Customer Ratings & Reviews

As an avid outdoor enthusiast and content creator, I've had the pleasure of using the GoPro for the past few months, and I must say, it has completely revolutionized the way I document my adventures. This review aims to shed light on the exceptional features and overall experience of the GoPro, which has firmly established itself as the gold standard in action cameras. First and foremost, the GoPro's image and video quality are truly outstanding. With its high-resolution capabilities and impressive stabilization technology, it consistently delivers stunningly sharp, vibrant, and well-balanced footage, even in challenging environments. Whether I'm hiking through rugged terrains, riding exhilarating mountain bike trails, or diving into crystal-clear waters, the GoPro ensures that every detail is captured with remarkable clarity, providing me with breathtaking memories that I can relive time and time again. One of the standout features of the GoPro is its versatility. Thanks to its compact and rugged design, it seamlessly adapts to any scenario or mounting option. Whether attached to a helmet, chest harness, or selfie stick, the GoPro remains steady and secure, allowing me to focus on my activities without worrying about the camera. Moreover, its waterproof capabilities enable me to explore aquatic wonders without the need for an additional housing, giving me the freedom to capture mesmerizing underwater footage without any limitations. The intuitive user interface of the GoPro deserves special mention. The touchscreen display makes it effortless to navigate through the various settings and modes, ensuring a seamless user experience. Additionally, the voice control feature is a game-changer, allowing me to start and stop recording or take photos with simple voice commands, which is incredibly handy when my hands are occupied. The GoPro app further enhances the experience, enabling me to control the camera remotely, edit footage, and share my adventures with just a few taps on my smartphone. Battery life has always been a concern with action cameras, but the GoPro has made significant improvements in this area. While the exact duration may vary depending on usage and settings, I have found that the battery life is more than adequate for a full day of adventure, thanks to its efficient power management system. Additionally, the ability to swap out batteries provides peace of mind for extended trips or long recording sessions. In terms of accessories and expandability, the GoPro ecosystem is unparalleled. From an extensive range of mounts, grips, and cases to specialized add-ons like external microphones and filters, the possibilities are endless. This flexibility allows me to tailor the GoPro to my specific needs, whether I'm shooting professional-quality vlogs or capturing unique angles during extreme sports activities. The only minor drawback I've encountered with the GoPro is its pricing, which can be seen as a premium investment. However, considering the unmatched quality, durability, and cutting-edge features it offers, I firmly believe that the GoPro is worth every penny for adventure enthusiasts and content creators who prioritize capturing life's most thrilling moments. In conclusion, the GoPro has rightfully earned its status as the ultimate action camera. Its exceptional image and video quality, versatility, user-friendly interface, and extensive range of accessories make it the go-to choice for adventurers and storytellers alike. With the GoPro by your side, you can effortlessly document your daring escapades and create captivating content that truly showcases the magic of your experiences.

