Gopro's New Hero4 Session - Have They Jumped The Shark?

[T'Biker]

I've just been reading up on the new GoPro Hero4 Session, their new cube-form camera.

They claim it's 50% smaller than the Hero4. I'm not sure - it looks about a maximum of 30% smaller overall to me. Yes, it's about 1/3 narrower, but looks about 25% deeper front-to-back

And what do you get for your £329.99?

• No external mic option
• A non-removable battery
• An absolute maximum of 2 hours battery life

Is this really (for example) 7x better than an SJCam M10, which is essentially the same thing?

Or are GoPro users in a similar camp as Apple users where although there's just as good (if not better) out there for much less money, it's simply a must-have 'cos it's a GoPro....?

<Puts on flameproof suit>

 

[Lurch]

So does it do all the things a normal 4 does?

They'd have been better making a bullet shape camera, would do serious damage to Drift.

 

[Thr1ll]

Seems like it definitely has it's place in the action-cam world.

I don't think it would be good for vlogging, other than for a 2nd camera. Being waterproof out of the box without a housing is definitely a step up for GoPro.

I read that the microphones are designed to reduce wind noise, so I'd be interested to hear how it sounds.

 

[Meifesto]

I think that most GoPro users are same like iPhone users.

BUT...
And this is a big but,
GoPro is also the only one (at least here) that uses commercials and stuff to bring their product to the market.
So a lot of people just don't know any better.

 

[Lurch]

Not seen ads or anywhere near the volume of marketing in the UK for anything else either.

 

[T'Biker]

So a lot of people just don't know any better.

I think you might be right there.

Maybe it's just got to the point of being the word associated to it, like;

Vaccum cleaner - Hoover
Ballpoint pen - Biro
Internet Search - Google
Action Camera - GoPro

???

 

[Lurch]

Yorkshirefied decals - T'Biker



aup!

 

[RoBoCox]

Google does trump all imo though

 

[Meifesto]

I think you might be right there.

Maybe it's just got to the point of being the word associated to it, like;

Vaccum cleaner - Hoover
Ballpoint pen - Biro
Internet Search - Google
Action Camera - GoPro

???

I think so, a lot of people don't talk about "action camera's", they talk about GoPro.

I talk about drift, but then again, I have always been different xD

 

[MrCods]

Looks like the Polaroid Cube as well

 

[SighBored]

Some reviews are saying it's a dumb-ed down version of the Hero 4, as long as there is hype, people will go with it, I'm just chilling back waiting for cheap/used Hero 4 to surface.

 

[dandoolittle]

Polaroid cube is about the same specs and way less that half price

 

[Lurch]

Be interesting to see the output side by side if that's the case.

 

[arch417]

The good thing about this is that it will make the regular Hero 4 cameras cheaper

No mic input? Uhh no thanks.

 

[hungabustavlogs]

I think that the Session is way overpriced for what it is however I think that it will fit in a niche where certain people will find it really useful.
I wouldn't go comparing this to Apple's behavior just yet though.
At this point they (GoPro) are essentially the best option at every price point.
Until another company can put forward a better product at a cheaper price point than the comparative GoPro then they are not exploiting consumers with their brand reputation.

 

[Nerb]

At this point they (GoPro) are essentially the best option at every price point.
Until another company can put forward a better product at a cheaper price point than the comparative GoPro then they are not exploiting consumers with their brand reputation.

So a lot of people just don't know any better.

Cmon Hungabusta... 4k action cameras... gopro hero black $729, silver $579, 3 black $500, Sony fdrx1000v $499 (identical specs to H4B) shotbox s71 $400, Theres a wierd panasonic 4k for $350...
And if you dont want 4k, there is crap loads on the market.
Gopro is simply overpriced.

 

[T-Fritz]

Not a bid fan of the Sessions. Yeah it's nice and all but there is no replaceable battery, you can only do 1080 60fps nothing more and there is no mic attachment. Yeah this is mainly just a mount and go camera but my expectations from GoPro has me disappointed in this model. I don't see myself getting one as of right now. I'll have to do a video of my review on it (although I don't own one).

 

[hungabustavlogs]

Cmon Hungabusta... 4k action cameras... gopro hero black $729, silver $579, 3 black $500, Sony fdrx1000v $499 (identical specs to H4B) shotbox s71 $400, Theres a wierd panasonic 4k for $350...
And if you dont want 4k, there is crap loads on the market.
Gopro is simply overpriced.

Wow that is so wrong.
The Hero 4 Black is $500 (the same price as the FDRX1000V), it comes with the GoPro remote while Sony charges extra for theirs, the GoPro has better accessory support (especially drones), and the GoPro generally has superior image quality while not suffering from lens distortion anywhere near as bad as the Sony.
I would make the same arguments against the Shotbox, plus it only shoots 4k at a laughable 15fps which is completely unusable for most video projects.
There is a reason that the Panasonic is so much cheaper, it's utter garbage. The image quality is un-detailed, very soft, and suffers from shocking barrel distortion. Add to this the fact that it is such a strange shape which makes it hard to mount to a lot of things and it's clear why it's no competition for the GoPro.
For another camera to be able to compete successfully with the GoPro then it needs to be either a clearly better product or a massively cheaper price, or ideally both.
Until that happens the GoPro is going to remain king of the action cam world.

 

[SighBored]

GoPro realized it's the Apple/MAC of the action camera world, as long as they produce something new the hipster fans will go ape shit crazy over it and get it even though the "new" product might have less features for the same price.

I'm not hating on GoPro in any way, I believe, like anything else, Apple fanboys included, that they have the right to buy the product if they want it. It's their money anyway.

I'm just waiting for the used Hero 3+ to get cheap and get some.

 

[Nerb]

Wow that is so wrong.
The Hero 4 Black is $500 (the same price as the FDRX1000V), it comes with the GoPro remote while Sony charges extra for theirs, the GoPro has better accessory support (especially drones), and the GoPro generally has superior image quality while not suffering from lens distortion anywhere near as bad as the Sony.
I would make the same arguments against the Shotbox, plus it only shoots 4k at a laughable 15fps which is completely unusable for most video projects.
There is a reason that the Panasonic is so much cheaper, it's utter garbage. The image quality is un-detailed, very soft, and suffers from shocking barrel distortion. Add to this the fact that it is such a strange shape which makes it hard to mount to a lot of things and it's clear why it's no competition for the GoPro.
For another camera to be able to compete successfully with the GoPro then it needs to be either a clearly better product or a massively cheaper price, or ideally both.
Until that happens the GoPro is going to remain king of the action cam world.

I guess it depends where you live, because here the Sony is consistently cheaper.. 599 vs 679 at mx store, 489 vs 649 at cambuy, 476 vs 599 at digidirect. And none of those gopros come with a remote.
So "at a given price point" as you said earlier, the fdrx1000v is really competing with the hero 4 silver (4k @ 15fps), or maybe even the hero 3 black.
Your comparison of image quality is questionable also. The h4B can record at 60mb/s (the silver at 45mb/s) but the sony is 100mb/s. The internet is full of arguments about that though.
Yes those other models are of a much lower standard, but at much less cost. In fact, the shotbox is the same price as the basic hero+lcd.
Im still with a ghost. I'd like a gopro, but a bit out of my budget, especially when I would have to buy all the mounts as well.
So maybe its not "Wow that is so wrong" and more like "Arguable because I didnt really mean at a cheaper price point than the comparative GoPro"