Does The Gopro Hero 8 Float

Like clockwork, GoPro has once again released their latest gen camera, this fourth dimension the Hero 8 Black. While you'll undoubtedly hear about the headliner features like the improved stabilization via GoPro's new HyperSmooth Boost, the real goodness on this photographic camera is actually some of the less attention grabbing headlines such as having HyperSmooth 2.0 now in every frame rate & resolution (though non every digital lens), or the college bitrates offered. Same goes for the Live Flare-up photo functionality that mirrors what yous're used to on your phone today in features similar 'Live Photograph'.

Atop that, GoPro has besides pushed out a new 360° camera called the GoPro Max, which replaces the GoPro Fusion of the past. Only that ane's not quite ready yet, then nosotros'll save that for another post down the route this autumn. Also down the road this fall (perchance more like wintertime) are a slate of accessories GoPro calls 'Mods', which add a flip-upwards Vlogging style screen, a shotgun mic, and a 200 lumen light. These reasonably priced accessories though do accept away some features that GoPro had previously in the photographic camera, similar the HDMI port.

There's also a slew of other changes, which is a cracking time to skip into the 'What's New' department, or just but hit play on the brisk video below. I squeeze eighteen new things into 13 minutes. Hold onto your hats!

Finally, note that GoPro did transport me a pile of media loaner Hero 8 cameras to test with. But as usual this isn't sponsored in any way (trust me, you'll see that hither pretty speedily), and those cameras will go back to them soon and I'll become out and get my own pile of cameras via normal retail channels. If you found this review useful, hit upwardly the links at the bottom to help back up the site!

What's New:

At first glance it might not seem like in that location's a lot of newness in the Hero eight Black aside from the new Boost mode, but in reality there's actually a ton of nether the covers type newness that'south less headline grabbing to the mass market place, but hugely important to those making full videos/edits with these cameras. For example, things like the new power to do Linear mode in 4K/30 & 4K/60, or the 100Mbps bit rate 4K/2.7K modes. Which isn't to say in that location'due south not goodness for everyone too. For example, the aforementioned Boost is definitely a bump up on smoothness, and the lack of needing a frame example is too pretty highly-seasoned.

With that, here's the circular-upwardly of all the new features on the Hero 8 Black, including a few that didn't quite make the cut in my video above:

– Added HyperSmooth Boost Actress stabilization with a tiny bit of crop
– Added HyperSmooth two.0: Basically HyperSmooth is now available in every fashion on the camera (including 240FPS and iv:3 modes)
– Completely redesigned externals, no more case: The case is gone, and the mount is built into the case
– Extendable mount: The mount pops out of the bottom, assuasive yous to both mount it, but besides take it flat on tabular array
– New 'Modernistic' Accessories: Includes popular-upwards screen, light, and shotgun mic (more than on this later)
– Added Linear support to 4K: You can at present do both 4K/30 & 4K/60 Linear
– Added Live Burst: Simply similar 'Live Photos' on iOS, it takes a 3-second video and y'all option the photo frame you want
– Added TimeWarp 2.0: Now automatically adjusts/determines correct recording charge per unit
– Added Digital Lenses: Makes it easier to change between Linear/Wide/SuperView/Narrow from main screen
– Added Capture Presets: Finer like capture profiles, where you lot tin can customize and make your own quick admission presets
– Increased lens strength: GoPro Claims 2x stronger, and increased thickness from 1.3mm to ii.0mm
– No longer removable lenses: This reduces thinness, but GoPro says they've partnered PolarPro for ND filters
– Removed HDMI port: That's gone, and then they tin can upsell you on the accessory
– Livestreaming now supported at 1080p: Previously this was 720p
– Livestreaming to YouTube now supported: Previously this was just Facebook & RTMP
– New Hero 8 Battery Blueprint: Fright not, it'southward backwards compatible to Hero 5/6/7, and erstwhile batteries still work with Hero eight
– SuperPhoto way revamped: They claim to have dramatically reduced chances of ghosting (seems true)
– SuperPhoto mode options: You can now toggle independently HDR from SuperPhoto
– New front-facing microphone: This has been redesigned and repositioned to meliorate handle wind (my last two watch videos in the running sections have really been shot on this, without people knowing)
– Added Auto-Leveling in App: When you accept off-kilter footage, it'll automatically fix it
– Very slightly tweaked epitome coloring: Barely noticeable, just it improves range a tiny bit
– Added quick-access shortcuts: Tin go ahead and swipe from corners and customize the functions
– Added 100Mbps Bitrate: For 4K & 2.7K modes, you tin toggle the loftier bitrate option to get 100Mbps footage

Annotation that bombardment timeframes are almost the same as earlier with the Hero 7 Black (covered downward below). While the Hero viii did get a new battery, it's only a 0.01v difference between the two, and is mainly to conform some higher battery requirements for the HyperSmooth 2.0 modes.