Pros Hypersmooth is like using a gimbal In camera horizon leveling Hindsight makes it much easier to catch the shot Lens removable again Mods will be offered to enhance capabilities New 5K video allows either sharper pictures or more smoothness USB-C plug Waterproof unless media mod used Scheduling option Larger batter for longer battery life Excellent auto Audio can remove some wind noise Can be used as a webcam Option to slow to real speed during hyperlapse Cons Webcam software still in beta More megapixels but not larger sensor No pixel binning for low light 5K videos requires much more powerful system Mobile editing is limited with small screen size Highlights can’t be deleted once created on mobile Mobile Wi-Fi transfers slow sometimes causing timeouts Camera gets hot and lags Poor touchscreen sensitivity Screen hard to read in sunlight Shadows are crushed in sunlight Slow framerate on front screen Design The GoPro Hero 9 Black has the standard GoPro design that has been around for years, except slightly larger. With the addition of a front facing screen a larger battery was needed. This larger battery meant the entire device became just slightly larger. Tucked into the battery compartment is a USB-C plug and MicroSD card slot. The larger size means a small number of old GoPro accessories no longer work. The back screen is slightly larger than previous models but doesn’t seem any brighter. Thankfully, with the 9 removable lenses are back with a design very similar to the 7. The microphone has been upgraded and now has better drainage for water. Included is the box is a carrying case with plenty of room for other accessories, a short USB-C cable, and a curved base mount. Performance and Usage In many ways, the Hero 9 Black is an evolution of an existing design. It brings back some things that should have never been removed and added a few new things. Now with the 5K sensor, daylight shots are crisper than before. You can grab a still from a video and as long as the lighting is good, and action isn’t too fast you have a pretty nice shot. A nice addition is called Hindsight. When activated, the camera will record in a 30 second loop until you start manually recording. This means if you are trying to catch a fast shot you just turn this on and wait. As long as you activate manual recording withing 30 seconds of what you are trying to catch, it will be saved. Although you can grab stills from this, the quality seems a bit lower. If you are looking for a good action photo, you can use an option called Liveburst where it will take a series of photos in a burst. You can then share it as a short clip or choose one of the photos to pull out of it as a higher quality still. The still quality is much better on these although the option isn’t the easiest to find the first time you use it as it is under export, even when you are putting the still straight back into the app . Slow motion is available and the faster the speed you want, the lower the resolution. What is new is being able to transition to real speed or half speed in the middle of a hyperlapse. Just tap the back of the screen while recording a hyperlapse and switch to your preconfigured option. When done, just tap again and it will continue on with the hyperlapse. This can come in handy if, for instance, you are hiking and want to add commentary for certain portions of the hike. No need to have separate videos and splice them together. For casual recording, the default auto settings produce overly vibrant video with crushed shadows and very blue skies with vivid green foliage. Sharpness by default is pretty strong but can be adjusted down. Overall, auto mode seems tuned for social media. If you are all about more correct colors and exposure you are likely going to want to choose the flat color profile. Also, the removable lens is great for safety, but it also does create some pretty significant lens flare in certain circumstances where the entire video temporarily becomes completely washed out and overexposed. Although some may want to record in 5K, the benefits are small. Where the extra megapixels really shine is adding additional crop for electronic stabilization when recording in 4K. With more megapixels, Hypersmooth 3.0 can make even more extreme motion smooth. Paired with the new in-body horizon leveling, it can make your videos look as smooth as if they were filmed on a professional gimbal. GoPro is claiming this will be further enhanced once the Max Lens Mod is available. Currently horizon leveling works to somewhere around 35-45 degrees but the Max Lens Mod should mean it can keep the horizon level no matter the rotation. Of course, depending on the camera, you could do this in post. But being able to just turn it on and shoot is so much simpler. The big question is how well can the de-warping work with the Max Mod Lens. Although minor now, with the standard lens sometimes you can see line when the software is de-warping the image. A nice, but also occasional, odd feature is how it seems the camera senses a turn and crops the video into the turn as if you are panning the camera. This part is nice but then sometimes it acts weird and jerks back abruptly and looks a little unnatural. It doesn’t happen that often and hasn’t been too bad, but it is still a bit odd. It’s nice that the Hero 9 now has a front facing screen, but there is still room to grow. Maybe this can be fixed with further firmware updates, but the front screen frame rate is a bit choppy. It improved slightly during the first update, but you will notice the rate doesn’t match your settings. It is still decent enough to work with. The bigger challenge is seeing the screens in brighter light. After seeing other electronics in recent years getting much brighter screens, it showcases where the GoPro, being an outdoor camera could really use some improvement. Although workable, a higher brightness screen and a light sensor could go a long way to improving use in sunlight. Of course, some of this can be remedied with buttons and voice commands but not all. Speaking of outdoors, during longer recording sessions the main body can get pretty warm. During the longest sessions outdoors at around 85 degrees, the main body became noticeably warm and the touchscreen began to lag. At one point it almost seemed like it froze but finally the recording finished, and everything was fine. This occurred using the latest firmware as well. The microphone for such a small camera is actually pretty good. It mainly focuses on close sounds and voices. Wind noise is still noticeable, but the software does a decent job reducing it. Things like walking on leaves, on the other hand, are picked up very well. If you are vlogging with someone a few feet away outdoors you might need to consider the media mod upgrade. Finally, when it comes to transferring the video, the process is a bit odd the first time as it prompts you to get new media only to say no media found because you are not yet connected. The way it connects is with Wi-Fi which means long videos can take a while and even cause your phone to complain there is no internet and sometimes timeout. It would be nice to have a way to import to your phone faster, maybe via USB. There are a lot of editing options and abilities to create stories that even have the option to add included music, but your results will vary based on the power of your phone. It’s nice to be able to edit out in the field if your workflow requires quick results but the small screen and occasionally finicky app will sometimes slow you down. The media browser shows you thumbnails of your videos and photos but no other information. You have to go into each, select the hamburger, and then select info. If you are trying to find your one raw shot in the group than can really slow you down. Also, editing always forces you to portrait mode with a tiny preview. The app should allow the option to edit landscape pictures and videos while in landscape. You also have no option to zoom to check your settings or a way to compare before and after adjustments. In the support forums for July of 2020, GoPro says they are working on a replacement for the old GoPro Studio for desktop but editing on the desktop currently requires a third-party solution. On the less interesting side, GoPro claims you can use the Hero 9 as a webcam which sounds great in today’s time. Unfortunately, the app is in beta and initial testing shows anything but good lighting ends up in a very dark video. Final Thoughts The Hero 9 Black shows GoPro is listening to its customers and bringing back features they missed while working to add some truly useful new ones. Although there is still plenty of room for improvement, the Hero 9 is still a solid upgrade. Hopefully GoPro will continue to evolve and improve the software and firmware in the coming months to make it an even more compelling product. In an ever evolving field of action cameras, the Hero 9 is a nice option with the durability and flexibility synonymous with GoPro.

