Go Pro Hero 5 Black

Go Pro Hero 5 Black

Go Pro has launched an update to the popular Hero 4 Black http://www.indiawilds.com/diary/go-pro-hero-4-impressions/ by launching the Hero 5 Black camera.

go-pro-hero-5-black

The Hero 5 Black can now be submerged to a depth of 33 feet without any housing. In the Hero 4 Black, housing was mandatory if you wanted to submerge it in water.

 

The Hero 4 Black lacked a touch screen. So I had paid 75 USD to buy a touch screen. The Hero 5 Black has a touch screen included so you can see your subject.

 

There is a built in voice control feature which allows you to start recording. So you don’t need to take your hands off. So if you are riding, skiing, surfing etc where taking your hands off at times may not be a good option, the voice control feature will help. At times when I have strapped my Go Pro Hero 4 to a shaky bamboo, pressing the record button induces some vibration. In those times, the voice control feature will be of help.

 

I am not sure from how far the voice control mode will work.

 

My main grouse with the Hero 5 Black is that Go Pro hasn’t changed the hardware. It didn’t increase the data rate. 60Mb/s is low for a 4K video. This should have been increased in the Hero 5 Black. But it remains unchanged.

 

The Go Pro also retains the same fish eye lens in the Hero 5 Black. Many times I don’t shoot in 4K with the Hero 4 Black due to the fish eye. I prefer to shoot in the 2.7K mode in Normal and then do the correction during post processing. Now, Go Pro has included a new mode in the 2.7K and 1080p called the Linear Mode. In this mode through software the camera corrects the barrel distortion. This again is more of a consumer centric approach and will help people who can’t or prefer not to spend more time in post processing.

 

The Go Pro Hero 5 has a digital image stabilisation mode. So it will help in correcting the shake during handheld. Again, if Go Pro can do it with a tiny phone, then I can do better image stabilisation in post. So it is again tuned towards amateurs.

 

Go Pro Hero has built in GPS and the moment you start charging your camera, it can automatically start using the wi-fi to upload the shots into the Go Pro cloud, if you have subscribed to it at a fee of $5 usd per month. Some people may go for it, but I am not sure as to why someone should go for it at such a cost.

 

In the Photo mode, Go Pro has included a new RAW photo mode with an extension of .GPR

So if you are into clicking still shots with the Go Pro, then the RAW mode can provide a bit more control over the shots.

 

There is a new WDR (Wide Dynamic Range) mode in the Go Pro 5 still photography settings. It is meant to capture more details if the scene has got both bright areas and dark shadows.

 

The Time lapse mode is the one which is often used in the Go Pros and the Go Pro 5 retains it.

 

The Go Pro app called CAPTURE can help sync your smart phone or tab with the Hero 5 and you can have live preview of the shots and videos as well as full control over wi-fi. Earlier I had issues with the Go Pro Hero 4 Black switching on the record button using the android phone. So hope the CAPTURE does a better job.

 

QUIK is another app to quickly edit or trim and share the shots and videos.




Audio:

Audio was always the pain point of the Go Pros. Till this update Go Pro had never cared to improve their audio. However, in the Hero 5, Go Pro claims that they have included three microphones. In normal wind speed, the Hero 5 will have stereo sound. A software will automatically sense if the wind speed is high and then find out which of the microphones is better and use that sound as mono.

 

Media:

It will record to microSD card slot with Class 10 or UHS-I rating.

 

Battery:

1220 mAh lion-ion rechargeable.

 

Price:

The Price of the Go Pro Hero 5 Black is now $399.99 USD. Remember the Hero 4 Black was launched at 499 USD and I had spent $75 USD for the LCD at the back. However, competition is now higher and along with lower sales of Hero Session, Go Pro didn’t have any option to price the Hero 5 Black higher.

 

At this price, the Hero 5 Black should find many buyers.

B&H Link: https://www.bhphotovideo.com/c/product/1274419-REG/gopro_chdhx_501_hero5_black.html/BI/19990/KBID/13252

Amazon India link:

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