GoPro HERO6 Black Review

October 31, 2017 | Amy Davies | Rating star Rating star Rating star Rating star Half rating star

Introduction

The GoPro HERO6 Black is the most powerful GoPro to date. It’s an update to last year’s HERO5 Black, and comes with a host of upgrades and new features.

Perhaps the most exciting new upgrade is the ability to shoot 4K video at 60fps, along with Full HD at 240fps. Previously, it was only possible to shoot 4K at 30fps.

Another intriguing new feature is a custom-designed processor, a GP1 - previously the company used off-the-shelf processors for its cameras. The new HERO6 Black boasts what the company is calling the most advanced video stabilisation ever.

There’s also been a raft of other improvements, including to dynamic range and for low-light shooting. A digital zoom function has been added, too. Wi-Fi speeds have been improved for better transfer to your smartphone, a bonus for the new “QuikStories” app which enables video clips to be condensed into short snippets ready for sharing.

The HERO6 Black is waterproof down to 10 metres, without any kind of housing. Additional housing can be purchased to get you down to 30 metres. Other useful features including raw format shooting, HDR Photo mode, and voice control which allows you to do a variety of tasks, including switching the camera on.

At the time of writing, the HERO6 Black retails for £499.99. GoPro is keeping its predecessor, the HERO5 in the line-up, which you can now buy for £399.99.

Ease of Use

The HERO6 uses the same body design as the HERO5 - so if you put them next to each other, you’ll only really be able to tell the difference by looking at the HERO6 lettering on the side of the camera. The fact that it’s the same shape and weight is excellent news for anyone who already has GoPro accessories, particularly the Karma drone, as the HERO6 slots right in to whatever you have.

Being a very small action camera, you can fit the HERO6 into your pocket, ready for action whenever you need it. It fits into the palm of your hand, but still feels very well built and blocky enough to survive different kinds of action which you might throw at it.

On the front of the GoPro HERO6 Black is a square LCD screen which shows you the settings you’ve got selected, such as video resolution and frame rate, plus battery life and how much space you’ve got left on your memory card. It’s a useful screen to quickly look at when you’re using the HERO6 in a holder, or, if you can’t look at the rear screen.

As  you’ll know if you’ve ever used a GoPro before, there’s only a couple of buttons on the body of the camera itself - the majority of settings changes you will make via the touchscreen. You’ll find a button on the top of the camera which can be used to quickly start recording, or take a photo, with a single push. Again, this is useful if you’re using the camera in a mount or similar - you can quickly start recording using whatever setting you were previously working with. Push the button again to stop recording and to turn the camera back off.

GoPro HERO6 Black
Front of the GoPro HERO6 Black

On the right hand side of the camera is a power on/off button. Hold this down to switch the camera on and off. You can also give it a lighter press to move between the different shooting modes, such as video or photo - again it’s a good way to do this if you’re restricted from using the screen but need to choose a different mode.

As the HERO6 is waterproof, the doors which give you access to the memory card, battery and USB slot are sealed against letting water, dust or other foreign objects in. This means they are a little tough to get open - but better than that than being too loose and flying open at the wrong moment and letting in water. There are two doors, the smaller of which is found on the side of the HERO6 - here’s where you’ll find the HDMI port and the USB-C port - the HERO6 charges via USB-C, and you can use an external battery pack to charge it (which is very useful when you’re out and about), as well as charging via a wall socket.

Behind the larger door is the memory card slot - the HERO6 accepts Micro SD cards - plus the battery slot. There’s a tab on the battery to help you pull it out if you need to.

Once you’ve switched on the GoPro HERO6 Black, you’ve got an array of options which can be changed via the touchscreen. The main options are found along the bottom of the screen, to include the resolution, frame rate and the field of view. For resolution, you’ve got a variety of options, all the way up to 4K. Give this a tap to choose between the different options available - swiping through will change the options.

GoPro HERO6 Black
Rear of the GoPro HERO6 Black

By tapping on the frame rate options, again you’ll be able to swipe through the different options - but you’ll be warned if the resolution doesn’t support the particular frame rate. For example, 240fps is not available in 4K. The final option - Field of View (FOV), can only be changed when you’re shooting in certain options - for example, you can choose to shoot Linear when recording at 1440k, but when shooting at 4K, you can only shoot Wide.

