Customer Ratings & Reviews

Okay so let me start by saying, this is the BEST GoPro yet. It checks nearly EVERY box, except ONE. I'll get to that NOW. The camera is for action, and people with an active lifestyle...and it works. However, I think it's time for the one thing it's missing, a 1 inch sensor. Don't get me wrong, this one is very solid. But I still find times in low light, where it lacks quality when compared to other cameras that it competes against. Other than that, it shines bright in nearly every other situation I threw at it. Just for reference, I have several other versions of the Hero black line, and they for sure don't compete with model in camera quality. So YES, it is an upgrade in that reguard. The new hardware is nice touch, not too much of a change. But enough to grab my attention, and probably yours if you are here. The battery life is good, not great. I can use it for long periods of time, but I still think it needs a bigger one. Yes you can plug in and do continuous recording with the camera, but at what cost? I found that I'm on the go a lot, and I don't plug in much. You can use a battery pack, but it's gonna be more things to put in your bag. All in all, the price is fair considering the competition. This camera is great, and I say grab it if you have any of the older models. You will be happy you did.

The protective stickers over the lens and screen surfaces are there to protect those surfaces, but if they are stuck so well that you have to scrape them off with a fingernail or tool, that is too much stickiness. It was mildly annoying to have to do so. The Hero 13 is incompatible with some GoPro accessories for previous models. It is possible that the write-ups have not yet been updated to include the Hero 13. I would expect them to be on top of such things, so I would expect the incompatibilities to remain. Camera with one curved surface mount like you would use to attach the camera to some kind of helmet. I would have preferred a flat surface mount. I guess I will have to buy one now. I think it’s interesting that camera manufacturers (including companies manufacturing cell phones) push ultra high resolution, when oftentimes, people are mostly shooting blurry snapshots. The maximum photo resolution of the Hero 13 is insane. It captures 27 megapixels. For comparison, a 24 megapixel image yields a 6000x4000 pixel image. Again, insane, in a really good way. Note that the 2x zoom is a digital zoom. This means that it does not add any resolution, and no interpolation is performed; the resulting image is merely displayed larger. You’re better off not using the zoom and just cropping the resulting image. It really is the same thing. The maximum video resolution is 5.3k, which is incredible. I have a 75" 4k UHD TV, and displaying a 4k image is already amazing to see. That kind of detail from such a tiny device is truly impressive. If you don’t need that level of detail (and in my experience, most people do not), you can select lower resolution levels. That will save you a lot of memory as well. Note that video is captured at 60 fps (frames per second), so it is also super smooth. The on-screen icons can be swapped for a variety of other actions, so the functions you want to have available quickly are right there.

This is the newest iteration of the GoPro line and it is packed with features. If you are new to the GoPro scene, there are many reasons to invest into this camera, allowing you to capture the moment in the best way possible. Starting off with the setup, it is quite easy to do. There are printed instructions that you cannot miss telling you to update before use, and how to sync with the mobile app. After that, you are all set and ready to record. If you are using a GoPro for the first time, you will find the instructions a bit lacking. On the device itself, it has a touch screen and two buttons. Swipe left and right to select the recording mode, swipe down for settings, and swipe up for the library. For most of the camera settings, there is a small description so that you do not have to remember all the different icons. However if you find the camera controls lacking, you will want to switch to Pro Mode instead of Easy Mode. This allows you to have full control to set everything and even save presets for different shoots. Also keep in mind if you find the GoPro hard to configure because of the tiny screen and such, the mobile app is an excellent substitute. A major benefit of the app is that you can turn on the GoPro from it, and see what is being recorded. Basically through the app, you can control your GoPro remotely and this is extremely useful if you have the camera in a hard to reach spot. As for the media that this is able to capture, it is quite stunning what it is able to do with such a small form. Video stabilization is incredible and there is stunning detail from the 5k videos captured. Low light performance is not the greatest, but in well light conditions which is most of outdoors, it has no trouble capturing all the details. It is, unfortunately, only about 2 hours of battery life so you do have to plan your usage accordingly. For those deciding to upgrade from the previous model, there are a few changes that will be worth it. A slightly larger battery and additional slow motion frame captures and well is more HDR shooting modes can be beneficial in the field. Unfortunately the camera is basically still the same hardware so it does make it harder to recommend an upgrade. Overall, the newest version of the GoPro Hero improves slightly over the previous design. If you are coming from a Hero12, know that you will have to invest in new batteries, but your other accessories should still work. However if this is your first GoPro, then it is worth considering as it does have some newer technology to future proof you a little.

Overall, the GoPro Hero 13 Black is a great action camera with some great features. The design feels premium and tough. There are a few small quirks that pop up here and there, but they’re minor enough that I wouldn’t dock many points. Performance-wise, it’s fast and reliable. The processor handles 4K, even 5.3K footage without an issue, and the improved image stabilization is a nice plus, especially for action shots. I’ve tried it out mountain biking and for some basic underwater shots, and the results have been crisp and steady so far. Battery life is okay. I haven’t had enough time to really stress-test it, but it's not quite as good as I would have liked. I don't have many experiences with action cameras in general, but I was somewhat surprised that at some settings you can't even get 2 hours out of it. Logically makes sense, but not what I was expecting. It stays cool enough to touch even when recording in higher resolutions, it does get warm though. Not really an issue at all. As for noise levels, the internal mics pick up clear audio even in windy conditions. I haven’t felt the need for an external mic yet, which is a good sign. The screen is very responsive, and it’s nice that it stays visible even in brighter outdoor settings. There’s a slight delay sometimes when switching between modes, but nothing major. One odd thing I noticed: occasionally, there’s a bit of lag when swiping through the menu, almost like it’s thinking a bit longer than expected, but it only happens rarely. Build quality is great overall. It feels solid with a water-resistant build that actually feels capable of handling rough environments. My last experience was with a 4 I believe, and I was rather surprised that I didn't actually need an external case to use it underwater.

Great camera but the price was cheaper elsewhere, wait for a promo

Some great features but over heats easily just by charging it, downloading photos and filming. Battery doesn’t last that long. It’s very sensitive when it comes to the SD cards.If they are damaged they can cause the camera to completely stop working. The remote on the quick app loses connection frequently.

This the best GoPro I have owned. I have had almost everyone since the six and the removable lens and auto detection of the mid lens is fantastic!

The best purchase I've made, very good quality Five stars

I bought the Hero 13 Black directly from GoPro late last year for an overseas trip (thanks to the airline I wasn't able to go). When I opened the box I was taken aback because the camera requires an update before it's first use (shouldn't these cameras be ready to use once they're purchased?). Customers are advised to use the app or try a manual download. Neither worked for my camera, so I returned it for a refund. I then purchased another Hero 13 Black from another vendor. When I tried to update the camera with the app, it didn't work. Fortunately, I was able to get the update done manually. But it is a troublesome process. A process that, I believe, the customer should not have to do. I recently discovered that GoPro has another update for the Hero 13 Black (version 2.02). This update will allow the camera a anamorphic option that it did not have before. Once again when I used the app to do the update, it did not work. I tried the manual update, and it did not work either. I contacted GoPro and ultimately they offered to exchange my camera for a new one. This new camera will be my THIRD GoPro Hero 13 Black! And the best part is, I never used any of them! All these issues stem from the updates that they issue for the camera. All these problems are an inconvenience for the customer, and they're just plain ridiculous! In the future, I won't be buying anymore GoPro cameras. Their cameras and their reliability have tanked! Ultimately, I do not recommended this product. Buyer beware!