GoPro Hero7 Black Review & Rating

It's been less than a year since we saw a new flagship product, GoPro, but the company is not one to rest on its laurels. 11 months after the release of the Hero6 Black, the company is reconfiguring its range of action cameras. Sitting at the top is the Hero7 Black ($ 399), which adds stabilization to additional video modes and can stream video over the net via your cell phone data. This is not a big step forward than the Hero6, but it's a better camera for the same price, and gets our Editor's Choice recommendation.

Back in black

The biggest cosmetic change of the Hero7 Black is its color. Despite the Hero5 and Hero6, both of which were awarded the GoPro Black designation, these cameras were decidedly gray finish. The Hero7 Black is very black. A dark matte finish distinguishes it from Hero7 Silver ($ 299) and Hero7 White ($ 199).

In addition to color, the form factor is identical to GoPros from the Hero5 generation. It measures 1.8 x 2.6 x 1.4 inches (HWD), weighs only 4 ounces and features a rear LCD touch screen. It is waterproof without a case, rated 10 meters under water.

The tiny form factor allows you to place the camera in inaccessible places, and its rugged construction saves you from putting it in more dangerous situations. There is no standard tripod stand or other editing tool built into the camera, but GoPro includes a mounting cage with a connector compatible with its wide range of media. Two adhesive mounts and a standard slip-on foot are included, but it's easy to find mounting solutions for the first and third parties for sale.

The rear display measures 2 inches, is measured diagonally and is touch sensitive. GoPro does not list the resolution of the panel, but it is clear and clear to the eye, and can be viewed from extreme angles without loss of clarity. This is your main window to the world because it shows the view from the camera lens and is also what you will use to adjust the settings. A monochrome secondary screen located at the front, next to the lens, displays the current mode, the recording status, battery life and the ability to the memory card. Flashing red lights at the front, bottom, and back provide additional visual confirmation of the status of the recording and the GoPro beeps when it stops or when start a clip. You can turn off the beep or adjust its volume.

The are a pair of control buttons – Save up and Mode on the left side. You can use them to start or stop recording, or to switch between video recording, still imaging or time lapse recording. You can also activate voice control and give commands such as "GoPro, Take a Photo" or "GoPro, start time-lapse". The voice control system works pretty well. he was responsive and able to understand the commands with consistency in the tests.

The LCD touch screen is your main control interface. The screen is small, but the icons are large enough that even clumsy fingers can type correctly. There are scanning gestures to switch between live stream, menu and playback. If you have only used an older and no screen GoPro, you will be surprised: the camera is much easier to set up and use thanks to its touch interface.

Videos are stored on microSD memory; the slot is accessible through the same lower compartment that contains the battery. A removable door on the side covers the USB-C and HDMI micro ports. An internal GPS automatically adds location information to images and videos. The battery life is not as good as that of the Hero6. When we tested it last year, we were able to record about 86 minutes at its 4K 60fps resolution. The Hero7 ran 70 minutes in the same test, and in the real world, its use was managed closer to 45 minutes of recording before the batteries were exchanged.

Software support

You can certainly unload your footage on a computer and edit it in your application of choice. But if you're not a savvy video editor, GoPro makes your life easier. The desktop software for macOS and Windows is available for publishers who prefer to work on a laptop or desktop computer. You can also get the GoPro app for Android or iOS if you prefer a workflow based on a tablet or phone.

The phone application supports automated editing. GoPro calls the QuikStories feature. It identifies and selects the highlights of your video clip and cuts them together, with music and transitions. The Hero7 adds face and smile detection to better identify parts of your video where it seems like you're having a good time.

Of course, you will have to send videos to your phone first. It is easy to fill a large memory card when recording in 4K, so that GoPro has added a new feature to the camera, Short Clips. When enabled, the GoPro automatically cuts video clips after 15 or 30 seconds. You will know that the function is activated when a red border is progressing around the edge of the LCD screen, like the snake in the classic computer game, completely bordering the edges at the end of the screen. defined interval.

However, we would have liked to see GoPro add wired connectivity for the transfer. The 4K files are so large, and with the latest phones offering incredibly fast processors and half a terabyte of on-board storage, this seems like a missed opportunity. The 360-degree Rylo video camera has a workflow entirely based on the phone and can also quickly fill a memory card. It comes with a cable to connect to a phone for fast unloading of files. Why can not GoPro do the same?

The GoPro app now supports live streaming on Facebook, Twitch, YouTube, Vimeo and a few other services. You need to keep the camera connected to your phone via Wi-Fi for it to work, which means you have to use your cellular data plan for streaming. You have the option of 480p if you want to keep data, or 720p if you have a lot of bandwidth to spend.

