The GoPro Hero10 Black brings one of the biggest generational leaps in recent memory to the company’s action cameras. Even so, the company repeated the form factor for those who wanted to take advantage of the accessory of the previous generation.
Among the evolutionary highlights are higher resolutions, up to 5.3K video and more powerful processors. As a result, the tenth generation GoPro is able to capture more frames per second without losing quality. It also remains stable, which is its greatest strength.
I tested the action camera and let me tell you the gist of the new version below. In addition to the comments, you can check out some videos shot with the GoPro Hero10 Black below.
Design and Construction
The GoPro Hero10 Black is small and light. I couldn’t find her weight information on the company’s official website, but I weighed it myself on the scale and it came out at 154 grams with the battery and micro SD card in place.
The company repeated the format of the HERO9 Black, that is, it kept not only the dimensions, but the format itself. With this, all accessories from the previous generation can be used with the new version.
The Hero10 Black has a very large removable camera lens on the front. The Max module can be replaced for a wider viewing angle. But it is sold separately. Still on the front, there’s a screen to help with framing when shooting yourself and the microphone.
On the right, in addition to the model name, it has a mode button and a mic drain. It’s not a door or lock, it’s just a space for drainage.
On the left is a door with a keyhole at the bottom. The battery, USB-C connector and micro SD card slot are behind it. Below is the collapsible rod used to attach the camera to the mount. At the top, there is only the capture button. The structure combines metal with plastic and glass.
The camera supports water depths of up to 10 meters. The lenses have hydrophobic protection and the overall material is also scratch resistant. That is, you can submerge the GoPro Hero10 Black in the water at will and use it to film your ride while playing various sports.
Still, be careful with drops, as the internal components may not support it either. Sure, a few mishaps won’t make your GoPro unusable, but a little zeal for a device that isn’t cheap won’t hurt anyone.
Screen
The first-generation GoPro didn’t even have a built-in viewfinder. Currently, there are two: the frontal, which is only used to help with framing if you want to photograph yourself; and the rear touch screen.
Both have good brightness, and I was able to keep it at 50% throughout use. This ensures comfortable visibility indoors and in the sun. It just doesn’t consume a lot of battery.
The company does not inform the resolutions of the monitors, but they are good enough for the proposal. That said, the front display does a good job of reflecting what is being captured, while the rear display not only shows you what the lens sees, it also provides some shortcuts.
You can easily change the capture mode between Time Lapse, Video and Photo, or change the capture settings. You can also adjust other camera settings and even watch videos and view photos taken on your GoPro.
Configuration and Performance
There is very little information about the hardware used in the GoPro Hero10 Black. The company reports that it has included a new GP2 processor, “making it the most advanced GoPro ever”. But it doesn’t detail, it just says it’s twice as fast.
What I can say is that the device is very responsive in what it has to do. Navigating through the menus is relatively quick. I just noticed a slight delay when it came time to swipe up to access the capture library. So it’s easier to download the preview on mobile.
By the way, the GoPro Quik app is a lot of fun and I recommend installing it on your smartphone. Pairing is quick and easy, and there’s a tutorial on your phone’s screen to help. So you can easily download media, edit and share.
Another very common problem is overheating. The GoPro Hero10 Black limits recording time at the highest resolution and cuts video to around 25 minutes of 5.3K and 35 minutes of 4K. The time lapse doesn’t capture much either, around 30 minutes.
Keep in mind that capture times may vary depending on ambient temperature. The higher the heat, the less time the GoPro can last without shutting down due to overheating. You can also lower the frame rate to ensure longer recording times.
Usability
Navigating the GoPro Hero10 Black screen is easy: just tap the icons to see what each icon means. A menu with more settings opens, so you can change, for example, the video resolution or even the frame rate.
Swipe down to open the settings menu, where you can adjust screen brightness and various other options. Swiping up takes you to the Camera Roll, where you can watch recorded videos and view photos taken with your GoPro.
You can configure custom shortcuts with up to four presets to speed up frame or resolution changes while recording. Also, Hero10 Black accepts some voice commands to start or stop recording.
While the gallery can be viewed on the camera, it is easier to view on a mobile device using a connection through the Quik app. Recordings can also be edited quickly. However, some features are paid. You must choose between two subscription levels, the values of which vary.
Both offer unlimited video editing with advanced tools, unlimited photo and video import to mobile devices, and even cloud space to store your captures. For those who use it a lot, it’s worth a try.
Camera
Unlike modern phones, the GoPro has only one camera, but its function is to have multiple cameras on a single sensor. The device is capable of providing up to four angles of view digitally: a wide-angle lens, a linear lens, a narrow lens, and a large lens with a level.
This was recorded at 5.3K. Using 4K, 2.7K or 1080p video, add a SuperView lens for high-performance shooting. I warned you that while videos are easier to edit to add slow motion and other features, not all phones support this feature.
Compared to its predecessor, the leap is more in the supported frame rates than the resolution itself, which has only gone from 5K to 5.3K. The GoPro Hero10 Black is now capable of recording at its highest resolution at up to 60 fps and 4K at up to 120 fps, twice as fast as the Hero9 Black.
This makes the action more fluid in the frame. To take advantage of all this fluidity, the camera is incredibly stable and can even be digitally enhanced after shooting using the Quik app on your phone or using the GoPro Player on Windows or Mac.
The image has very strong contrast and strong saturation, but can be changed to a low contrast profile in the settings. So you get more space to edit the way you want.
While GoPro says it’s the company’s best low-light camera, I think the Hero10 Black leaves something to be desired in this case. The colors are very muted, there’s a lot of noise, and even the stabilization (a powerhouse of the camera) is terrible.
Battery and Charging
The GoPro Hero10 Black has the same battery life as its predecessor, including backwards compatibility. It has a capacity of 1,720 mAh and the duration varies according to the resolution captured and the resources used.
I made some recordings, starting at 1080p and then moving up to 4K at 60 fps. Shooting took about 10 minutes and shooting in Full HD was a time lapse, resulting in a 45-second video. The battery level dropped to 69%.
Another time, I programmed the camera to take a 30-minute time-lapse photo to capture the sunrise. The final video lasted 2 minutes, with the camera turning on and off by itself as planned. In this case, the battery level drops to 38%, but files are still wirelessly sent to the phone.
In short, the battery should handle an average hour of recording in 4K without major problems. But it all depends on what kind of video you need to make and what extras you’re going to use. Of course, you can extract more time at 1080p.
GoPro Hero10 Black: is it worth it?
The GoPro Hero10 Black brings some improvements over its predecessor, but that doesn’t mean you need to rush to update your action camera. Unless, of course, you want to take advantage of the higher frame rates to capture your adventures more easily.
Most interesting of all is that the device has impressive stabilization during filming – and furthermore, improvements can be made in computer editing. Hero10 Black is the third generation product that supports use as a webcam.
Combined with its scratch and water resistance, it becomes the best choice for recording sports, whether on land or water. However, if your idea is to make more everyday videos, your cell phone will probably serve you well and I don’t see the need to invest in another camera.