Finally, the company is keeping around the Hero vii Black at $329 (down from $399), while the Hero eight Black gets introduced at $399. They're also bringing the Hero vii Silver down to $199, and getting rid of the Hero 7 White. Meanwhile, the GoPro Fusion gets replaced by the GoPro Max, which has pretty similar resolution type specs as the Fusion did, only adds in well-nigh of the Hero viii stability features and a big screen on the front. Further, it gets rid of the ii micro-SD card requirement and goes to a single card.

The Nuts:

For this review I'm primarily focusing on things that have inverse (for ameliorate or worse), rather than the absolute basics of turning on the camera and pressing tape. Perhaps I'll add that level of detail down the road, only I think for the activity camera crowd that'due south looking at my posts, you're actually aiming for the 'Give me the tech geek details' rather than the 'How to press the cherry button' bits.

The virtually obvious modify in the Hero eight from the exterior is the lack of a frame case. That instance previously enabled the Hero series to be mounted to GoPro mounts, merely now that mounting bit is congenital into the camera and flips out:

This makes it piece of cake to merely put the GoPro on a apartment surface when not using a mount, but likewise to then quickly attach it to whatsoever standard GoPro mountain. Note that considering the Hero 8 is a slightly different size, sure frame-specific accessories may not work anymore. For example, the deep dive housing won't work, and the silicone case takes a bit of surgery to get information technology to fit due to lack of holes (though, certainly plausible). Also, with the front mic existence in a slightly different spot, you'd want that taken into account in newer cases such every bit the Hero 8 specific silicone example.

The orangish instance below is a Hero 8 case and yous can see the pigsty for the mount, whereas the black Hero vii case at right lacks that. Again, a abrupt knife might solve this for a fleck.

The other major change y'all'll detect is the battery door is no longer on the bottom, but now on the side. And without question, this is the suckiest piece of the entire Hero 8. The battery door is horrible to open (a nail breaker), and barely clears the thumbscrew on most mounts (but just if fully tightened). Also, the micro-SD card is nearly impossible to get out without poking information technology with another pointy object.

With the new location comes a new bombardment, but fear not – it'due south still backwards compatible with existing Hero 5/six/7 batteries. It'due south just that GoPro says in certain HyperSmooth 2.0 modes in that location may be non-optimal performance (but doesn't clarify exactly what that is). Hero eight batteries work fine in the Hero 7 Black I have. The Hero viii batteries are identified by the blue edging.

For the most office, the Hero 8 hasn't inverse the UI a ton (different the Hero vi to Hero 7 bound), simply has definitely fabricated it quicker and faster to navigate well-nigh of the functions – specially changing certain settings like whether something is wide or linear. As such, I'm mostly going to focus this section on the new $.25 of the camera that aren't specific to a given mode like photo or video, and and so comprehend pieces in more detail down below.

Next, the lens itself is now twice as strong co-ordinate to GoPro. They did that by increasing the thickness of the glass from 1.3mm to 2.0mm, withal in the process of doing that they removed the power to detach the lens. Previously you could remove the lens if you broke it. Now you can't. GoPro says that if you subscribe to their $five/month GoPro Plus service then any damage is covered no questions asked, though given the previous lenses used to cost about $20 or and so, that seems less than platonic. Though, GoPro Plus as well backs upwardly all your media besides every bit gets you lot l% off accessories – then that's worthwhile there if y'all buy lots of accessories.

The positive side to the change though on lenses is that information technology makes the camera a bunch skinnier:

Note that GoPro says they've partnered with PolarPro to produce ND filters for the Hero 8 lineup, so that selection is at least still at that place.

Finally, on the hardware forepart, you'll find there's no longer an HDMI port on the camera itself, leaving just the USB-C charging port. That office has been shifted to GoPro's 'Media Modern', which has the port there. While I'll admit I only rarely use the port, that doesn't mean I remember it should shift into the category of yet more paid accessories.

