GEAR
MINI CAMERA TEST
“The Hero6 lets you set the shutter speedwhich varies according to resolution”
It’s the footage and useability that real filmmakers are interested in and the Hero6 Black might not offer all the controllability of the Sony RX0, but at least lets you take more control than on cheaper cameras. The ProTune settings, set by default, let an advanced user alter settings such as bitrate and shutter speed. You can also select GoPro Color or Flat colour profile settings. Flat is a Log-style flat profile with desaturated colours, to maximise dynamic range in post processing; good if you use your GoPro alongside other cameras as it’s easier to make the footage match. The new LCD screen is bright and very sharp, ideal for outdoor use. But it’s the footage itself that really sets the Hero6 apart as it improves on GoPro’s already fine footage in terms of detail, contrast and colour. The lens might not be of the same quality of the Sony, and it does show some signs of aberration in areas of high contrast, but it’s acceptable, thanks to the quality of the sensor. At 4K resolution at 30fps, the Hero6 Black has a wide dynamic range, retaining detail in bright and dark areas. And at 60fps the footage is equally as impressive, which can help capture fast motion shots in stunning quality. Even in HD, at fast frame likes like 240fps or 120fps, the footage is very sharp and full of colour and contrast, right out of camera. Of course, all is not perfect. At high ISO settings, the small sensor of the Hero6 Black struggles and noise is quite visible. Audio is a problem on any action cam, and the Hero6Black does nothing special to improve on this. But as a genuine action camera that produces amazing footage, the GoPro Hero6 Black is a winner.
LEFT The new GoPro Hero6 Black is the camera that all action cams are judged by.
GOPRO HERO6 BLACK
in using your finger on a slider on the rear touchscreen. Image stabilisation can be used at a maximum of 30fps in 4K. Using stabilisation means you only lose 5% to cropping compared to 10% on the Hero5. White-balance has been expanded from 2300-6500K, while ISO range has been increased to 100- 6400. The Hero6 also lets you set the shutter speed, which varies according to resolution. At 60fps in 1080p, you can choose 1/60sec, 1/120sec, 1/240sec and 1/960sec. Of course, the exposure is controlled automatically so it’s easy to get footage that suddenly darkens or brightens during the shot. What has made GoPro so successful is ease of use and the Hero6 Black is the easiest action camera to control for consumer users, with the best app in the business and benefits like the cloud back-up which automatically uploads your footage to the GoPro server so you can access it and edit it online. This costs £6/$5 per month, though, and it does only store footage in web resolution.
Like Biro for ballpoint pens, Hoover for vacuum cleaners and Sellotape for sticky tape, GoPro has become the generic name for action cameras. That’s because the American firm popularised the tiny, wearable POV camera and made it easy to use for the general consumer. The Hero6 Black is their new top-of-the-range model, boasting impressive technical spec to keep filmmakers happy, and the ease of use that consumers expect. The Hero6 Black comes pretty quickly after the Hero5 Black which had a major update, including a case- less design, voice control and a large and responsive rear touchscreen. The Hero5 Black and now the Hero6 Black fit inside a cage-style housing, which means it’s only good enough for 10m/33ft underwater, which is more than enough for most users. What is new is the faster GP1 processor, GoPro’s own technology, which speeds up how fast it is to flick through menus and allows processing that’s quicker than any earlier model. The sensor is likely to be a Sony Exmor CMOS, but GoPro doesn’t reveal details or even its size. This speedy processor means there has been an increase in frame rates at a given resolution. Maximum resolution stays at 4K but the frame rate goes up from 30fps to 60fps and at 1080p you can record at up 240fps for super slow-motion. There is a new 4K 4:3 option that makes full use of the image sensor instead of cropping the image to the more normal 16:9. A touch zoom feature lets you electronically zoom
BELOW The new
GoPro shoots stunning 4K footage at 60p and the colours are punchy out of the camera.
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PRO MOVIEMAKER SPRING 2018
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