On the right hand side of the screen, you’ll see there’s some additional options you can change - to access this menu swipe right. Here you’ll be able to switch on ProTune, which means you can do things like change the ISO, shutter speed or white balance, switch on or off video stabilisation, switch on auto low light (which automatically lowers the frame rate in dim lighting for better video quality), and adjust manual control. The latter option means you can switch on or off the HERO6’s very useful function to only use one microphone if it’s too windy.

As well as offering video recording, you can also shoot still photos, and time-lapse videos with the HERO6. To switch to photo mode, simply tap the video icon, and you’ll see the other options available. Under the photo mode, you can also activate Night shooting, and Burst shooting. Just like with video recording, you have options you can change if you swipe right. Again, you’ll see Pro Tune for adjusting key shooting parameters, but you can also switch on or off High Dynamic Range, and switch on raw format shooting - the latter is likely to be particularly appealing to enthusiast photographers. The HERO6 shoots in .GPR (Go Pro Raw) format - one thing to note is that for some reason, in raw format, it flips the images - or at least it did when I viewed them in Adobe Bridge.

GoPro HERO6 Black
Top of the GoPro HERO6 Black

If you swipe from the left on the main screen, you can see your images and videos in playback. From here, you can delete images if you like, or just flick through the content you have stored on the HERO6.

As a result of the new GoPro processor, another improvement over the HERO5 is how quickly the various swiping motions can be used. You can now move through the various settings much quicker than was previously possible.

The final thing to note about the GoPro HERO6 Black’s display is that key information is displayed at the top of the screen, including how much battery is left and how much space is left on the memory card.

A digital zoom is available for both video and photo, which you can access by tapping the screen. If you have raw format shooting switched on for stills, you won’t be able to use digital zoom.

GoPro HERO6 Black
The GoPro HERO6 Black In-hand

Like the HERO5, the HERO6 has voice commands which you can utilise to perform certain actions. For example, you can use it to start recording, or switch the GoPro off. A new function for the HERO6 is the ability to switch the GoPro on - something which works only if you’ve turned it off via a voice command, and if you switch it back on within 12 hours. In practice, the commands work quite well in many situations, but if it’s particularly windy then you might struggle to get it to understand you - something which could be problematic in certain shooting situations, such as surfing.

The Wi-Fi connection with the GoPro HERO6 Black has been upgraded, in a bid to make transfer to your smartphone quicker than the HERO5 (with compatible phones). It can now also shoot in the H.265 HEVC format, which is roughly half the storage space of the H.264 format, without loss of quality. The downside of this format is that, at the moment at least, it is relatively unsupported - you may want to check if whatever you’re going to work with to watch / edit your videos will support it. For Mac users, you’ll need the latest OS (High Sierra) in order to view the files.

One of the big new features for the HERO6 is the associated app now supports “QuikStories” - this is where the app automatically collates your videos together to create something you can share online. This is a great way to make something meaningful with your created videos - but it’s worth noting that you can’t use the H.265 HEVC format for videos that will be compatible with QuikStories.

The GoPro HERO6 Black uses the same battery as the HERO5, and delivers roughly the same amount of power. If you already own the HERO5, it’s great to be able to swap the batteries around depending on where you want to use them.

Image Quality

The Go Pro HERO6 Black produces the best video quality of any GoPro to date, and it’s great to be able to use it with a variety of different frame rates, depending on your particular needs.

You can only use the image stabilisation setting if you shoot at 30fps (when shooting 4K), so it’s best to shoot at this resolution if you’re working without any other kind of stabilisation, such as a gimbal, or a tripod. With it switched on, the stabilisation offers an impressive amount of stability - producing very smooth video when doing something reasonably sedate like walking or cycling on a steady path, and a reasonable amount when doing something a little more active, such as running.

Auto exposure has been fine tuned for this version of the Hero, which in essence means that if you move between areas of bright and dark, it catches up well to produce well balanced and well exposed videos.

When it comes to stills shooting, it’s safe to say that the HERO6 isn’t going to displace your ordinary camera, or even your phone, but it takes decent pictures. Certainly, it’s good to have if you want to take a stills shot in places you might not be able to use other devices, such as underwater.

Noise

There are 6 ISO settings available on the GoPro HERO6 Black for JPEGs and RAW files. Here are some 100% crops which show the noise levels for each ISO setting for both JPEG and RAW files.