The first thing y'all'll likely find when you power on the photographic camera is the new capture presets, which GoPro says they added considering people plant it disruptive to know which manner they should exist in when they employ the camera for different activities. As such there'due south a slate of default ones that you can customize, but are based on GoPro's recommendations:

But then you can also create your ain, up to 10 in total, and tweak each and every settings option for whatsoever given preset. After which, you'll go alee and give it an icon and a proper noun from the list:

Meanwhile, back on the main shooting screen you'll discover a unmarried letter of the alphabet off to the left hand side, that's the new 'Digital Lenses', which is basically another way of proverb 'field of view', and it changes between the standard GoPro options: Wide, SuperView, Linear, and Narrow. Some resolutions don't offering all those options, but in general far more resolutions exercise at present than did in the Hero 7.

To alter between them, just tap on the letter and it'll enable a quick slider that shows y'all the exact view for each setting:

Lastly, there's a new quick-access shortcut characteristic that yous tin customize for each fashion, which allows you to configure each of four buttons in the lower portion of the screen and immediately admission a given office. Y'all can choose which function you want for each corner, functions include all the following:

– Raw Sound
– Air current
– Color
– Sharpness
– ISO Max
– ISO Min
– White Balance
– EV Comp
– Shutter
– Bit Charge per unit
– Clips (cull 15 or 30-second snippets)
– Zoom
– Low Lite
– HyperSmooth
– Lens
– Tiresome-Mo

And then, for reference if yous wait at the photograph as the header for the next section, on the left side the following quick access buttons are configured:

Upper Left: Dull-Mo admission
Lower Left: Digital lenses (showing 'Wide' currently)
Upper Right: HyperSmooth enablement (showing 'Boost' currently)
Lower Right: Zoom

Beyond that, all the remainder of the features are specific to either audio/video, or photos. So let'due south dig a bit deeper.

Video Upgrades/Changes:

For this section I'grand more often than not going to focus on what's new around the video side of things, specifically around HyperSmooth two.0 and Boost, but also the boosted framing options every bit well as higher bitrate pieces. Yet, before nosotros get too deep into that, if you'd like a complete comparison video of all the footage, and then check out the below which has adjacent bits confronting multiple cameras and multiple modes:

Starting with the base – yous've got HyperSmooth 2.0, which lays the foundation for all the stabilization yous'll see on the Hero 8 Blackness. Previously HyperSmooth worked in resolutions up to 4K/60, but not in four:three for 4K. Now it does. In fact, it at present works on every mode and every aspect ratio – including even 1080p/240FPS and 1080p/120FPS. When information technology comes to toggling information technology, by default it'll be on, and Boost will be enabled as a secondary option.

However, if you open up the stabilization carte you lot'll see in that location's basically a slider to become between the different stabilization modes, including in fact HyperSmooth i.0 likewise every bit HyperSmooth 2.0 and Boost:

I could listing off all the resolutions HyperSmooth 2.0 is bachelor in, but that'd be silly because it's every resolution. I haven't noticed any major tweaks to HyperSmooth 2.0 versus HyperSmooth 1.0, nor any downsides. It seems about the aforementioned, though invariably GoPro says there'due south some pocket-sized edge cases they've improved – merely the main affair is just existence available in all modes. And it'southward worthwhile noting this includes the SuperView option in 4K, so y'all can do something like a chesty mountain while mountain biking and get that really wide-angle look but withal accept information technology stabilized with HyperSmooth.

Where yous get the biggest changes though is when y'all enable Boost, which is as the name implies – and condiment to HyperSmooth ii.0. It crops in a tiny scrap more than, but not nonetheless as much every bit the DJI OSMO Action. When yous look at the available frame rates and resolutions for Boost, it's kinda like those for HyperSmooth 1.0 – significant you're limited to 4K/thirty (though, you lot can enable Linear manner in Heave).

When y'all toggle Heave on you'll see the pocket-sized round blue icon illuminated. No blue, no boost. Blue means boost. Be certain you've got the blue:

HyperSmooth Boost is supported in the following modes:

4K: xxx/25/24
two.7K (16:9 & 4:three): 60/l/thirty/25/24
1440p: 60/50/thirty/25/24
1080p: 120/100/60/fifty/30/25/24

Note that in some modes – such as SuperView, yous can't enable Heave meantime with specific frame rates – for instance y'all can do 4K/30 Boost in Linear or Wide, but not SuperView.  Now for all these modes it's honestly better to meet it in activeness than non – and so here's a massive compilation set. Further, I'll be adding many of these clips into a Dropbox share for you to check out and download.

