It comes a little later than usual, but once again this year GoPro has presented its new line of action cameras with which to capture ski resorts, motor videos and all kinds of extreme sports scenes. This year it is the turn of the GoPro HERO 13 Black, and after being able to test it for a week I'm going to tell you what I think of this new generation of the action camera par excellence. Are there many changes compared to the GoPro 12?
Without major technical changes
The new GoPro 13 includes quite a few new features in all kinds of aspects, but as far as image quality is concerned we are not going to find many surprises. On the one hand, the rumored 1-inch sensor is still missing, and although the brand has not specified it, everything points to the fact that we are facing the same sensor with 5,3K resolution how good the results are outdoors.
The HLG hybrid HDR range has been included, which offers a wider range of colours with 10-bit recording, but in general we still get videos with noise and loss of definition as was the case with the GoPro 12. In that case, recording without HDR will give us better results. There are also no changes in night shots, situations where the camera continues to suffer from noise and the watercolour finish of the darker areas.
Anecdotal mention of the presence of bursts of up to 120 frames per second in 5,3K resolution or a surprising 400 FPS at 720p, another novelty that does not bring anything particularly remarkable but it is good to be able to enjoy the function to be able to obtain super slow motion scenes with a lot of detail.
Perfecting the total camera
But if there's one thing that has always characterized the GoPro camera, it's that without wanting to be one, it became the camera that was good for everything. It doesn't matter if you're jumping off a cliff, recording a recipe in the kitchen or making a vlog on the street. The little GoPro has made its way into all kinds of contexts, but the reality is that the results could be improved, basically because the camera wasn't prepared for so much diversity.
For this reason the manufacturer has introduced its new line of interchangeable lenses, accessories that will expand the versatility of the camera, obtaining better results than when using the original lens. The one I liked the most is the macro lens (139,99 euros), precisely because before, when I was recording people and tried to get closer, the final image would appear slightly out of focus. With this new lens I can get the camera closer to a maximum of 11 centimetres, obtaining infinitely more focused images than before in detailed shots.
El ND filter kit (79,99 euros) GoPro cameras take advanced photography and filmmaking a step further by allowing you to shoot at long shutter speeds without overexposing the image. This allows you to achieve motion blur in fairly tricky situations, although the settings require some knowledge. To simplify things, GoPro has included an ingenious magnetic system that allows the camera to know at all times which lens or filter you are using at that moment. So, when you connect one, the camera will apply the optimal settings to record or take perfect photos with the filter that is in place. It's a great idea that makes things much simpler.
The most spectacular lens that we can find in the range of lenses of the HB series is a Anamorphic (139,99 euros) which mimics the look of a film camera with a 21:9 crop and the appearance of flares that give the recording a cinematic feel. Unfortunately, this lens will not go on sale until 2025, so we have not been able to test it to draw any conclusions, so we will have to wait to be able to try our hand at filmmaking.
Improving comfort
Other changes that have been included in the camera are related to comfort and ease of use. For example, the cover in charge of protecting the battery has always been perfectly sealed, however, its opening mechanism is sometimes too uncomfortable due to its robustness. With the idea of making it easier to charge the camera, the manufacturer has launched a Magnetic interchangeable cover (89,99 euros) It has magnetic connection pins, so that we only have to bring the charging connector close to it so that it sticks quickly and we can charge the battery, and it also serves to have continuous power and not stop recording. We celebrate it.
On the other hand, and continuing with magnets, a new camera grip system has been included that can be removed from the camera with a click. This allows the camera to be detached from a tripod with a mount in a matter of seconds, avoiding having to manually unscrew the classic grip screw of GoPro accessories.
This magnetic clamp is very reminiscent of the one included in DJI action cameras, but in the case of GoPro, the design has allowed the grip fins to be kept integrated into the camera, as well as the tripod thread, something that allows for a lower profile and greater impact resistance.
Battery for more action
One of the most common problems for many GoPro users is related to high temperatures. On many occasions, if we start recording uninterruptedly at maximum resolution, the camera could turn off for safety reasons and this causes interruptions in the video recording. This is not a problem that I have personally encountered since I do not usually record endless clips, but the manufacturer wanted to solve it by applying some changes.
For starters, the battery has been completely redesigned, now offering More capacity with 1.900 mAh. This immediately translates into longer recording time, something that is quickly demonstrated, but in addition, the resistance to prolonged sessions in hot environments has been improved, especially when recording in 10 bits, which is when the camera is most demanded. According to the brand's figures, in environments without air flow, 5,3K video goes from 30 minutes of recording on the GoPro 12 to 41 minutes with the new GoPro HERO 13 Black.
Is the new GoPro HERO 13 Black worth it?
We are still looking at a fantastic action camera, very durable and with excellent image quality, however, it is exactly the same as we can find in the HERO 12. How you get the most out of it will depend on your creative skills, since in that case this model does offer much more. Its interchangeable lens system has opened up a fairly wide range of possibilities, as well as slow motion burst modes or the return of GPS, with the help of the Quick application we can insert data such as speed, altitude and G forces into the video.
Ultimately, it is not a camera that requires upgrading from the previous model, but it is a model that will enrich the most creative content creators. Its launch price is 449,99 Euros, although you will have to take into account the price of all the accessories if you want to have the complete production kit.