Let me start by saying this is my first GoPro! My first impressions were that this is a very sturdy and well-made device. The body is mostly made of metal, which definitely makes it feel like a high quality piece of equipment. That being said, the camera is not heavy and it is very portable! Since this is my first GoPro, I wasn’t exactly sure what to expect from this camera, but wow, it really does a great job! I now understand why YouTubers and other professionals would use this over a smartphone. The video quality from this camera was great and the HyperSmooth 3.0 technology is particularly impressive! It is amazing how smooth the video is despite lots of shaking and movement. This truly is a great device for creating beautiful and smooth videos on the go. Beyond using the camera to record outdoor surroundings, I also tested filming myself while walking. Wow! Having screens on both sides of the camera is amazing and it makes it so easy to to record yourself and ensure you are centered in the frame. The videos I recorded of myself turned out great, the audio was good, the frame was centered perfectly, and as always the video was very smooth with no shakiness. I was impressed with all of the videos that this camera recorded. The motion smoothing, crispness and overall great image quality leads to very professional looking videos from this device. The app that you can use alongside the GoPro also works great! You can open the app on your phone and change device settings, control it, view photos and videos that were taken, and view the camera feed in real-time. Additionally, when firmware updates become available, you download and install them through the app. Overall, this is a phenomenal device and it really excels at making high quality and professional videos. If you are looking to get a great camera for YouTube or making other videos, this does a phenomenal job and you will not be disappointed!

The New Hero 9 from GoPro is an impressive all around portable camera and video recorder. It's kinda crazy to me how far GoPro has come in a few short years with really making these little gadgets a true powerhouse for capturing any outdoor activity. I upgraded from a Go Pro 5 so this is a sizeable jump for me. The amount of features they've added since then are astounding. I broke mine in by taking it with me to Universal recently and it worked beautifully. I really love the front facing camera preview, Go Pro finally delivered on that! The touch screen works as expected and the bigger rear screen allows them to fit a lot of options on the interface. A. new feature I love is the Hindsight feature, which allows the GoPro to kind of continuously be on standby to record at anytime. So no longer will you be like Awww man I missed that, I wish I was recording. if Hindsight is enabled you hit a button and it automatically records either the last 15 or 30 seconds that the Go Pro captured. It's a REALLY cool feature and whoever thought of that should get a raise lol. The stabilization of the video recording is very impressive imo. I do a lot of videos for real estate and may start using this as al alternative to recording with a DJI osmo. Time-lapses that can be tweaked are especially impressive! The GoPro really has a multitude of video recording options at its fingertips. I love that they got rid of the cumbersome packaging and actually provided a nice carrying case with the unit. Welcome additions like a built in mount on the camera add to the already sleek design. The initial setup and firmware update was a breeze. The app works great with the Go Pro and allows you to make home videos and piece them together in seconds. Transferring to computers and your mobile devices is seamless as well. They also developed life streaming and webcam modes as well if you're into vlogging. They have media mods as well that add lights and other features and all for a very reasonable price! I really feel like Go Pro has kind of hit their full stride with the Go Pro Hero 9 and I would recommend it to anyone who has an older GoPro and is looking to upgrade or someone who doesn't have one at all! It's an amazing little gadget at a very reasonable price!