Every bit y'all can run across, the specific advantage that GoPro has over DJI hither is really the ability to go wide and still be stable. In DJI'south case they crop in significantly, which for most action sports isn't all that ideal. Certain, it's amend for vlogging blazon scenarios, but you could crop-in on the GoPro anyway (via Linear or Narrow modes) and achieve the same matter, while even so going wide otherwise.

From a stabilization standpoint, you'll most find the Boost in moments where you have a big daze, it seems to handle that better. Farther, it handles the rotational aspect better than a DJI OSMO Action, which sometimes has a slightly faked await to information technology (or, it jitters equally it rotates).

Next up there's the ability to enable High Bitrate for the Hero 8 Black in 4K and 2.7K modes, this bumps information technology upward to 100 Mbps, from the usual ~67Mbps:

When you lot enable this you'll see near a 75% increase in file size, for instance, hither are 2 files sizes from a Hero vii vs a Hero 8, both at 4K/xxx for a ii min 31 2d file:

Hero vii Normal Bitrate File Size: one.06GB
Hero 8 High Bitrate File Size: 1.75GB

I've added two comparative files to a Drobox share total of GoPro Hero 8 samples that you can take a wait at.  Also of note is that GoPro says they've slightly tweaked the coloring on the Hero 8, and while information technology's generally hard to see, you lot volition come across information technology in some specific environments where you lot'll go very slightly richer and deeper colors with usually a flake less overexposure. It'due south nowhere near as dramatic every bit the Hero vi to Hero vii shift, every bit the Hero 8 continues to employ the GP1.

Next, probably i of the biggest changes for me is the availability of Linear style in 4K – both 30FPS and 60FPS. In the example of 30FPS you can enable Boost with that, whereas for 60FPS it'll be 'but' HyperSmooth 2.0. But realistically that'southward still a pretty big bump. In particular I similar using 4K/Linear for blending my footage from unlike cameras. For example on my InsideRide KICKR Accompaniment video a week agone, I used the 4K/30 with Linear option to fairly seamlessly blend ceiling footage (shooting straight down) with my DSLR and Mirrorless camera footage.

Now I've seen a bunch of questions on Linear way and 4K in my YouTube video – so to answer the nigh mutual question: You tin do linear 4K/30 or 4K/lx, but in 4K/30 you go HyperSmooth Boost whereas in 4K/sixty you exercise *no HyperSmooth* of whatsoever sort.

Side by side, there'due south a minor but adequately useful tweak to TimeWarp, which allows you to configure an 'Auto' choice. Equally you may know, TimeWarp is what the remainder of the world calls HyperLapse, which makes a super silky smooth time-lapse while yous're moving, leveraging the unit's accelerometers and gyros to ensure the positioning doesn't have whatever weird jumps. With the Hero viii yous can now basically just set it as fire and forget, and it automatically shifts the speed of the video based on the content, rather than making you choose from a predefined list.

In my experience this is working generally pretty well. Where information technology falls apart a piffling scrap is super long TimeWarp's, because you lot might desire to consolidate what would be a really long trip into something only 5-x seconds. I found the Machine option was actually all-time for shorter duration $.25. I included a few Timewarps in both the linked videos.

Lastly, on the hardware front, there's the new front end microphone, which is now directly on the front of the camera, versus the superlative placement of the Hero 7 Black. That'south in improver to the two other bottom and side microphones, however the forepart-facing microphone is the only 1 to receive an upgrade, specifically designed to further reduce current of air noises. In my testing that seems to concord pretty true (encounter testing footage). GoPro also says that they've fabricated some algorithm changes to aid that further, including besides for quieter environments. Most of my testing though has been outdoors.

Side by side, we'll shift over to the GoPro App to round out a few more items here. Offset is that at that place's a new auto-leveling option for certain footage types. This allows you to i-tap level the scene if y'all had mounted it off kilter. Information technology'due south much easier.

The only downside here is that it doesn't quite seem as shine in the leveled footage as the source footage, as if the algorithms aren't quite perfect however. But given that's an app-driven affair, it'due south pretty easy for them to update that over time.

Also in the app is (finally) the power to stream to YouTube natively. Previously y'all could do it with a transmission RTMP connexion, merely that was a solid pain in the barrel to set up and maintain. Now it's just like Facebook was in the past in that you can choose it from the drop-down and then link your account.

Annotation though that YouTube does require you have ane,000 subscribers in lodge to commence a Livestream these days, so that's probably going to exist a limiter for a lot of people to actually utilize it. Nonetheless, on the bright side – GoPro has upped the output resolution during streaming to 1080p now. Then you can both stream and concurrently tape a local copy in 1080p, whereas previously you could only stream in 720p.  And for fun, if you were to pick up the GoPro Max, that besides now allows you to stream in 1080p likewise.

