Falling leaves, chilly nights, pumpkin spice, and the release of the latest GoPro camera are all seasonal indicators that autumn has arrived. The GoPro Hero 11 Black has arrived, and despite its familiar appearance, there is a slew of new features to consider under the hood. I have been exploring Southwest Washington with this tough action camera, including zip-lining over a canyon at ZiplineX in Amboy. With all of this knowledge, let’s dive in and see if the Hero 11 is the right action camera for you.
GoPro Hero 11 Image quality
The GoPro Hero 11’s image sensor is larger than the Hero 10’s, but only vertically. GoPro increased the sensor’s height, allowing you to shoot both horizontal and vertical footage at the same time without having to choose between the two formats. This is significant for me because I began incorporating vertical video content creation into my repertoire this year. I can now use the Hero 11 to record longer-form YouTube videos as well as short vertical clips to share across multiple platforms.
Another advantage of shooting in a full-frame mode with the Hero 11 is that the extra height allows for greater editing flexibility. While maintaining a sharp, high-resolution image, I can essentially adjust my camera angle after the fact or create panning shots in post-processing. In terms of post-processing, the Hero 11 can now shoot in 10-bit color, giving you even more options for extracting detail from crushed shadows and blown-out highlights. In terms of video quality, the Hero 11 can now shoot at up to 120Mbps bit rate, whereas the Hero 10 can only shoot at 100Mbps. The Hero 11 can record 5.3K video at up to 60 frames per second (fps), 4K at up to 120 fps, and 2.7K at up to 240fps for super slow-motion.
The GoPro Hero 11 also includes Hyperview mode, which significantly expands the field of view over the Hero 10’s Superview mode. It’s not quite a replacement for the Max Lens Mod, but it does provide a much wider field of view than was previously available on Hero Black cameras.
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GoPro has also improved the Hero 11’s video stabilization with Hypersmooth 5.0 and 360 Horizon Lock. The stabilization in the Hero 10 is noticeably improved by Hypersmooth 5.0, especially when shooting in 4:3 aspect ratio. And 360 Horizon Lock maintains the horizon level even if the camera rotates 360 degrees.
In terms of still photos, the larger 27-megapixel sensor is a boon to photographers, especially if you like square photos, but it also gives you more editing flexibility to crop down to different aspect ratios for different compositions. Personally, I almost never take still photos with action cameras, but if you’re on an adventure, you might want to grab a single shot, and if your only camera is a GoPro, it’ll do a decent job. It can even shoot RAW format images in burst mode for up to 10 seconds.
Finally, the Hero 11 now includes new long-exposure night modes such as star trails, light painting, and vehicle light trails. I’m a big fan of astrophotography and was blown away by the quality of the star trail videos I was able to capture. Each star trail video consumed an entire battery charge for 8 to 10 seconds of footage, but it was well worth it. You’ll also be able to shoot more and longer star trail videos if you get the Volta battery grip. The results are stunning and can significantly improve the production value of almost any video.
The larger sensor improved stabilization, and new shooting capabilities make the Hero 11 a significant improvement over the Hero 10. The footage has a strikingly real-life quality that, in my opinion, completely immerses the viewer in the experience.
Design
The GoPro Hero 11 appears to be nearly identical to the Hero 10, with the exception of a 1 replacing the 0 on the side. However, I don’t fault GoPro for making this design decision — after all, why mess with a good thing? What GoPro has here works fantastically well, and I can’t think of anything they could change about the exterior to improve the camera.
Sticking with the same design is actually a pro-consumer move, as it allows current users to easily use previously released accessories for the Hero 10. The entire Creator Edition kit, including the Volta battery grip, Media Mod, and LED light, will work with the Hero 11, which has become an indispensable content-creation tool for me.
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Display and Performance
The Hero 11 has the same front and back screens as the Hero 10, which I think is fine. They are easily visible in direct sunlight and provide a clear preview with good colors and contrast.
The Hero 11 never gave me any reason to doubt its ability to capture critical video footage in the heat of the moment. It’s very dependable, and I’ve never experienced any serious overheating. It did get hot after longer recording sessions, but that’s true of every camera I’ve ever used, with the possible exception of the Nikon Z9.
My favorite feature of any action camera system is the touchscreen interface. Customizable presets make it simple to switch between settings on the fly, and I was able to do so even while swaying on top of a 100-foot pole waiting for my turn on the zip line. You can tell GoPro has been working on this system for the past 20 years.
The ability to switch between easy and pro modes is new to the Hero 11. If all you want to do is capture great videos without having to think about manual settings, easy is the way to go. Pro mode provides a lot of extra customization and is the mode I prefer. As expected, the camera is extremely durable and waterproof to 33 feet.
App and Subscription features
GoPro has created one of the most compelling apps available, with camera control and video editing tools built in, and it offers a premium subscription service for $100 per year that is actually worth the money. Unlimited cloud storage, guaranteed replacement of damaged cameras, discounts on cameras and accessories, and the ability to stream to GoPro’s premium live streaming service are all advantages of subscribing.
Auto-upload and automatically generated highlight videos, as well as cloud-based editing, are new features on the Hero 11. While these features were not available for testing prior to launch, they have a lot of potentials. When you plug in your Hero 11 for charging, it will automatically upload all of your new footage to the cloud, where an AI program will automatically create a video out of that footage for you. You’ll then be able to edit that video in the cloud or edit one without the help of AI and share it.
In theory, this could significantly improve my workflow; however, because I only have a slow DSL connection at home, I would struggle to fully utilize GoPro’s innovative system. Regardless, if you’re purchasing a new GoPro, the subscription is almost a requirement. Given the $100 discount on the camera that comes with the subscription, it more than pays for itself.
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Battery life
The Hero 11 now includes GoPro’s Enduro battery, which increases battery life by up to 38%. It also extends battery life in cold weather and can withstand temperatures as low as 14 degrees Fahrenheit. The camera now has an extended battery mode that reduces energy consumption at the expense of image quality. I was able to record all of the exciting moments in a zip-lining tour while shooting in maximum image quality mode and still have 28% battery left at the end.
GoPro Hero 11 price and availability
The Hero 11 is now available for $500, but if you sign up for GoPro’s premium subscription plan, the price drops to $400. The Creator edition costs $700, or $580 with a subscription.
The GoPro Hero 11 is definitely more expensive, but the subscription adds a lot of value. If you can wait until October 25, the Hero 11 Black Mini will be available for $400, or $300 with a subscription. In many ways, that will be a very different camera, but it does include the majority of the capabilities of the full-size Hero 11 Black for $100 less.
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