GoPro Hero6 Black Review - Review 2022

The GoPro Hero6 Black ($499.99) looks exactly like last twelvemonth'south Hero5 Black. The only difference is the Hero6 logo, which is almost invisible as glossy gray text on the matte gray body, located out of the style on the left side of the camera. The big changes are inside. A new epitome processor, the GP1, makes it debut hither, and gives the Hero6 some incredible dull-motion video options, bumps the maximum 4K frame rate to 60fps, and adds solid video stabilization. Information technology'due south more expensive than last twelvemonth's edition, but information technology's the best action cam we've tested, and our Editors' Choice in the category.

Design

The Hero6 Black doesn't brand any changes in blueprint from its predecessor. Information technology features the same ii-tone black and nighttime gray motif, with a rugged, rubberized body that tin can go every bit deep equally 33 feet (ten meters) without adding an external housing. Information technology measures 1.8 by 2.6 past ane.iv inches (HWD) and weighs around 4 ounces. Nosotros didn't swoop with the camera, just we got it very wet and it kept working perfectly.

The Hero series has always been compact, so you tin squeeze information technology into places that other cameras can't go. Only to mountain it anywhere, y'all'll need to put it in its cage. The included accessory surrounds the GoPro and adds the company's proprietary mounting loops to the bottom of the photographic camera. Y'all can go an adapter to hook the system up to a standard tripod mount, but the Hero6 does not accept its ain tripod socket.

The just downside to putting the camera in the muzzle mountain is a lack of admission to the USB-C port. If you want to provide power to the photographic camera while it's mounted to something—a common want if yous're capturing time-lapse video—you'll need to remove the door that covers the port earlier placing it in the cage. Be careful, equally it is possible to pause the door, even if you lot're following instructions, and without it the Hero6 isn't waterproof.

GoPro hasn't changed its class cistron much over the years. Designs and aesthetics have evolved, just the general pocket-size, boxy blueprint is still there. It lends itself to squeezing into meaty places, existence mounted to things, and gimbal stabilization use along with the Karma'due south detachable stabilizer both in the air and on the ground. Most other action cameras copy the GoPro in design, although we've seen exceptions. Sony'due south FDR-X3000 looks similar a scaled-down palmcorder, although the company has taken a more GoPro-similar blueprint approach with its latest entry, the RX0 ($699.99).

In one case you lot've put the Hero6 in its cage, you have a wide option of mounting accessories bachelor, both from GoPro and from tertiary-party manufacturers. The camera ships with two adhesive mounts, ane apartment and one curved, along with the Mounting Buckle—that's what GoPro calls the pes that slides into the mounts. If you want to get artistic with mounting, the world is your oyster. The company sells everything from selfie sticks and tripods to helmet and surfboard mounts to, and I'm not making this up, the Bite Mount, so you can concord the camera with your teeth. At that place'south even a dog mount.

There are simply two physical control buttons on the camera. The Power/Style switch is on the correct side, and the Record/Shutter button is on the top. The Way push toggles between video, still epitome, burst image, and time-lapse prototype capture. Additional options—similar the interval betwixt photos in time-lapse, video frame rate settings, and color output, are accessed using the touch LCD.

Y'all don't take to use buttons to control recording. The Hero6 also responds to voice commands. You can say "GoPro, have a photo" or "GoPro, start recording," for case. There are too vocalism commands available to add a HiLight to video (essentially marking it as an interesting piece of footage to speed the editing process), and to start time-lapse recording or shoot a burst of images.

The display itself isn't huge, but two inches diagonally. Its size is express by the GoPro's form factor. The LCD is small, but also bright, and viewing angles are strong, a big plus for a photographic camera that is going to get a lot of outdoor apply. And while the menus and icons are necessarily small, the bear upon input works well. It's easy to tap the correct area of the screen to change settings and navigate through menus.

A secondary monochrome information LCD is located on the front end, next to the lens. It's a big help if you have the camera mounted facing you, every bit it shows the mode, video resolution, frame rate, and angle of view, along with bombardment and memory card capacity, and recording status. The display isn't backlit, so it's only useful in decent light.

The Hero6 uses the aforementioned battery as its predecessor. In our rundown test it netted 86 minutes of 4K, 60fps video on a full charge. Using the Wi-Fi system for transfers will impact bombardment life, withal. The microSD memory card slot is in the battery compartment. USB-C and micro HDMI ports are located on the left side, protected past a waterproof, but removable, door. Yous can run the camera off of an AC outlet or ability bank via USB.

Connectivity and Apps

GoPro understands that adept hardware is of import, but video production relies on proficient software to take raw footage and make it into something people volition want to scout. And while desktop editing suites, like Adobe Premiere CC, are still the first choice for experienced editors, many consumers want to cut video on a telephone or tablet.

