GoPro Hero 10 Black is currently the most powerful action camera on the market, meeting the demands of professionals and amateurs worldwide whether you want to use it for capturing extreme action sports, traveling to some beautiful destinations, or everyday vlogging. The best thing about GoPro is that it can go anywhere with you, fits in your pocket, and it’s fully waterproof so that you can record every type of activity with it.
Hero 10 Black is focused on improving the best features from its previous models and fixes the issues with Hero 9 Black. It’s now FASTER, more Responsive, 2x more powerful, and on top of that, it can record in stunning 5.3k resolution up to 60 fps but is it worth it??? In this article, let’s dive deeper into its new features and see how much of an improvement GoPro has made with its current flagship camera.
PROS:
- NEW GP2 Processor
- 5k 60 fps, 4k 120 fps, 2.7k 240 fps
- Improved touchscreen performance + Real-time preview on the Front LCD screen
- Hyper smooth 4.0 + better Horizon Leveling
- Backward compatibility with Hero 9 accessories
CONS:
- Overheating issues at the highest settings
- Expensive without subscription
- Mediocre battery life
- Still poor performance in low light
Table of Contents
Things to consider before buying GoPro Hero 10 Black.
As I highlighted above, GoPro Hero 10 Black is an ideal camera for capturing all sorts of activities; it’s effortless to attach the camera to practically anything, considering you purchase the right accessories. It can be mounted on your head, body, or your gear. Plus, it’s tough and waterproof, so Hero 10 can take the beating. It’s almost impossible to miss the shot with it, as GoPro offers an ultra-wide angle lens and incredible image stabilization without a gimbal.
However, like most action cameras on the market, GoPro truly shines with a clear blue sky in broad daylight. Have you ever wondered why you haven’t seen their promotional videos shot in low light or indoors? It’s because these cameras are not meant to be used in poor lighting conditions; because they have a tiny camera sensor, they need lots of light to deliver the best picture quality; otherwise, the video is noisy, grainy, or simply unusable.
In other words, I don’t recommend this camera if you plan to shoot indoors or at night, with little to no light at all. Even your smartphone will capture better video during poor lighting conditions. On the other hand, if you only remember this limitation and decide to use it on a bright sunny day, you can still capture amazing videos with it.
In case you haven’t heard about it, Hero 10 Black highest settings, such as 5.3k resolution in 60 fps or 4k 120 fps, are highly demanding settings for the camera to record with. When you select these settings, it might struggle with overheating problems, and the camera might be pretty hot to the touch. I haven’t experienced it during my daily use because I record short video clips, which are easier to edit in post-production and take up less space on a micro sd card.
However, overheating can be problematic if you plan to record a single video for 30 minutes or more. The camera heats up pretty fast and can shut down in the worst-case scenario. The good thing is that it is much better if you lower these settings to 4k 60 or 4k 30 or don’t record such long videos yet. I want you to be aware of that.
Lastly, I think it’s worth asking if you need the best action camera available. Perhaps you won’t use the full potential of it, and in the end, all you need is 4k 60 fps or 2.7k? In this case, maybe you can save up some money for yourself, and you will be totally satisfied with previous camera models such as GoPro 9, 8, or even 7. They still offer fantastic video quality with outstanding video stabilization, and I’m pretty sure you can get them for a much lower price as GoPro 10 is quite expensive.
If you purchase it with an annual GoPro subscription, it costs around 399$ + 50$ subscription fee for a whole year, so it saves you 100$ off the camera, and you get between 20% – 50% off their accessories on GoPro’s official website. Unfortunately, without the subscription plan, it costs 500$, which is a bit pricey. If you plan to get this camera, I strongly recommend you order it via their official website.
Who is GoPro Hero 10 Black ideally for?
When you first hear the word GoPro, you might think of people jumping out of airplanes, riding downhill on a bicycle in rough terrain, fpv drones flying through tight spaces, and all sorts of crazy activities for adrenaline junkies, right? And yes, thanks to its small size and the fact that you can mount it almost anywhere, GoPro can easily capture all of that.
Yet, I highly recommend you try GoPro for everyday activities; if you want to travel, have fun with your kids, practice your new hobby, etc. It is simply a very versatile camera that can’t be limited to action sports only. Thanks to its ultra-wide angle lens, it’s straightforward to record yourself with it. Besides, it has become an exciting option if you want to vlog to the camera since it has a front LCD screen and better audio performance.
