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(Pocket-lint) – GoPro finally got it done – it put a color screen on the front of a camera, bringing it closer to the DJI Osmo Action, and while I was at it we decided we needed a bigger battery too. That means you can finally see yourself when you are filming and you can shoot for longer.
That said, its predecessor, the Hero 8 Black, was and still is a great action camera. So should you increase the extra for the 9 or the Hero 8 will also do everything you need?
Design and exhibits
- Hero 8: 66.3 x 48.6 x 28.4mm
- Hero 9: 71.0 x 55.0 x 33.6 mm
- Hero 8: monochrome status display on the front
- Hero 9: color live preview screen on the front
- Both: integrated mounting arms
- Both: color touchscreen on the back, larger Hero 9
- Both: water resistant to 10 m
The Hero 8 Black was an important product for GoPro, freeing the company from the limitations of having to adapt its technology to a specific size body, just to fit the mounting accessories. Instead, it incorporated mounting arms at the bottom of the camera, allowing you to mount it on all accessories, without a clip-on housing, and that has made a comeback on the Hero 9.
That has seen GoPro increase the size of its flagship action camera by a remarkable, but not huge, amount. It’s a few millimeters taller, wider, and thicker than the 8 Black, but the trade-off should be worth it for the larger battery and more powerful internals. Also, the larger screen and the color screen on the front.
Speaking of those displays, the front screen on the latest model is full color and can be used as a live preview, while the 8 Black has the more traditional monochrome status display that only displays status information.
Both cameras feature a similar design in terms of button and port placement. They both have the shutter button on the top and the mode / power button on the left edge. However, the ninth-gen power / mode button sticks out more above the surface and is much easier to press and feel without looking. The button on the Hero 8 is flush with the surface, making it virtually impossible to find by touching it.
Just below that, the Hero 9 also has a speaker designed to pump water, similar to the feature that Apple has used in its watches for a while. So if you take it underwater to test its strength to a depth of 10m, it will push out any water that seeps into the speaker channels.
Video capture and transmission
- Hero 8: up to 4K / 60 FHD / 240 footage
- Hero 9: up to 5K / 30, 4K / 60, FHD / 240
- Both: 1080p live streaming
Both Heros support a wide range of resolution and frame rate combinations at various focal lengths, thanks to ‘digital lenses’ built into the software.
When it comes to resolution, the Hero9 is the champion here. You can shoot up to 5K resolution with a 16: 9 ratio with wide, linear and narrow ‘lenses’. With 4K resolution, it can go up to 60 frames per second and up to 240 frames per second at 1080p. You can also shoot at 2.7k resolution and various resolutions using up to 4K in a 4: 3 ratio. Hero 8 is similar except that it maxes out at 4K resolution. It also does not have the horizon leveling feature available on certain configurations.
Both cameras can be used for live streaming and both can do it at 1080p resolution. Both also use a combination of EIS and algorithms to stabilize the footage using a function called HyperSmooth. With Hero 9, that has been further improved, making it even smoother than before while still offering the horizon leveling feature. Also, if you buy the additional Max lens, you will get horizon leveling throughout, even when you rotate the camera 360 degrees.
Still images and performance
- Hero 8: 12MP still images
- Hero 9: 20MP still images
- Both: SuperPhoto + HDR
- Both: RAW support
- Hero 8: 1220 mAh battery
- Hero 9: 1720 mAh battery
- Both: GP1 chip
There are two big performance improvements with Hero 9: photo resolution and battery life. It has a 20-megapixel sensor versus the 12-megapixel sensor on the previous model. Similarly, it has a higher capacity battery, with an additional 500 mAh on top of the 1220 mAh battery from the eighth generation for a total of 1720 mAh.
GoPro says you’ll get 30% extra video capture time from that battery, and that’s definitely useful when it comes to action cameras. There is nothing worse than draining your battery during a downhill cycling session.
Both cameras have the same image / data processor, called GP1, and both support GoPro’s RAW image capture and advanced HDR image processing.
Price
- Hero 8: $ 299 with a subscription ($ 349 without)
- Hero 9: $ 399 with a subscription ($ 499 without)
The most cost-effective way to buy a new Hero camera is with an annual GoPro subscription. If you buy the Hero 8 with the subscription, the camera will cost you $ 299 / £ 279, while the Hero 9 costs $ 399 / £ 329. If you buy the cameras without the subscription, the Hero 8 costs $ 349 / £ 329 and the Hero 9 costs $ 499 / £ 429.
Given the added value of the subscription, which gives you unlimited cloud storage, a replacement camera when yours breaks, and discounts on accessories, it makes perfect sense to go for that with the lowest initial outlay. You get a 12-month subscription paid in advance at that price. Obviously, GoPro expects users to stay for more than a year and continue to subscribe afterward.
conclusion
Given the difference in price, the Hero 8 Black is very good value for money. It’s $ 100 / £ 100 cheaper than the Hero 9, but it does many of the same things.
That said, with its new color screen, higher resolution sensor, and longer battery life, the added expense is definitely worth it for the Hero 9. Especially considering its price with subscription is just a little more. higher than the price of Hero. 8 Black without subscription.
If you want to have the best action camera, take the Hero 9. If you prefer to save money, or if you are coming from an older model like the Hero 5 or Hero 6, the Hero 8 will serve you well and is still a major improvement on those. two.
Written by Cam Bunton.
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