JPEG RAW

ISO 100 (100% Crop)

ISO 100 (100% Crop)
iso100.jpg iso100raw.jpg
   

ISO 200 (100% Crop)

ISO 200 (100% Crop)

iso200.jpg iso200raw.jpg
   

ISO 400 (100% Crop)

ISO 400 (100% Crop)

iso400.jpg iso400raw.jpg
   

ISO 800 (100% Crop)

ISO 800 (100% Crop)

iso800.jpg iso800raw.jpg
   

ISO 1600 (100% Crop)

ISO 1600 (100% Crop)

iso1600.jpg iso1600raw.jpg
   

ISO 3200 (100% Crop)

ISO 3200 (100% Crop)

iso3200.jpg iso3200raw.jpg

Focal Range

1x

focal_range1.jpg
 

Digital Zoom

digital_zoom.jpg

Long Exposure

The GoPro HERO6 Black's maximum shutter speed is 30 seconds, which is excellent news if you're seriously interested in night photography. The shot below was taken using a shutter speed of 30 seconds at ISO 100.

Night

long_exposure.jpg

Sample Images

This is a selection of sample images from the GoPro HERO6 Black camera, which were all taken using the 12 megapixel JPEG setting. The thumbnails below link to the full-sized versions, which have not been altered in any way.

Sample RAW Images

The GoPro HERO6 Black enables users to capture RAW and JPEG format files. We've provided some GoPro RAW (GPR) samples for you to download (thumbnail images shown below are not 100% representative).

Sample Movies & Video

This is a sample movie at the highest quality setting of 3840x2160 pixels at 60 frames per second. Please note that this 19 second movie is 142Mb in size.

This is a sample movie at the quality setting of 3840x2160 pixels at 30 frames per second. Please note that this 18 second movie is 148Mb in size.

This is a sample movie at the quality setting of 1920x1080 pixels at 30 frames per second. Please note that this 21 second movie is 83.8Mb in size.

This is a sample movie at the quality setting of 4000x3000 pixels at 30 frames per second. Please note that this 25 second movie is 185Mb in size.

This is a sample movie at the quality setting of 2704x1520 pixels at 60 frames per second. Please note that this 18 second movie is 148Mb in size.

This is a sample movie at the quality setting of 1920x1080 pixels at 30 frames per second. Please note that this 18 second movie is 74.5Mb in size.

This is a sample timelapse movie at the quality setting of 3840x2160 pixels at 30 frames per second. Please note that this 11 second movie is 93.6Mb in size.

Product Images

Nikon D5600

Front of the GoPro HERO6 Black

 
Nikon D5600

Front of the GoPro HERO6 Black

 
Nikon D5600

Front of the GoPro HERO6 Black

 
Nikon D5600

Front of the GoPro HERO6 Black

 
Nikon D5600

Side of the GoPro HERO6 Black

 
Nikon D5600

Side of the GoPro HERO6 Black

 
Nikon D5600

Rear of the GoPro HERO6 Black

 
Nikon D5600

Rear of the GoPro HERO6 Black

 
Nikon D5600

Rear of the GoPro HERO6 Black

 

Nikon D5600

Top of the GoPro HERO6 Black

 
Nikon D5600

Bottom of the GoPro HERO6 Black

 
Nikon D5600

Front of the GoPro HERO6 Black

 
Nikon D5600

Front of the GoPro HERO6 Black

 
Nikon D5600

Battery Compartment

 
Nikon D5600

HDMI Ports

Conclusion

GoPro is the go-to name when it comes to action cameras, and it’s fair to say that the HERO6 Black is quite probably the best action camera currently on the market. 

It’s got a wealth of exciting features, including 4K at 60fps, and an improved image stabilisation that you can use when shooting 4K at 30fps. Overall, the range of improvements made to the HERO6 when compared to the HERO5 make it a very worthwhile upgrade, even if you have the older model. 

Overall the camera is easier and quicker to use, the new voice command is very useful, and improvements to auto exposure mean that when you’re shooting in varied conditions you can feel confident that you’ll get good movies. The image stabilisation does an impressive job, especially when you’re doing something relatively sedate - we’re not going to say you don’t need to buy a gimbal or other stabilisation method - but you can certainly make do without one if you don’t have the funds. 

