GoPro Hero 13 Black Is Worth an Upgrade
Some gadgets cannot keep up with the annual release schedule. As tempting as new toys may be, not everything can be updated noticeably or frequently enough to justify spending a few hundred dollars every year, especially if your older model is probably still working fine. GoPro, however, insists on releasing a new camera every year, even though the last few releases have only offered incremental improvements.
This year, GoPro appears to have finally learned its lesson, pulling off its biggest shakeup in years. The GoPro Hero 13 has two good, all-new reasons to upgrade, although it still lacks a one-inch sensor or 360-degree capture capability.
GoPro with modular lenses
By far the biggest addition to the GoPro camera ecosystem in a while, the GoPro Hero 13 introduces a host of modular new HB series lenses that transform the humble action camera into a portable filmmaking studio. These include a default wide-angle lens, an ultra-wide-angle lens for enhancing the field of view, a macro lens for close-up shots, and a series of ND filters that can selectively block light. A set of cinematic anamorphic lenses will also be released next year.
The good news is that having so many lenses means there’s one for everyone, since GoPro no longer forces everyone to use the same type of content capture. The catch is that all these lenses cost extra. The entire HB series (that’s just a marketing term, by the way) is something of a continuation of the Max Lens Mod approach of yesteryear, and while that means your GoPro is now theoretically more capable than ever, it also means the most interesting upgrades are left out included in the delivery set.
Magnetic accessories
That’s also true for the product’s second biggest change that’s finally catching up to competitors like DJI: the magnetic mount.
To make it easier to quickly swap out GoPro accessories, you can now insert magnetic mounts into each of your accessories for $24 (for the snap version) or $39 (for the ball joint version) each. To get the most out of the system, you’ll need a dedicated mount for each accessory, as the mount itself is just a set of fingers that snap onto the bottom of the camera. Since the camera already has its own set of fingers, missing multiple fingers is pointless.
However, with multiple tripods, the idea is that you can pre-screw the mount into the various tripods or handles and then instantly insert them into the camera. This way, you won’t have to pull out and re-insert the fingers built into the camera every time.
It’s a bit of an expensive proposition, but if you can afford it, it works well. I connected my GoPro to my chest strap using the magnetic mount and used it while running and cycling without any problems. Thanks to the latches on both sides, the mount does not come loose even when I pull with all my might. I even had a GoPro rep tell me that he’s used it during extreme sports without any problems and that he hasn’t bothered with non-magnetic mounts since he got his hands on the new ones.
One magnetic accessory I wasn’t able to test was GoPro’s new Contacto magnetic charging case and cable, which allows you to charge the camera without opening the side door where the battery is stored. I wasn’t given one for this review, although at $79 you’d be spending a lot of money on a proprietary charging system. Since the GoPro’s side door can be a little stiff when opening, it might be worth it, but I don’t think the few seconds saved are worth it, especially since you’ll still have to open that door to change it. SD cards, anyway.
What’s not here yet
Personally, I think the new lenses and, to a lesser extent, the magnetic mount are great reasons to upgrade this year, and these changes are badly needed by GoPro. But since these are all add-ons, without them the camera itself feels like a mere optional upgrade.
This means it still uses the same processor, the same lens aperture, and the same 1/1.9-inch CMOS sensor as last year’s model. There’s new HLG HDR support, as well as a new Burst Slo-Mo shooting mode that can shoot up to 400fps at 720p for 15 seconds, but otherwise the unadded Hero 13 Black is pretty much old tech.
This is a bit disappointing as the actual effective cost of the camera is a bit misleading. But the versatility of the device with its additions eases the pain a little. Since they are exclusive to the GoPro Hero 13 Black, they are still a de facto upgrade as they increase the camera’s potential over older models.
What the device doesn’t have, even with add-ons, is 360-degree capture, which is a staple of competitors like the Insta360 brand. It’s not entirely necessary, but adding a second lens to the back of the camera would be an easy way to differentiate the hardware itself from older models. Otherwise, GoPro could have at least given us the ability to rotate the lens without having to buy a mount for it.