This Go Pro has gone far above and beyond the previous Go Pros that have been brought to market. First off, as a pilot who lives off using Go Pro cameras, I can say trying to see the screen without opening the app in a tight cockpit is a pain. They have finally incorporated a front-facing screen that allows you to even adjust field of view for the preview. It made my set up so much easier. As for functionality, there are so many tweaks and settings to adjust it is overwhelming, but in a good way. You can really control your image much better now. The color representation is spot on and even though when I fly with the Go Pro on the wing and I cannot really adjust the exposure on the fly unless I connected the app, it balances the exposure of the sky and ground pretty well. The only gripe I have with this model is the new battery/USB-C compartment. I use a Go Pro USB to analog audio/usb charge adapter and you can still take the door off but the battery is now exposed. The manual even warns you the battery can slip out. I don't think that was the wisest design decision hence 4 stars, but I believe it must be due to the fact of the bigger battery now. I love the new foldable mount and no need for a case or skeleton around the camera anymore. I have a lot more to discover but if you want the best Go Pro for your money look no further than this model!

This review is coming from a Hero 3 White user to the Hero 9. While I was very happy with the Hero 3 the one main thing I had always “missed” was a view screen and that has now been rectified for me with the Hero 9. I used my hero 3 mainly during things I’d film while camera was attached to me or the machine/ATV I was using. With the Hero 9 (And I know some previous models also had the screen.. but I didn’t own one) having a view screen I’ve added my golf game to the mix of activities I can easily record. Setup was a breeze and using the GoPro app ( https://gopro.com/en/us/shop/softwareandapp ) on my phone is really a great tool to use to easily set settings, take pictures/videos and easily share with friends/social media. Only negatives but just minor: The touch screen for me is really sensitive. A few times while trying to scroll I’d open up a setting or switch to a setting I didn’t mean to. And lastly the battery would not charge through USB on PC. Plugging into an outlet (Using a USB wall plug - not included) did the trick and battery charged fine. I then left in on charge (Through camera USB) all day and when I checked this evening it was only at 38%. If it stays like that I will try a new battery and go from there. Again I have come from the Hero 3 to the 9 so the next item may or may not affect you. The built in “legs” used to join to the different adapters is built into the actual camera on the Hero 9. Took me a while to notice that, as my previous camera you had to put the camera in a case beforehand. As expected the picture quality was spectacular. Used this past week to get a few holes of golf on video as a test run and the clarity when reviewing on my PC was stellar. I have yet tried many of the settings but will get to them in due time. Waiting for some more accessories to be released (Especially a protective covering). Included in the box was 1 sticky mount and a mount adaptor and “screw” and a USB-C cord For what I plan to use the camera for, this will be a great addition to my tools…

I’m blown away by the crispness and clarity in the images and video taken by this GoPro. Even still frames taken from movies have none of the blur normally taken from video. I love the compact nature of the GoPro and appreciate that it’s smaller than my phone and easier to take footage with. I used the app to transfer images wirelessly to my phone and the Bluetooth controls are very convenient. Some adapters are needed for use with regular tripods, but accessory kits are easy to find. It’s especially nice that the GoPro doesn’t need an extra case to be attached to a handle. The parts flip out from the bottom! One disappointing aspect is the webcam mode. As a streamer on Twitch, I was hoping to use this as my face cam, but the windows software (in beta) for the Webcam mode is in very bad shape. Image resolution is poor and framerate is low. Hopefully this software gets improved in the future.

