This fall’s battle for action cam supremacy may have reached its peak with GoPro announcing not one, but three new cameras, including its new Flagship GoPro Hero4 Black. The Hero4 Black’s most important feature is its ability to shoot 4k video at 30 frames per second, This is a big step up from the old Hero3+ which was able to shoot 4k video, but at only 15 fps.
The Hero4 Black ($500), Hero4 Silver ($400) and new Hero ($130) cameras are targeted at professionals, enthusiasts and entry level users, respectively, with the flagship Hero4 Black pushing the boundaries of action cam abilities.
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The Black has what GoPro is calling professional audio performance with a new mic that promises double the dynamic range and smoother, more natural sounding audio. This flagship cam can also shoot 2.7k video at 50 fps, as well as 1080p footage at 120 fps.
Both the Black and Silver Hero4 models can shoot stills at 12 MP at up to 30 fps and feature built-in Wi-Fi and Bluetooth for easy connection to the GoPro app via your smartphone or tablet. The Hero 4 Black and Silver cameras also have impressive waterproofing up to 131 feet
The cameras' Protunes feature provides manual controls for settings such as color, ISO, while balance, sharpness and exposure. Protunes also includes additional modes for night lapse and night photos which allows for a wider variety of low-light shots. Finally, the HiLight Tag allows users to mark important moments, making it easy to locate memorable clips even when shooting tons of footage.
The mid-range Hero4 Silver caps out at 1080p 60 fps video, but features a built-in touch display not found on the pro-grade Hero4 Black. Users will be able to review videos and photos, compose a shot using live view and navigate menus with a quick tap or swipe.
The simply named Hero is GoPro’s entry-level replacement, featuring 1080p 30 fps video, 5 MP stills up to 5 fps and the same 131 foot waterproofing for $130. The Hero has a QuickCapture mode, which provides easy one-button solution for turning on your camera and beginning recording with a single press.
All three cameras will work with GoPro’s extensive range of mounts and accessories, a feature other recently announced action cams from Sony and Ricoh have a hard time matching. The Sony Action Cam Mini stacks up well against the Hero4 Silver, costing $150 less while still being able to record 1080p 60 fps video, with the main difference being the Mini’s 16 feet of waterproofing versus 131 for the GoPro.
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Sam Rutherford is a Staff Writer at Tom’s Guide. Follow him @SamRutherford on Twitter and Google+. Follow us @Tom’s Guide on Facebook and Google+
