GoPro Hero 5 Session Action Camera

GoPro released their newest action camera the Hero5 as a surprise along with its much awaited GoPro Karma Drone, but the bigger surprise was the fact that the leading action camera manufacturer released 2 versions of the Hero5 instead of one!

The GoPro Hero5 Session has been launched along with the GoPro Hero5 Black, and is the upgraded version of GoPro’s Session camera that didn’t do too well when released. But this time, with the new Hero5 Session, GoPro has upped its game and now offers the small cube shaped action camera along with 4k recording capabilities and a low price tag of $299.99.

The physical design of the camera looks similar to the previous, and still does not have an LCD screen for viewing videos recorded. GoPro also hasn’t changed the built-in battery and limited onboard controls either.

On the plus side, this cube shaped camera is much easier to mount than its rectangular counterparts and also features start and stop recording with one button press. It is waterproof till 10 meters (33 feet) underwater without a housing and makes taking videos much easier even when around water. GoPro CEO Nick Woodman has also claimed that this camera is one of their toughest ones yet.

A tiny bit of screen allows users to see settings, storage and battery life, as well as choose the shooting mode. The Hero5 Session also has Bluetooth and Wi-Fi capabilities for easier connectivity and sharing. There is even electronic image stabilization equipped in the camera, along with a new Linear-view setting that stops wide-angle distortion.

It can understand and execute easy voice commands, so you just need to address the GoPro by its name and give a verbal command, like “GoPro start video” to start recording footage. These commands can be used to power on and off the camera, start and stop time-lapse, as well as tagging important moments. You can also use these voice commands simultaneously, so taking pictures while recording is also possible.

But apart from the great hardware and software features, the camera will also come with its new cloud service called GoPro Plus, which allows users to store all their recordings automatically to the cloud and access it from anywhere using Wi-Fi, for viewing, editing and sharing through its Quik and Splice apps. The cloud service costs $5 per month, and also works as a backup for all your media, though this automatic cloud storage is done only in 1080p at 30fps regardless of what resolution it was recorded in.

The GoPro Hero5 Session will be available for purchase starting 2 October, 2016 and can even be bought as a bundle with the new GoPro Karma Drone for $999.