GoPro Hero 11 Black evaluate
(Pocket-lint) – The motion digicam originator is again with its eleventh mannequin within the Hero sequence, the GoPro Hero 11 Black. On first impressions, the brand new Hero appears equivalent to each the Hero 9 and 10 that got here earlier than it, however do not be fooled, there’s loads happening below the floor right here.
There is a new sensor on the core of the Hero 11, and it brings with it some thrilling new prospects. There’s additionally a transfer to 10-bit color and better bitrates than ever earlier than, which is certain to be welcome information to skilled customers.
If that every one sounds a bit complicated, the model has additionally created a simplified mode which permits rookies to rise up and operating with no need to know all of the technical jargon.
So, with these options in thoughts, it will appear that Hero 11 has set its sights on being the proper motion digicam for professionals and newcomers alike. It is an formidable aim, so we have been placing the brand new digicam to the take a look at as a way to discover out if it succeeds.
On the floor, it might seem to be a generational refinement, however the actuality is that plenty of small adjustments come collectively to make the Hero 11 Black really feel like an enormous enchancment over its predecessor.
Seeing because the Hero 10 Black was already our favorite motion digicam, the Hero 11 is extraordinarily simple to suggest. In the event you’re a beginner, the better menu choices make this an excellent place to start out, and for seasoned execs, 10-bit color, larger bitrates and extra FOV choices preserve issues thrilling.
In fact, a brand new chassis would make issues much more fascinating, however this tried and true design is user-friendly and sturdy – plus the model launched the Hero 11 Mini alongside this mannequin, which brings a brand new type issue to the desk.
In the event you’re out there for an motion cam, that is seemingly the very best you will discover at present. The Hero 11 Black can do all of it.
GoPro Hero 11 Black
4.5 stars – Pocket-lint really useful
- HyperView presents extraordinarily vast FOV
- The brand new 8:7 mode brings enhancing flexibility
- HyperSmooth is healthier than ever
- 10-bit color and better bitrates
- Enduro battery included
- Far more dependable app connection
- Identical design because the Hero 9 and 10
- Pretty cumbersome and heavy for an motion digicam
- Low-light video remains to be a weak level
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Design
- Weight: 154g
- Waterproof as much as 10m / 33ft
- Replaceable hydrophobic lens cowl
The design of the Hero 11 Black is equivalent to the Hero 10 Black, which in flip was equivalent to the Hero 9 Black. All that is modified is that the brand new mannequin has an 11 printed on the aspect, so there’s not loads to speak about on the design entrance.
This isn’t essentially a foul factor, nevertheless, because it means the Hero 11 maintains compatibility with GoPro’s expansive lineup of mounts and equipment. It additionally signifies that batteries are interchangeable between all three fashions, which is available in extraordinarily helpful while you’re operating low on juice.
Waterproofing stays unchanged, and we nonetheless get the superb hydrophobic coating on the lens protector. GoPro’s supplies state that the digicam is 1 gram lighter than the Hero 10, however our scales measured 0.3 grams heavier. Both approach, the 2 cameras weigh about the identical.
We might like to see a discount in weight, as this is among the heavier motion cameras in the marketplace, however GoPro has additionally launched the Hero 11 Mini which might appease these seeking to shave weight with out compromising on high quality. We’ll hopefully be giving the digicam’s slimmed-down sibling a radical testing within the close to future, too.
Video and Picture seize
- Video decision: 5.3K/60fps, 4K/120fps, 2.7K/240fps
- Picture decision: 27MP
- HyperSmooth 5.0 and 360-degree horizon lock
- 10-bit color and 120Mbps bitrate
As we talked about up high, the spotlight right here is the Hero 11 Black’s new bigger sensor. Nonetheless, as an alternative of simply rising the sensor dimension within the hopes of gaining higher low-light efficiency and readability, GoPro has taken a special method.
The brand new sensor has an 8:7 facet ratio and this almost-square format permits for far more headroom. Consequently, the digicam will get the brand new HyperView digital lens, improved HyperSmooth throughout the board, 360-degree horizon locking and the flexibility to decide on between vertical and horizontal cropping after capturing.
