GoPro’s latest series moves the ever-innovators well beyond the pigeonhole of action cameras. Long trusted as the benchmark manufacturer for POV video capture needs across adventures, GoPro’s new three-model MISSION 1 Series pushes it into a new category of professional-grade cinematography. Of course, the MISSION 1 cameras still boast the rugged, any-condition reliability (and wearability) of their predecessors.
While these feature-laden cameras boost abilities for professional filmmakers, the cinema quality in a portable, pursuit-ready package equips any visual storyteller with the means to push their creative boundaries. Here is what GoPro’s new high-end cameras mean for the active outdoor user.
Triple Threat
There are three MISSION 1 cameras. The base model is slated as a compact cinema camera for serious creators that retails for $599. For an additional $100, the MISSION 1 PRO adds 8K60 and nearly 1000fps slo-mo modes for pro-level capture, and the MISSION 1 PRO ILS, pictured below, offers interchangeable Micro Four Thirds (MFT) lens compatibility.
Low-Light Performance
The MISSION 1 Series’ technical leap forward starts with the digital equivalent of its eye and its brain — that is, its 1-inch sensor and GoPro’s proprietary GP3 Processor, which enable longer runtimes plus added AI-enhanced algorithms that optimize settings for various shooting scenarios.
With a 50MP sensor approximately 1.45 times the surface area of GoPro’s current action camera flagship HERO13 Black, the MISSION 1 Series notably improves low-light performance, extending shooting windows beyond golden hour and deeper into dusk and dawn.
GoPro’s Director of Photography, Brian Town, needed time to adjust his mindset to shooting with the 1-inch sensor after getting his hands on the new cameras.
“We had to rewire our brains,” said Town. “When we start to lose light, we don’t have to stop shooting now. The new sensor has so much dynamic range that we can pull details from shadows even after dark. It’s insane.”
Shoot Once, Crop Later
Take full advantage of that sized-up sensor in Open Gate mode, which captures a taller 4:3 frame utilizing the entire sensor’s image area. That maximized visual real estate means more output flexibility: You can crop the same video horizontally (16:9) or vertically (9:16) at native 4K resolution.
And Open Gate recording at a massive 4K/120fps, or even 8K/30fps (on the Pro and Pro ILS editions), provides content creators more freedom to experiment with formatting possibilities on the fly.
Unrivaled Slow-Motion
Seeing is believing the MISSION 1 cameras’ category-leading resolutions and frame rates. In the camera series’ intro reel (below), you’ll immediately notice how the water droplets morph and flame tips flicker. Credit the MISSION 1 Series’ 4K resolution at 240 fps for ultra-slow, buttery-smooth playback of fast-action moments.
If you’re looking to stop time, a 10-second burst at 1080p/960fps lets you capture the tiny details of dynamic, high-impact sequences. And if you want the best of high-resolution and slow-motion flexibility, you can shoot up to 8K60.
Longer, Stronger
The MISSION 1 Series introduces a new, higher-capacity Enduro 2 battery with fast-charging capability, powering the longest continuous runtimes and most dependable thermal performance of any GoPro ever. At 2150mAh, the beefed-up battery delivers over 5 hours of continuous recording at 1080p/30 in the efficiency-focused Endurance Mode. It also delivers over 3 hours at 4K/30, while supporting a fast charge that goes from 0 to 80% in about 20 minutes.
Longtime GoPro users will be pleased to know the Enduro 2 batteries are backward-compatible with HERO13 Black, plus you can use HERO13 Black Enduro batteries as MISSION 1 Series backups in a pinch (though without the same runtimes or charging speed).
Adventure-Proof Extras
The excursion credibility and outdoor benefits of this new series are right in the title: it’s ready for a mission. Out of the box, the base and Pro edition cameras can dive up to 66 feet (20m) without an extra dive housing (though the Pro ILS is only weatherproof due to its interchangeable lens system, of course).
The “equilibrium” buttons are redesigned to prevent saltwater sticking, and to ease operation with bulky gloves. And to make it them the easiest-to-use GoPros ever, there’s a new, larger OLED screen on the back of the camera.
“This feels like the next thing,” raved the directors at Stept Studios, a California-based creative and production agency, “a compact cinema camera that lets you move quickly, mount it anywhere, and put real professional glass on it. GoPro has built something entirely new here.”
This article is sponsored by GoPro.