On the other hand, it’s great that GoPro has kept the HERO5 in the range, available at a cheaper price, for those who are on a budget. That’s probably the biggest downside of the HERO6 - it’s a high cost proposition, and with a huge raft of cheaper brands currently on the market, you arguably have to really be into your action videography to be able to stretch to almost £500 to buy one. 

There’s dozens of accessories which are compatible with the GoPro HERO6, making it one of the most versatile action cameras you can currently buy. That’s one compelling reason to buy it over some of the other cameras on the market - you know that you’re going to be able to find something to use it with. 

Although the GoPro HERO6 is primarily a video camera, the fact that you can use it for stills in situations where you wouldn’t be able to use other cameras (or your phone) makes it a versatile option for a range of different photographers - not just those who are into extreme sport. 

Don’t discount other cheaper action cameras currently on the market, but if you want the best, the GoPro HERO6 is the one to look out for.

4.5 stars

Ratings (out of 5)
Design 4.5
Features 4.5
Ease-of-use 4.5
Image quality 4.5
Value for money 4

Main Rivals

Listed below are some of the rivals of the GoPro HERO6 Black.

Fujifilm FinePix XP70

The Fujifilm FinePix XP70 is a tough water, freeze, shock and dust proof 16 megapixel compact camera. The XP70 also offers built-in wi-fi, 10fps burst shooting, 1080i HD movies, a 5x zoom lens and a 2.7 inch LCD screen. Read our expert Fujifilm FinePix XP70 review now...

GoPro HERO5 Session

The GoPro HERO5 Session action camera features a 10-megapixel sensor, a single control button and voice control. It can shoot movies at 4K/30fps, is waterproof to 33ft/10m, and can upload photos and videos to the cloud while charging. Read our GoPro HERO5 Session review now...

Kodak Pixpro SP360 4K

The Kodak Pixpro SP360 4K is a new 360-degree virtual reality action camera, featuring 4K video recording, Wi-Fi and NFC connectivity, and a 12 megapixel sensor. Read our in-depth Kodak Pixpro SP360 4K review now...

Kodak PixPro SP360

The new Kodak PixPro SP360 is an actioncam with a difference - it can capture a complete 360-degree view of the world. Is the Kodak PixPro SP360 worth considering alongside, or even instead of, the mighty GoPro? Read our in-depth Kodak PixPro SP360 review to find out...

Nikon KeyMission 170

The KeyMission 170 is Nikon's first attempt at an action camera, featuring 4K video recording and a 170-degree lens. Can it compete with the similarly priced GoPro Hero 5? Find out by reading our Nikon KeyMission 170 review.

Nikon KeyMission 360

The KeyMission 360 is Nikon's first attempt at a 360-degree virtual reality action camera, featuring 4K video recording, weather-proofing and a 23.9 megapixel sensor. Read our in-depth Nikon KeyMission 360 review now...

Nikon KeyMission 80

The KeyMission 80 is Nikon's cheapest action camera, featuring 1080p video recording, front- and rear-facing cameras, and an 80-degree lens. Read our Nikon KeyMission 80 review now...

Olympus TG-Tracker

The Olympus TG-Tracker is a water, freeze, shock and dust proof action camera with built-in wi-fi connectivity and GPS tracking. The TG-Tracker also offers a tilting LCD screen, 4K movie recording, and a 14mm ultra-wide-angle lens with 5-axis image stabilisation. Read our Olympus TG-Tracker review to find out what this tough camera is capable of...

Ricoh WG-M1

The Ricoh WG-M1 is a water, freeze and shock proof action camera with built-in wi-fi connectivity. The Ricoh WG-30 Wi-fi offers 14 megapixels, Full HD movie recording and a colour LCD monitor. Read our in-depth Ricoh WG-30 Wi-fi review now...

Sony HDR-AS50

The Sony HDR-AS50 is an action camera that won't break the bank, featuring 1080p video recording, a Zeiss lens and image stabilisation. Can it compete in a crowded market? Find out by reading our Sony HDR-AS50 review...

Sony RX0

The Sony RX0 is a premium action camera with a 1-inch sensor, which is about 4x the size of those in other action cameras like the GoPro, promising superior image quality, ably assisted by the 24mm f/4 Zeiss lens. Read our Sony RX0 review now to find out just what this innovative new camera is capable of...