Use it with its impressive video stabilization Hypersmooth 4.0 to get buttery smooth video in almost every scenario, which in the past wasn’t possible without a gimbal. That being said, if you plan to record sports, everyday activities, and everything else while being outdoors during the day, then this camera is worth a try.
Who is GoPro Hero 10 Black not recommended for?
Many people purchase their GoPro and test it sitting at home in their living room and are upset with the quality they got from it. These cameras are not meant to be used in low light during poor lighting conditions. I can’t recommend it whenever you want to use it indoors or at night. You can try raising ISO to boost the camera’s light sensitivity, but the result will be a grainy video, which looks awful.
Additionally, since GoPro uses a wide-angle lens, it is impossible to have a shallow depth of field with it; everything is in razor-sharp focus, both the foreground and the background. Forget about portrait photos with sweet smudgy boke. Action cameras cannot do it as they have fixed focal lengths and a wide field of view. So if you would like to achieve that, then maybe an entry-level DSLR is better for you?
Please ask yourself the following questions before you make a purchase. It should be easier to make a final decision if GoPro Hero 10 Black is the right camera for you.
- Are you interested in 5.3k or 4k resolution for your video?
- Do you need buttery smooth stabilization?
- Is having a front LCD screen a vital factor for vlogging?
- Will you use high frame rate settings such as 5.3k 60, 4k 120, or even 2.7k 240 fps for ultra slow motion projects?
- Are you aware of action camera limitations?
Features and benefits of GoPro Hero 10 Black
NEW GP2 Processor, Twice the performance
At first glance, Hero 10 Black looks almost identical to its predecessor, Hero 9 Black; however, it’s all about what’s inside of Hero 10 that makes the real difference. It has a new GP2 processor that makes this camera faster, more responsive, and more powerful.
Hero 9 black suffered from a slow, unresponsive touch screen that was constantly laggy. It felt like GoPro pushed it to its limits with highly advanced features, front LCD screen, etc.; there wasn’t much they could do to fix it with software updates anymore, and as a result, GoPro has decided to focus more on the inside of Hero 10. The old processor GP1 was first introduced with Hero 6 black in 2017, so it was already five years old at the time, and GoPro had to replace it.
So what exactly does a new processor mean? It allows for higher frame rates, more resolution, a better refresh rate on the Front LCD screen, etc. but most importantly, it gives a better user experience because the touch screen is now much smoother and more responsive to the touch. Its reaction is almost instantaneous, which is a huge step forward compared to Hero 9 Black. Additionally, a new GP2 processor speeds up other functions of the camera, such as power-up times, processing and saving of Super photos or Raw photos, etc. A more responsive touch screen feels so good, and changing different settings is quicker and more precise.
Ultra Slow motion – 5.3k 60 fps, 4k 120 fps, 2.7k 240 fps
The new processor allows GoPro Hero 10 Black to significantly increase its performance in terms of frames per second which is essential if you want to record cinematic slow-motion videos. It doubles what Hero 9 Black can do, as it can record a video in 5.3k 60fps, 4k 120fps, 2.7k 240fps, and sadly still 1080p 240fps. I wish GoPro could give us 1080p in 480 fps to make it even slower. I guess we have to wait another year for that.
I love using 60 fps for my travel content as it is a sweet spot. It is neither too slow nor fast, and it’s perfect for cinematic or travel content. However, for some people, 4k 120 fps offers crispy high-quality resolution with a buttery, slow motion that looks epic. Everything happens so slowly, and it seems surreal. If that’s not enough, you can always choose 2.7k 240 fps. Though, I highly recommend this setting for action sports with some fast movement as it seriously slows things down. If you want to play with the speed of your video and want the best quality possible, Hero 10 Black is worth it.
5.3k video resolution (5312×2988) + 19.6 MP frame grabs from video
GoPro Hero 10 Black can record crispy 5.3k video up to 60 frames per second. Such high video resolution allows for much freedom while editing your video project in post-production, as it can be zoomed in to match a 1080p frame without losing the quality of your video.
Additionally, you can reframe your shot and compose it a little bit better, like keeping the rule of thirds or keeping the model in the center of the frame, etc. 5.3k resolution gives that creative freedom in post-production; in theory, it’s a bit sharper than 4k. Still, honestly, without a proper 5k monitor, I can’t see the real difference between 5.3k and 4k.
I would say that recording in 5.3k resolution takes up a lot of space on your Micro Sd card. You might need a 128 GB or even 256 GB micro sd card on your camera cause it fills up pretty fast when I use a 64 GB card. Apart from that, I noticed that 5.3k resolution consumes the battery of Hero 10 so much quicker. If you record a video for more than 30 minutes, the camera gets hot to the touch and might overheat, causing it to shut down.
