit the record button. This means that you don’t have to fumble around trying to hit the record button in the heat of the moment.
You can set this feature as a shortcut on your viewfinder and it can easily be toggled on or off and it works across all resolutions on the device.
Power tools of features
The Hero 9 is already a step up from Hero 8 but it doesn’t stop there. It is littered with returning features and other upgraded features. Scheduled Capture makes a return which enables you to have scheduled recording all controllable within the camera. TimeWarp allows you to record audio when you slow your fast-motion footage down.
If you are a gadget junky that wants all the newest features or if you are looking for the perfect vlogging machine then the Hero 9 is the GoPro for you. Though if you want some excellent 4K video and adequate in-body stabilization at a lower cost then the Hero 8 is perfect for you. Especially with the current special bundle. You can find the perfect GoPro for you right here on Cameraland Sandton.