GoPro HERO6: Looks exactly like the HERO5 but that’s a good thing

Much like Google has become the household name for search engines (no, nobody uses Bing, get out of here), GoPro is pretty much the go-to brand for users looking for an action cam that works and that can last.

Today, the company revealed their latest and most powerful action cam ever — the GoPro HERO6 Black — which, despite its similar exterior, may be one of the biggest new GoPro launches the company has made in a long time.

What’s new?

Definitely not the looks. In fact, it looks so similar to the old model that you probably didn’t notice that the photo above is actually a picture of the HERO5 Black. That said, similarity in this respect may not be a bad thing because the HERO5 Black is pretty much everything you’d want a GoPro to be.

Much like its predecessor, the HERO6 is still a tough cookie. It’s still got that rugged rubberised body, it’s still waterproof up to 10m in depth and it still features a touch screen.

Most of its upgrades are behind the scenes — inside the GoPro HERO6. At its core, the biggest difference is their new image processor that the company calls the GP1. It’s a custom-designed processor that was created specifically for GoPro. In a world full of tough competition from Chinese brands that all sport the same Ambarella processors (GoPro’s old processor), GP1 is designed to help set GoPro apart from the rest.

With this new processor, the HERO6 Black is capable for shooting stunning 4K video footage at 60fps, 2.7K video at 120fps and Full HD 1080p video at 240fps. GoPro says the HERO6 Black will feature better dynamic range, better low-light performance and better colours than its predecessor thanks to GP1.

Besides that, the HERO6 Black also features what GoPro says is the most advanced electronic image stabilisation ever on a HERO camera. It’s supposed to be predictive and recognise the movement you’re about to make then compensate for that.

We didn’t get to test this out for ourselves, but it will be interesting to see if it matches the almost magical stabilisation of Sony’s FDR-X3000.

Other features on the HERO6 also include built-in GPS, an accelerometer and a gyroscope.

Focusing on their storytelling approach, GoPro also included 5GHz WiFi for faster footage offloading speeds. It also works with GoPro’s QuikStories application that will automatically select the highlights from all your recorded footage combine them together to form a proper video with music.

Since it shares the same body as the HERO5, all your mounts that worked with the older camera will also work with this new one. That includes GoPro’s drone, the GoPro Karma.

GoPro HERO6 Black will be priced at RM2,399 and is available for purchase at all authorised dealers nationwide.

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As interesting as the HERO6 is, GoPro also gave us a glimpse at their new 360 camera, the GoPro Fusion. I know I gave it a hard time when it was first teased, but as the details of this product were released following its launch, we actually think GoPro has the best idea for what 360 video should be.

Unfortunately, we didn’t get a chance to really play with the device at the HERO6’s launch today, we got to see it in person and it looks just like a really big GoPro.

Something noteworthy about this 360 camera is its lenses are actually slightly offset. According to the company, this makes it easy to stitch footage together but we’ll have to test it out for ourselves before we can confirm their claims.

Still, the reason GoPro’s new Fusion is interesting is because of OverCapture. The idea behind the Fusion is that you shoot all angles of your experience, then in post you select the angle you want and frame it in your traditional square/rectangle video format.

This takes the complexities out of needing to frame each shot before you set off on your epic adventure. It also adds a layer of depth to the 360 camera and makes it a lot more conducive for storytelling. I don’t know if you’ve tried to watch a 360-degree movie before or not, but if you have, you should know how awful the experience is.

GoPro’s Fusion is available for pre-orders in the US while the rest of the world should get it sometime next year. There’s no local price for it yet but it’s retailing for USD699 (RM2,950) in the States.