Even though the GoPro Hero 4 Black has been around the market for quite some time, many proclaim it as the action camera to beat. It is able to deliver 4K video resolutions at up to 30-frames per second, along with a slew of other enhancements. With a lot of action cameras showing up in the market, can they surpass GoPro’s main contender in terms of feature set, build quality, and shooting abilities?
The GoPro Hero 4 Black is Expensive, But You Get Great Value Out of It
Even though it is advertised that the GoPro Hero 4 Black shoots at 4K resolution at full frame rate, it tops out at Ultra HD 3,840 x 2,160 rather than Cinema 4K resolution which is at 4,096 x 2,160 pixels. The latter resolution values are handled by the Hero 3 and Hero 3+. Still, it does not mean that the 4 Black has less on offer as it does deliver a number of shooting options. For instance, users are able to capture footage at 2,704 x 1,520 pixels at 60-frames per second.
There are also high-speed video options available such as shooting at 1440p or 1,920 x 1,440 pixels at 80-frames per second, as well as 1080p or 1,920 x 1,080 pixels at 120-frames per second. There’s even an option to shoot at HD resolution, or at 720p at 240-frames per second. Even though there is a good list of resolution options, most people will stick to just one or two – possibly the 4K resolution and a high-speed HD option.
Along with the different shooting options that can slow the video down, the Hero 4 Black also has a time lapse mode to speed things up. Time lapse videos are available in intervals of 0.5 to 60 seconds. An alternate option to time lapse is looping for when users want to use the action camera as a dashboard cam. When in this mode, the oldest recorded files will be replaced by the newest ones.
When it comes to image quality and performance, it is no wonder why GoPro has taken over the market with this action camera. It provides the best 4K quality that an action camera can offer. The quality of the image is even better than most standard camcorders. However, it is still not in the same league as 4K-shooting cameras and camcorders that can shoot the same resolution. Nonetheless, color reproduction is good, but images do come a bit soft because of the 60Mbit/sec 4K data rate.
While the GoPro Hero 4 Black has a pretty hefty price tag, it delivers great value for money. There is a whole slew of shooting options and it provides the best image quality that an action camera can deliver.