Update September 4: GoPro has now officially launched the GoPro Hero 13 Black and GoPro Hero. For our early impressions, check out our hands-on GoPro Hero 13 Black review. For the original story and analysis about the GoPro Max 2, read on.
GoPro, we've been expecting you. The action cam giant traditionally launches its new action cameras every September, and right on cue it's just announced an event for two new Hero models. One of those will almost certainly be the GoPro Hero 13 Black, and the other a new base model called the GoPro Hero.
As GoPro's official X (formerly Twitter) account and homepage confirm, the date for your diary is September 4 at 6am PT / 9am ET / 2pm BST / 11pm AEST. GoPro is promising "two new cameras" for you to "choose your adventure".
The teaser image of those two cameras matches the leaks we've seen recently, including a huge one on August 29 that revealed most of Hero 13 Black's specs. If the latter leak is accurate, we can expect a Hero 12 Black with a bigger battery, a slightly taller design, magnetic accessories, and new Lens Mod accessories with auto-detection.
Those Lens Mod accessories will seemingly include new Macro and Anamorphic options, with the latter likely designed to help you choose more cinematic videos with super-wide aspect ratios. On the downside, it looks unlikely that the Hero 13 Black will get a bigger sensor or the ability to shoot 8K video.
A new video leak of the Hero 13 Black, from the ever-reliable @Quadro_News (below), gives us a close look at its design. It looks much like the Hero 12 Black, with a front-facing display for vlogging – with the only notable design tweak being a grill on the front.
👉Live video from the GoPro Hero13.#gopro #GoProHero13 pic.twitter.com/2LPyur7YBWSeptember 1, 2024
Less is known about the new GoPro Hero base model, which the teaser shows to be significantly smaller than the Hero 13 Black. Some previous leaked images on August 16 suggested it'll like be a replacement for the Hero 11 Black Mini, which landed back in 2022 as a cheaper, more compact action option for cyclists and mortorbikers.
Its leaked product description described it as "our smallest 4K camera" with a "rugged, super-light design" that's "a fraction of the size and weight of other GoPro cameras". So it's shaping up to be a more affordable alternative to the Hero 13 Black, only without the vlogging-friendly front screen and lengthy battery life.
Where's the GoPro Max 2?
While GoPro is still the most recognizable name in action cams, it has stiffer competition these days from the world's best action cams – and we're also expecting a successor to the DJI Osmo Action 4 soon.
A recent DJI Osmo Action 5 Pro leak suggested that it'll be likely be launching this month, albeit with only relatively minor upgrades. Like the GoPro Hero 13 Black, it isn't expected to jump to a 1-inch sensor, sticking with a 1/1.3-inch CMOS chip with an f/2.8 aperture – although the sensor is still apparently "all-new".
For those who want a simple action camera to capture holiday b-roll or act as a helmet-based dash cam, the base GoPro Hero could be the more interesting of GoPro's two new models.
The high-end action cam space now contains the Insta360 One R 1-inch edition and 8K-capable Insta360 Ace Pro, not to mention the best 360 cameras for those who want to 're-frame' their footage afterwards.
What this invite does appear to confirm is that GoPro's next 360 camera, the GoPro Max 2, won't be launching until later this year – although it's hopefully still on track for its "late Q4" estimate, which GoPro set back in May.
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