Is A GoPro Worth It?

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Whether you're going on a family vacation or a world tour, it makes sense to capture your memories in a good photo.

This might make you wonder or ask which camera would make better travel photography?

Perhaps this is your question, one of the most efficient action cameras on the market today for a high quality travel photography is the GoPro camera.

The GoPro camera makes shooting a breeze, more enjoyable, and super convenient; thanks to cutting-edge technology, especially for people who enjoy an active lifestyle.

Just before we go on, you may cut in with the question "Is a GoPro worth it?" Yes, a GoPro camera is worth your investment because it works better with a wide dynamic range than a regular camera.

In this blog post, I will be sharing with you why I believe the GoPro is worthwhile.

I will also be sharing the benefits, advantages, disadvantages, and top GoPro model choices you should opt for and many more details about the GoPro. Read on!

What is a GoPro?

GoPro is the brand name of a company that produces action cameras. Many people believe it to be the product itself, but it is the name of the business that owns several product lines.

GoPro camera is a small-sized action camera made to record brisk events, such as sports and adventures.

The equipment is compact enough to be mounted on skateboards, helmets, and bikes, and even small enough to be carried while running. Although it has a small footprint, this great camera can do a lot of things.

GoPro camera can take still pictures and recordings of all kinds of videos. Despite its small size, this great camera can perform a wide variety of tasks. They are renowned for their toughness and compactness.

What is a GoPro used for?

Here are the basic operations that a GoPro camera can do that inform its uses.

1. Record smooth video footage of fast-paced actions and adventures

GoPro cameras are the top-tier option for cool 4K or 5K video capabilities of fast-paced adventures and action.

They are great cameras at capturing smooth footage of high pixel count with high resolution.

The GoPro footage is sufficient to produce good results if you are a casual shooter who simply enjoys documenting daily activities and other things.

On the other hand, if you are into videography and photography, GoPro will give you a high level of flexibility to shoot video in the highest resolution.

It allows you to make more edits to the videos without lowering their video quality, which is very beneficial.

Make sure you check out our in-depth reviews of Best SD cards for GoPro if you're looking to save high-quality videos with your GoPro!

2. Capture creative shots and skills

Taking still pictures, capturing skills, and taking creative shots and videos are part of the simplest things you can do with a GoPro.

GoPro has a wide-angle lens that is ideal for creating fish-eye effects despite its tiny size.

When compared to typical smartphone cameras, the GoPro camera gives you a unique and more creative shot with photo resolutions that are consistently state-of-the-art.

Most importantly, all GoPro camera models have HDR function and SuperPhoto mode function that brings out creativity for contrast in terms of toned images and highlights.

This makes sure that your photos and videos are not oversaturated.

3. Shoot underwater

One of the basic operations that a GoPro camera have over other camera is that it is waterproof camera. This means that it can shoot videos and take pictures underwater.

With a GoPro, capturing beautiful moments or scenery underwater is not a problem. In fact, the GoPro camera is an everyday camera with an excellent optical zoom feature.

4. Control the camera through voice commands

GoPro excels more than other regular photography equipment in that it responds to voice commands.

This means that you can operate your camera just by saying a few simple words. That is so helpful! Isn’t it? Absolutely! 

For instance, the GoPro Hero 7 device and other successive models after it comes with a voice command response.

Additionally, this response to voice commands can be used to enable or disable the GoPro's Time Lapse mode and numerous other fundamental features.

5. Start recording a few seconds before the shutter button is pressed

When it comes to capturing moments in photography, one horrible thing that can happen is missing out on capturing some action moments.

This is because the best moments happen very quickly and cannot be replayed. For example, beautiful scenery moments of a baby on an adventure trip.

With a GoPro camera, missing out on these moments can be avoided.

The GoPro has an enabled feature called Hindsight that allows the camera to start recording about thirty seconds ahead before you capture the footage by pressing the shutter button.

Awesome right? With this, you can see that a GoPro is worth it. A GoPro will never allow you to miss out on beautiful action shots.

6. Replay highlights of long videos

A GoPro's ability to repeatedly replay the highlights of a lengthy video thanks to a feature called HiLight is yet another positive aspect of its operation.

You can relate if you've ever tried to record a lengthy video but weren't interested in the whole thing, just the interesting and inventive shots and sections.

You can accomplish this with a GoPro thanks to its HiLight feature. GoPro Hero 4 and later GoPro models have access to this feature.