The GoPro Hero 9 I'm very much a novice photographer, but if you point a camera long enough, even a novice will get a great shot. The GoPro Hero 9, or just the Hero 9, is a fantastic piece of technology. With a 20 megapixel camera and the capability to record in 6k resolution, it is bleeding edge. I've read the reviews where it had a bit of a rocky start, but subsequent firmware updates have addressed most of the issues. In the past, when my wife and I planned a vacation, I would go to the local electronics store and get a new camcorder. My latest was a Handycam by Sony. It's antiquated by today's standard as my High eight and the several behind it to include a VHS recorder the price was getting restrictive. There are many new developing technologies, and Hero 9 has taken advantage of them. As a still shot camera, it is good, not great but good. It has a 20-megapixel camera that can do many things. At the time of this article, the latest version of the iPhone is 12 megapixels, but Samsung has the S20 and S21, sporting 108 megapixels. I have a computer loaded with RGB LEDs, and the difference in the pictures between the two cameras is staggering. I know that this is likely my error, but many people who don't want just to read the manual will find this annoying. The Hero 9 has a front-facing monitor. My computer has a glass wall, and when filming it, the front camera is clearly visible, reflecting off the glass. In museum settings and other times when filming through glass, this is not good. I guess I will have to learn to turn it off. Another problem is that when filming inside under artificial light, less is more. I did a test video in the house, and it flickered so bad I thought the camera had malfunctioned. After several YouTube videos, I found out that filming with a high frame rate and top-level hertz was the problem. The flickering was eliminated by going from 60 frames per second or FPS to 30 FPS and reducing from 60HZ to 50 HZ. Higher frame rates are more for outside filming and making slow-motion videos. I'm still learning, but in about 20 minutes of use, including about 10 minutes of filming, it pulled 55% of the battery. I was filming in 1K resolution, and the first set at 60HZ at 60FPS with GPS enabled along with both the front and rear monitors running. I suppose I will have to disable a few options. When I purchased the GoPro, I also bought two battery chargers and two additional batteries as the chargers come with one battery—giving me a total of 5 batteries. I also purchased a four-slot USB extender which allows me to charge all five batteries at once, leaving another slot to charge the battery pack to recharge batteries on the go. The batteries take a very long time to recharge fully. Several hours are required to take one from 0 to 100. Make sure you have a giant SD card in your phone, as the app will transfer the data from the camera to your phone when you log in. I recommend you bring a laptop on your vacation to store your priceless treasures and memories. Don't edit until you get home or your wife will become vexed with you. (Not from personal experience, just heard from friends) The camera is small, in fact tiny; Maxwell Smart would love to have one of these. If someone knows the number to his shoe, give him a call soon. It will easily fit into your pocket, and with the stabilization feature, even someone suffering from tremors can use this camera to get good shots and videos. You can slowly turn the camera upside down, and the viewer won't even know it. You can, of course, disable this feature and show the world upside down. The Hero 9 is a fun camera and paired with a few accessories and some good editing software, you have a winner, but it will take some getting used to. Yes, I recommend this device, but it will require several hours of YouTube videos if you aren't tech-savvy.

About me, I'm a 40 something mom with 2 kids and a pup. I got this GoPro Hero 9 to capture everyday adventure with my family who seems to grow up too fast. I quickly found the app was brilliant and it's a cool way to transfer my videos and it even has an option to create "My Story" that features the highlights of my videos with a pretty hip soundtrack! This makes me feel like a cool mom already! A quick way to share on Instagram, FB or YouTube and you can download it to your phone right away, Video quality is amazing! I bought a Samsung EVO 256GB MicroSD card to make sure I have enough storage. Hypersmooth 3.0 really helps noobs like me not to make my audience dizzy from moving the camera too much. They might still be dizzy from something else, though! Just a heads up, GoPro Hero 9 is a tad bigger than its predecessor. I bought a waterproof case for my trip to Cancun thinking they all fit the same, but I had to return the case and ordered the official GoPro waterproof case for $49.99. The color front display helps my girls for their future career to be YouTubers. It's a convenient way to make sure you capture everything in the frame. I'm very happy with the battery life so far. Price is probably the only thing that could've been better!!