Photograph Mode Upgrades/Changes:

For the most part, tweaks to the photograph section are adequately modest with the Hero 8 Black, however, of the two changes they did brand – one is pretty substantial in my endurance sports eyes: Live Flare-up.

Equally yous may be familiar with the concept on your phone (such as Live Photos on iOS), Live Burst is essentially the same matter on the Hero 8. When yous enable Live Flare-up information technology will automatically be recording constantly in the background in a buffer. Then, when you press the record button it'll capture 1.v seconds earlier and 1.5 seconds later on that button press, giving y'all 90 possible frames to pull from.

When you transfer the photos to your phone via the GoPro app, it'll by default show you the photo for the moment of the button printing, however, you tin also then choose from any of those 90 photos from the video footage. Because information technology'south ultimately taking a curt video prune – which is why you don't go features like RAW way on Live Flare-up.  In fact, if y'all expect at your GoPro Hero 8's micro-SD bill of fare, you'll run into it but recorded a iii-second video, that'southward it.

You tin can see below as I curl through the showtime portion, middle portion, and back portion of this little clip from within the GoPro app, noting the frame numbers at the lesser:

In any upshot, once transferred to your phone you're able to save it to your photographic camera roll in one of 2 ways:

A) As a singular photo
B) As a short iii-2d video clip

Note that in either case in one case transferred out of the GoPro app information technology won't be a 'Live Photo' in the same way your phone would have 1. You can't long-hold to play it back and cull a unlike frame within the camera app (simply yous can in the GoPro app). Minor nuanced differences, but things to be aware of.

I've been lovin' this feature for getting snippets for my runs and rides lately for Strava, especially since sometimes y'all don't always go the exact 2nd you want when you lot press the push. This definitely beats my previous method of shooting video, or shooting 0.5 second time lapses.  Speaking of which, yous can also set a delayed countdown/shutter on a Live Burst every bit well, for doing grouping shots or such.

The only other change in the photo realm is GoPro says they've enhanced SuperPhoto mode, specifically the HDR components, to reduce the chances of ghosting. Ghosting happens when information technology tries to compile multiple frames into a unmarried photograph and things don't quite align, producing what appears to be Casper the ghost.  In my testing I've yet to manage to get a ghosted image on the Hero 8 Black. Which isn't saying yous can't do it, I but haven't had the right conditions to trigger it yet. I'm sure eventually I will, but in nearly a month of testing I've been lucky thus far.

More visible though is the new HDR toggles that let yous to separately control the HDR enablement from the rest of the photographic camera. Assuasive you to specify: SuperPhoto, HDR, Standard, or Raw:

I doubtable this setting is generally coming from user requests to disable HDR more so than enable, primarily due to past ghosting. In my case I'g but leaving information technology for the auto SuperPhoto settings and take had pretty expert luck with information technology determining the all-time settings for the lighting atmospheric condition at the time.

Finally, here's a random gallery of photos taken on the Hero viii Black. Similar all my sample footage/shots, none of it is edited in any way, it's straight off the camera every bit-is in a variety of lighting conditions.

Of form, typically most people volition lightly touch on-up or edit (brightness levels/contrast/etc…) their photos before posting them to any medium, myself included. So while some photos may not take perfect lighting – near nothing you come across online today is straight out of photographic camera. You tin look at my Strava pics from the final month to discover mostly GoPro Hero 8 shots.

The Improver Mods:

In some means perhaps the most exciting feature on the new Hero 8 is actually features you've got to buy extra – the 'Mods' as GoPro calls them. Or basically, accessories. In that location are three mods at this betoken:

A) Calorie-free Mod: A 200 lumen light modernistic that'south waterproof to one-meter ($49)
B) Media Mod: Side-mounted way that includes a shotgun mic, 3.5mm mic port, HDMI port, USB-C, and 2 cold-shoe ports ($79)
C) Display Mod: A flip-out 2" colour display screen display ($79)

In the case of the low-cal and brandish mods, they accept their ain batteries and do not transfer battery power to or from the GoPro (somewhat of a disappointment to be honest, nevertheless more things to charge).

Still, they exercise expect cool – fifty-fifty if they're basically offloading some features that I feel probably should be on the photographic camera. For case, the frontwards-facing screen is something that DJI added with their OSMO Action, and is hands-downward my favorite feature of that camera. And also the *but* reason why I go on to use that camera for some explainer blazon shooting while running or being on the go when I'thousand trying to talk to the camera. For every other characteristic I find the GoPro superior. And then I kinda get the feeling this accessory modern is basically a terminate-gap – perhaps something they cooked up this past jump when the OSMO Action appear.

