ED’s CHOICE GoPro Hero5 Black
KING OF THE CAMERAS RETAINS ITS CROWN.
LAST GENERATION’S GOPRO Hero range had both Black and Silver options, largely differentiated by more frame-rate options for the former, and a touchscreen for the latter. Now, there’s only one GoPro that does everything — and it does it superbly, too.
The lightest camera in this roundup looks like it’s the same shape as its predecessors, but refines the layout to just two buttons. Voice control can start and stop recording or take a photo, and the touchscreen menu system feels well put together. That’s true of the whole package: it’s a nugget of a camera, waterproof to 10m without a case (an optional housing is rated to 60m) and has a matte black finish.
This is the first GoPro to feature GPS tracking (finally!) that shows off your telementery when you sync the footage with the new Quik for Desktop software. The phone app has also been overhauled to be cleaner and simpler, and GoPro is the best in class in this regard, though Garmin’s desktop software is our preference.
Like the Nikon KeyMission 170 (see page 56), image stabilisation is only available with certain resolutions (4K not being one of them), though the footage is GoPro’s typical vivid quality — it’s fantastic. Plus, you can now shoot photos in raw and WDR (Wide Dynamic Range), which can lead to (slightly fish-eyed but still) stunning images.
If you’re still happily using a GoPro 4 Black, there’s little point upgrading to this model. However, for anyone who wants a hardy, go-anywhere and do anything camera, this is it.