GoPro Hero5 Black — Waterproof Digital Action Camera for Travel with Touch Screen 4K HD Video 12MP Photos

Purchased this GoPro HERO5 after seeing that it came with a sixty dollar Amazon gift card promo (shipped separately from the camera). I had previously purchased and returned the HD model, being very disappointed in its audio quality and the inability to swap out batteries. This model immediately peaked my interest as it has improved audio with (3) onboard microphones, a touchscreen, the battery can be swapped out and it has 4k video capabilities.

I will primarily be using this cam to vlog, but I also plan on putting the cam on my dogs and will take it rafting and fishing this summer. I like that the housing is waterproof and appreciate that I don’t have to purchase a skeleton for it which might muffle the audio performance. There is also a port which is not covered by the included frame (skeleton) which can be used by a GoPro microphone adapter to add an external microphone to the camera. I think it’s crazy expensive… but then again what GoPro accessory isn’t if it’s been branded as such? If interested… GoPro Pro 3.5mm Mic Adapter (HERO5 Black/HERO5 Session) (GoPro Official Accessory).

What I like about this camera:

☆ Takes great looking 720p, 1080p and 4K video, even in low light conditions.

☆ 1080P at 120fps is a sweet spot for video reviews.

☆ Audio without an external microphone is quite good.

☆ Raw Audio: “This setting applies only to the Video capture mode and creates a
separate .wav file for your video, in addition to the standard .mp4 audio
track. You can select the level of processing to apply to the RAW audio
track. This setting is useful if you want a separate .wav file to share or use
in post-processing.”

☆ It’s easy to get started using it after viewing a brief onscreen tutorial.

☆ The recommended Micro SD cards are listed on the GoPro website. I purchased the Sandisk Extreme PLUS – Flash Memory Card – 64 GB – MicroSDXC UHS-I, Gold/Red (SDSQXSG-064G-ANCMA) for forty dollars and it immediately was recognized by the HERO5 and I was able to record both video at 1080P and 4K without a hitch.

From the GoPro HERO5 Black manual:

” Use brand name memory cards that meet these requirements:
• microSD, microSDHC, or microSDXC
• Class 10 or UHS-I rating
• Capacity up to 128GB
** For a list of the recommended microSD cards visit the GoPro website or do a Google search to get it.”

☆ The touchscreen has clear directions, is responsive to touch and bright enough to be easy to see in bright conditions.

☆ Being able to easily change settings by touch (video quality, field of view…) works really well and examples on screen very helpful.

☆ Turning the camera on and off is easily accomplished, as well as switching from photos to video.

☆ Photos taken with the HERO5 are very good at 12MP.

☆ WDR and RAW photo capabilities.

☆ Advanced image stabilization seems to work really well.

☆ Battery life of approximately 2 hours – shooting 1080P – works great with a 64GB SanDsk Extreme Plus card.

☆ GoPro Capture software for iOS allows for remote control of the camera.

☆ Voice Control is possible with this GoPro camera!

☆ One-button recording is quick and easy to use.

☆ Enabling GPS allows for geo-marking photos and video.

☆ GoPro Quik software allows users to view, edit and produce quality videos from their PC, Mac or iOS device.

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What I wish was better:

♦︎ The HERO5 comes with virtually no directions. I had to go online to look-up where the charging port was located, and while it comes with voice command capabilities – there’s nothing that ships with it to tell you how to do it. You can however, go to the GoPro website and click Support. From there you enter your product and what language if preferred.

♦︎ The HERO5 I received had a few visual flaws on the camera and skeleton. Quality control from GoPro may be lacking.

♦︎ There is NO MEMORY with the camera. It seems GoPro could have thrown in a compatible Micro SD card for the price paid.

♦︎ Charging of the camera from 7% battery took 1 hour – a little longer than I’d like.

♦︎ Ships with a charging cable USB-C; the new standard which not everyone has as of yet, but no mini HDMI to HDMI cable is included. If you want an extra here’s one: Cable Matters USB 2.0 Type C (USB-C) to Type A (USB-A) Cable in Black 6.6 Feet that’s about seven bucks.

♦︎ No Mini HDMI to HDMI cable included. Needed if you want to hook it up to a HDTV to view content vs hooking up to a PC or taking out the microSD card. Yet another thing to buy!

♦︎ At present off-branded batteries do not work with this GoPro cam after a firmware update – you’ve got to buy GoPro batteries.

