\n\n\n\n
\n\n\n\n
Design & Components<\/u><\/strong><\/h2>\n\n\n\nWeight and Dimensions<\/strong><\/h3>\n\n\n\nGoPro made a few changes to the Hero8 Black design if we compare it to its predecessor the Hero7 Black which looked almost identical to the Hero6 Black<\/a>.<\/p>\n\n\n\nWell, the Hero8 still has the rugged rubberized exterior which gives it a sporty look. It is slightly heavier than the Hero7 Black, it weighs 126 grams or 4.44 ounces.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
![\"GoPro](\"https:\/\/s3.amazonaws.com\/images.wealthyaffiliate.com\/uploads\/395980\/sitecontent\/8f57761a5d9cbd04a5bcb47b61bc6697_cropped.JPG?1591270510\" "\\"GoPro")
<\/figure><\/div>\n\n\n\nWhen it comes to dimensions 66.3 W x 48.6 H x 28.4 D (mm) or 2.61 W x 1.91 H x 1.11 D (inch), the Hero8 has more width and height than the Hero7 Black but less depth, which means that the GoPro Super Suit protective housing or any other housing I was using on the 7 Black won’t fit on the 8.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
Now the new addition here is the folding fingers at the bottom of the Hero8 which gives the ability to be mounted without using a protective housing.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
![\"GoPro](\"https:\/\/s3.amazonaws.com\/images.wealthyaffiliate.com\/uploads\/395980\/sitecontent\/83ac8652fa057b9817532268bd52f77f_cropped.JPG?1591270556\" "\\"GoPro")
<\/figure><\/div>\n\n\n\nProcessor & Image Sensor<\/h3>\n\n\n\n
The processor on the Hero8 Black is GoPro’s GP1<\/strong> which is built in-house by GoPro. The GP1 was key in taking the GoPro cameras performance to the next level especially improving stabilization and image quality.<\/p>\n\n\n\nGoPro also used the same image sensor that was on the Hero7 Black, the Sony IMX277 12 Megapixels. The sensor’s size is 1\/2.3 inch. <\/p>\n\n\n\n
Touchscreen vs LCD screen<\/strong><\/h3>\n\n\n\nAs with all the Hero Black cameras, the Hero8 Black has two screens, a small LCD screen at the front that displays information like battery life, shooting mode, remaining memory space, WiFi, etc.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
And a touchscreen on the backside which is used to fully control the camera like changing shooting modes, settings, framing your shots and playing back the recorded footage, and saved photos from the media library.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
![\"GoPro](\"https:\/\/actiongadgetsreviews.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2020\/06\/GoPro-Hero8-Black-Touchscreen-1.jpg\")
<\/figure><\/div>\n\n\n\nLens<\/strong><\/h3>\n\n\n\nThe lens is still the same fixed-focus lens with f\/2.8 aperture and a maximum angle of 149.2-degrees measured diagonally.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
There are four digital lenses or FOV: SuperView, Wide, Linear, Narrow. I will talk about these digital lenses in detail later on in the video section.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
One thing to note here is that unlike the Hero7 Black, the lens protective cover is not replaceable. So if it breaks, you will have to purchase a new camera.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
Tip:<\/u><\/strong> To protect the lens, I strongly recommend that you buy the GoPro Rollcage Lens protector<\/a>. It is very rugged and was made specifically to protect the lens. Or the GoPro protective housing<\/a>.<\/p>\n\n\n\n![\"GoPro](\"https:\/\/actiongadgetsreviews.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2020\/06\/GoPro-Hero8-Black-Rollcage-Lens-Protector.jpg\")
<\/figure><\/div>\n\n\n\nPorts and Sockets<\/strong><\/h3>\n\n\n\nThere is a door at the right side of the camera, once you unlock the door latch, you will see the battery and the micro SD card compartments.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
The micro SD card should be a U3 class with writing speed of a minimum of 100Mb\/s, you might ask why 100Mb\/s? well, because the bitrate when shooting in 4K or 2.7K can hit 100Mb\/s.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
![\"GoPro](\"https:\/\/s3.amazonaws.com\/images.wealthyaffiliate.com\/uploads\/395980\/sitecontent\/a2de5e6e8cccde5c3337f7589113e0ae_cropped.JPG?1591271273\" "\\"GoPro")