YI 4K Action Camera

The YI 4K Action Camera is an affordable action camera, featuring 4K video recording at 30fps and a 12 megapixel Sony sensor. Can it compete with the likes of the more expensive GoPro Hero camera? Find out by reading our YI 4K Action Camera review...

YI 4K+ Action Camera

The YI 4K+ Action Camera is the only action camera on the market that can shoot 4K video at 60fps. Is this enough to consider it instead of a GoPro? Find out by reading our YI 4K+ Action Camera review...

Review Roundup

Reviews of the GoPro HERO6 Black from around the web.

trustedreviews.com »

Last year’s GoPro Hero 5 Black was somewhat of a sea change for GoPro’s Hero range, and a camera I called GoPro’s “greatest hits”. The Hero 6 Black, however, is very much an evolution of a now established winning formula. It improves in many key areas, including in its top-end resolution and frame rates, as well as offering significantly better image stabilisation and upgrades in overall image quality.
Read the full review »

digitaltrends.com »

In the tech world, there is an expectation that we will get more for our money next year than we do this year. Or, that we’ll be able to get today’s features for a lower price tomorrow. GoPro apparently has a different philosophy. The company recently introduced a new flagship action camera, the Hero6 Black, at $500. The Hero5 Black remains in the product line at $400 — the same price it held when it launched a year ago (the Hero5 Session also stays on at its original price of $300). This gives customers a less than ideal choice: get last year’s features at the same price, or spring for the latest and greatest at a new and higher price.
Read the full review »

wired.com »

COMING OFF A rough 2016 filled with layoffs and recalls, GoPro’s got a lot to prove. After all, not everyone needs to own a drone or an action cam. And, with many top-tier smartphones packing impressive levels of waterproofing, a GoPro isn’t even a necessity for capturing footage in the wet outdoors. But, the new GoPro Hero 6 still retains distinct advantages over other devices. A lot of its strengths are directly related to the how compact and mountable this tiny, powerful action cam is.
Read the full review »

dcrainmaker.com »

Today GoPro announced their latest action cam – the GoPro Hero6 Black. While it may look the same from the outside, it’s packed with tons of huge changes on the inside. Some of those changes are headliner options like 4K at 60FPS (frames per second), or 1080P at 240FPS. While many of the changes are under the covers at the image processing level, they dramatically change the image quality of both photos and videos.
Read the full review »

News

The GoPro HERO6 is a new action camera that shoots 4K video at 60fps and Full HD at 240fps. This is enabled by a new, custom designed GP1 processor, which also promises improved image quality, dynamic range, low-light performance and "dramatically improved" video stabilisation over previous HERO camera generations. Similarly to its predecessor, the GoPro HERO6 is waterproof to 10 metres, and also offers support for QuikStoriesan app feature that makes it easy to share short videos of your adventures, and compatibility with Karma and existing GoPro mounts. The Wi-Fi and Bluetooth enabled camera is now available for $499.99.

Gopro Press Release

WITH HERO6, GOPRO SETS NEW BAR FOR IMAGE QUALITY, STABILIZATION AND SIMPLICITY

Features Custom GP1 Processor, Next-Level Video Stabilization and  3X Faster QuikStories

Fusion Spherical Camera Launched – A New Era of Creativity Begins

SAN MATEO, Calif., (September 28, 2017) – GoPro, Inc. (NASDAQ: GPRO) today unveiled HERO6 Black, the most powerful and convenient GoPro, yet. Powered by GoPro’s custom-designed GP1 processor, HERO6 achieves an entirely new level of performance including stunning 4K60 and 1080p240 video and the most advanced video stabilization ever achieved in a GoPro.  GoPro also launched Fusion, its bar-setting waterproof, mountable 5.2K spherical camera. Additionally, GoPro introduced new mounts and accessories plus a new Follow mode for its Karma drone.

GoPro’s founder and CEO, Nicholas Woodman, introduced the HERO6 Black and Fusion cameras to an international audience at the California Academy of Sciences in San Francisco, California. Watch a replay of the live event above.

“HERO6’s next-level image quality, video stabilization and three times faster QuikStories performance makes it a powerful storytelling extension of your smartphone,” said Woodman. “It’s never been easier to live it, then share it…using a GoPro.”

