GoPro HERO8 Black (2019 Review)

The GoPro HERO8 is finally here, and we’re excited to share our take on the good, the bad, and the ugly! Before we begin this review, we want to start by saying this is THE BEST ACTION CAMERA THAT GOPRO (or anyone) HAS EVER MADE…PERIOD! Want to find out why? Read more below!

Key Features

HERO8: Beyond Next Level

The new GoPro HERO8 Black is finally here, Woo Hoo! Although not too much has changed physically (looks almost identical), the new HERO8 has gotten a major technological overhaul, with upgrades in nearly every department.

New Design

As I type this, its difficult to hide my excitement about the HERO8’s new integrated mounting fingers! I’m sure I can speak for most of us when I say that I’m glad those annoying housing clamps are gone (well kinda)! With the new GoPro HERO8, mounting fingers are built right into the camera, which makes it super easy to charge the camera and swap out SD cards on the go.

The only downside to this new design is that the battery door includes the battery, the SD card, and the ports (USB-C + HDMI). Therefore, when you charge your camera, you need to open the battery door, which can lead to the battery falling out.

HyperSmooth 2.0

If you thought HyperSmooth was nice, wait until you try HyperSmooth 2.0! Last year the GoPro HERO7 changed the game with its seemingly unshakable footage, no gimbal required, of course. HyperSmooth 2.0 extends HyperSmooth to every frame rate in every aspect ratio. The HERO8 also has a HyperSmooth Boost mode, which crops the image slightly and offers a higher level of stability.

TimeWrap 2.0

GoPro also improved its TimeWrap feature with the introduction of TimeWrap 2.0. The HERO8 uses the same HyperSmooth 2.0 technology and applies it to TimeLapse video. TimeWrap 2.0 takes time-lapse to the next level and allows you to toggle how fast you want the hyper-lapse.

Media Mods: A Vlogger’s Dream

Attention all adventure vloggers, your life just got a whole lot better! The new Media Mods are perfect for vloggers as it can turn an ordinary action camera into a top of the line vlogging rig with just a snap. The Media Mod frame includes a built-in shotgun mic, HDMI out port, and a 3.5mm mic jack. GoPro also makes a Light Mod, with a 200 lumen LED light, as well as a Flip Screen Mod, for that perfectly framed selfie Vlog shot.

The Media Mod is priced at $79.99.

LiveBurst

If you are familiar with Apple’s Live Photo or Andriod’s Motion Photos feature, you will love the HERO8’s LiveBurst mode. With LiveBurst mode enabled, when you take a picture, the camera automatically takes a 1.5-second video before and a 1.5-second video after. From that 3 second video, you can choose the frame you want to use for that picture.

Rugged & Waterproof

The lens on the HERO8 also got an upgrade and is no longer integrated within the camera. GoPro says the new lens is now 2x stronger than in the past.

The HERO8 is also not compatible with the GoPro Super Suit Uber Protection & Dive Housing

GoPro also has 4 digital lenses:

• Narrow (27mm)
• Linear (19-39mm): 4k = no fish-eye view for edits using a DSLR camera
• Wide (16-34mm)
• Superview (16mm)

The HERO8 is still waterproof to 10 meters (30ft) and pretty much indestructible.

LiveStream

If you’re a Youtuber or content creator, you’ll be happy to find that the HERO8 can now Livestream in 1080p to Facebook and Youtube.

The Verdict: Buy or Pass?

Okay, so there you have it, the new HERO8 is undeniably the best GoPro ever made and by far the best action camera on the market.

Short Answer: If you can afford it, the HERO8 will be one of the best purchases you’ll make this year.

Long Answer: If you are a content creator or vlogger looking for the best quality footage possible and have $400 just burning a hole in your pocket, the HERO8 is definitely for you!

Compare: HERO8 Black Vs. HERO7 Black