<\/figure><\/div>\n\n\n\nThe Hero8 Black can take a maximum of 256GB micro SD cards. For the best performance, I recommend this SanDisk 265GB SD card<\/a>.<\/p>\n\n\n\nMake sure to format your new micro SD card<\/a> before using it.<\/em><\/p>\n\n\n\nUnder the battery compartment, you will see the USB-C port which is used for charging and data transfers, the Hero8 Black can either be charged using an external charger or using a computer.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
You will notice that there is no HDMI port on the Hero8 Black, because GoPro decided to remove the HDMI port from the Hero8 and released an expansion module called Media Mod<\/strong>.<\/p>\n\n\n\nWhat is the Media Mod?<\/h3>\n\n\n\n
The Media Mod<\/a> is an expansion frame that connects to the camera’s USB-C port and adds a micro HDMI out port, a USB-C port, and a 3.5mm microphone jack. It also has built-in shotgun microphones that enhance audio recording for better sounds with less wind-noise.<\/p>\n\n\n\n![\"GoPro](\"https:\/\/s3.amazonaws.com\/images.wealthyaffiliate.com\/uploads\/395980\/sitecontent\/5fa4e394370eaf9eef573ca295742c47_cropped.jpg?1591271326\" "\\"GoPro")
<\/figure><\/div>\n\n\n\nThe micro HDMI port can be used to display your videos on a TV or any other monitor with an HDMI port, and it also enables you to use your Hero8 Black as a webcam<\/strong>. You can learn how to do this setup here<\/a>.<\/p>\n\n\n\nThere are also two shoe mounts on the left and top of the Media Mod that can be used to attach accessories like the Display Mod, Light Mod, or external microphone.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
One thing to note though is that the Media Mod is not<\/strong> waterproof so it cannot be used in wet conditions as it can get easily damaged from the water.<\/p>\n\n\n\nCheck my review of the GoPro Media Mod<\/a>.<\/p>\n\n\n\nMicrophones & Audio<\/strong><\/h3>\n\n\n\nThere are three built-in microphones on the Hero8 Black, one at the front, one at the left side, and one at the bottom under the folding fingers. The microphones positioning helped improve the sound quality.
I can say that the audio quality is pretty decent on the Hero8 Black and it has improved a lot since the Hero6. Hero7 Black was slightly better than the 6, but the audio on the Hero8 is by far the best. <\/p>\n\n\n\n
As I said earlier, adding the Media Mod will enhance the audio quality because the Media Mod mics are of higher quality than the built-in Hero8 microphones.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
Now if you are looking for that super clear and crisp sound for live streaming<\/a> or for any other use where you need an enhanced audio quality, you can have a look at getting an external microphone, you can check my list of recommended GoPro external mics<\/a>.<\/p>\n\n\n\nYou don’t need the Media Mod if you only want to add an external mic, you can just buy the USB-C to mic adapter. Make sure to get the official GoPro adapter<\/a>, third-party adapters won’t work.<\/p>\n\n\n\nRAW Audio<\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\nThe Hero8 Black can record RAW audio and this function can be enabled in Protune. This will allow you to record high-quality uncompressed audio during your video shoots and will save a separate WAV audio file along with your MP4 audio file. <\/p>\n\n\n\n
When enabling the RAW audio feature, you have to choose one of the three types of audio processing: low, mid, and high (full audio processing and wind-noise reduction).<\/p>\n\n\n\n
Wind-Noise Reduction<\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\nAnother Protune feature that will enhance the audio quality is the wind-noise reduction setting, you can toggle between auto, on, and off. For excessive wind-noise, it would best to choose On.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
Waterproof<\/strong><\/h3>\n\n\n\nLike the older GoPro cameras, the Hero8 Black is waterproof<\/a> without the protective housing for up to 10 meters or 33 feet.<\/p>\n\n\n\nFor more underwater depth, the GoPro protective housing<\/a> can be used which will make the GoPro waterproof for up to 60 meters or 196 feet.<\/p>\n\n\n\nThe housing also includes a skeleton backdoor for non-underwater use which enhances the audio so it doesn’t get muffled.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
Make sure to avoid any water when using the Media Mod since it is not waterproof.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