HERO6 BLACK – $499.99 With stunning 4K60 and 1080p240 video packed into a rugged, waterproof, go-anywhere design, HERO6 Black and the GoPro App automatically transform your adventures into cinematic QuikStory videos you can share with the world. HERO6 also has dramatically improved dynamic range and low-light performance to really make things pop, and an added digital zoom just to get crazy.

  • Powered by GoPro’s Custom-Designed GP1 Processor
  • 4K60 and 1080p240 Video
  • QuikStories Enabled, GoPro App Compatible
  • Most Advanced Stabilization of any HERO camera
  • All-New Touch Zoom
  • 3x Faster Offload Speeds via 5GHz Wi-Fi
  • Waterproof to 33 Feet (10m)
  • Compatible with Karma and Existing GoPro Mounts
  • Improved Dynamic Range and Low-Light Performance
  • RAW and HDR Photo Modes
  • Voice Control in 10 Languages
  • GPS, Accelerometer and Gyroscope
  • WiFi + Bluetooth

Developed from the ground up to maximize a GoPro’s capabilities, GP1 enables twice the video frame rates, improved image quality, dynamic range, low-light performance and dramatically improved video stabilization over previous HERO camera generations. Importantly, GP1 automates all of these benefits, allowing users to capture vibrant videos and stunning photos without messing around with complex image settings. GP1 also advances GoPro’s capabilities in computer vision and machine learning, enabling HERO6 to analyze visual scenes and sensor data for improved automated QuikStories.

HERO6 Black is now available on GoPro.com and at select retailers worldwide.

QUIKSTORIES QuikStories is an app feature that makes it easy to share short videos of your adventures. HERO6 is optimized for QuikStories with 3X faster WiFi. This means your footage will rapidly transfer from your GoPro to your phone where the GoPro App will automatically create QuikStory videos for you.

FUSION – $699.99 With its ability to capture immersive 5.2K spherical content, GoPro Fusion marks the beginning of a new creative era. Fusion captures everything around you so you’ll never miss the shot, and gimbal-like stabilization makes it all shockingly smooth. Use the GoPro App to play back and share your footage as VR content or use the app’s OverCapture™ feature to recapture and share your spherical shot as a traditional fixed perspective video.

  • 5.2K30 and 3K60 Spherical Video
  • 18MP Spherical Photo
  • GoPro App Compatible
  • OverCapture Allows for Traditional Video Creation from 360 Footage
  • Advanced Stabilization
  • 360 Audio
  • Waterproof to 16ft (5m)
  • Time Lapse Video + Photo, Night Lapse and Burst Modes
  • Works with Most GoPro Mounts
  • Includes Fusion Grip Mount
  • Voice Control in 10 Languages
  • GPS, Accelerometer, Gyroscope and Compass
  • WiFi + Bluetooth

GoPro Fusion is currently available for pre-order on GoPro.com for USA, Canada, United Kingdom and the European Union, shipping in November.  Create stunning edits using the bundled Fusion Studio desktop software available when product ships. The OverCapture mobile experience will be part of a new version of the GoPro App available for iOS and Android in early 2018. 

KARMA – Take the Lead. Karma will tag along Karma is ready for HERO6 Black and features two new auto-shot paths: Follow and Watch. Using GPS, Karma can now automatically follow the Karma Controller while you’re on the go, keeping you framed in the shot. The Watch auto-shot path will keep Karma hovering in place while it rotates, keeping the Karma Controller in frame wherever it goes. Other new Karma updates include an expanded Cable-Cam auto-shot path and “Look Up” camera tilt capability.

  • Now HERO6 Black compatible
  • Follow - Follows the Karma Controller, framing you in the shot
  • Watch – Automatically keeps the Karma Controller in frame while hovering in place
  • Cable Cam – Set up to 10 waypoints for more complex shots
  • Look Up Tilt – Allows camera to tilt upwards to look above the horizon

Current Karma owners may unlock new features via firmware update, available today.

Additional New Products

  • Shorty – The ultimate pocket-able extension pole and tripod, perfect for any activity. 
  • The Handler – An updated floating handgrip with a quick-release mounting feature.
  • Bite Mount + Floaty – A versatile bite mount with an easy-to-spot float, ideal for POV.

Learn more about GoPro’s new mounts and accessories HERE.


Your Comments

Loading comments…