Clear and fluid video

Last year, the Black Hero6 was endowed with two major video upgrades: the ability to record 4K at 60 frames per second and a significantly improved digital stabilization, but the two did not work together. The Hero7 Black adds stabilization to its maximum resolution and frame rate, but it does not extend to the fastest frame rates at lower speeds. The improved system, called "HyperSmooth" by GoPro, is available for all 4K settings, at 2.7K and 1080p, at speeds of up to 60 fps and 720p at 60 fps for a 16: 9 aspect ratio. At 4: 3, HyperSmooth is available at 2.7K and 1440p at rates up to 60fps.

GoPro is famous for its ultra wide, near fish eye angle of view. If you are launching images in 4K, that's what you will get. But opting for lower resolutions opens average, narrow and linear angles of view. We shot our main test footage (above) at 4K 60fps, but switched to linear distortion-free tuning for the 1080p stabilization comparison below.

The system works pretty well, and adding it to 4K60 images is a boon for video makers who prefer fluid capture at 60 frames per second and the ability to slow it down to mid-speed for a moderate slow motion effect. For a stronger idle, you have to drop the resolution a bit. You can roll up to 120 frames per second at 2.7 KB, but without stabilization. The frame rate reaches 240 frames per second in 1080p and 720p, again without stabilization, but the less efficient standard stabilization system of GoPro is available in 1080p120. It removes minor jumps and jitters, but does not have the same floating appearance as HyperSmooth. Look at the images below, taken in 1080p at 60, 120 and 240 frames per second, to show the difference in quality enter HyperSmooth, Standard stabilization and no stabilization.

In addition to the video in landscape mode, the Hero7 has an orientation sensor for easy video recording in portrait (vertical) mode. If you want to add GoPro footage to your Instagram or SnapChat stories, this is a useful feature, but we recommend you stick to the traditional landscape format for a better viewing experience on a TV. The graphical interface changes orientation when you switch to vertical recording, just like the monochrome LCD before.

In addition to videoHyperSmooth stabilization is now available when recording downtime. GoPro calls the TimeWarp feature. It works very well, with time lags with smooth transition of movement from one image to the other. This is certainly more efficient for moving subjects than the standard time-lapse mode. Do not take our word for it – watch the clip above, shot with TimeWarp, compared to the one below, which is a standard time-lapse.

Again The imaging is similar to the Hero6. The Hero7 captures 12MP images in the Raw (DNG) or JPG formats of your choice. Raw images require some processing before sharing: Adobe Lightroom Classic is the most used software for photographers working in Raw format. If you opt for JPG capture – this is the default method and you want to use for easy sharing without image processing – an improved image processing engine generates what GoPro has qualified for SuperPhoto. The camera applies the HDR tone mapping when appropriate and also locates the noise reduction. If you want to take advantage of SuperPhoto, you need to disable Raw Capture, so it's more a tool for JPG photographers than for Raw Capture fans.

Hero7 Black vs. Hero7 White and Silver

We have not yet had the opportunity to try the Silver or White Hero7, but know what you will miss by opting for a cheaper GoPro. The big omission is HyperSmooth – the white and silver models support digital stabilization, but we expect it to be closer to the standard Hero7 Black stabilization setting in efficiency. The Silver and White models also omit live streaming.

Idling is not as extreme with the lower models. Silver draws at 30 frames per second in 4K and 60 frames per second in 1080p; white does not have 4K but records 1080p at 60fps. Neither supports the 120 or 240 frames per second that you get with the Black Hero7. Again the resolution is also a little less, 10MP instead of 12MP.

Neither model supports TimeWarp, and the base time-lapse is also limited. It is available only at 0.5 second intervals with the Silver and White models, where the black allows you to set a delay of 0.5, 1, 2, 5, 10, 30 or 60 seconds between exposures. Finally, the Hero7 Silver has a GPS, like black, but not white.

GoPro goes everywhere

The GoPro brand is almost synonymous with its small action cameras to go anywhere. And while the Hero7 Black upgrades are more scalable than revolutionary, they still represent the best video camera the company has ever offered. Video stabilization is improved, and now works when recording 4K video at the maximum frame rate of 60 frames per second. Software enhancements improve the operation of the automated editing system – the ability to automatically limit the length of video clips makes clip transfers less painful to your phone.

There are cheaper action cameras. We love the YI 4K +, which sells for about $ 100 less and also supports 4K at 60 frames per second, but it does not come with the same level of software and its digital stabilization is not at the same level than the Hero7. You must also put it in a case to make it waterproof. But if you are more interested in video size and quality, without worrying as much about robustness and stabilization, it's a good alternative.

The Hero7 Black replaces the Hero6 Black as our choice of editors. Although his improvements are not revolutionary, they are palpable. If you bought a new GoPro just a year ago, you'll probably want to upgrade this upgrade, unless stabilization at 4K 60fps is a must, but if you have an older model, it might be time to consider moving to the last and the biggest.