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GoPros to Avoid
GoPro still sells the Hero 12, and there are plenty of Hero 11s and even Hero 10s out there for sale online (mostly from shady, shady Amazon sellers). We advise you to avoid all of them. They might work better, but they’re usually not cheaper than the Hero 13.
Best GoPro Accessories
Photo: Scott Gilbertson
Should you buy a bundle? Most of the time, I say no. Get a camera, think about it, and see how you end up using it. When you find yourself trying to solve a problem, start looking for something more. Here are some of my favorite products that I’ve tried and used, but if you have a favorite that you think I should try, leave a comment below. Note that most of these mounts will work well with the new Mission 1 camera, although there are some exceptions I’ve added for this.
A good MicroSD card for $50: According to GoPro tipsyou need a microSD card with V30 or UHS-3. That said, GoPros can be quite tolerant of SD cards. I have been fortunate enough to recommend this version of the Samsung Pro Plus. Another card I have used a lot is SanDisk Extreme Pro.
GoPro Media Mod for $100: By far my most used add-on, the media add-on, but usually this is more than enough because you can connect a real microphone (I use mine with and Rode Wireless). Sound quality is improved with this one. This may not be necessary if you get the Hero 12 or later, as these models have support for Bluetooth mics, but the quality of the Bluetooth audio is not very good. The Mission 1 Pro supports USB mics out of the box, not requiring a Media Mod, although it is available. The Media Mod for Mission 1 cameras ($150) adds an HDMI port for video playback in 4K.
GoPro Handlebar Mount for $40: I’ve been riding a lot lately, and this mount stays on my bike these days. It’s been solid in my testing, beating every third-party mount I’ve tested.
GoPro Floaty for $35: If you’re going anywhere near water, grab one of these. Trust me, you will drop your GoPro, and when you do, you’ll be glad you have it (unless the water is clear and you’re a free swimmer). GoPro originally listed this as compatible with the Mission 1 Pro. I couldn’t find my trial session in Floaty, so the support list disappeared from the GoPro website. For now it looks like you’ll have to settle for one of Amazon’s knockoffs of the Mission 1. GoPro also makes them Hand Holding Float ($23), which not only floats but also has a diving or diving line.
GoPro Selfie Stick for $80: The 48-inch extension antenna collapses into a surprisingly small object and is not too heavy. It’s the best selfie stick I’ve ever used. I don’t use it for selfies, but it makes a good monopod on soft ground, like a sandy beach.
DaVinci Resolve Studio for $300: This is my video editing software of choice. There is a free version, but I got tired of changing the media to fit the restrictions of the free version. Best money I’ve ever spent on making better videos. I have found that the latest LLM sharpening tools in Resolve pair very well with GP-Log2 video from Mission 1 Pro.
Do More With Your GoPro
GoPro Hero 13 Black in color White with Anamorphic Lens includedPhoto: Scott Gilbertson
So you bought a GoPro, now what? Aside from reading this book and learning how to control it, the best thing to do is go out and try it. Here are some ideas and things I use my GoPro for regularly.
GoPro Labs: GoPro Labs is an alternative firmware for your GoPro Hero camera that supports all kinds of features and experiments that allow you to do things that you can’t do with the stock firmware. There is a risk of instability and bugs, but I have been using the Labs firmware for five years now and have never had a problem. It’s like adding 10 new features to your GoPro for free. I’ll mention a few of my favorites in the sections below, but you can see a list of what you can do with GoPro Labs on the GoPro Labs website.
Timeline Videos: When I mount a GoPro on my bike, this is my most used part. GoPro’s time lapse is easy to use (compared to most mirrorless cameras anyway), and with the Labs firmware you can do it a very long-term viewfor 24 hours if you have a backup battery pack.
Increase the Bitrate: By default the Hero 13 Black does not record at the highest bitrate. This is probably the reason why your video looks so blurry and blurry and sharp like it should be. Adjust this by going to the ProTune settings and selecting “high” bitrate. If you want to be crazy you can use Labs to increase your bitrate to 200 (default “high” in stock firmware is 100). The caveat is that depending on your SD card, you may not be able to record much. But everything helps. The trade-off is that raising the bitrate chews up the battery and can cause overheating, so if you’re shooting in very hot environments, you might want to dial it down. Some photos are better than no photos because you were too hot and the camera shut down.
Learn Manual Exposure: The Hero 13 Black gives you all the power on display, so take advantage. Play with compensation in particular (called EV Comp in the settings). Try dialing it down to -1 to shoot during the day. Also play with max ISO. The lower you keep this, the better your footage will look, although because the GoPro absorbs less, there is a limit here.
Change Sound With Media Mod: It has repetition, but Media Mod is the best way to get good sound from GoPro without investing in Bluetooth mics (which is not possible in most climbing situations). The only time the media leaves my GoPro is when I’m in the water (sadly, the Hero with built-in media is not waterproof).
Is Now a Good Time to Buy?
Maybe. GoPro has released a new product Mission 1 cameras earlier this summer, but there is no sign of Hero 14 so far. GoPro usually releases new Hero cameras in late September/early October, but with the Mission 1 series just hitting the market, it seems likely that we won’t see a new Hero camera in the fall.
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