\n\n\n\nControls and Buttons<\/u><\/strong><\/h2>\n\n\n\nMenus<\/strong><\/h3>\n\n\n\nThe GoPro Hero8 Black menu is similar to the older GoPro cameras, you can either use the buttons to control the camera or the touchscreen. The buttons are useful when you are underwater and cannot properly use the touchscreen.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
The usual buttons are there, the power\/mode button at the left side, it is used to power on\/off the camera and to switch between shooting modes.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
Then the shutter button at the top that is used for taking still photos and shooting videos. And also for selecting items in the menu when not using the touchscreen.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
Modes<\/h3>\n\n\n\n
There are three modes on the Hero8 Black: Video, Photo, and Time Lapse. And each of these modes has additional presets, for example in video mode, you get standard video, activity, cinematic, and slo-mo.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
![\"GoPro](\"https:\/\/s3.amazonaws.com\/images.wealthyaffiliate.com\/uploads\/395980\/sitecontent\/089c62582ab9578e159e5c6adf7beeae_cropped.JPG?1591271802\" "\\"GoPro")
<\/figure><\/div>\n\n\n\nThen you can edit each preset and make changes to settings like resolution and FPS, lens, Zoom, Hypersmooth, Low-light, etc.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
Or even create your own custom presets.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
I will talk in detail about the three shooting modes in the next sections.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
Voice Control<\/strong><\/h3>\n\n\n\nThe GoPro Hero8 Black has voice control so it can be controlled using voice commands<\/a>. A very useful feature especially when my hands are busy when doing sports activities like skiing for example.<\/p>\n\n\n\nI can simply tell the camera what to do without touching any buttons or the screen. Like in the other older cameras, GoPro has programmed the list of voice commands inside the Hero8 Black’s software.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
You can change shooting modes, start\/stop recording, take a single photo or a burst, capture a time-lapse, or simply turn off and on the GoPro.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
Yes, it is possible to turn on the camera using your voice, if the Wake on Voice feature is enabled in the settings. (Tap Preferences > Voice Control > Wake on Voice > On). <\/p>\n\n\n\n
Remote Control<\/strong><\/h3>\n\n\n\nThe GoPro Hero8 Black can be controlled remotely using two ways. Either by using a mobile or tablet with the GoPro App or using the Smart Remote control by GoPro.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
The GoPro app uses WiFi to connect to your GoPro camera (if you don’t know the WiFi name and password, you can easily reset it<\/a>).<\/p>\n\n\n\nOnce paired, you can fully control the camera from your mobile and of course, you can frame your shots, record videos, take photos, playback your shoots and you can also download the media and save it to your phone.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
However, using a phone is not always possible especially when doing activities in water or activities where you can’t use you hands.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
GoPro made a few changes to the Hero8 Black design if we compare it to its predecessor the Hero7 Black which looked almost identical to the Hero6 Black<\/a>.<\/p>\n\n\n\n Well, the Hero8 still has the rugged rubberized exterior which gives it a sporty look. It is slightly heavier than the Hero7 Black, it weighs 126 grams or 4.44 ounces.<\/p>\n\n\n\n When it comes to dimensions 66.3 W x 48.6 H x 28.4 D (mm) or 2.61 W x 1.91 H x 1.11 D (inch), the Hero8 has more width and height than the Hero7 Black but less depth, which means that the GoPro Super Suit protective housing or any other housing I was using on the 7 Black won’t fit on the 8.<\/p>\n\n\n\n Now the new addition here is the folding fingers at the bottom of the Hero8 which gives the ability to be mounted without using a protective housing.<\/p>\n\n\n\n The processor on the Hero8 Black is GoPro’s GP1<\/strong> which is built in-house by GoPro. The GP1 was key in taking the GoPro cameras performance to the next level especially improving stabilization and image quality.