GoPro shrinks next-gen cameras to half previous size, up to 4K resolution
California-based camera company GoPro announced on Wednesday the third generation of its popular ruggedized, wearable video camera, the HD Hero3, and a whole lineup of new hardware for the 2012 holiday season.
GoPro's cameras up until now have been rather boxy, and with the Hero2's accessory to add Wi-Fi connectivity, the little cameras became bulky things indeed. This new generation of cameras, however, is half the size of previous models and has the Wi-Fi capability built in. Functionality has been improved while size has been reduced. It's a great combination for a generational upgrade.
And most importantly, the top-of-the-line new HD Hero3, known as the "Black Edition" can record 4K and 2.7K video resolutions. Previous models topped out at 30fps at 1080p resolution, but also offered 960 and 720p resolutions with varying frame rates. The highest speed imagery the last generation Hero was capable of was 120 frames per second in low-resolution WVGA (800 x 480) mode.
The Hero3 Black Edition can capture 12 megapixel stills, record 1080p video at 60fps, 2.7k at 30fps, or 4k at 12fps. The high speed 120 fps mode has been bumped up to 720p (1280 x 720) resolution as well. It has Wi-Fi built in, and comes with the GoPro Wi-Fi remote and compatibility with the GoPro smartphone app. The Black Edition GoPro Hero3 has an MSRP of $399.99.
There are two other models in the Hero3 lineup with fewer features and lower prices. The Silver edition is capable of the same image resolutions as the top-of-the line Hero2 (1080p/30fps, 960p/48fps, 720p/60fps, WVGA/120fps, 11mp stills) but it has the Wi-Fi capability built in, and costs $299.99. The White Edition features 1080p/30fps, 960p/30fps, 720p/60fps video with 5 megapixel stills and built-in Wi-Fi, and it costs $199.99.
GoPro's website has a big green "add to cart" button for the new cameras, but may not be clickable in your area yet. These cameras are, according to the company, "still pending certification in many countries, and will be available in limited locations through the end of 2012."