Gopro’s new action chamber for 2024 is here to improve its content creation trip. The Hero 13 Black launched in September along with a new smaller hero camera. Gopro’s new action chamber is not an important update to last year’s model in terms of hardware and design, but compensates with a lot of new lenses, a new way of riding, a larger battery and several other small improvements.
While the competition is trying to attract customers with improved sensors, faster chips sets and other things, GoPro attaches to the mantra ‘Why fix something if it is not broken.’ Are the new lenses, the magnetic assembly and the largest battery enough to win the game of the action camera? Read the review to find out.
The Gopro Hero 13 Black begins in RS. 44,990 in India without lens accessories.
Gopro Hero 13 Black Design: Magnets, finally!
- Dimensions – 71.8 W x 50.8 h x 33.6 d (mm)
- Weight – 159g
- Colors – Black
The Hero 13 Black is identical in dimensions to the 12 blacks, but a couple of design changes will help you differentiate them. Gopro has fought from the blue motorcycles that were found in last year’s model. Now it’s all black, and a new heat dissipator design is in the front, just below the camera sensor. Gopro tells us that it is not a thermal dissipator, unfortunately. The visualization sizes in the front and posterior remain the same as the location for the registration and mode buttons. The battery door is also the same as last year.
The blue point to align the lenses should have been outside the lens
You will find the most important design changes in the lower part, where the assembly system is located. In addition to the usual folding assembly fingers and the ¼-20 assembly threads, the Gopro now has magnetic assembly. The magnetic latch makes it very easy to change between mounts, and it seemed safer and easier to use than the competition. It tends to collect sand and other particles, which makes cleanliness difficult.
The new magnetic accessories are also an additional purchase, unfortunately
The assembly of the lens cover is similar to last year, but now there is a blue alignment point inside the roof and in the Gopro that facilitates joining the cover. The cover of hero 12 older lenses works with the new goopro and vice versa. However, new lenses are not compatible with previous versions.
Gopro Hero 13 Black Camera, Characteristics and Performance: Minor improvements
- Sensor – 27 megapixels
- Processor – GP2
Once again, there are not many new ones in the chamber and performance departments. However, you get small improvements and a couple of new software features with the Hero 13 Black. However, the oldest sensor and the processor are beginning to show their age, but GoPRO has managed to make more magic and added new features, such as a slow gust camera that allows it to be recorded to up to 400 fps but at a low resolution of 720p. You can also register 360 fps in 900p resolution and 120 fps at 5.3k.
The action chamber also also obtains HLG HDR video, improved registration profile, better customization for prejustments, more audio adjustment options and a flexible rapid capture function that allows you to restart recording or enter into an inactive mode within 5 seconds while it turns on in rapid capture. The Hero 13 Black now comes with Wi-Fi 6.0 for faster transfer speeds, and GPS has returned with superposition support.
Now, let’s talk about performance. With the standard lens and basic video/photo settings, the new Hero 13 Black is not very different from last year’s model. I saw some differences in HDR recording with improved colors in the new camera, but above all, the performance is very similar. However, the new slow camera modes are quite great if it does not care about a low video resolution; 400 fps at 720p works well when there is a lot of light, and you can get some really great shots.
You get Hypersmoth 6.0, just like last year, and still works incredibly well as long as you don’t try to record videos in low light conditions. The Gopro continues to work badly when there is not enough light. The competition is much better here, and it is time for Gopro to have done something about it.
There is also a new video relationship recording option 1: 1, which is better than ratio 8: 7 last year. However, this relationship is only available with the new wide ultra lens accessory.
The quality of the video is still first category in daylight conditions, and you get strong colors. However, the heating situation remains the same as last year. I live in a coastal city, and it’s quite hot here, so I guess the camera will work better without colder environmental temperatures. The Hero 13 Black also takes good photos in daylight conditions. 
From top to bottom: standard lens, ultraral lens, macro lens
Gopro Hero 13 black lenses: makes the camera versatile
- Wide-Live-1: 1, FOV of 177 degrees, up to 4K60 FOV
- Macro lens: variable approach with built -in lens ring, minimum approach of 11 cm
- NDO4 / ND8 / ND16 / ND32 filters
- Anamorphic Lens-Looking Relationship 21: 9, Desperation in the Chamber
Gopro has been slowly adding new lens options over the years. After the Max Mod lenses, this is the first time that the Chamber of Action gets new lenses. I could even call them the biggest updates this year, but not because they cost extra money. However, they make the camera versatile. You can get close -up shots, cinematographic blur and a 1: 1 appearance ratio with the lenses. They also have automatic detection, which means that Hero 13 Black will establish the best configuration as soon as a lens attached.
The detection of automatic lenses and new lenses only work in GoPro Hero 13 Black
First, the new wide -wide lens has the same FOV (177 degrees) as the Max Mod 2.0 last year, but now allows a new 1: 1. 1. -aspect ratio ratio. The new appearance ratio is excellent for those who do not want to take multiple You take for different social networks. This is the best lens for action sports, but you cannot record ultra slow movement videos with this lens.
Second, the new macro lens changes the central experience of the GoPro Action Chamber. The Gopro was never made to shoot VLOGS or foreground shots in focus. However, you can now do it with the Macro Lens Mod. You also get an adjustable approach ring and a approach peak. Although the macro lens has a minimum 11 cm approach, which is not super close, it is ideal for an action chamber. I had a lot of fun shooting first planes of objects with this lens. Once again, the results are better when you shoot during daylight.
The anamorphic lens will come out in 2025
Third, there is a set of ND Filters (4,8,16 and 32), which allows you to achieve the cinematographic movement of the blur when firing action shots. Filters also help cut hard lighting, and the camera will automatically detect what filter that has connected and tell you if you need a higher or lower step. Shooting with the ND filters gave my riding videos a film sensation thanks to the motion blur.
Finally, the anamorphic lens, which obtained many ‘AWES’ in the launch event, will give you a good film vision of 21: 9. The Gopro will also automatically unlock the footage, so you do not have to do it later. Unfortunately, this lens will only come in 2025, and I could not try it.
Gopro Hero 13 Black battery life: A little better
Very good, let’s talk about battery life. Gopro now includes a new battery in Hero 13 Black, and that is good and bad. It is good because you now get a longer battery life duration, and bad because it is not compatible with any of the previous Gopro and vice versa.
The Hero 13 Black obtains a new 1,900 mAh battery
There is a remarkable improvement in the battery life with the new Enduro battery, but it is not as much as GoPro states. I managed to obtain 37 minutes of continuous recording (while stationary) to resolution 4K (8: 7, 60 fps) before the Gopro goes out due to overheating. It lasted more on a motorcycle ride, about 50 minutes, thanks to the air flow.
GOPRO HERO 13 BLACK VERDICT
The new Gopro Hero 13 Black alone is not a great update on the Hero 12 Black, so if you own the 12, you probably do not need to get the new one. However, the new contributes a lot of versatility to the Chamber of Action par excellence. Then there is the magnetic assembly system and the battery life slightly better. The new GoPro is an excellent option if you are buying an action camera that will use mainly during the day. It is also a good option if you plan to get the lens accessories and make more with your action camera. If it is a low light performance that you are looking for, look elsewhere.
By
