GoPro unveils the Hero 8 Black, its latest US$399.99 action camera

GoPro has, as expected, unveiled two new action cameras, the cheapest of which is the Hero 8 Black. The camera succeeds the Hero 7 Black, although GoPro will continue to sell the latter for US$329.99. The Hero 8 Black costs US$70 more at US$399.99 but features an overhauled design among other changes. (buy Hero 7 now at Amazon)

The Hero 8 Black has a 12 MP sensor that can shoot in up to 4K at 60 FPS or 1080p at 240 FPS. T(he camera supports 8x slow-motion like its predecessor, but GoPro has increased live-streaming resolution from 720p to 1080p. The Hero 8 Black can currently live stream to Facebook and YouTube, for reference. The camera supports all features that GoPro included on the Hero 7 Black including voice commands but also features second-generation versions of its HyperSmooth and TimeWarp technologies. GoPro has also added a fourth lens that it calls Narrow, which has a 27 mm field of view (FoV).

Hero 8 Black is compatible with many existing GoPro accessories too, including The Handler, and features integrated mounts that GoPro calls Folding Fingers. Additionally, the company has released Hero 8 Black versions of its Floaty and Protective Housing accessories. Confirming previous leaks, GoPro has also announced three accessories that it calls "Mods". The Display Mod, Light Mod and Media Mod will all be available from December, although there is currently no official word yet on pricing. It seems that the Display Mod and Light mod, as rumors previously claimed, attach onto the Media Mod, meaning that you may need to buy the Media Mod with one of the other two accessories. The Media Mod features a shotgun microphone, a 3.5 mm microphone jack, an HDMI-out and two cold-shoe mounts for reference.

Sadly, one rumor that proved untrue was of the processor on which GoPro has based the Hero 8 Black. Previously, there had been talk of the company using the GP2 processor, but that is not the case. While the company does not explicitly refer to the processor in its Hero 8 Black product listing, comparing its new action camera against its predecessor reveals that they are both based on the in-house GP1 processor.

The Hero 8 Black is available to order now US$399.99 including a complimentary 32 GB SanDisk Extreme microSD card. Pre-orders will start shipping on October 15. ()