The new GoPro Hero9 Black has hit Australia and there’s a strong underlying theme — bigger is better. From the screen to the battery (and more) GoPro is going large. This also applies to the price… but there is a way to bring that down.
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GoPro Hero9 Black Specs
This year the body on the GoPro Hero9 Black is significantly larger at 71 mm x 55 mm x 33.6. For comparison, the Hero8 Black was 66.3 mm x 48.6 mm x 28.4 mm. And at 158g is is 32g heavier than last year’s model.
While larger and heavier doesn’t sound great, it’s for a reason.
The first is not only but two screens. The Hero9 Black is the first GoPro to add a front-facing, full-colour LCD screen to assist with framing shots. The rear touchscreen has now also gone from 1.95-inches to 2.27 inches.
As for the lens, we’re looking at a big upgrade here, too. You will no longer find a 12MP sensor. Instead the GoPro Hero9 Black has a 23.6MP sensor. This means that still shots are now 20MP, up from 12MP and it can shoot in 5K a 5120×2880 pixels. Screen grabs from video will now sit at 14.7MP.
Elsewhere on the body it is still waterproof to just over 10m and includes redesigned mics so the water can escape faster. You’ll also find the same in-built legs introduced in the Hero8 Black.
The larger camera body also allows for a bigger battery — it’s now 30 per cent larger. This is great, because the series hasn’t gotten a significant upgrade since the Hero5 Black. It has now gone from 1220mAh to 1720mAh.
The battery is also said to do much better in colder temperatures this year. Our U.S. colleagues tested this against the Hero8 Black recently and found it to be true.
It’s worth noting that this change means that GoPro batteries from previous models aren’t compatible with the Hero9 Black.
Lastly, if you weren’t a fan of the lens being baked into the Hero8 Black, we have some good news. The removable lens is back in the Hero9 Black.
This also means that there is a new and improved lens option — Max Lens Mod. This is a wider lens that allows SuperView and HyperSmooth modes, as well as 36-degree horizon levelling.
Availability
The GoPro Hero9 Black is available in Australia now.
GoPro Hero9 Black Australian price
Considering all the upgrades, it’s not surprising that the GoPro Hero9 Black has gotten a price bump this year. It has an RRP of $699.95, up from $599.95 for the Hero8 Black.
But you can knock it back down to $599.95 if you subscribe to the GroPro subscription service. It’s $7.49/month or $69.99/year. It comes with no-questions-asked camera replacement, unlimited cloud storage, enhanced live streaming to GoPro.com and up to 50% on mounts and accessories at GoPro.com.
Even if you’re not interested in any of that, a yearly subscription still makes the overall cost of the Hero9 Black $30 cheaper.