Renowned action camera manufacturer
GoPro has come up trumps again with its latest offering, the
Hero3+ Black Edition. Released in October this year, the Hero3+ is every adventure sports enthusiast’s camera of desire and with its compact design and range of capabilities, it is easy to see why.
Although the device weighs a mere 136 grams and is small enough to fit in the palm of your hand, do not be fooled by its minimalistic design because the simplistic exterior hides specs capable of churning out professional-quality, high-definition videos and incredibly detailed pictures of high-speed action.
The Hero3+ Black Edition ships with accessories tailor-made for adventure sports photography. A water-proof housing for the main camera is perfect for shooting in wet conditions and is water-proof upto 40 metres. Also bundled are one three-way pivot arm, one curved and one flat adhesive mount, and one quick release and one vertical quick release buckle, which all allow for flawlessly capturing of fast-paced adventure moments. GoPro has also included a Wi-Fi remote this time around, which is incredibly handy.
Accessories aside, the Hero3+ excels in what GoPro cameras do best: capturing professional-quality, incredibly-detailed videos and images of fast-paced action in all kinds of terrains and weather conditions.
The option to record videos at a gorgeous 4,000K resolution (at 15 frames per second) is a nice one to have, although most of us might not currently own a TV capable of displaying resolutions that high. That being said, videos of high-speed activities captured at a lesser 1,080p resolution at 60 fps, with the ‘Ultra Wide’ mode on also look amazingly crisp and detailed on normal HDTVs, with clear and natural sounding audio to match.
The Hero3+ is also capable of capturing detailed still images of fast-moving action at a respectable 12 megapixels, with the ‘Time Lapse’ mode particularly impressive. Media is stored on a microSD card, with the camera supporting cards with maximum capacity of 64GB, adequate for most users. Battery life is also good, with the Lithium battery capable of lasting more than two hours of continuous recording and more than five hours of moderate use. The free GoPro companion app for mobile iDevices, which allows for full remote control of the camera while also acting as a screen capable of live video previews, perfectly complements the gadget.
Retailing at approximately Rs 40,000, the best action camera, while not cheap, is worth the price. The more budget conscious among us might consider the Silver Edition, which offers slightly downgraded specs at Rs 10,000 less.
Yantrick’s Verdict: The Hero3+ is a must-have for adventure sports enthusiasts intent on perfectly capturing their stunts.