GoPro’s new Hero 13 flagship has interchangeable lenses and a little brother

The GoPro Hero 13’s biggest upgrades are on the outside, with interchangeable lenses, a magnetic mount, and a magnetic charger. But that doesn’t mean nothing’s changed on the inside; it gets a bigger battery with new power delivery and is priced at $399.

GoPro It’s launched its flagship action camera for 2024: the Hero 13 Black, and the GoPro Hero, an entry-level, low-cost version without the bells and whistles, priced at $199 (AU$295). Both of these cameras come with innovations that improve what’s been the gold standard action camera for years.

Let’s start with the new stuff, the Hero 13 Black now allows slow-motion 720p video recording at 400 frames per second. Read that again, 400 fps! It also has a larger 1,900mAh Enduro battery, up from the 1,720mAh unit that powered the previous-gen Hero 12 Black.

More importantly, GoPro now also offers a Contacto Magnetic Door and Power Cable Kit for a seamless charging experience thanks to a pogo-pin-style latch – this can power the device directly even if there’s no battery inside. Oh, and it charges underwater, too.

Speaking of magnets, remember how much everyone loves magnetic mounting DJI Osmo Action cameras? It looks like the GoPro team has taken notice, as the Hero 13 Black now gets its own magnetic latch mount.

Then there are the lenses. Yes, the ones you could previously purchase as third-party accessories. The new Hero Black has released a slew of configurable lens mods. Starting with GoPro’s first lens mod, there’s an Ultra Wide Lens that expands the GoPro Hero 13’s field of view to 177°. It also supports 1:1 video ratio, which you can crop to 16:9 or 19:6 after editing. Great for those who want to shoot both portrait and landscape content.

The latest addition to the world of lenses is the all-new Macro Lens Mode, which reduces the Hero 13’s focal length to 4.3 inches (11 cm), allowing you to capture smaller objects up close in much greater detail.

Next up is the Anamorphic Lens, which offers a 21:9 wide-angle view for an enhanced cinematic look; and of course, the signature horizontal lens flare that enthusiasts often appreciate.

On top of that, the camera itself will handle “compressing” the video internally, so you don’t have to bother with post-production. Most importantly for non-pros, the Hero 13 Black Protune will automatically change your settings, resolution, and frame rate to match the lens mode attached, making it much easier to just point and shoot.

Then there’s an ND filter pack that can be used to unlock slower shutter speeds in bright light. It includes ND4, ND8, ND16 and ND32 filters, which should be perfect for adding some sweet motion blur to an image.

This launch was a dark day for aftermarket accessory manufacturers. ActionBox Cinema enclosure we saw earlier this year GoPro Hero 9 and its successors. You could argue that GoPro should have released these lenses sooner, especially since third-party alternatives have been around for a while. But you know what they say: better late than never. Right?

But much remains the same on the inside. Those expecting a larger 1-inch sensor will be disappointed here. The core imaging capabilities of the GoPro Hero 13 Black carry over from the Hero 12 Black, with the same 1/1.9″ CMOS 8:7 sensor and GP2 CPU. The camera supports 5.3K video recording at an 8:7 aspect ratio, while maintaining the same video and image resolutions. Additionally, the HyperSmooth 6.0 stabilization (which was already nearly flawless) remains.

But with this release, GoPro is promising better thermal performance, whether the camera is static or moving with airflow. The company claims the new Hero 13 has longer runtimes in both hot and cold conditions. GPS has also been reintroduced. This means you can not only search for a specific video by location, but the camera can also record telemetry information like route, speed, and altitude, which you can then incorporate into your clip. Connectivity has also been improved with faster WiFi 6 technology, which delivers 40% faster transfer speeds.

Phone manufacturers often choose to offer a flagship device with maximum performance alongside a lower-cost, more affordable base variant, and it looks like GoPro has taken a page from their book.

In our eyes, the $200 cheaper Hero 13 (not Black) makes a lot of sense for those who just want a simple, no-frills action camera. It has a lower-spec S75N CPU compared to the flagship GP2 processor, and as a result, it has a reduced recording resolution of 4K at 30fps and no slow-motion option above 60fps. But it does have a rear screen for adjusting and reviewing your shots.

The Hero 13 Black costs $399 (AU$593) for the camera alone, but for $599 (AU$890) you can get the camera along with a Volta Power Grip, Media Mod, and Light Mod. As for accessories and mods, the Ultra-Wide Lens Mod costs $99.99 (AU$149) and both the Macro Lens Mod and Anamorphic Lens Mod cost $129.99 (AU$193). Additionally, the ND Filter 4-Pack will set you back $69.99 (AU$105), while the Contacto Magnetic Door and Power Cable Kit will set you back $79.99 (AU$119).

All available for pre-order GoPro.comShipping and on-shelf sales will begin next week.

Source: GoPro