The Hero6 has beefed upward wireless connectivity. It sports both Bluetooth and Wi-Fi, so you lot can wake the camera with the Android or iOS GoPro app. It also has integrated GPS, so the camera's clock is always properly set and location data is added to images and video.

Setting up the app is very simple—information technology walks y'all through Bluetooth pairing and the camera shows the Wi-Fi SSID and password on its rear display then you can set up that half of the connection. Unlike other cameras that utilise randomly generated passwords, the GoPro draws from a banking concern of short words and numbers to secure its network. The default password on our examination unit of measurement was "swim4455," as an example. If you aren't happy with the password y'all can reset the network settings to generate a new one, but yous can't choose one.

The primary app supports file transfer and remote command. The latter isn't as large of a deal as it was with earlier Hero models that omitted a rear LCD, simply information technology's still useful if you desire to set your photographic camera up in an out-of-the-manner place and command it with your telephone. The app provides full command over the camera, letting you change settings, start and terminate recording, and change modes.

File transfers are also supported. The GoPro app scans a connected camera and automatically downloads all of its media. Transfers aren't quick, unfortunately, and if you record big, long video files, you tin look things to accept a good, long while, and drain the battery of both your photographic camera and telephone. I clocked several video files, totaling about 2GB in size, at virtually 5.5 minutes.

For the most office, bated from the slowdown, wireless transfer went smoothly. Only there's an occasional hiccup. All of my images from an initial round of shooting transferred over, just my videos did not. In diving in to troubleshoot what went wrong, it appears as if clip length is a large factor. Several longer clips from my start day of using the camera didn't transfer over manually, the longest existence most 8 minutes in length, but the hiccup also affected clips equally short as 45 seconds.

I wasn't able to reproduce the error. In subsequent tries everything transferred without effect. I did update the photographic camera firmware to a newer version, non yet available on day i, which could account for this. Once that was done I had no problem copying a 4K 60fps video file to my telephone, although the process took a good fifteen minutes.

Some other headache you may run into with automated transfers is a matter of timing. The GoPro app automatically pulls contempo video, but it doesn't become everything. I'1000 writing this on a Tuesday, and the app pulled down some test videos I shot earlier in the day. But information technology decided that some video shot on the previous Friday and Sabbatum was also old for automatic transfer. When talking to a GoPro rep about it, I was told that that the app only looks back over a sure period for automatic downloads. I'd dear for it to requite you more control over automatic transfers.

If you accept an result with an automated transfer, you lot can notwithstanding copy a video manually. You'll just demand to remember that some file formats use HEVC compression (more on that later), which is not however supported by the QuikStories editing app. For automatic transfers the GoPro app transcodes all video to H.264 on the fly. (It doesn't practice this for manual transfers, but it should, especially for folks who accept older handsets that lack HEVC playback support.)

One time media is loaded on your phone, y'all can utilise QuikStories to edit. (Editing with other software, similar iMovie, works also.) It's an automated editing app that takes a look at your clips and photos, picks out some footage, and adds music, transitions, and titles. Information technology'due south not difficult to use—I spent near 15 minutes with it before I got the hang of it—and once yous go going you lot'll find that it's pretty quick to create a motion-picture show.

I cutting the video above in about 15 minutes (after my initial learning curve). I did some dragging and dropping of clips from one place in the timeline to another, trimmed a few redundant pieces out, and deleted some clips I simply didn't like. I also cutting downward the initial length significantly—QuikStories wanted to turn my video into a 3-minute opus, which feels almost Kubrickian in length when watching on a telephone. Even at virtually a minute and a one-half, information technology's a niggling long—but if you have better adventures, you lot'll get better videos.

There are a ton of music and theme options available, and the software works well enough to deliver results that could accept hours in a pro editing suite in a matter of minutes. It'due south a solid tool for GoPro users, and with a few tweaks and fixes on the file treatment and wireless transfer side, volition be as easy to use as promised.

Video and Paradigm Quality

GoPro isn't the first action cam to evangelize 4K video at 60fps—the YI 4K+ did it commencement. And if you don't mind having to add together a case for protection, the 4K+ is a solid choice for less money. But the Hero6 is congenital GoPro-tough, and it adds more than faster frame rates and stabilization.

At the heart of the camera is a new image processor. GoPro calls it the GP1, but information technology's not then much most what it'southward chosen, as what it does. Doubling the maximum frame rate is a big plus for action shooters—the Hero6 can shoot at 240fps at 1080p, which means yous tin smooth activity to 1-10th speed with 24fps playback.

Digital stabilization is the other big addition. It's non available at the top frame rates—that means you lot won't be able to add together in-camera stabilization to 4K 60fps, 2.7K 120fps, or 1080p 240fps footage. Merely information technology is bachelor at 4K at upwardly to 30fps, two.7K at upwardly to 60fps, and 1080p at upwardly to 120fps. It works well, simply information technology'due south not quite the substitute for a powered gimbal that GoPro would have you believe.