On the flip side, while I do think there's merit to having better 3.5mm mic connectivity via smaller attachments on the camera, I really like how GoPro executed the concept and pricing of the Media Modern – and if it works well I'll probably use it quite a bit. Especially if the shotgun mic is solid.

Now, you'll notice I say 'if' a lot here. And that'due south because at this indicate none of these accessories are available – and aren't slated to hit retail until later this yr – December specifically. There were no media test units, or even dummy samples to wait at or photo – which to me implies things are definitely a scrap further behind the product development bike there than normal for GoPro. Merely again, at least I retrieve they nailed the pricing – though I call up offering some sort of 'Vlogger Packet' for a $100-$120 premium could do really well.

In any consequence – downward the road I'll definitely be doing a full standalone review of these once released.

Product Comparison:

I've added the GoPro Hero 8 Black into the product comparison tabular array, so you tin compare it to any activeness cameras I've reviewed, including the GoPro Hero vii Blackness and DJI OSMO Action that you see below. If you want to compare it to other cameras from the past, yous can mix and friction match and create your own production comparing tool charts hither.

Office/Feature	GoPro Hero 8 Black	GoPro Hero seven Black	Garmin VIRB Ultra 30	GoPro Hero6 Black
Copyright DC Rainmaker - Updated September 18th, 2021 @ 2:40 pm New Window
Price	$399	$329	$399	$399
Availability	October 1st, 2019	Sept 27th, 2018	Aug 31st, 2016	Global
WiFi Builtin	Yes (ii.4Ghz/5Ghz)	Yeah (2.4Ghz/5Ghz)	Yes	Yes (2.4Ghz/5Ghz)
Bluetooth to Phone	Aye	Yeah	Yes	Yep
Recording Light	Yep	Yes	Aye	Yes
GPS builtin	Yep	Yep	Yeah	Yes
Altimeter builtin	Yep	Yes	Aye	Aye
Water Resistant	10m/33ft	10m/33ft	131ft/40m within case	10m/33ft
Accellerometer	Aye	Yes	Yeah	Yes
Video Preview Screen	Yes	Yes	Yes	Yep
Vocalism Control	Yes	Yes	Yep	Yes
Bombardment	GoPro Hero 8 Black	GoPro Hero 7 Black	Garmin VIRB Ultra 30	GoPro Hero6 Black
Recharges via	USB-C	USB-C	Mini-USB	USB-C
Removable battery	Yeah	Yes	Yes	Yes
Recording Time	74mins 4K/30 /// 2hr20m 1080p30	1hr 4K / 2hr20m 1080p30	2 Hours - 1080p30	1hr 4K / 2hr20m 1080p30
Secondary attached battery	Only via USB-C	Just via USB	No	Only via USB
Storage	GoPro Hero 8 Blackness	GoPro Hero 7 Black	Garmin VIRB Ultra 30	GoPro Hero6 Black
Storage Bill of fare Blazon	Micro-SD	Micro-SD	MicroSD	Micro-SD
Maximum Card Size	256GB (select cards)	256GB (select cards)	128GB	128GB
Video	GoPro Hero 8 Black	GoPro Hero vii Blackness	Garmin VIRB Ultra 30	GoPro Hero6 Black
4K	24/25/30/60 fps	24/25/30/60 fps	30/25/24 FPS	24/25/thirty/sixty fps
2.7K	24/25/thirty/48/50/60/100/120 fps	24/25/30/48/50/60/100/120 fps	60/50/48/thirty/25/24 FPS	24/25/30/48/50/threescore/100/120 fps
1440p	24/25/thirty/48/50/60/80/120 fps	24/25/30/48/l/sixty/eighty/120 fps	80/75/72/60/fifty/48/30/25/24 FPS	24/25/thirty/48/50/lx/80 fps
1080p	24/25/xxx/48/l/60/eighty/xc/120/200/240 fps	24/25/30/48/fifty/threescore/80/90/120/200/240 fps	120/100/96/90/75/72/lx/50/48/thirty/25/24 FPS	24/25/30/48/50/60/80/90/120/200/240 fps
Records 360* Video	No	No	No	No