Using GoPro Hero 13 Black
Let’s get the basics out of the way first: All the classic GoPro features work just as well here as on previous models. Image stabilization is smooth; the video is detailed enough to be used in professional content; you can record up to 5.3K in various aspect ratios; and even beyond the new 400fps burst slo-mo, you can shoot up to 240fps for smoother (or slow motion) video. While there’s not much new here without any additions, it’s still a solid workhorse out of the box, which is impressive considering how small GoPro remains.
However, when you change to a new HB series lens, you start to see the reasons to upgrade. The actual replacement can be a little tricky—sometimes you’ll have to screw the lens in tighter than you’d like—but the results are worth it.
The Ultra Wide Angle lens is the most similar to existing accessories in that its main purpose is to expand your GoPro’s maximum field of view from 156 to 177 degrees. This functionality was technically available through the Max Lens Mod on previous models, but the Hero 13 Black makes it much more attractive.
In unmodified frames, I cannot distinguish when the mod is applied and when it is not. It’s only in the new aspect ratio option that I’m starting to appreciate it, and it’s exclusive to the Hero 13 Black.
The Hero 13 Black’s ultra-wide-angle lens now allows full-frame footage in a 1:1 aspect ratio, greatly expanding the 8:7 aspect ratio that was available on the previous model. This means you can shoot a large square of what you see in front of you rather than a rectangle, essentially capturing both horizontal and vertical video at the same time. The GoPro app makes it easy to trim your footage into the desired format later, and also saves content creators significant time by allowing them to create uncompromising videos for all platforms in one go.
The Macro Lens mod, on the other hand, is completely new. This makes GoPro better at taking close-up shots with a manual focus ring that can be adjusted to subjects up to 4.33 inches away. On the surface, it’s still not as powerful as, say, portrait mode on the iPhone, although in practice I found it to be an equivalent experience since I rarely have to get closer than 4 inches to objects anyway.
The video use cases here are a little more niche: GoPro suggests that some users might not shoot with a macro lens at all, but simply shoot distant subjects while zooming out entirely. In practice, I’ve found that this just creates a fuzzy picture. Bikers wanting to capture their helmets or wheels can get good video with a properly focused macro lens, as can chefs recording their food preparation. But in my opinion, it works best in photographs.
I’m not complaining about it. I never liked GoPro’s photo mode until the Hero 13 Black, but the macro lens allows me to take photos that, in the right lighting, look just as good as the ones I take on my iPhone 15 Pro. This only works for close-up shots since there aren’t as many zoom features as there are on my phone, but finally: I don’t have to constantly switch between my phone and camera depending on whether I’m shooting still or moving material. . There’s even a Night Shot mode that uses long shutter speeds to capture evening shots, although I found that it can look a little dirtier than what you can get on your phone.
The third promised modular lens in the HB series is an anamorphic one, scheduled for release next year. I won’t talk too much about it, since your guess about how well it will work is as good as mine, but the idea of it is tempting. This will allow you to shoot footage in 21:9 and make it easier to add effects such as lens flares and soft angles. This can be a great way to get started on home cinematic projects, and it’s definitely not something you can just do on your smartphone without third-party apps.
Finally, there are ND filters, which I admit I don’t have much experience with. They can limit exposure, plus your GoPro can automatically detect which one you’re using and adjust the shutter speed along with it. Using both effects in tandem can create pronounced motion blur, and to help you get started, GoPro can suggest which filter to use depending on the lighting conditions around you. Experts can also adjust shutter speed and exposure manually, but there’s a caveat: you can’t use an ND filter in addition to a dedicated lens, which is a limitation that more traditional devices don’t have.
