Name: Hero 3 Black Edition
Brand: GoPro

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Verdict

Compared to the competition, such as the £100 ($150) cheaper Sony HDR-AS15, which already has Wi-Fi built in for live streaming, identical frame rates at 1080p and 720p plus a stereo microphone and speaker compared to the GoPro's mono and no speaker; and the £160 ($250) cheaper Drift HD which has a built in colour screen and more buttons for menu navigation, is the GoPro worth the extra money?

Yes.

Especially if you're a professional videographer, because of the wide range of resolutions and frame rates it offers.

And yes again, if you want a small, light camera that is capable across a wide range of environmental conditions.

If you're not that worried about weight or size and are looking for a cheaper alternative, then the Sony offers a great picture for less money and does pretty much the same job.

Depending where you want to use it, the GoPro already has a mature range of mounting accessories. They're still a little flimsy and overpriced, and difficult to attach with cold or gloved hands, but it does mean that you can attach the camera to pretty much anything that moves.

With the HERO3 the main takeaway in terms of image quality was the improved detail in highlighted areas, but when shooting into the light you can lose a lot of information in the dark areas of the image.

The menu system is still a frustration too, but the LCD touchscreen negated this annoyance and we hope the free GoPro App, which becomes compatible in December for the Black Edition, will do the same job as the touchscreen, as well as making framing of shots and shooting a more controlled affair.

We liked

A wider variety of high-end resolutions and frame rates give you incredibly flexibility. The flat-lens case is a great improvement over the previous version, and the weight difference is most welcome.

We disliked

Overly high contrast video in front-lit harsh light conditions can lead to a loss of detail in dark areas of the image.

Final verdict

An amazing and robust camera that can go all the places you can, and some places you can't. Better, faster, and now with higher-end video modes more suited to the pro market, it's a serious little piece of kit.