About a month ago a series of leaked images emerged along with unconfirmed bits of information, revealing that GoPro is working on a new action camera dubbed the GoPro Hero 5. Not much was revealed about the product since, but surprisingly enough, yesterday GoPro took the veil off its latest action camera lineup under the Hero 5 moniker, comprised of two new models namely the GoPro Hero 5 Session and GoPro Hero 5 Black.
The GoPro Hero 5 Session is a sequel to the Hero 4 Session unveiled in September 2014 at IFA, and carries a similar cubical form factor and a price tag of $299, whereas the GoPro Hero 5 Black costs $399 and looks more similar to the GoPro Hero 4. Both models are capable of recording 4K videos at a rate of 30 frames per second, they offer voice controls with support for seven languages, they are water resistant (at depths of up to 10 meters), and both models can take advantage of the company’s new GoPro Plus cloud-based backup service. This service was also introduced yesterday and will allow subscribers to upload their GoPro footage to the cloud for $4.99 a month. In any case, while both the Hero 5 Session and Hero 5 Black share these similarities, hardware-wise there are several characteristics that set them apart. The GoPro Hero 5 Session is able to capture photos with resolutions of up to 10-megapixels, and while the unit will take advantage of Go Pro’s ProTune video mode, it won’t support RAW or WDR formats. On the other hand, the GoPro Hero 5 Black can capture RAW photos and WDR videos, it can capture 12-megapixel photos, it has built-in GPS, and is equipped with a 2-inch LCD touchscreen. It’s also worth noting that both models take advantage of stereo microphones, and that, according to the manufacturer, they will benefit from “professional grade” electronic image stabilization.
Once again, the GoPro Hero 5 Session has a price tag of $299, and the GoPro Hero 5 Black costs $399. Both models will be available for purchase on October 2nd, but it should also be noted that the new GoPro Plus subscription service will launch ahead of time, at the end of the month on the 29th of September.