To make video highlights easier to find, review, and share with your friends and family, the HiLight feature lets you tag them.

Pros of Buying a GoPro Camera

From the discussion of the unique operational uses of GoPro above, you can see that a GoPro is worth it.

However, it is imperative to show the advantages of buying a GoPro camera over other normal cameras. Here are 10 reasons why you should consider buying a GoPro.

·       GoPro cameras are portable

GoPro models are very small and light such that they can fit in your pocket. So there's no issue with trying to squeeze everything into your luggage or going over the allowable carry-on weight.

Due to its small size and weight, GoPro is portable and appears to be like the size of toys for kids.

·       GoPros are durable

Despite the light weight of the GoPro camera, GoPros are highly durable. This makes them perfect for adventurous travelers because they are resilient and made to withstand heavy use.

So you don't have to worry about using them frequently because they are so durable. The GoPro is very tough which informs their durability. They are a good choice of great cameras for kids.

·       They are completely waterproof

This action camera can go underwater to about 33 feet straight without a waterproof housing or case, unlike other action cameras.

Therefore, GoPro cameras are made extremely well-sealed, waterproofed, and constantly ready for use.

This makes them a great choice for capturing moments for adventures at the beach and water sports enthusiasts. This is one of the reasons why GoPro cameras are worth it.

·       GoPro cameras are easy to use

GoPros are very simple and easy to use. To use a GoPro, all you need to do is point it in the direction of your footage and press the shutter button.

This is fantastic for buyers who are turned off by the challenging learning curve required to utilize other regular cameras to their fullest.

·       They are wearable

The best feature of a GoPro camera is its ability to be worn, which no bulky professional-grade action cameras can match.

Due to the compact design of GoPro cameras, you can attach them to your wrists, helmets, or any other piece of gear you carry on your adventures.

Also, you can now more easily record videos of your activities.

Its ability to be worn allows free movement even while capturing moments. For example, with a GoPro, you can capture moments of your baby’s first steps while leaving your hands free to catch them in case they tumble.

·       GoPro has automatic settings

GoPro has automatic settings of point and shoot which work remarkably for a wide range of shooting.

Although these point-and-shoot cameras may not be perfect for every situation, they work surprisingly well for the best moments.

·       GoPro cameras have wide-angle lens

GoPro cameras have a wide-angle lens (a fixed 170-degree lens) that allows for taking wide-angle photos and videos.

This wide-angle lens is what allows the GoPro cameras to have the distinctive ultra-wide angle fish-eye effects they possess.

The ability of the GoPro to capture everything right in front of it bystor just pointing the camera in the direction of the moments is because of its wide-angle lens.

This makes the GoPro a wonderful choice of camera for capturing travels, adventure trips, sporting events, hiking, and driving.

·       They are perfect for taking high quality still photos

The GoPro models have good megapixels from 10MP to 23Mp that are great at taking quality still photos. So, if you love taking still JPEG images, a GoPro is what you need to cover the entire scene

·       They are good for flawless footage and stills

A GoPro is the best action camera to use to avoid extremely shaky footage for videos that feature quick movements. This is possible because of the HyperSmooth feature they have.

With this feature, electronic image stabilization is used to lessen the effect of camera shake during recording.

As a result, the video and photo outputs look much more professional, smooth, stable, and flawless. 

GoPro is well known for producing high image quality and quality videos with the perfect combination of tones, details, and resolution.

·       They possess connectivity capabilities

GoPros have connectivity capabilities such as WiFi. With the aid of WiFi, you can easily share content and control your GoPro camera from a distance.

You only need to connect it to your smartphone to get started. You can even share a Livestream with your loved ones using the GoPro app.

Additionally, the device has a built-in GSP for increased connectivity, and you can even an external mic attached to it for a good audio quality.

There is no bad time to buy a GoPro camera, but you will want to make sure you catch the good deals when purchasing one. Check out our helpful tips on Best Time to Buy Cameras to make sure you get the best deal possible!

Cons of Buying a GoPro Camera

Now, let’s take a look at the cons of using a GoPro. These disadvantages might make you do a double-take about buying a GoPro.

However, finding ways to overcome these disadvantages is possible and feasible depending on you and your photography conditions. Here are the cons of a GoPro.

·       They have limited manual setting responsiveness

GoPros have a few manual settings compared to other professional cameras. This places a constraint on the manual shooting range.