Editing that footage also gets quite complicated, especially if you have an older computer, as it might struggle even to play it. Whenever I edit my videos, I use proxy files to replace the original files with low-resolution ones so I can preview my footage without choppy playback. I am not sure if all editing software supports that option, though.
If taking photos with GoPro is too difficult for you to get a perfect shot, then with Hero 10 Black, it is possible to frame-grab an image from a video. The higher your video’s resolution, the better your photo’s quality, so if you use a 5.3k resolution in a 4:3 aspect ratio, you will use the entire camera sensor giving you 19.6 MP photos.
I still prefer taking regular RAW images because it gives me more creative control over my exposure and colors while editing, but it’s perfect if you don’t have time for taking standard photos. You can look for an ideal frame in your video, save it and share it on social media while keeping decent-quality photos.
23.6 Megapixel Photos
Hero 10 Black has also slightly improved photo quality because the new GP2 processor lets it take 23.6 MP photos. Yet, the most significant difference over Hero 9 Black is that Hero 10 can shoot 23.6 MP photos in all photo modes like a single photo, burst, time-lapse photo, etc. It doesn’t matter if you select JPG or RAW format now. With Hero 9 Black, you could only take 20 MP JPG photos even though it has the same image sensor, but 23.6 MP photos were only available in RAW format, which requires some editing skills.
Having 23.6 MP photos is a nice feature to have because the pictures have more details in them. The overall quality may not be as good as some high-end smartphones or DSLRs, but if you can only spend some time editing it, playing with colors and exposure, etc., it will give the best results. On the other hand, if you don’t want to edit your photos, then 23.6 MP JPG is more than enough to have good-quality images for social media.
As far as Megapixels are concerned, I heard that the Insta360 ONE RS camera could capture 48 MP photos which is twice as much as what Hero 10 Black can do. I am unsure about the photo quality or whether or not it looks better, but it seems like GoPro still has something to improve on as they are falling behind the competition.
Video Stabilisation: Hypersmooth 4.0 + Horizon Leveling
Hyper smooth 4.0 is currently the best electronic image stabilization offered by GoPro that works wonders during the day. With all honesty, Hypersmooth 4.0 stabilization is so good that I am pretty sure you won’t need a gimbal for your camera. It stabilizes the camera no matter how you shake it, giving you buttery smooth footage.
However, GoPro has another ace up in its sleeve called Horizon Leveling. This feature was first introduced with GoPro Hero 9 Black, but now it’s even better. Hyper smooth stabilization is responsible for removing all the shakes and vibrations caused by how you move your camera, type of activity, terrain, etc. In contrast, the Horizon Leveling feature holds the horizon perfectly leveled throughout your shot up to a 45° angle. Meaning it’s an almost gimbal-like stabilization that can be used in all sorts of activities and wet environments and is not as fragile as a typical gimbal.
I typically use that feature whenever I record a follow cam of my wife walking along the beach, riding inline skates, etc. It helps me stabilize the scene making it more cinematic and professional. I don’t need to worry about how steady I hold the camera in my hands so I can focus on my composition more. It’s effortless, and I highly recommend you try it. You will be blown away by it.
The horizon Leveling feature is only available with a Linear field of view which digitally crops in on the image. Currently, it’s not possible to use this feature with other areas of view such as Wide or Superview, but as I said, it’s intended for following cams and not POV.
New Hydrophobic Lens
The Protective Lens of GoPro Hero 10 Black is easily removable to replace if it gets scratched or broken. Yet, this new protective lens has a special hydrophobic coating designed to repel water from its surface. Water droplets can easily ruin your footage; they usually cover most of the screen, making your whole video unusable. In the past, it was a common practice to constantly lick a camera lens before entering the water to prevent it… but maybe we don’t have to do it anymore.
I have compared how well this new lens protector repels water droplets against Hero 9 Black, and it seems to do a better job. As you can see in the photo above, there are some tiny drops of water on Hero 10’s lens, while Hero 9 is wholly covered with more significant drops. This protective lens can be purchased as a separate accessory on the GoPro website and is compatible with Hero 9 Black, yet it costs around 19.99 $. It might save you your footage whenever you do any water sports activities.
Backward compatibility + Unique Hero 10/9 accessories
Since GoPro Hero 10 Black shares precisely the same design as Hero 9 Black, it’s compatible with all its accessories. Feel free to use it with Media Mod, Dive housing, MAX Lens Mod, etc. There is no need to purchase any new supplements if you plan to upgrade from Hero 9. Also, Hero 10 Black is compatible with all the universal accessories that have so-called “GoPro” fingers.