Automatic Epitome Rotation	Yes (besides, portrait style for video/photo)	Yes (besides, portrait mode for video/photo)	Yeah	Aye
Paradigm Stabilization	Yep - up to 4K60 (Boost varies, max 4K30)	Yes - upward to 4K60	Yes	Yes - up to 4K30
Looping Recordings	Aye	Yes	Yes	Yes
Timelapse Way (constructs timelapse video)	Yes	Yes	Yep	Yes
Travelapse/Hyperlapse Mode	Yep	Yes	Yes	No
Pro Settings Mode	Yes	Yep	Yep	Aye
Audio	GoPro Hero 8 Black	GoPro Hero vii Black	Garmin VIRB Ultra thirty	GoPro Hero6 Black
Internal Microphone	Yes	Yes	Yep	Yes
Supports Bluetooth Microphones	No	No	Aye	No
Pro manner with seperate tracks	Yes	Aye	No	Yes
Custom Modes	No	No	Yes
Photo	GoPro Hero 8 Black	GoPro Hero 7 Black	Garmin VIRB Ultra 30	GoPro Hero6 Black
Megapixels	12MP	12MP	12MP	12MP
Timelapse Fashion (photos on interval)	0.5,1,ii,5,10,30,60s	0.v,1,2,v,ten,xxx,60s	Yes	0.5,1,2,5,10,30,60s
Burst Mode	Up to xxx photos/2d	Upwardly to 30 photos/second	Yes	Upward to 30 photos/2nd
Continuous Shooting Mode	Yes	Aye	UP TO 60 PHOTOS/2nd	Yes
Concurrent west/video mode	No	No	Yes	Yes
Records 360* Photo	No	No	No	No
Pro Settings Mode	Yes	Yes	Yes	Aye
RAW photo creation support	Yes + HDR Modes besides	Yes + HDR Modes besides	Yes (added in firmware update)	Yes + HDR Mode too
Sports	GoPro Hero 8 Blackness	GoPro Hero seven Blackness	Garmin VIRB Ultra thirty	GoPro Hero6 Black
Skiing Mode	No	No	No	No
Control from sport computer	No	No	Aye	No
Ant+ Sensor Connectivity	No	No	Yep	No
Bluetooth Sensor Connectivity	no	no	Yes	no
ANT+ Profile Types	No	No	Center RATE, SPEED, Cadence, TEMPERATURE, POWER (+ Bluetooth OBD data)	No
Overlays sport data on recording	Yes	Aye	Yes	Yes
Phone	GoPro Hero viii Blackness	GoPro Hero 7 Black	Garmin VIRB Ultra xxx	GoPro Hero6 Black
App platforms available	iOS/Android	iOS/Android	iOS/Android	iOS/Android
Utilise equally remote control	Yep	Yes	Yes	Yes
Video preview	Aye	Yes	Yes	Yes
Transfer video-photos from camera	YEs	Yep	Yep	YEs
Multi-photographic camera live control/preview	No	No	No	No
Live Streaming to Cyberspace	Facebook/YouTube/RTMP	Yeah (Facebook and RTMP, which allows YouTube)	Yes
Software	GoPro Hero 8 Blackness	GoPro Hero vii Black	Garmin VIRB Ultra 30	GoPro Hero6 Blackness
App for estimator	Windows/Mac	Windows/Mac	VIRB Edit (Mac/PC)	Windows/Mac
Accessory	GoPro Hero eight Black	GoPro Hero 7 Black	Garmin VIRB Ultra 30	GoPro Hero6 Blackness
Remote control button/key	Yes	Yes	Yes	Yes
Diving case	YEs	Yep	Included	Yes
Mount Blazon	GoPro compatible mounts	GoPro uniform mounts	GoPro Mount Compatible
Device Connections	GoPro Hero 8 Black	GoPro Hero 7 Black	Garmin VIRB Ultra 30	GoPro Hero6 Black
USB Connector Type	USB-C	USB-C	Mini-USB	USB-C
Micro-HDMI	With adapter	Yes	Yes	Yes
Blended Video	With adapter	With adapter	Adapter Available	With adapter
Audio 3.5mm Stereo Mic	With adapter	With adapter	Adapter Available	With adapter
Purchase	GoPro Hero 8 Black	GoPro Hero vii Black	Garmin VIRB Ultra 30	GoPro Hero6 Blackness
Amazon	Link	Link	Link	Link
REI	Link
DCRainmaker	GoPro Hero 8 Black	GoPro Hero 7 Blackness	Garmin VIRB Ultra 30	GoPro Hero6 Black
Review Link	Link	Link	Link	Link

And don't forget that y'all can mix and friction match and make your own product comparing charts in the production comparison tool here.

