So while Sony has recently released it's new Action Camera set to steal some of the GoPro sports camera market, GoPro today announced the new Hero3 that is 35% smaller, 25% lighter, and 2x faster than previous GoPro Hero cameras. Even with a smaller profile, the Hero3 will offer built in Wifi (no need for BacPac). Low light performance is supposed to be 2x better than previous models also.
NEW: GoPro Hero3 Black Camera with 4K Video
Want more? With the faster processor, the new Hero3 brings more framerate options like [email protected], [email protected], and an impressive 2.7K resolution @30fps. They also brag about the ability to shoot 4K resolution video @15fps, which I still haven't figured out what I would personally use this for. Also includes ProTune, and offers manual white balance settings.
To be officially correct, the Hero 3 will be available in three different versions with three different prices. Only the 'Black Edition' camera will be able to offer the most features, while lower models will have some limitations. You can already find information on the new GoPro Hero 3 cameras via B&H (click here)
NEW: GoPro Hero3 Black Camera with 4K Video
You can also get more information from the official Official GoPro® Store.
GoPro Hero3 Black, Silver, and White Editions
David Anderson
it cant do starlapse due to the fact that it cant hold the shutter open for the 20-25 seconds it takes to regester light from stars...shame...i was gonna buy one untill i heard that
MovieBuff
Any news on 4k firmware updates with a better frame rate?
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jonnytheloser
The interchangeable lenses would be cool and there are some aftermarket companies that do create that (although rental prices alone are through the roof). the beauty of the wide lens is that it can make boring shots interesting and creates a very stable feel despite all the camera shake. I think if they went to a longer lens it would create such shaky footage that all the extreme sports would be much harder to capture rendering the camera useless to the mass market it has right now. it would be nice for some professional applications though to have lens options
Alias
I agree with schill, HD - tography & Altamiradora.
I was disgusted and furious that gopro released the hero3 when the promised features of the hero2 and wifi bacpac haven't been delivered yet.
I'm selling all my gopro cams and not going to buy any more gopro cams unless they change their ways and give my a credit to make up for this nonsense.
Tim
Wasnt the youtube for the gopro3 shot on the gopro2? Lol
Vincent56
[email protected] for 400
[email protected] for 8000 (fs700)
And both do [email protected]. Ok you have no audio, no interchangable lens system and its still a big step in fps/resolution, but the price difference is enourmous!
Where is this heading? I was saving up for the sony, but might as well stick with dslrs and make more use of gopro's. The results seem similar at a fraction of the price for which you have not one but 20(!) cameras. (Maybe a bit more work in post, twixtor etc).
They should bring out an fs700 competitor...
Emm
Post author@Jason - I blew up the video on my screen, and looking carefully you can see there's sections that have been stabilized in post. You can see some weird warping in small areas of the video. Still, this is an amazing little camera and I was already in on a pre-order the day of the announcement.
Jason
@Sergei it's 100% shot with GoPro Hero 3's. It's been confirmed multiple times by the company and the editor who put it together, of whom I'm friends with.
Chris F
@Joe B.
With Narrow FOV, there's no reason not to. The GP2 worked great with my Swivi monitor and DSLR Flycam Nano!
Joe
Flood GoHero with requests instead of Magic Lantern. GoHero seems to be listening.
MovieBuff
@rabby They should!
@Austin lol I honestly can't believe that companies are selling underwater housing units 3x more than the amount of the actual camera. Bat-Sh#@ crazy! We could buy 4 GoPros for that amount.
We should probably start flooding 'Magic Lantern' with requests for firmware updates. Let's start, now!
Joe B.
NO Stabilization! I would throw that on a Shoulder Rig then. lol
Sergei
I am not sure if the whole footage is made with Hero 3. Probably it's the same promotion action as it was with Sony Action Cam, but when real people have brought to Youtube their footage it was much much worse...
Austin
Now only if they made cheap but reliable underwater housings for the canon T2I then that would be a great combo to go with the go pro cameras for when I go scuba diving.
rabby
Now GoPro should make true cinema camera with interchangeable lens. Why not ? They have the technology, they have proved in such short period, plus they now have true over million users, GoPro cinema camera would be great addition. Where RED failed on 3K for $3000. GoPro can and should nail that market.
Jason
I dont understand why people are complaining. Its a company that's releasing an updated product once a year. That's a good. I mean, you all buy iphones every year and I dont hear much complaint towards Apple.
SP
i'm sold!!!!!!
Austin
Now lets just hope for them to go on sale on black friday, might have to break down and buy one if they do.
pierre
soon Christmass...a new gopro every year?
Altamiradora
@ HD-tography
I could'nt agree more with you ! The way they handle things makes me want to puke ! It really sucks !
HD-tography
I'm with schill...
I've got over $1000 invested into my hero2 setup, and after waiting months and months for the functionality to be available for the otherwise useless wifi combo I've had in a drawer since, they finally release it and it doesn't work with the current phone technology "There is basic compatibility with the iPhone 5 and iOS 6. Full compatibility will be available "soon"...