I recently purchased the GoPro HERO9 Black from Best Buy and it has completely transformed my adventure recording experiences. This action camera is a powerhouse, combining high-quality imaging with durable design, making it ideal for capturing all sorts of activities. Incredible Image and Video Quality: The 5K video resolution and 20 MP photo capability are game-changers. The clarity and detail in the footage I've captured are simply stunning. Whether I'm recording fast-paced sports or serene landscapes, the HERO9 delivers crisp, vibrant, and professional-quality visuals. Durable and User-Friendly Design: The HERO9 Black is built tough. Its rugged design withstands all kinds of environments, from underwater adventures to sandy deserts. Despite its robust build, it's surprisingly user-friendly. The front display for framing and the larger rear touch screen for control and playback make it very convenient to use. Battery Life and Performance: The improved battery life in the HERO9 Black is a significant upgrade. I can go for longer sessions without worrying about running out of power. This is especially important when I'm out in remote locations where charging isn’t an option. HyperSmooth Stabilization: The HyperSmooth stabilization technology is a standout feature. It ensures that my videos are smooth and stable, even in the most action-packed situations. It's like having a gimbal integrated into the camera, which is fantastic for sports and adventure activities. Versatile Mounting and Streaming Capabilities: The variety of mounting options makes it incredibly versatile. I can attach it to helmets, bikes, cars – you name it. Additionally, the live streaming feature is a great addition for sharing my adventures in real-time with friends and family. Conclusion: The GoPro HERO9 Black is an exceptional action camera that meets the needs of both professional and amateur adventurers. Its combination of high-quality imaging, robust build, and user-friendly features make it a top choice for anyone looking to capture their adventures in stunning detail. Whether you're into extreme sports, vlogging, or just love capturing life’s moments, the HERO9 Black is up to the task. Highly recommended for its unmatched versatility and performance!

GoPro has become synonymous with "action camera". The HERO9 Black proves why GoPro has gotten that reputation. Durable, featured packed, and easy to use, it's really hard to find any faults with this camera. The app lets full control over the camera, including live view. The initial connection can sometimes take awhile. Also I found live view to be a bit unreliable to get started also. Live view also does not work while it's recording. But really, those are the only faults I can find with this camera. Everything else works great, produces great video and photos. The image stabilization really works well, and I didn't even have to turn on the boosted stabilization when I put it on a dog. While obviously the camera and video was shaking around a lot while the dog was running around, it never felt jerky or like it was going to give me motion sickness just watching it.

The GoPro Hero 9 is GoPro’s latest action camera, with some welcome new features and correcting one big mistake in the Hero 8 by bringing back the removable lens glass. The first big change over past GoPro cameras is the packaging. Gone is the huge acrylic plastic box, and instead you get a case! This makes for less packaging waste, and the case isn’t half bad. My only complaint is that it is just kind of a big hole with no dividers, but some 1.5” Velcro cut to size straps fixed that, and it works great. Beyond that, you get the standard mix of a quick release mount, one adhesive base, charging cord, and battery. The Hero 9 features a new sensor with more pixels than the previous Hero 7 or 8, allowing for more hypersmooth stability and availability (4K 60 linear is now possible) and 5k video at 30 FPS. Personally, 2.7k is still a resolution sweet spot in terms of file sizes, features, and quality, but having all of these options is nice. The low light performance with the higher density sensor is still just ok. In stills, I found the in-camera noise reduction completely crushed details like the pattern in a wood floor, even in decent indoor light. In video it’s ok but still not great. There are just limits that a small dense sensor can’t overcome. But this is a camera for outdoors, not for cave dwellers! And outside it really shines. Images are clear, and video is good. Be careful with the hypersmooth settings though, I found that setting them to the highest settings really hurt the final video quality. A 2.7k video at 60 FPS with high HS settings resulted in a video that looked like it was 1080p, at best. Be careful and only use the higher settings if really needed. The other big improvement is the full color front screen that finally shows a preview of the image. This is great for selfies, vlogging, and using the GoPro at different angles. You can change this display to just information or off entirely from the menu. The back display works fine and is large and clear, however the touch sensitivity is a little buggy, often missing taps or swipes, and it is very slow to navigate. It’s definitely not as slick and intuitive as a smart phone. GoPro says they are aware of this issue and a planned firmware update will address the sensitivity issues at least. The camera also completely hard locked up on me once, requiring a battery pull to reset. You can tell the camera is new and has a few software kinks to work out, which GoPro generally does. This camera takes the best things about the Hero 7, such as the removable lens, and the 8, with the flip down integrated camera mount bracket, and improves on them both with longer battery life, a new sensor, and a full color front screen. If you are in the market for an action camera, you should consider the Hero 9 on your short list.