Wrap-Upward:

Overall the GoPro Hero 8 Black is definitely the recommended buy over the Hero 7 Blackness given the relatively pocket-sized price difference, no question here. However, I'm not sure there's a huge reason for nearly people to upgrade from the Hero 7 Black to the Hero 8 Black. Certain, the stabilization is meliorate and there are enough of new tweaks, but unless you're a video geek – the Hero seven is a really solid camera already. Of class, given I fall into the video geek category, I'm already placing my society for the Hero 8, mainly so I can take reward of 4K in linear mode with stabilization (and so information technology blends better with the residuum of my footage). I also am loving the Live Burst photo option to use on my Strava uploads (since getting the perfect shot while running/riding can exist catchy).

On the flip side, the new battery door is admittedly atrocious, as is getting micro-SD cards out of it. And the removal of the HDMI port, however petty I might use it, is also a bummer. While I call up the new accessory mods are super cool – there is the reality that you're now paying actress for something that was always there previously. Not to mention the fact that the mods won't be available for months.

Still, despite my modest annoyances with some of the Hero 8 production design choices – I'll definitely be using it as my main cameras going frontward. I typically buy 2 of whatever my main camera is, and for me the benefits around stabilization and linear mode added with the Alive Burst, are enough to convince me. Whereas, if I was asked by a friend whether or not to upgrade their Hero vii – information technology'd be pretty unlikely I'd recommend that movement (whereas I would say a Hero 5/6 is a substantial upgrade).

Found This Post Useful? Support The Site!

Hopefully you found this review useful. At the cease of the day, I'm an athlete just like yous looking for the near detail possible on a new purchase – then my review is written from the standpoint of how I used the device. The reviews mostly take a lot of hours to put together, so it's a off-white bit of piece of work (and labor of honey). As you probably noticed by looking beneath, I also take time to answer all the questions posted in the comments – and in that location'due south quite a bit of detail in in that location as well.

If you're shopping for the GoPro Hero 8 Blackness or whatever other accessory items, please consider using the affiliate links below! As an Amazon Associate I earn from qualifying purchases. It doesn't toll you lot anything extra, only your purchases help back up this website a lot. Even more than, if yous employ Backcountry.com or Competitive Cyclist with coupon code DCRAINMAKER, first time users save fifteen% on applicable products!

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These are my favorite activeness cam accessories that I use 24-hour interval in and mean solar day out across all the action cams. They only work dependably, and are my go-tos!

And of class – you can always sign-up to be a DCR Supporter! That gets you an advertisement-gratis DCR, access to the DCR Quarantine Corner video serial packed with behind the scenes tidbits...and it also makes you awesome. And existence awesome is what it's all almost!

Thanks for reading! And equally always, feel free to mail comments or questions in the comments section below, I'll be happy to attempt and answer them as quickly as possible. And lastly, if you felt this review was useful – I always appreciate feedback in the comments below. Thanks!

Found This Post Useful? Support The Site!

Hopefully you found this review useful. At the end of the day, I'm an athlete just similar you looking for the nigh detail possible on a new purchase – so my review is written from the standpoint of how I used the device. The reviews by and large have a lot of hours to put together, and so it's a fair scrap of piece of work (and labor of dear). As you lot probably noticed by looking beneath, I too take time to reply all the questions posted in the comments – and there's quite a bit of particular in there as well.

If you're shopping for the GoPro Hero 8 Blackness or whatever other accessory items, please consider using the affiliate links below! Every bit an Amazon Associate I earn from qualifying purchases. It doesn't cost you anything extra, just your purchases help support this website a lot. Fifty-fifty more, if yous utilise Backcountry.com or Competitive Cyclist with coupon code DCRAINMAKER, offset time users relieve 15% on applicable products!

Here's a few other variants or sibling products that are worth because:

These are my favorite action cam accessories that I utilise day in and twenty-four hour period out across all the activity cams. They just work dependably, and are my go-tos!

And of course – y'all tin ever sign-upward to be a DCR Supporter! That gets you an ad-gratis DCR, access to the DCR Quarantine Corner video series packed with backside the scenes tidbits...and information technology too makes you awesome. And being awesome is what information technology's all about!

Thanks for reading! And equally always, experience costless to post comments or questions in the comments department below, I'll exist happy to endeavour and answer them as quickly as possible. And lastly, if y'all felt this review was useful – I ever appreciate feedback in the comments beneath. Thank you!

Source: https://www.dcrainmaker.com/2019/10/gopro-hero8-black-review.html

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