Recently, GoPro has revealed a new accessory aimed primarily at vloggers called GoPro Volta. This accessory resembles a simple camera grip. However, it has a built-in 4900 mAh battery that lets you charge your GoPro, extending the battery life up to 4h in 5.3k 30 fps which is impressive. Integrated buttons give you complete control over your camera so you can change between the modes and start/stop the recordings. GoPro Volta can be a remote control so you can control your camera up to 30m away from you. Lastly, as seen in the photo above, it can be used as a small tripod on a flat surface. Overall, it’s an excellent accessory if you want to extend your camera’s battery life, but it’s only compatible with Hero 10 and Hero 9 Black.
1080p Live stream + Webcam support
It’s possible to share your experience in real time as GoPro Hero 10 Black supports a 1080p live stream to Facebook, Youtube, or Twitch. Live streaming your activity from a different point of view with Hypersmooth 4.0 stabilization enabled? Especially in places where you don’t want to take your phone sounds remarkable. As long as you got a good data connection or wifi, you can share it online as you go.
It’s possible to live stream to Facebook pages and profiles, make it public or private. Sadly it’s not possible to share it on Instagram as of today. You can choose a specific resolution between 480p, 720p, or 1080p. The video stream will automatically lower the resolution when the data connection weakens. Live streaming does require pairing your camera with the GoPro Quik app on your mobile phone to be able to work, and you need to stay close to your phone to have a strong signal.
Moreover, Hero 10 Black can also be used as a Webcam, so if you don’t already have a dedicated webcam or prefer a better quality camera than what you got with your laptop, you can use it this way. All you need is a USB cable, a tripod or other mount, and free GoPro Webcam software that works for Windows or Mac.
It’s a great option if you want a wide-angle field of view to show the scene more clearly than your laptop’s camera. Let’s not forget that since GoPro is so small, you can mount it anywhere in your room with endless accessories, so you are not limited to using it with a tripod only. GoPro is not a typical webcam camera, there might be cheaper alternatives, but if you want, it can be used this way.
Hero 10 & 9 rechargeable Enduro Batteries are supposed to give a better battery performance in cold environments where temperatures fall below zero degrees. They will be perfect for winter and any snow activities. These batteries should increase the battery life of Hero 10 and 9 by around 40% in moderate temperatures and offer faster charging rates. I haven’t tested this, as I live in a hot climate, but many recommend it.
GoPro Mods Compatible
Since GoPro Hero 10 Black shares the same design as Hero 9, it is fully compatible with so-called GoPro Mods that can boost your camera performance. These accessories are optional add-ons, yet I highly recommend them if you plan on vlogging with your GoPro or looking for an ultra-wide angle. So let me explain what these accessories are:
GoPro Max Lens Mod – Ultra wide-angle lens that offers MAX Hypersmooth stabilization up to 2.7k 60fps with 360 degrees horizon Lock no matter how you shake the camera; perfect for most POV shots and provides the most expansive field of view on a GoPro camera called MAX Superview. It was pretty expensive, costing 99 $, but it’s fantastic. It is possible to get it for 20% off on GoPro’sGoPro’s official website if you are a GoPro subscriber.
GoPro Media Mod – another optional accessory designed for vlogging, live streaming, etc. Media Mod has a built-in directional microphone with a foam mic cover to reduce wind and deliver better audio quality. 2 cold shoe mounts can be used to attach other accessories, such as light. It also has a 3.5mm mic port to connect an external microphone and HDMI-out for playback on external monitors. This accessory expands the possibilities you can do with your camera, it’s a bit expensive, but if you want to connect other Mods to your GoPro, such as Light Mod or Display Mod, you need it.
GoPro Light Mod – small, compact, yet quite a powerful light for your GoPro. With GoPro Light Mod, you can illuminate your face while vlogging and enlight a subject, etc.; it can be attached to the Media Mod cold shoe mount but can be used as a standalone accessory with other GoPro mounts as well. It’s waterproof to 10m, has four brightness levels, a strobe mode, etc. It also comes with a light diffuser to soften the light on the face. If you plan to vlog with your GoPro, it’s a small yet solid light, an exciting choice, but it might be a better alternative as it costs around 50 $.
