GoPro's Hero8 Black features better stabilisation, adds 'mods'

GoPro has announced its latest action camera, the Hero8 Black.

Clearly seeing the threat of the recently announced DJI Osmo Action, there's plenty included over the Hero7, including software improvements like Hypersmooth 2.0, GoPro’s second-generation stabilisation technology that features a ‘Boost’ mode and an auto horizon leveling mode, a built-in mount, a 14% lighter weight, enhanced audio and new expansion mods. The Hero8 Black is also waterproof down to 10m.

The Hero8 Black features ‘Media Mod,’ effectively a series of optional add-ons. The base Media Mod adds a shotgun microphone, a 3.5mm microphone port, a Micro HDMI out port, a USB-C Port and two cold-shoe mounts, and GoPro have already launched a 1.9in flip-up LCD Display Mod and a waterproof LED Lighting Mod.

On the software side GoPro has also added a new feature called ‘Digital Lenses', which crops the image to replicate the framing of four different lens profiles: Narrow, Linear, Wide and SuperView.

There's also the ability to stream 1080p video, and a new LiveBurst mode that captures a whopping 90 photos before the shutter button is hit, and Nightlapse mode that records day to night timelapses in 4K, 2.7K, 1440p or 1080p.

Otherwise, base features are similar to the Hero7, with the same ability to shoot 4K/60p and 1080/240p video.

Finally GoPro have added Presets to the Hero8 Black, which provide a series of suggested baseline settings that can be flicked between depending on chosen subject matter. The ‘Cinematic’ preset for example shoots 4K/30p video, and ‘Slo-Mo’ shoots 1080/240p video.

Pricing and availability

The HERO8 Black ($599.95) is available to preorder now at GoPro.com, with shipments beginning 15 October, and at select retail partners starting 20 October.

Mods will be available from December, starting at $84.95 for the Light Mod, and $139.95 for the Media Mod and front-facing display Mod.

Finally there's GoPro MAX, a dual-lens GoPro camera that will retail for $799.95. 

For more on all the new cameras and accessories, visit GoPro.