I shot some footage of myself walking downwardly the street at varying settings. The unstabilized footage, 4K at 60fps, is noticeably jumpy and jerky. Shooting at 30fps in 4K nets pretty good steadiness; you still get a jump as each of my feet hitting the basis, one after the other, but near jerkiness is gone. At 2.7K, where the camera has a fleck more room to downsample footage and more processing power to devote to stabilization, I'd say it'southward slightly more than constructive. It'due south about equally skillful at 1080p as it is at 2.7K. In situations where I wasn't walking, such as our 4K 30fps test reel shot from a gunkhole, the issue of the stabilization is pretty astonishing. Information technology does come at the toll of about 5 percent of the lens' field of view, but the GoPro is then ultra-wide to brainstorm with, you probably won't notice.

Stabilization and faster capture aside, don't look to run into a huge comeback in video quality compared with previous generations. At that place are enhancements in automatic exposure when shooting videos and time-lapses in dim weather, equally well as improved white residual at unlike diving depths, merely the sensor and lens are unchanged from the Hero5. Improvements are all made by better firmware and the GP1 processor that powers the camera.

One big change you'll likely discover is the video pinch codec. While most video uses the long established H.264 codec, the highest frame charge per unit footage—60fps at 4K, 120fps at 2.7K, and 240fps at 1080p—is compressed using HEVC, also referred to as H.265. It doesn't have as broad software back up, but is becoming more and more common in devices. The latest iPhone 8 and Samsung Galaxy smartphones support it, for example.

In addition to 4K, ii.7K, and 1080p, the Hero6 supports a number of other formats. Yous can shoot at a 4:iii aspect ratio in 4K at up to 30fps and 4:iii 2.7K at upwards to 60fps. You tin can likewise shoot at 1440p at up to 60fps and 720p at 50 or 60fps; both resolutions are in standard 16:nine attribute ratio.

The GoPro is capable of shooting at a very wide angle, but with information technology comes some fish-eye baloney. That's the nature of the photographic camera, and when you're shooting in 4K it's what you get—the pinnacle resolution uses every pixel the sensor has to offer. If you're working at 2.7K (and lower resolutions) you lot tin can go for a more modest Medium or Narrow field of view. They'll however show baloney, but if yous want to remove information technology in-camera you lot can opt for Linear manner, available only in 2.7K or 1080p. Its field of view is narrower than the full view of the lens, only nevertheless very broad angle.

Regardless of which resolution, field of view, and frame rate you lot choose, you can permit the GoPro take control over video, or adjust settings by enabling ProTune. It allows you to shoot with a flat colour contour, which is better for colour grading, if you want to, and also lets y'all suit in-camera sharpening, ISO limits, and white balance.

It'south primarily a video camera, just the Hero6 can also capture nevertheless photos. Resolution is 12MP, and if you shoot in JPG format you tin enable HDR capture to better residual highlights and shadows, and there's a setting to take distortion-free shots with a narrowed field of view, similar to the Linear video manner. You can also shoot images in Raw format, which lets you accommodate colors and exposure. GoPro Hero6 files currently load in Photoshop CC, but Lightroom CC can't import them. Lightroom needs to exist updated to support new cameras, then await Adobe to gear up this in due time.

Conclusions

The GoPro Hero6 Black is the visitor's answer to challenges information technology has been facing in the market. Competing cameras have offered like video quality and, in some instances, more robust video capture. The Hero6's new image processor bumps frame rates to deliver ultra-polish 60fps video at 4K, and farthermost slow-motion at 1080p—and it also adds solid digital stabilization.

At $500 information technology sits toward the higher end of the action cam market. The YI 4K+ undercuts GoPro in toll, and likewise supports 4K at 60fps. But its stabilization isn't as good, information technology isn't waterproof without a case, and y'all're on your ain when it comes to software. You tin can besides still buy a Hero5 for $100 less, but I recollect it'southward worth it to spend the extra money on the Hero6. Information technology doesn't look at all different from its predecessor, but a number of internal upgrades work together to deliver a palpably improve product. It'southward our new Editors' Pick for premium action cams. Budget shoppers can accept a expect at the SJCam SJ6 Legend, which doesn't do as much, but sells for around $150.

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Further Reading

• How to Use Your Canon DSLR as a Webcam
• How to Turn Your Smartphone Into a Wireless Webcam
• TODAY But: Save Big on DJI Osmo Pocket Travel Photographic camera, 32GB MicroSD Card Bundle
• Grab All the Action With a GoPro Karma Grip, on Auction at Its Everyman-Ever Amazon Price
• Insta360 Brings One R Convertible Action Camera to CES

Source: https://sea.pcmag.com/migrated-23753-video-cameras/17724/gopro-hero6-black-review

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