I ended up enjoying shooting with modular lenses because for the first time in a long time they changed the way I actually used my camera. The ultra-wide angle lens encouraged me to experiment with vertical video for the first time, something I had previously thought about as an afterthought but can no longer ignore thanks to TikTok. The macro lens is designed for stunningly detailed photos taken during an evening stroll. I think the promise of these lenses provides a great opportunity for GoPro to move from being one tool in your kit to potentially being the only camera you need. Let’s hope the anamorphic lens lives up to these expectations.
The downside here is the cost. These lenses are the most impressive built-in feature of this new GoPro, but they all come at an additional cost and the camera doesn’t look as new without them. Currently, the Ultra Wide Lens Mod costs $99, the Macro Lens Mod costs $129, and a pack of four ND filters of varying strengths costs $69. When the Anamorphic Lens Mod releases, it will also cost $129, bringing the total cost of the camera and all possible lenses to $825.
Battery life
While the bare-bones GoPro Hero 13 Black is roughly the same as previous devices, there’s one surprise inside. This year, GoPro redesigned the battery, making it slightly larger and much more efficient. With 10% extra capacity at 1900mAh, it lasts significantly longer, and in my personal experience, it also runs cooler. Last year’s GoPro got so hot that it kept shutting down mid-shoot to cool down, and I never had that problem this time. This alone may be worth the upgrade if you encounter similar problems (not all of my colleagues).
As for the actual runtime metrics, it’s a little hard to narrow down. GoPros aren’t really designed to run continuously at the same settings until they turn off. This is evidenced by their nifty feature of switching to shooting immediately after turning off the power and turning off again with the touch of a button. To simulate your typical experience, this is how I used the GoPro most of the time. By filming for just a few minutes at a time this way, I was able to take it with me on hour-long excursions while only losing about 20% of the battery each time. Shooting this way will also help you save space on your SD card, which is another reason why I think this is a smarter way to use the device.
Is GoPro Hero 13 Black worth buying?
Whether you’ll need a GoPro Hero 13 Black depends on whether you have a GoPro and how willing you are to rig it up.
If you’re not already in the GoPro ecosystem, this is an easy recommendation. It supports recording up to 5.3K, supports slow motion at up to 400fps, still has excellent image stabilization, and comes with a year’s subscription to the GoPro Quik app for easy editing and cloud video storage. It lasts longer and is much cooler, and while it’s not as cheap as the DJI Osmo Action 5 (announced today) or as new as the Insta360 camera, it’s a good middle ground, doing everything you need it to do well.
But if you’re already part of the GoPro ecosystem, this camera could either be the biggest upgrade you’ve made in years or so incremental that you won’t notice the difference. Personally, I love the possibilities of modular lenses, especially the new 1:1 aspect ratio on the ultra-wide lens, as well as the idea of future additions such as an anamorphic lens. I’m less interested in magnetic mounts, but they still seem convenient for people with a lot of tripods or gimbals. In my opinion, these accessories mean that GoPro is finally turning to its hardware and not just its software, delivering a completely different experience for the first time in a long time.
But if you don’t use GoPro professionally, the additional cost associated with them may not be worth it for you. The new hardware ecosystem will be closed to you on older models, but it may not exist if you don’t buy into it. There is also a possibility that GoPro will drop the HB series lenses in the future. If you buy all of these now, will they work on future models? And can we expect any other new lenses after the release of the Anamorphic Lens?
As someone who has been hanging around the GoPro world since the Hero 10 Black, I’m happy with the Hero 13 Black, and if I hadn’t upgraded since then, this would be the one I’d choose. But if that’s not compelling enough for you, or you don’t want to bother with multiple lenses to get something new, GoPro has an ace up its sleeve. Its new $200 Hero Camera , unnumbered, is designed to give users on a budget a basic and more portable grab-and-play option that brings back some of the laid-back accessibility of the original model. I’ll look into this further, and I’m interested to see how GoPro plans to use this to recapture that part of their audience that thinks action cameras have reached their peak.