Have they finally gone pro? After more than ten years of telling people to do just that, GoPro has a new fleet of HERO11 action cameras that do some pretty futuristic things! Here’s what we know about the new range announced last week.

 

A new GoPro is coming out every year. They’re on the Apple diet.

I don’t know whether to be happy or sad. I was doing a long-term review of the GoPro HERO10 — which we published alongside this piece — before we were blindsided by this brand-new camera nine months later.

In theory that would make the HERO10 obsolete, but not in practice. That thing is still awesome. Trust me!

 

GoPro Hero 11 - First Look

Major differences between HERO10 and HERO11?

The biggest upgrade to the HERO11 comes via a larger, higher resolution sensor. 

Sensors are the unsung ‘hero’ of camera performance and this new 2.5/3cm (1/1.9”) sensor delivers over 1 billion colours in 10-bit colour video at up to 5.3K resolution at 60 frames per second. 

It also results in 27-megapixel photos compared to the HERO10’s 23-megapixels. 

For the real data nerds, having the 10-bit video results in 64X more colours captured over the 16.7 million colours in 8-bit. A big leap. 

 

GoPro Hero 11 - First Look

 

GoPro has also (finally) extended the battery life of this camera, supposedly by up to 38% in moderate temperatures, compared to previous models. 

There’s also a water-repelling lens cover, which might mitigate some of the beading that occurs on the lens in the water — and save you from licking the lens every 30 seconds. 

 

GoPro Hero 11 - First Look

Vertical Video Performance

Imagine explaining to a GoPro HERO3 owner, that what they’ll really want in 10 years is a camera with an 8:7 aspect ratio to help them crop vertically for TikTok. 

Creating reels is made even simpler as you can easily crop to 9:16 (reel format) in the GoPro Quick app as well. 

 

GoPro Hero 11 - First Look

Available in Three Options

In keeping with the tradition that there are actually dozens more cameras than the 11 we’re supposedly up to, GoPro have released three different options in this latest batch.

 

HERO11 Black

The (now) top of the line GoPro camera.

 

HERO11 Black Creator Edition

A package deal for content creators that includes a long-lasting battery grip, directional microphone, external mic input, HDMI ports and LED light. 

 

GoPro Hero 11 - First Look

 

HERO11 Black Mini

A lighter, slimmed-down version of the Hero11. It retains the performance but has one button for simplicity. 

According to GoPro, it’s for those that, ‘want to keep it simple but still look like a HERO.’

 

GoPro Hero 11 - First Look

Tech Specs to Take Away

  • Emmy Award®-winning HyperSmooth 5.0 technology with in-camera 360-degree Horizon Lock to keep your footage steady even if your camera rotates a full 360 degrees during capture.
  • New hyper-immersive HyperView digital lens delivers the widest angle 16:9 shot ever produced natively in a HERO camera. It’s for high-action point-of-view capture. Plus, GoPro’s signature SuperView is now available in 5.3K60 and 4K120.
  • Three new Night Effect Time Lapse presets that make capturing pro-quality Star Trails, Light Painting and Vehicle Light Trails easy.
  • TimeWarp 3.0 now captures at 5.3K, an impressive 91% leap in resolution from 4K, and an incredible 665% more than 1080p.
  • Simpler camera control with Easy and Pro modes. Easy Controls make it easier than ever to record in the best setting for any situation, while Pro Controls unlock every aspect of your HERO11 camera for maximum creative control.
  • Enduro Battery dramatically improves camera performance in cold and moderate temperatures, extending recording times up to 38% in HERO11 Black. Enduro comes in-box with HERO11 Black and HERO11 Black Creator Edition and as a built-in Enduro battery in HERO11 Black Mini.

 

GoPro Hero 11 - First Look