GoPro Hero 13 Black leak gives us our first look at the action camera – plus a surprise new model
We’d advise against buying a new action cam right now
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Just like iPhones, new GoPro Hero action cameras typically arrive like clockwork every September – and some freshly leaked images of theGoPro Hero 13 Blacksuggest that tradition will continue this year.
In fact, a prematureAmazonlisting picked up byTechstoriesIndia(viaNotebookCheck) suggests we’ll be getting two new models on September 16 – a Hero 13 Black follow-up to last year’sGoPro Hero 12 Blackand an intriguing new entry-level model that’ll simply be called the GoPro Hero.
The latter appears to be the more interesting of the two from the leaked images so far, which were re-shared in the X (formerly Twitter) post below. It’ll likely replace theHero 11 Black Mini, which arrived in 2022 as a cheaper, more compact action cam for bicycle and motorbike helmets. The leaked product description describes it as “our smallest4Kcamera” with a “rugged, super-light design” that’s “a fraction of the size and weight of other GoPro cameras.”
The GoPro Hero will seemingly still be waterproof to 5m (16ft) and have HyperSmooth stabilization, but that’s about all we know about that action cam so far. It’s a similar deal with the Hero 13 Black – from the leaked images, its design appears to be nigh-on identical to its predecessor.
GOPRO HERO 13 BLACK + pic.twitter.com/GeLvHEIjx9August 14, 2024
One promising change, though, is the appearance of new magnetic accessories in those leaked listings. We’ve always liked theDJI Osmo Action 4’s magnetic mounting system, as it makes it very quick to add the camera to new accessories like extension roads or grips – and it looks like GoPro has been taking notes.
The listing includes a ‘GoPro Magnetic Latch Ball Joint Mount’ and a ‘Magnetic Latch Mount’ for the Hero 13 Black, which suggests its new flagship will get a more sophisticated mounting system.
There could also be new versions of GoPro’s Lens Mods for the action cam, with a ‘Macro Lens Mod’ and ‘Ultra Wide Lens Mod’ shown in the leaked screengrab.
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What about the GoPro Max 2?
The arrival of a new entry-level Hero model alongside a Hero 13 Black echoes some earlier noises we heard from GoPro during an investor call. In theFebruary call, GoPro CEO Nick Woodman said, “we plan to launch four new camera SKUs, giving us a lineup of cutting-edge, industry-leading cameras ranging in price from a volume-driving $199 up to $599, with more planned for 2025.”
We now have a good idea about two of those cameras, even if the leaks haven’t yet revealed specs upgrades like new sensors. But what about the other cameras? Well, one of them will almost certainly be the long-awaitedGoPro Max 2, a 360-degree camera that GoPro said was “in the works” last year.
Unfortunately, back in May, GoPro said in another investor call that “due to the development process taking longer than expected,” the 360 camera would be pushed back to “late Q4”. If that timeline’s still accurate, we can expect the entry-level Hero and Hero 13 Black to arrive on September 16 (as suggested by the leaked Amazon listing), with the Max 2 likely to follow after that – hopefully by the end of the year.
That’s a slight shame because thebest 360 cameras– like theInsta360 X4– have slightly stolen GoPro’s thunder by becoming the most exciting launches in the action cam space, thanks to their versatility. But it sounds like GoPro’s action cam lineup will get a big shakeup in the next few months – and with theDJI Osmo Action 5 Proalso expected to launch soon, we wouldn’t recommend buying a new action camera right now.
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Mark is TechRadar’s Senior news editor. Having worked in tech journalism for a ludicrous 17 years, Mark is now attempting to break the world record for the number of camera bags hoarded by one person. He was previously Cameras Editor at both TechRadar and Trusted Reviews, Acting editor on Stuff.tv, as well as Features editor and Reviews editor on Stuff magazine. As a freelancer, he’s contributed to titles including The Sunday Times, FourFourTwo and Arena. And in a former life, he also won The Daily Telegraph’s Young Sportswriter of the Year. But that was before he discovered the strange joys of getting up at 4am for a photo shoot in London’s Square Mile.
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