GoPro can go F#@k themselves after all this bull...
Additionally, the features seen on the black addition should have been available on the recently released Hero2, but I guess they need more suckers, like myself, to keep them in business... so much for holding our breath for a Hero2 firmware update to up the frame rates.
I'm so pissed at this company, Sony looks more and more appealing everyday.
Joe B.
I didn't see anything about Stablilization though. I think that is a must for a camera of this caliber. The sony action cam does have stabilization and also has 720/160fps. the 4K/2.7k is the huge difference.
Andy
this camera has a 1/2.5" CMOS sensor, that's why they can afford to make fixed lens with these specs and this price point, interchangeable lenses for sensor this small is not practical, maybe a C mount.
Jack
Wow... just when I was feeling so proud of my AS15 delivered yesterday... "You Bought the wrong action cam dummy!" Doh!!!
Jason
Dan the release dates didn't change. Oct availability for the white and silver models, november for the black edition.
It was announced that way from the start.
G-DOT
wow, is all i can say i have been waiting for this and with pro tune you can get 35mbit compression and cine style. i'm sold on this i hope it has the 3d hook up too. Oh and it also does 24p now too
g.
Aaron
Bought. This should intercut nicely the Blackmagic Cinema Camera for timelapse and ultra-wides!
Rob
Wow seems like a super capable camera and the YouTube film is amazing. Yes, great idea Emm: Please GoPro, please make a camera that can take my classic manual Nikon AIS lensesas well Canon L lenses!
andrew
real usable 2K at $400? If this had an interchangeable lens mount and an awesome remote App..... this starts to become feasible as a cinema camera. Emphasis on 'starts'.
At that price (or even $500 if it had a changeable lenses), all of a sudden you can spend $1000 and rent some lenses and you have a two cam, 2K set up for less than the cost of one 7d.
Obviously still a little ways off from such a reality....but i think it could be the start of something big. Namely, the transition from just an 'action cam' to a serious and central film making tool.
Dan
I like how the release date has already changed on their website from October 31, to November 15th. It has only been about 8 hours since the release and they can already not keep their release date promises! Haha!
It saddens me that I now need to get another new camera, but after seeing that footage, I am definitely going to get one.
Burke
Stole Sony's shine before they had a chance to even brighten hahaha. This camera looks like a powerhouse. I cant wait to get my hands on one!
Jake
@Emm Totally agree with you in terms of them working on a proper camera, they should aim to achieve where Black Magic failed on the Digital Cinema Camera.
I thought this post was an April Fools joke at first, seeing a 4K GoPro! But we're in October.
Can't wait for some cheesy reviews!
mike_tee_vee
The new frame rates at 1080 (60p, 24p) are awesome, but $399 is getting quite pricey for a camera that has a higher probability of being crushed or dropped during a shoot.
imgpro615
...so this means the older, yet relatively recent, hero is on price reduction? WHOO HOO!!
Joseph
But can it film 1080 @ 120fps? 😉
Robert 'Task' Smith
Will the underwater video still be blurry?
Weelian
Man! If GoPro is capable of putting out a good 4K video out from such a small package now, it is just a matter of time before they will come out with a camera that can shoot 4K with a more decent frame rate. I was going to get the Sony Action cam, but looks like this is a much better alternative.
schill
Am I the only one a little annoyed by this? I bought a Hero2 when the wifi backpack came out - with the promise from them that the app would follow soon. It's finally out - but for Apple only (so far). I need the Android version.
I was unable to use the camera the way I intended and it's too late now. I was depending on the app for this application and hoping it would work. I won't have another opportunity for this until next summer. I knew there was a risk when I bought the camera but I wanted to run some tests with it before the actual time I needed to use it.
If I had known it was going to take so long for the app, I could have waited and gotten a much better camera (apparently).
Don't get me wrong. I still like the Hero2 and it has been useful for other things - just not what I bought it for.
stanperry
$400 for [email protected] sold it for me ... #casecolsed
Kelly
@Emm
Yes I concur! GoPro needs to develop their 4k cinema camera to compete against some of these other overpriced cams....*cough (C300)
Jay Windland
@Emm, +1 for an interchangeable lens GoPro Cinema Camera!
Christian Fiore
Preordered! The video on their site = instant hook. So insanely sharp, with wide dynamic range. Everything I could've hoped for, and that's viewing it through YouTube's compression. 😉
Emm
Post author@Jay Windland - Great tip as a tool for continous stills photography. GoPro has so much tech, they really need to get into the other camera markets and bring a real interchangeable lens cinema camera out.
Jason
It was released last week with the iOS gopro app.
Check the support section for the download on gopro.com
Jay Windland
You can pull 4K stills of high speed action like a burst mode on a stills camera, except it's not just a burst - it is on as long as the camera can record.
Jason
This is fantastic and all but does anyone know when the protune firmware is going to be released?