This limited manual setting responsiveness is due to the mechanical sponginess of the shutter which is by design to prevent unintentional shots, but it results in a less precise shutter that pushes back when you try to press it.

Therefore, due to this, issues with shooting videos as a result of old shutter lag problems are inevitable.

·       They have a short battery life

GoPro's battery life is shorter than that of other action camera devices. The battery life typically gets depleted more quickly when strong features and high resolution are combined.

If you intend to record videos for longer than two hours nonstop, get a portable charger or a few extra spare batteries ready.

·       They have a fixed focal length

GoPro camera has a fixed focal length that only lets you use digital zoom, just like your smartphone camera. This makes it a poor option for distant shoots like wildlife.

What you should keep in mind when using action cams is that you'll need to have a much closer distance between the equipment and the subject because of the fixed focal length combined with a wide-angle lens.

·       GoPros are fairly expensive

GoPros are pricey and fairly expensive. This is well known to many though. However, in all honesty, there are substitutes available that provide the same features at a lower premium price tag.

·       They are awkward to handle for people with big hands

Although GoPros are lightweight which makes them cute. Their small size makes it awkwardly hard for people with big hands to operate them.

Top 5 GoPro camera models to consider buying in 2022

Now that we have discussed the GoPro camera in detail let's look at their beneficial operational uses and the reasons (pros) to consider buying them.  

We have also seen some of the cons about GoPro cameras to help you get prepare to avoid any inconveniences that might happen with using any GoPro camera.

Let’s talk about the best GoPro camera models to consider when deciding which GoPro camera to buy this year. Here’s an overview of the top 5 GoPro camera that are worth your money now.

1. GoPro Hero 9

This GoPro camera is the latest model of GoPro camera in 2022 that is best for serious adventure seekers.

It has a detachable lens with a high resolution of 20megapixels count. The Hero 9 has dual screens which are good for 5K video shooting mode.

2. GoPro Hero 8

The Hero 8 is the best cheapest new GoPro Hero model to buy in 2022. It has a 12megapixel count resolution and is good for 4k video recordings.

It has a robust build fit for both land and water POV footage. It has the unique HyperSmooth video mode feature which makes it a good price-quality ratio GoPro footage.

Since it is cheaper than Hero 9, most users consider buying it because it is a newer model with a relatively affordable price.

3. GoPro Max

The GoPro Max action camera is the one that most vloggers and YouTubers love to have. This is because it is a 360º camera.

It has unbreakable electronic image stabilization with top stereo audio for video footage.

4. GoPro Hero 7

The Hero 7 is a budget-friendly GoPro that is a great option for buyers on a budget in 2022.  It can record 4K video footage and decent 10MP photos.

5. GoPro Hero 4

The GoPro Hero 4 is one of the first GoPro and the cheapest model of GoPros. It has an improved camera control display for easy camera control.

It is good for professional video shooting and good for taking 12MP photos. The commonly available Hero 4 models are the Hero 4 Black and Hero 4 Silver.

Frequently Asked Questions

Is GoPro better than smartphone cameras?

A GoPro has added value that makes it better than a smartphone camera.

GoPro are more rugged than phone cameras, they have better mounting options, and they are completely waterproof and easy to operate.

Although the battery life of a smartphone camera beats a GoPro battery life hands down, it can be redeemed by having spare batteries on standby.

Is a smartphone required to use the GoPro?

However, the phone will provide some extra features for the GoPro like the ability to preview pictures, control your camera remotely, and make it simpler to view and share the content you record.

Is a GoPro good for regular photos?

Yes, GoPros are certainly good for taking regular photos as JPGs. However, GoPros are best known for video recordings.

Final Thoughts – Is A GoPro Worth It?

GoPros are the best powerful and adaptable action cameras available with tons of beneficial operational uses that make them a piece of excellent photography equipment.

So if you are wondering ‘Is a GoPro worth it?’ Absolutely, Yes, GoPro cameras are worth it for simplicity, a better picture, low light performance, and good control.

They have exceptional features like HiLight, Hypersmooth mode, remote control, Bluetooth, fast shutter speed, and WiFi capabilities.  

Despite its high price, I still think it's a wise investment for shooting photos. A GoPro is simply striking the ideal balance between best features and cost, a question of price-to-value ratio.

So, if you can, get a GoPro today as it offers more than just a traditional camera.