Reviews roundup – GoPro Hero 9 : Should you buy it?
Here’s a roundup of all the GoPro Hero 9 reviews, ratings and impressions from the web. Discover its strengths and weaknesses here!
Released in September 2020, the GoPro Hero 9 is an actioncam featuring a 20MP sensor, a wide angle lens, a 1.4” front colour display, a 2.27” rear touch display and a 10m waterproof body.
The camera can snap pictures in RAW, JPG and HDR format. Videos are shot in 1080p at up to 240 fps, 4K up to 60fps and 5K in 30 fps. Snapshots and videos are saved on a microSDHC or microSDXC card.
The GoPro Hero 9 can be voice activated and wirelessly controlled through Wi-Fi. There is a built-in mounting, and the camera is stabilized with the proprietary Hypersmooth 3.0 system. The removable battery can last around 2 hours in 4K mode. This tiny camera weighs only 158g, battery and microSD card included.
So what do the critics think of the GoPro Hero 9?
Overall most reviews say that the GoPro Hero 9 is a good improvement on its predecessor. The picture and video quality is great. The in-camera stabilization and horizon levelling are working pretty well.
The front screen comes really handy for selfie-style pictures or podcasts. The remote control app is easy to use and responsive. Reviews are overall not happy with the new subscription model pushed by the company. The GoPro Hero 9 is significantly more expensive than the Hero 8 at launch, and lacks backward compatibility with previous gear.
- 5K Video - Shoot stunning video with up to 5K resolution, perfect for maintaining detail even when zooming in
- 20MP Photo with SuperPhoto - Capture crisp, pro-quality photos with 20MP clarity. And with SuperPhoto, HERO 9 Black can automatically pick all the best image processing for you
- Front Display plus Rear Touch Screen - A new, larger rear touch screen with touch zoom on HERO9 Black and a dazzling new front display makes for easy framing and intuitive camera control.Included...
Most reviews like…
- Amazing video stabilization
- 4K and 5k video modes
- 14.7 photo grabs from videos
- front panel
- handy remote control app
- overall build quality
Most reviews don’t like…
- Steep price tag
- Laggy rear touchscreen
- Poor quality of night shots
- Expensive add-ons such as the MaxLens
- Subscription-based business model
- Lack of backward compatibility with batteries and accessories
For more infos about the positive and negatives sides of the GoPro Hero 9, check out the selection of reviews below:
Websites Reviews
Trustedreviews.com – ★★★★★ – ‘The GoPro Hero 9 Black’s most important changes are to do with ease of use rather than image quality, but there’s nothing wrong with that.’
Cameralabs.com – ★★★★★ (Highly Recommended)
Theverge.com – 8.5/10
Expertreviews.co.uk – 5/5 (Recommended) – ‘If you’re looking for the best GoPro Hero camera, end your search, this is it. The refinements made to the overall design, UI and performance all come together to create a solid, versatile action camera – and the Hypersmooth 3.0 stabilisation is second to none.’
Engadget.com – 92/100 – ‘The new front display, new sensor, new/higher resolution in tandem with some decent software features go a long way to making the Hero 9 feel like a very different camera.’
Wired.com – 9/10 (Recommended)
Techradar.com – ★★★★★ – ‘The GoPro Hero 9 Black is the most powerful and versatile action camera you can buy, but for most people its predecessor offers better value. While the new sensor and front display are useful additions, the changes don’t collectively represent a big leap over the Hero 8 Black. Its slightly unresponsive touchscreen is also a little frustrating, even if a firmware fix is en route. No other action can match the Hero 9 Black’s skillset, but others do currently edge it for value.’
Digitalcameraworld.com – ★★★★★ (Gold Award) – ‘Action cameras and going modular. GoPro’s latest attempt to get one-up on the DJI Osmo Action and the Akaso Brave 7 LE means a front display for vloggers and taking selfies, high-resolution photos and video grabs, but most importantly a removable lens cover. The latter makes it ready for GoPro’s new Max Lens Mod, though at its core this action camera’s excellent stabilization, clever time-lapse modes and higher resolutions make the Hero9 Black pricey, but worth it despite its larger physical size than previous iterations.’
Youtube reviews
Amazon users reviews
- 5K Video - Shoot stunning video with up to 5K resolution, perfect for maintaining detail even when zooming in
- 20MP Photo with SuperPhoto - Capture crisp, pro-quality photos with 20MP clarity. And with SuperPhoto, HERO 9 Black can automatically pick all the best image processing for you
- Front Display plus Rear Touch Screen - A new, larger rear touch screen with touch zoom on HERO9 Black and a dazzling new front display makes for easy framing and intuitive camera control.Included...
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