If you’ve ever wanted to capture life exactly how it feels — not just how it looks — the GoPro Hero 9 Black is that magic button in your hand. I bought mine expecting just another action camera, but what I got was a creative tool that made every moment cinematic. The first time I used the Hero 9, I took it on a mountain trail at sunrise. The 5K resolution blew me away — every grain of dirt, every ray of sunlight looked like it belonged in a movie. When I slowed the footage down, it stayed buttery smooth, and the HyperSmooth 3.0 stabilization made it look like I was gliding instead of hiking over rocks. The front screen is a total game-changer for vlogging. I could finally frame myself perfectly without guessing — no more awkward, half-cut shots. The battery life was better than expected too, easily lasting through a full day of clips. Even underwater, the Hero 9 handled colors and clarity like a champ. But what really sold me is how tough and versatile it is. I’ve dropped it, dunked it, and strapped it to things I probably shouldn’t have — it just keeps going. Editing is a breeze with the GoPro Quik app, and the 5K footage gives you room to crop, reframe, or zoom without losing quality. Whether you’re a pro content creator or just someone who wants to relive moments in the highest detail possible, the GoPro Hero 9 Black makes every second look legendary. It’s not just a camera — it’s a time machine that lets you re-experience your best memories in 5K clarity. The GoPro Hero 9 Black is the best investment I’ve made for capturing life unfiltered — built for adventure, powered by creativity.

Preface to this review: Unfortunately, I was NOT able to upload the images I took with my GoPro Hero 9 due to Best Buy website limitations. When trying, I get "We were unable to accept the image you uploaded because it was too large. We can only accept images that are 5 MB or smaller." In looking at the details of the images from the device, the pictures are around 12-18MB, on average. Now, on to the review: I've always wanted a GoPro device since, well, forever. Where we live, we are in the Appalachian mountains and there are tons of hiking trails and such around us, along with beautiful over-mountain views. We also go to the next state and some short trips for the trails there too. In doing all of this, we've always just resorted to our phones for videos and pictures. Never really had anything dedicated to it. Now, I do and I'm super pumped to go exploring with it! The unboxing is pretty simple. I want to say that the most shocking part for me, as someone who's never owned a GoPro before...this thing is TINY!!! Much tinier than I anticipated. It pretty much fits in the palm of my hand, comfortably. Anyways, the unboxing: You get an elongated case that it comes packaged in, which has a cardboard sleeve over it. Taking everything out (all the common stuff, charging cable, a few small accessories, paperwork, etc), the GoPro was pretty simple to set up. However, I will mention that other than a small quick-start guide, I was unable to find any other documentation on how to use it. Now, I'm a new GoPro user, so I'm sure everything works pretty universally the same as previous models. But for me, some more detailed information would have been handy. Like, how do I really open the battery compartment (I had to look it up and watch a video to make sure I was doing it correctly, as I didn't want to damage it) or how do I get the pictures off of this thing and onto my PC? Luckily, just in digging around and playing with everything, most of it is pretty easy to figure out. I did download the GoPro app and subscribe (1 month free trial, $5 a month after that), which is pretty nifty. Unlimited online storage, GoPro replacements, up to 50% off accessories in the store and some other benefits. I did also order some of the accessories from GoPro directly to verify that this discount DID work as advertised. I got the Travel Case (includes a different style case than what it came with, a Shorty stick, a clip so you can attach it to say, a backpack, and another thing that already came with the camera), the Media Mod, a lanyard case and a battery charger with an extra battery. Later, I want to get some extended-range sticks and the Max Camera mod...and possibly the light mod to go with my Media Mod kit. Outside of GoPro, I also ordered a 128GB Sandisk Extreme memory card. Unfortunately, due to the weather, I've not gotten to play around with everything as much as I would have liked. We had a hiking trip planned and the weather was so terrible, we had to cancel it. So, I've just taken some test videos and pics when I could, just to make sure everything was functioning properly for this review. One thing that I did want to touch base on - I've seen some issues online about dead pixels being an issue for the Hero9, but thankfully, I've not had any issues such as this. Everything has been pristine, perfect and great to use! I'm super happy with it! The battery life is good and the initial setup went well. The firmware updated fine with no issues there. I did notice some initial screen lag when swiping between various modes (slo-mo, camera and pictures), as well as when creating a custom setting. Since then, I've used it and it seems a little better. Hopefully another firmware update will come later to get this fully resolved, as I don't think the Hero8 or Hero7 models suffered from this. The videos are amazing and the pictures are...eh?? I've taken several pictures in various modes and none of them "amaze me". To be quite honest, I'd rather just use my iPhone 11 Pro Max camera for my photos and leave the video to the GoPro...I mean, after all, isn't this what they're intended for? I appreciate being able to take pictures and it can be handy when you don't want to juggle two devices, but...yeah...just not that impressed. Most of them that I've taken look a bit "darker" than what is taken on our other devices. I thought about knocking a star off for this, but, I'm not, since everything else works as it's supposed to. One last thing that I want to add - 5k video seems more like a marketing gimmick than anything. I'd much rather use the 4k or 2.7k settings when doing my recording. The 5k isn't that much of a noticeable difference to make the extra storage and battery drain worth it. One other small issue I've had in use is when changing a setting on the camera via touch, sometimes the screen will rotate on me and I cannot seem to get it to rotate back without wrestling with it and turning it all sorts of ways. So, with the above being said, I'm going to give the GoPro Hero9 a solid 5 out of 5 stars. Sure, there are some minor issues hampering the use of the camera, like the screen lag when changing settings and the rotation from landscape to portrait...when I didn't even turn the camera. But, most of this COULD be fixed in a firmware update. I thought about knocking a star off for the overall picture quality and the 5k "gimmick", but I"m not. Also, if this is too much to spend for the newest model, check out the GoPro Hero 7, as I'm sure it's a bit cheaper and from my research, I've heard that it's even better in some ways than the Hero 9. I just feel the Hero 9 will be a bit more future-proof. Either way, take the GoPro route and you won't be disappointed!