GoPro Display Mod – a bigger front-facing camera screen that can be attached at the top of Media Mod for a better preview of your scene. Folding design for more accessible storage and transport. Display Mod was intended to be released along with Hero 8 Black but was delayed by a few months. Now that Hero 10 and Hero 9 have a Front LCD screen built-in, it seems this accessory is a bit redundant and not worth its price as it costs around 80$.
This camera has plenty of other great features, but most of them were introduced with previous camera models, such as Voice commands, a waterproof body, a Front LCD screen, Timewarp, etc. I have decided to focus only on what’s new about Hero 10 Black. If there is any particular feature you like in some older GoPro, you can find it on GoPro Hero 10 Black as well.
Some other alternatives
Insta360 ONE RS– is an exciting action camera with a modular design where you can change individual parts. For example, depending on your needs, you can purchase a standard 4k lens with a 1/2” 48 MP image sensor, but if you want to have unlimited freedom, why not try a 5.7k 360° Lens where you don’t have to worry so much about pointing your camera in the right direction. You can reframe your shot as it can record everything around you in 360 degrees. Lastly, if image quality is your top priority, then the 5.3k 1-inch Lens offers the widest image sensor of all action cameras. This can be especially useful in low light or for a crisp and sharp image. In other words, it’s a good choice if you want a standard action camera that can be transformed into 360 when needed. The key highlights of Insta360 One RS are:
- Modular design ( 4k Lens, 1-inch Lens, 360 Lens)
- Flow State stabilization + 360° Horizon Lock
- 48 Megapixel Photos
- 6k Widescreen Mode
- Waterproof up to 16 ft
- 1445 mAh battery
DJI Action 2 – is so tiny, weighing only 53 grams, making it one of the most miniature action cameras on the market. Featuring a similar magnetic design lets you quickly snap and switch between its modular parts and accessories with ease almost instantaneously. You can quickly attach this camera to your head and, within a few seconds, record with it from your selfie stick, thanks to its magnetic parts. There is no need to unscrew it and waste your time. It’s a perfect point-and-shoot camera where your top priority is how fast you can capture the moment.
Its key features that are worth mentioning are:
- Magnetic design
- 4k 120 fps & Super Wide FOV
- Portable & Wearable
- Rocksteady stabilization + Horizon Steady feature
- Waterproof up to 10m
- Small and compact, weighs only 53 grams
GoPro Hero 9 Black – is still one of the main rivals of Hero 10; there are many similarities between the two as Hero 9 has many if not all of the features included with Hero 10. It’s tough, waterproof up to 10m, offers a Front LCD screen, and shoots crispy 5k 30fps,4k 60fps, or 2.7k 120fps. Hyper smooth 3.0 + Horizon will make your video smooth and steady even without a gimbal. Hero 9 Black can be used with GoPro mods just like Hero 10 Black, which is compatible with +30 GoPro accessories, including the ones for Hero 10. If you are on a budget, it can be purchased for 100$ less than Hero 10 Black. The key features of this camera are:
- 5k 30fps, 4k 60fps , 2.7k 120 fps, 1080p 240fps
- 20 Megapixel JPG photos, 23.6 MP Raw photos
- Front LCD screen, rear touch screen
- GoPro Mods compatible
- Hyper smooth 3.0 stabilization + Horizon Leveling
- Voice Control
- Waterproof up to 10m
Conclusion
GoPro Hero 10 Black is currently the best of the best action cameras in its category. If you are looking for a small, compact, waterproof camera that offers high-quality video, look no further. Hero 10 Black can be used anywhere and anytime, whether you want to record casual everyday videos or even when you plan to capture high-intensity activity. Thanks to the GoPro Mods, you can use this camera for vlogging, connect an external microphone and preview yourself on the Front LCD screen. Thanks to Hypersmooth 4.0 + Horizon leveling, your videos will look smooth and professional, almost as if they were shot on a gimbal. As I said at the beginning of this article, it’s more of evolution than revolution. Hero 10 Black takes everything from Hero 9 Black to a whole new level doubling its performance, speeding up the camera, or fixing some of the Hero 9 Black’s issues.
Hero 10 Black is a bit pricey, costing around 499$ in retail stores. However, I highly recommend you order it from GoPro’s official website and purchase it with a GoPro subscription to save 100$ OFF and get it for 399$. The GoPro subscription also offers a 20-50 % discount on all the original GoPro accessories on their official website, so you can save up some money on those. If you are interested in this camera, it can also be found on Amazon.
However, I suggest seriously considering ordering via their website as they offer the best deal + you get a free 32GB Micro Sd card and free shipping.
For more information, please check out my youtube channel, where you can learn more about GoPro action cameras.