What’s extra, the Hero 11 is the primary motion digicam that advantages from 10-bit color, which suggests it captures over 1 billion shades of color, in comparison with 16.7 million colors within the 8-bit recording mode. This is available in very helpful throughout post-production, particularly in the event you shoot in a flat profile. It additionally signifies that Hero 11 footage might be higher matched to bigger skilled cameras, and that is certain to excite anybody working in skilled video environments.
For us, the brand new HyperView lens was one of many standout options. The extraordinarily vast and distorted field-of-view creates a superb sense of pace and pleasure for first-person pictures. It is not one thing you’d wish to use in each situation, because the distortion is fairly excessive, however when used with a chest mount it appears superb.
HyperSmooth stabilisation, which was already glorious within the final couple of releases, has been improved even additional. The most important change is the brand new AutoBoost mode, which mechanically prompts when the digicam will get significantly shaky, easily zooming in on the footage to maintain issues tremendous regular. That is the form of impact that might solely be achieved in post-production on earlier fashions, so having it baked into the digicam is a wonderful time saver.
Horizon levelling now works with full 360 rotation, which is successfully like having the Max Lens Mod constructed proper into the digicam – albeit with a narrower field-of-view. It is a cool function and means that you can throw the digicam within the air or strap it onto a automobile steering wheel whereas the ensuing video stays completely steady. That stated, in our day-to-day use, it is not one thing we have usually wanted.
What we discovered far more helpful was the brand new 8:7 capturing mode, it is a superb addition and, in use, reminds us of the best way we edit footage from 360 cameras just like the Insta360 X3. Primarily this video mode captures the entire 8:7 sensor, then within the app, you possibly can select to export it as a 16:9 video for YouTube, a 9:16 for TikTok and a 4:3 in your Instagram grid. It is a actually helpful option to cowl all your desired platforms in a single shot.
Pictures also can benefit from the total sensor, and you need to use the app to reframe your snaps to horizontal, vertical and 4:3 codecs. As well as, we’re given a small bump in decision, now 27MP in comparison with 23MP on the Hero 10.
The Hero 10 already produced the very best footage of any motion digicam that we have examined, and the Hero 11 appears even higher because of its larger bitrate and color depth. We predict GoPro’s method was sensible right here – we weren’t missing in body price choices or decision on the Hero 10, so as an alternative selecting to give attention to capturing modes makes a a lot better distinction in follow.
Options and battery
- Swappable 1720mAh Enduro battery
- New easy-control mode and night time results
- GP2 processor
The Hero 11 Black ships with the upgraded Enduro battery within the field, and when mixed with its refined firmware, GoPro says it presents a 38 per cent enhance in recording time over the usual Hero 10. In actuality, you will nonetheless seemingly wish to convey multiple battery on an extended day capturing, but it surely’s a particular enchancment, which must be much more noticeable in chilly climate.
The digicam makes use of the identical GP2 processor as final yr’s mannequin. On the Hero 10, it impressed us with the menu fluidity and contact display screen responsiveness, and we’re pleased to see that continues to be the identical right here. What has been improved, although, is the best way we work together with the menus.
GoPro has realised that after round twenty years of regularly including options, its menus had develop into considerably intimidating, particularly for these new to the world of video-making. To make issues simpler for rookies, the digicam now ships in Simple Mode whereby you merely select between the very best high quality or prolonged battery life, and the digicam just about figures out the remaining. When you’re able to dive into the extra superior settings, switching to Professional Mode brings again the wealth of settings and configurability we’re accustomed to.
Additionally new on this mannequin, are some glorious time-lapse presets for mild portray, car trails and star trails. These work excellently, permitting you to seize flashy footage with no post-processing in any way.
The Quik app has additionally seen upgrades together with the flexibility to auto-upload your footage to the cloud at supply decision. The service will even be capable to ship you AI-generated spotlight movies, however throughout our testing, this had but to be carried out.
Lastly (and it is a large one for us), the pairing course of to attach your GoPro to the app appears to have been vastly improved. We’re not precisely certain what has modified, but it surely now works flawlessly with our Android units – in stark distinction to earlier GoPro cameras.
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At first look, it might seem like an iterative replace, however the Hero 11 Black brings plenty of new options to the desk. The model could not have been capable of proceed doubling framerates, however there’s greater than sufficient right here to make it a compelling improve for current customers. In the meantime, pro-level options like 10-bit color develop the digicam’s viewers even additional.
Writing by Luke Baker.
