When you think of action cameras, there are quite a ton of choices to take your pick from, but there really is only one brand most people gravitate to: GoPro. This is the brand that stands heads and shoulders above the rest of its peers, a name that has become as synonymous with action cams as Xerox with photocopying.
And if you aren’t satisfied with the current range of GoPro Hero action cams, we reckon it will most probably have something to do with the rectangular form factor, because there really isn’t anything else to fault this product on. The image quality is stellar; it is rugged beyond belief, and there are a dizzying variety of mounts and accessories on offer so that you can mount it on virtually any surface imaginable.
Well, GoPro is out to fix that form-factor complaint with its latest product, the cube-shaped Hero4 Session. The Californian company’s first all-new product in almost a decade, the Session is a radical departure from all its Hero predecessors. It is half the size of and 40% lighter than other HERO4 cameras, and there’s only one button on its body. It also doesn’t require a waterproof housing for underwater filming up to depths of 33ft (10m). And yet, it is compatible with all existing GoPro mounts.
The user interface has also been massively simplified: there’s one-button control for capturing photos and videos. A short press of the shutter button turns the camera on and starts the video recording. A long press powers the camera on and starts Time-Lapse photo capture. Pressing the shutter a second time stops the video or photo sequence and powers the camera off. If you want more granular controls and settings, just pair the Session with a GoPro App or the separately sold Smart Remote ($80).
In terms of video and image quality, the Hero4 Session, as you’d expect from its small form factor, isn’t as full featured as the full-blown Hero4 Black or even the Silver. The Session can shoot 1440p at 30 frames per second, 1080p at 60 fps, or 720p at 100 fps. It can also shoot 8-megapixel photographs in burst mode at 10 fps, as well as .5-second to 60-second time-lapse photos, and includes a number of settings for slow-motion recording and high-resolution images. GoPro says the Session’s battery would last up to two hours at 1080p30, while the Hero4 Black would last 90 minutes at the same frame rate.
GoPro certainly isn’t aiming at the low-end segment with the Hero4 Session, neither is it the first company to put out a cube-shaped action camera. Last year, Polaroid released the Cube, a $99 device many saw as its attempt to undercut GoPro in the action-camera market. Other companies, like Xiaomi, have also put out low-price GoPro competitors.
Given the small form factor and cube size, many people may be tempted to think of the Hero4 Session as a low-end device. But GoPro says the camera’s feature set is much more aligned with the Hero4 Silver, and is not aimed at the entry level.
The camera costs $399.99, same as the Hero4 Silver, and is slated to go on sale July 12 through retailers and the GoPro website.