I absolutely love my GoPro 9! Its incredible video quality and versatility make it a must-have for my adventures. I use it every week to capture stunning moments when I play piano and the intuitive controls make it a joy to operate. The rugged design ensures it can handle any environment, and the impressive stabilization keeps my footage smooth. GoPro 9 has become an essential companion.

Overheating is an issue. 1080p is about worthless for quality. 4k looks amazing when it works! Very easy to use. I would recommend putting a screen protector on the lens and the 2 screens. Try to just use the body of the camera for shooting to minimize heat. Putting it inside of the waterproof case is just bound to overheat. GoPro needs to figure out a fan system inside the camera to fix this issue. I got the camera on sale for $250 so it was a good deal, not bad for the 4k quality.

First time GoPro buyer. I like this camera a lot. My biggest gripe about it is the battery life. Aside from that, everything seems to work as advertised. We bought this for a trip to the Florida keys and what I really liked was the fact it was ready to go right out of the box. No waterproof case needed. I love how small and rugged it is. The app to edit videos is easy to use and puts together nice clips. The only reason I took off a star was the battery life, but even replacement batteries aren’t that expensive so to me, it is still a worthy purchase. It is easy to get sucked into buying accessories for it though.

Got this to take videos while on vacation and was surprised to see how vivid and clear my videos turned out. Once I downloaded the app and everything set up it was very easy to use. I like the front screen, makes it easy to use when you're taking a video selfie. Battery life lasted the whole 16 hour day even while turning it off and on multiple times. Great little device

I have to admit that I did not start out as a fan of GoPro. Their early cameras just did not deliver the image quality I prefer. That has changed though! Since the Hero 7, it’s hard to argue with the image quality! Meet the Hero 9 Black! A brand new GoPro featuring 5k video quality and 20MP photos! This camera is a huge leap forward for GoPro! The stabilization software is also improved! No more need for a handheld gimbal! This is a fantastic camera for all of your action and outdoor needs! Waterproof? Check! Great video? Check! Pro quality photos? Check! Small, portable form factor? Check and check!

First time buying a go-pro and really love it. Sleek, easy to use, easy to upload videos to your gopro app and download to phone. I chose this version over the most latest due to price and almost similar specs. Battery life depends on how you use it, constantly on, viewfinder on, etc. i definitely had to buy an extra battery and charging dock. Response to touch screen isn’t bad. Wide angle pics and video look great! The action mode looks even better. Happy with my purchase just wish there was a battery that lasted way longer. Then again it’s a tiny device. I’ve already taken this along in a scenic drive, bike, attached to my dog. It’s a fun gadget.