♦︎ If you will be working with 4K video, you will probably need a fast PC to use GoPro Quik Desktop software. While Windows 64-bit systems: Win 7, 8.1, and 10 are supported and Mac OS 10.10X or later, Intel Quad Core i7 processors are recommended and an Intel HD Graphics 4000 or better. NO 32-bit support. Alternatively you can load to the cloud and edit with iOS.

♦︎ You can buy space on the GoPro Plus cloud storage is available to store all your photos and video, and share them on social media while you’re on the go, but once again… more to buy. Consider other options like Dropbox Pro or Amazon.

♦︎ No screen protectors or lens cap comes with the HERO5, and must be purchased separately.

♦︎ While the camera is waterproof, the doors to the charging port and battery compartments don’t seem particularly strong. Care should be taken when gaining access to each compartment to maintain this feature. NOTE: In the manual found on the GoPro website (Support) you can learn how to take the charging port door off.

♦︎ GoPro warranty… “Every GoPro comes with a 30 day money back guarantee and a one year GoPro warranty that covers manufacturer defects. This doesn’t cover accidental damage…”. I think that’s pathetic considering how much you pay for these cams, but you can buy GoPro Care within 60 days for an additional $39 from GoPro. “GoPro Care is like AppleCare for your GoPro. It extends the coverage from manufacturer defects to two years, and it adds accidental coverage to your GoPro for two years.” You will pay $79 for accidental damage claims even with GoPro Care, but there are a few other perks that having this coverage provides.

“In addition to a better GoPro Care warranty, buying GoPro Care adds three more features that can help you get a replacement faster and better overall support. GoPro Care includes Rapid Camera Replacement which means that they will send a replacement camera wherever you are — even if you are on vacation or on a shoot. Premium Customer Support includes GoPro expert assistance that includes priority phone support, 24/7 chat and email support for camera and software problems. You also get access to GoPro consulting that can help you learn GoPro editing tips and tricks, access to special insider blogs and best practices.” **Quotes taken from info on the Gotta Be Mobile website.

Info inside the box on how to obtain GoPro Care is in the box if you want it.

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Overall, I like this GoPro HERO5 action cam a lot, and I’m sure I’ll have fun with it. It’s certainly a step up from the GoPro HERO+ LCD [Ecommerce Packaging] I returned in terms of ease of use, audio quality and features.

While I wasn’t sure the HERO5 was worth the money, my initial thoughts are it is and I’m glad I got it.

Obviously there are some things I wish were better and/or included with the HERO5 Black, and yet I’d still recommend it to others in the market for a similar camera. If I planned on using it for recording lots of active pursuits I’d definitely add the GoPro Care warranty.

In addition to an extra battery two other products I purchased for this camera include: Fetch Dog Harness Chest Mount for Gopro HERO 5/4/3 Black Silver Session(10-in-1) and GoPro Tripod Mounts (GoPro Official Mount).

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NOTE: I will update this review as I use this GoPro and adjust my star rating if needed.

Recently used on holiday and found it to be an excellent camera. Only downside was it does not come with a good instruction manuel so I would advise looking on YouTube for some of the many videos explaining how to open and remove the battery etc. The camera is very simple to use and can also be controlled via the GroPro Apps. Images and videos can be very easily transferred to your smartphone. The screen is very small but this is really a click and forget type camera and the camera is always in focus. The actual footage is very good. Also used underwater and the footage was amazing. I would really recommend this camera. 10/10!

Also there are many accessories you can buy. I purchased one but the underwater float was junk and so I purchased a genuine GroPro holder/float and it did won’t it said it would do. Please don’t risk spending £100’s on your camera and trust it to a piece of junk buy the genuine GoPro handle/float. They are worth the £20.

Ho deciso di recensire questo prodotto sperando di essere d’aiuto a chi come me cercava queste info prima dell’acquisto.
a livello tecnico non aggiungo altro di quello gia’ detto da persone piu’ competenti di me.
il mio uso di questa action cam e’ esclusivamente di riprese in moto, venendo da una Nilox Foolish mi aspettavo delle differenze qualitative ma non così abissali…vorrei precisare che guido una Ducati e come gli appassionati sapranno le vibrazioni sono altissime rendendo le riprese mooolto mosse quasi fastidiose.
cercavo recensioni che mi dessero indicazioni se cambiare moto oppure videocamera….:-) ho optato per la soluzione piu’ economica e ieri mi e’ arrivata la mia 5Black.
provata subito anche in condizioni di pessimo asfalto….che dire il video e’ stabile e con una definizione spettacolare anche senza usare il 4K
SODDISFATTISSIMO