<\/p>\n\n\n\n GoPro also used the same image sensor that was on the Hero7 Black, the Sony IMX277 12 Megapixels. The sensor’s size is 1\/2.3 inch. <\/p>\n\n\n\n As with all the Hero Black cameras, the Hero8 Black has two screens, a small LCD screen at the front that displays information like battery life, shooting mode, remaining memory space, WiFi, etc.<\/p>\n\n\n\n And a touchscreen on the backside which is used to fully control the camera like changing shooting modes, settings, framing your shots and playing back the recorded footage, and saved photos from the media library.<\/p>\n\n\n\n The lens is still the same fixed-focus lens with f\/2.8 aperture and a maximum angle of 149.2-degrees measured diagonally.<\/p>\n\n\n\n There are four digital lenses or FOV: SuperView, Wide, Linear, Narrow. I will talk about these digital lenses in detail later on in the video section.<\/p>\n\n\n\n One thing to note here is that unlike the Hero7 Black, the lens protective cover is not replaceable. So if it breaks, you will have to purchase a new camera.<\/p>\n\n\n\n Tip:<\/u><\/strong> To protect the lens, I strongly recommend that you buy the GoPro Rollcage Lens protector<\/a>. It is very rugged and was made specifically to protect the lens. Or the GoPro protective housing<\/a>.<\/p>\n\n\n\n There is a door at the right side of the camera, once you unlock the door latch, you will see the battery and the micro SD card compartments.<\/p>\n\n\n\n The micro SD card should be a U3 class with writing speed of a minimum of 100Mb\/s, you might ask why 100Mb\/s? well, because the bitrate when shooting in 4K or 2.7K can hit 100Mb\/s.<\/p>\n\n\n\n The Hero8 Black can take a maximum of 256GB micro SD cards. For the best performance, I recommend this SanDisk 265GB SD card<\/a>.<\/p>\n\n\n\n Make sure to format your new micro SD card<\/a> before using it.<\/em><\/p>\n\n\n\n Under the battery compartment, you will see the USB-C port which is used for charging and data transfers, the Hero8 Black can either be charged using an external charger or using a computer.<\/p>\n\n\n\n You will notice that there is no HDMI port on the Hero8 Black, because GoPro decided to remove the HDMI port from the Hero8 and released an expansion module called Media Mod<\/strong>.<\/p>\n\n\n\n The Media Mod<\/a> is an expansion frame that connects to the camera’s USB-C port and adds a micro HDMI out port, a USB-C port, and a 3.5mm microphone jack. It also has built-in shotgun microphones that enhance audio recording for better sounds with less wind-noise.<\/p>\n\n\n\n The micro HDMI port can be used to display your videos on a TV or any other monitor with an HDMI port, and it also enables you to use your Hero8 Black as a webcam<\/strong>. You can learn how to do this setup here<\/a>.<\/p>\n\n\n\n There are also two shoe mounts on the left and top of the Media Mod that can be used to attach accessories like the Display Mod, Light Mod, or external microphone.<\/p>\n\n\n\n One thing to note though is that the Media Mod is not<\/strong> waterproof so it cannot be used in wet conditions as it can get easily damaged from the water.<\/p>\n\n\n\n Check my review of the GoPro Media Mod<\/a>.<\/p>\n\n\n\n There are three built-in microphones on the Hero8 Black, one at the front, one at the left side, and one at the bottom under the folding fingers. The microphones positioning helped improve the sound quality. As I said earlier, adding the Media Mod will enhance the audio quality because the Media Mod mics are of higher quality than the built-in Hero8 microphones.<\/p>\n\n\n\n Now if you are looking for that super clear and crisp sound for live streaming<\/a> or for any other use where you need an enhanced audio quality, you can have a look at getting an external microphone, you can check my list of recommended GoPro external mics<\/a>.<\/p>\n\n\n\n You don’t need the Media Mod if you only want to add an external mic, you can just buy the USB-C to mic adapter. Make sure to get the official GoPro adapter<\/a>, third-party adapters won’t work.<\/p>\n\n\n\n RAW Audio<\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n The Hero8 Black can record RAW audio and this function can be enabled in Protune. This will allow you to record high-quality uncompressed audio during your video shoots and will save a separate WAV audio file along with your MP4 audio file. <\/p>\n\n\n\n When enabling the RAW audio feature, you have to choose one of the three types of audio processing: low, mid, and high (full audio processing and wind-noise reduction).