GoPro Hero 13 Black Review: Interchangeable Lenses and Magnetic Mount

GoPro has a few tricks here and there that are worth mentioning, though. As someone who likes to manage color grading in post-production software, the new, improved video support for Logu is very welcome. I’d go so far as to say this is the best Log profile I’ve seen on an action camera. The Hero 13 Black also has a new slow-motion burst mode that can record 5.3K videos at 120 frames per second. That only lasts about five seconds, though, so this is best used for situations like your child jumping off his bike or diving into the pool—quick moments you want to slow down over time.

Another big video improvement is support for HDR and hybrid log-gamma (HLG) HDR video. The Hero 12’s HDR support wasn’t great, but HLG HDR is a widely used open-source HDR format that offers better compatibility with wide-gamut displays. The video also looks much better than the previous version.

I mentioned above that the Hero 13 is equal, which is true on the outside, but not on the inside. GoPro has increased the battery compartment to fit a larger battery that the company claims will last 10 percent longer than the Hero 12’s battery. I found this to be roughly true. Shooting 4K video with the Hero 13, I was shooting it continuously for about an hour and 45 minutes, sometimes higher than the 1:50 mark if there was a lot of wind (for example, riding a bike).

GoPro Hero 13 Black: Ultra Wide Lens

Photo: Scott Gilbertson

GoPro Hero 13 Black: Macro Lens

Photo: Scott Gilbertson

The opposite was also true. Shooting through a car window for example, with no wind, the recording time drops to about an hour. I didn’t have a chance to test it in cold weather, but GoPro wants to improve there as well. Overall that’s 15 to 20 minutes longer than I usually get with the Hero 12, which is great, but it’s behind the new DJI Action 5 Pro, which had no problem running for over 2 hours and 30 minutes in 4K . test. The Hero still has the worst battery life in the action camera market and the new battery, while an improvement, also means your old batteries won’t work, adding huge costs for those looking to upgrade.

One interesting battery-related addition to the Hero 13 Black is a new magnetic charging port, which GoPro calls Contacto. A USB-C pass-through door with a magnetic charger on the outside, which allows you to power the GoPro using an external battery without keeping the battery door closed. There have long been USB-C ports available from third-party vendors, but they’re the only ones I know of that are waterproof, meaning if you forget you turned them on and jump into the ocean, you won’t fry your GoPro.