GoPro Hero11 Black: price, specs, release date revealed

As regular as clockwork, GoPro has announced the company’s latest action camera, the GoPro Hero11 Black – price tag from $399.98 – almost exactly a year after the GoPro Hero10 Black. But wait, there’s more than one; GoPro is also launching the Hero11 Black Mini and Hero11 Black Creator. Although, to be honest, the Hero11 Black Creator is just the Black with some clothes on. 

Let’s start with the GoPro Hero11 Black, which, as expected, follows the same design features as the previous two iterations. Checking over images of the body, the only major difference that jumps out is the large 11 printed on the side. 

Generally speaking, GoPro likes to run its designs for around three iterations before making any major changes, although that’s not set in stone.

GoPro Hero 11 Black new features

Let’s do a quick overview of what’s new. First up is the new larger sensor, which measures at 1/1.9-inches with an 8:7 aspect ratio making this the largest sensor yet in a GoPro. 

Automatic Highlight Tagging is an interesting new feature and one that I’ll dive into in the review. I hope this will be like the feature that appeared on the TomTom Bandit several years ago. That feature enabled some of the best auto-editing features of any action camera I have ever seen. It’s a feature that we have been predicting for some time. 

While the video colours of GoPro are renowned for being bright and often better than life, the camera’s new sensor can process 10-bit colour. This GoPro state will enable the camera to capture the most realistic colours of any GoPro to date. 

HyperSmooth is the big feature that initially completely underwhelmed the world before completely revolutionising the way we use GoPro. HyperSmooth was the first true electronic Image Stabilisation system that was good enough to challenge a mechanical system. 

Many of the new features are made possible by the new sensor, including the 27mp photos; combined with the 10-bit ability, it looks like the new GoPro will also capture stunning stills as well as video. 

Hyperview is a new feature that takes SuperView to the next level. The feature essentially takes the 8:7 footage and delivers it as stunning immersive 16:9 footage. GoPro is selling this feature as a digital lens, which hints that this may only be the start of this new feature.

Timewarp is a fascinating visual feature and essentially creates an ultra-smooth hyperlapse up to 5.3K.

New Night effects have been added – these are light trail modes and enable the camera to capture light painting, Star Trails and vehicle light trails. It’s a fun feature that will inevitably get quite a following. 

Finally, on the new feature list is the Enduro battery. This battery will now be an integral part of the standard camera rather than an addition that needs to be brought separately.

On top of these new features are many of the old favourites. The usual headliners of resolution and framerates remain the same as the Hero10 Black, and again the 1080p resolution enables framerates up to 240fps, giving 8x slow motion. For this release, there are no big leaps in resolution; this release is more about improving the already excellent image quality.

HyperSmooth 5.0

When HyperSmooth hit as the new GoPro feature, many of us were slightly perplexed that a new electronic image stabilisation could be such a big and important feature. However, HyperSmooth has revolutionised how action cameras can be used, enabling the capture of silky smooth footage without needing mechanical stabilisers, such as the GoPro Karma Grip.

Now of the latest HyperSmooth 5.0, the new GoPro Hero11 Black looks to take electronic image stabilisation to the next level helping to counteract the effects of high-impact shaking and movement. 

HyperSmooth 5.0 now offers a Linear and Horizon Lock digital lens, keeping the footage straight even if the camera rotates a full 360º. This mode works in all but the following 5.3k60, 4K120, 2.7K240, 1080p240

GoPro Hero11 Black Creator Edition

For the moment I’ve tapped the information about the GoPro Hero11 Black Creator Edition on to the end of the GoPro Hero 11 Black story. The reason, well it’s essentially the same camera with all GoPro accessories bolted on in order to make it an all in one filmmaking/vlogging tool.

GoPro’s size and features including Hypersmooth and the mods lend it to being the ideal vlogging tool out of the box, and with all of the additions in this neat kit at a single price makes sense.

The kit features the GoPro Hero 11 Black, battery grip, directional mic, External LED and mounts for additional accessories. It features all of HERO11 Black’s performance plus a long- lasting battery grip with built-in buttons for one-handed camera control and over four hours of 4K recording per charge. HERO11 Black Creator Edition also includes an optional directional microphone, external mic input, HDMI port for connecting to external displays, a high-output LED light and two cold shoe mounts for mounting additional accessories.

GoPro Hero11 Black Price and availability

The GoPro Hero11 Black price tag will be $399.98 for GoPro Subscribers and $499.99 MSRP. The action camera goes on sale as of today 

A HERO11 Black Creator Edition is available globally today at $579.98 for GoPro Subscribers and $699.99 MSRP. 

The HERO11 Black Mini will be available at GoPro.com on Oct. 25 for $299.98 for GoPro Subscribers and $399.99 MSRP, rolling out to retailers globally after that.