<\/p>\n\n\n\n Wind-Noise Reduction<\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n Another Protune feature that will enhance the audio quality is the wind-noise reduction setting, you can toggle between auto, on, and off. For excessive wind-noise, it would best to choose On.<\/p>\n\n\n\n Like the older GoPro cameras, the Hero8 Black is waterproof<\/a> without the protective housing for up to 10 meters or 33 feet.<\/p>\n\n\n\n For more underwater depth, the GoPro protective housing<\/a> can be used which will make the GoPro waterproof for up to 60 meters or 196 feet.<\/p>\n\n\n\n The housing also includes a skeleton backdoor for non-underwater use which enhances the audio so it doesn’t get muffled.<\/p>\n\n\n\n Make sure to avoid any water when using the Media Mod since it is not waterproof.<\/p>\n\n\n\n The GoPro Hero8 Black menu is similar to the older GoPro cameras, you can either use the buttons to control the camera or the touchscreen. The buttons are useful when you are underwater and cannot properly use the touchscreen.<\/p>\n\n\n\n The usual buttons are there, the power\/mode button at the left side, it is used to power on\/off the camera and to switch between shooting modes.<\/p>\n\n\n\n Then the shutter button at the top that is used for taking still photos and shooting videos. And also for selecting items in the menu when not using the touchscreen.<\/p>\n\n\n\n There are three modes on the Hero8 Black: Video, Photo, and Time Lapse. And each of these modes has additional presets, for example in video mode, you get standard video, activity, cinematic, and slo-mo.<\/p>\n\n\n\n Then you can edit each preset and make changes to settings like resolution and FPS, lens, Zoom, Hypersmooth, Low-light, etc.<\/p>\n\n\n\n Or even create your own custom presets.<\/p>\n\n\n\n I will talk in detail about the three shooting modes in the next sections.<\/p>\n\n\n\n The GoPro Hero8 Black has voice control so it can be controlled using voice commands<\/a>. A very useful feature especially when my hands are busy when doing sports activities like skiing for example.<\/p>\n\n\n\n I can simply tell the camera what to do without touching any buttons or the screen. Like in the other older cameras, GoPro has programmed the list of voice commands inside the Hero8 Black’s software.<\/p>\n\n\n\n You can change shooting modes, start\/stop recording, take a single photo or a burst, capture a time-lapse, or simply turn off and on the GoPro.<\/p>\n\n\n\n Yes, it is possible to turn on the camera using your voice, if the Wake on Voice feature is enabled in the settings. (Tap Preferences > Voice Control > Wake on Voice > On). <\/p>\n\n\n\n The GoPro Hero8 Black can be controlled remotely using two ways. Either by using a mobile or tablet with the GoPro App or using the Smart Remote control by GoPro.<\/p>\n\n\n\n The GoPro app uses WiFi to connect to your GoPro camera (if you don’t know the WiFi name and password, you can easily reset it<\/a>).<\/p>\n\n\n\n Once paired, you can fully control the camera from your mobile and of course, you can frame your shots, record videos, take photos, playback your shoots and you can also download the media and save it to your phone.<\/p>\n\n\n\n However, using a phone is not always possible especially when doing activities in water or activities where you can’t use you hands.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<\/figure><\/div>\n\n\n\n<\/figure><\/div>\n\n\n\nProcessor & Image Sensor<\/h3>\n\n\n\n
Touchscreen vs LCD screen<\/strong><\/h3>\n\n\n\n
<\/figure><\/div>\n\n\n\nLens<\/strong><\/h3>\n\n\n\n
<\/figure><\/div>\n\n\n\nPorts and Sockets<\/strong><\/h3>\n\n\n\n
<\/figure><\/div>\n\n\n\nWhat is the Media Mod?<\/h3>\n\n\n\n
<\/figure><\/div>\n\n\n\nMicrophones & Audio<\/strong><\/h3>\n\n\n\n
I can say that the audio quality is pretty decent on the Hero8 Black and it has improved a lot since the Hero6. Hero7 Black was slightly better than the 6, but the audio on the Hero8 is by far the best. <\/p>\n\n\n\nWaterproof<\/strong><\/h3>\n\n\n\n
\n\n\n\nControls and Buttons<\/u><\/strong><\/h2>\n\n\n\n
Menus<\/strong><\/h3>\n\n\n\n
Modes<\/h3>\n\n\n\n
<\/figure><\/div>\n\n\n\nVoice Control<\/strong><\/h3>\n\n\n\n
Remote Control<\/strong><\/h3>\n\n\n\n
![\"GoPro](\"https:\/\/s3.amazonaws.com\/images.wealthyaffiliate.com\/uploads\/395980\/sitecontent\/007ce5a43ed8bacde56b3048b5edfabe_cropped.jpg?1591271898\" "\\"GoPro")
<\/figure><\/div>\n\n\n\n