GoPro has maintained its reputation as a trusted sports action camera brand for years. However, the company faces increasingly fierce competition from other brands, such as DJI and Insta360. With the introduction of the GoPro HERO13 Black last month, GoPro brought some updates to its action camera series. With the new HB-series lenses, you can now modify the action cam with a macro lens, ultra-wide lens, ND filters, and more.
Recently, we got to try and review the HERO13 Black for a few weeks. Unfortunately, the unit we were loaned didn't come with the lens mods, even though the optional lenses are the key to diversifying the GoPro HERO13's user experience. Still, we can at least provide our impressions and opinions of the base camera in the review below.
Priced at RM1999, the GoPro HERO13 is an interesting product for those who want to record videos using a durable and easy-to-use camera. But is it the best product for the action camera category this year? Read on to find out.
Apart from the "13 Black" logo, the HERO13 is identical to the HERO12
Like all previous GoPro cameras, the HERO13 Black has a solid and durable build quality. It remains as durable and functional as the day you first use it, no matter how hard you throw this camera or submerge it in water for hours. In fact, we accidentally dropped this camera a few times (it's hard to hold small items sometimes) and were never worried about it getting damaged. In fact, there weren't even any direct scratches on the body or lens.
Like all action cameras, the HERO13 Black is waterproof, even without additional accessories. It can operate even when submerged to a depth of 10m (33 feet) or used in extreme cold temperatures as low as -10°C without any issues.
On the front, there is a heat sink under the lens
The rear screen is still the same
Apart from the "13 Black" logo on the right side, this camera has a very similar appearance to last year's GoPro HERO12 Black. It still has a 2.27-inch screen on the back and a 1.4-inch screen on the front for easy self-recording, but only the rear screen supports touch input. Honestly, we can't help but wonder why GoPro hasn't introduced a touchable front screen, like the Osmo Action camera from DJI.
At the bottom, the camera retains the ¼-20 mount slot from last year's HERO12 Black, so you can easily attach any third-party tripod. It also retained the folding finger, which means older GoPro accessories can still be used on the HERO13 Black. Under the lens, there is also a heatsink designed to dissipate heat.
The left side, protected by the door, houses the battery slot, memory card slot and USB-C port
The record button located at the top
¼-20 mount screw holes (left) and folding fingers (right) for easy installation with GoPro accessories
Next, let's discuss the HERO13's video recording and photography performance. In general, HERO13 can record beautiful and very stable videos in bright situations. That's hardly surprising, but what's important is that it makes this camera suitable for recording your vacations and outdoor adventures. In terms of maximum resolution, GoPro has retained the 5.3K resolution from last year's model. However, you can now record 5.3K videos at 60fps.
Of course, you can choose to record in a lower resolution to save battery or memory card space. The HERO13 supports video recordings as low as 1080p 30fps. You can also increase the frame rate to 240fps to record slow-motion videos, which is often ideal for those action or sports stunt reels.
A sample of the GoPro HERO13 in action
Those wanting to only focus on slow-motion videos and want to record at the highest possible frame rate can activate Burst Slo-Mo. This allows you to record 400fps videos at 720p resolution, resulting in very smooth slow-motion videos. But bear in mind, the quality will be quite bland. Also, Burst Slo-Mo videos are only up to 15 seconds.
As for the camera sensor, the HERO13 also uses the same sensor as the HERO12. It's a 1/1.9" 27MP CMOS sensor with an 8:7 aspect ratio, so you can shoot videos with that aspect ratio and edit them to other formats like the horizontal (16:9) or vertical (9:16), depending on your preferred social media platform.
On the other hand, it also means the HERO13 has the same weakness as previous GoPro cameras - poor low-light performance. Of course, this is a weakness shared by most action cameras. But we think it's time for GoPro to introduce a new, larger sensor for better low-light image quality.
Like all action cams, the HERO13 doesn't do well in low-light conditions
In terms of stabilisation, the GoPro HERO13 features HyperSmooth 6.0 for very stable video. You don't need any gimbal or additional editing to stabilise videos captured on this camera. One of our writers found Horizon Lock the best stabilisation feature since it allows a video to stay horizontal even when the camera is rotated to extremes. However, this feature seems a bit messy in low light situations, as you can see strange elements when the camera attempts to stabilise the video.
Speaking of features, the HERO13 Black has almost the same set of features as the HERO12 Black. Both models have Autoboost, TimeWarp, 10-bit GP-Log recording, audio recording with Bluetooth wireless earphones, and more. In other words, the new model doesn't bring anything new to the table (in terms of features). As we said at the beginning, what's truly unique about the HERO13 Black is its wide range of lens mods.
We didn't get to try the HB-Series lenses, but here's what the macro one looks like
Having said all that, the HERO13 does have a feature that was missing from the HERO12 and that's GPS tracking. Want to record fast action videos and show speed, altitude, G-force or other measurements in a video? Well, now you can do it with the GoPro HERO13 Black.
Another notable upgrade is the battery. The HERO13 has a 1900mAh Enduro Battery, giving it more battery life than ever. During our tests, we recorded several short video clips while walking around Penang to test the battery life. Generally, a full charge was enough for a full day of use and recording videos in 4K resolution. According to the GoPro website, the battery can continuously record up to 150 minutes when you record in 1080p 30fps.
It should be noted that this new battery isn't compatible with older GoPro models. In the same vein, GoPro camera batteries for older models can't be used with the HERO13. If you have some batteries from older GoPro cameras, you may have to trade those in for some extra HERO13 batteries instead.
So, is the GoPro HERO13 Black the right action camera to capture your adventures? Honestly, if you just need an action camera and don't plan to buy additional accessories, get the HERO12. Not only is it enough for most people, but it also has almost all the features found in the HERO13 Black. You could also get the HERO12 at a lower price, so the value could be better. If you're comfortable with a smaller battery and not getting GPS tracking, the GoPro HERO12 Black is an excellent choice.
For casual users, the GoPro HERO (2024) could be an interesting choice. Although it does not have a front screen to facilitate vlog recordings, it still has great recording features. Its much lower price (RM999) will also be more appealing to casual users.
Of course, we still think the HERO13 Black is the perfect product for those who want a rugged camera to shoot videos professionally. This is especially true if you can afford the many lens mods to expand the camera's capabilities. But if you want an alternative, consider going for the DJI Osmo Action 5 Pro (RM1799).
So, what do you think of our GoPro HERO13 Black review? Do you agree with our points? Leave your comments on our Facebook page and stay tuned to TechNave for more reviews and news on the latest mobile devices.
Tech specs and features
- Size: 71.8mm x 50.8mm x 33.6mm, weight 154 grams
- 1/1.9" 27.6MP CMOS camera sensor, 8:7 aspect ratio
- GP2 processor
- 156° field of view
- Video resolution recording up to 5.3K at 60fps
- Slow motion recording up to 240fps at 1080p resolution
- HyperSmooth 6.0 stabilisation with AutoBoost
- Rear screen 2.27 inches (touchable), front screen 1.4 inches
- Enduro 1900mAh battery
- Submersible up to 10 meters (without accessories), up to 60 meters with a protective case
- Operating temperatures from -10ºC to 35ºC
- USB-C port
- Three internal microphones, also support audio recording from wireless earphones
Pros: Various lens accessories, a bigger battery, plus stable and beautiful video quality. GPS tracking also makes a comeback.
Cons: Not really a significant upgrade over the HERO12 Black without the new accessories.
Conclusion: Suitable for those who want to professionally shoot videos using different angles.
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