In a particularly well-timed nod to
the remote-working world of the
‘new normal’, GoPro have added the
ability to use the HERO9 as a cabled
webcam. Add the USB-C charging
cable and the GoPro Webcam desktop
app and you’re up and running. A
particularly useful magnetic mount
in the shape of a crocodile clip
provides the perfect screen mount for
this, adding an extra bit of value for
professional vloggers and casual
Zoom-callers alike, as well as a handy
dual-use faff reducer when travelling.
Speaking of faff-reducing, that
bigger battery might be responsible for
piling on a few grams, but it does add a
claimed 30% battery life. In testing,
battery life on the HERO9 was strong,
enough for shooting multiple videos at
full 5K quality and hundreds of images
at a time, and the test model came
with an additional battery pack for
additional juice when out and about.
The only snag there is that without
an external charger, the battery can
only be charged onboard (via USB-C),
forcing you to switch batteries in the
camera to juice up both. The battery
door does just clear the mounting
screw even if mounted the wrong way
round, so it’s not necessary to removethe camera from your favourite
mount to charge.
The only real negative of the
HERO9 is that the solid build quality
does notch up the weight, making
this a pretty chunky device. That’s
not an issue in many cases, but some
mounting situations (like on the side
of a lightweight helmet) will make
you notice that 158 grams more often
than you might like. The GoPro
Android app is surprisingly finicky
about connections too, occasionally
losing connection and finding it
tricky to reconnect, although this
was during intensive testing.DJI OSMO ACTION
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sizeable shoes, this action cam from DJI offers
both a colour front-facing screen and 2.25-
inch rear touchscreen and captures 60fps 4K
video. And it costs £100 less to boot.
£329, dji.comGOPRO MAX
If you fancy another approach entirely, why
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to 360-degree 6K? While not as much of a
whizz with conventional vids, the GoPro Max
captures immersive, hyper-hi-res footage.
£480, gopro.comSJCAM SJ8 PRO
When you’re looking to shoot your stunts for
less, the SJ8 Pro is the perfect, wallet-friendly
cam. It’s lightweight, knocks out 4K at 60fps,
offers super smooth slow-mo at 720p 240fps
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£199, sjcam.com68 T3 OCTOBER 2020
Te s te d
THE ALTERNATIVES
Yes, a big battery
makes the GoPro
heavier, but it adds
30% battery lifeSIDE FX
The cam offers new
shooting modes like
Hindsight, which grabs
the 30 seconds of
footage prior to you
hitting the shutter- great for catching
moments you thought
you’d missed.
FRONT STUNNER
Taking on its rival the DJI Osmo
Action, the HERO9 now has an
excellent front-facing screen- perfect for selfie shooters,
vloggers and documentarians.