GoPro announced the HERO 6 Black recently and it is getting a lot of hype from video enthusiasts. The line of cameras have become incredibly popular for those who want to shoot action sports scenes, drone videos, and more. There’s a lot of awesome tech packed into these tiny cameras. Of course, that means they aren’t exactly cheap. So, a lot of people are wondering if the upgrade is worth the money. If you’re one of those people then we have got you covered! It’s our GoPro HERO 6 vs HERO 5 showdown!
First, let’s look at a basic chart to compare some of the essential similarities and differences and then dive in a little deeper to see what it all means and if the upgrade is worth your hard earned money.
As you can see, a lot of the specs remain the same when comparing the GoPro HERO 6 vs HERO 5. For the purpose of this article we are comparing the HERO 5 Black to try and get a fair comparison with the HERO 6 Black.
Size, weight, aperture, still photo resolution, and burst mode all remain the same between the two devices. As you can see, the WiFi has been upgraded in the HERO6 which makes uploading video over WiFi a little quicker. That will come in handy and I will explain why in a moment.
HDR video is available on the HERO 6 whereas the HERO 5 does not include the feature. This will be most noticeable for those with HDR enabled televisions and playback devices. If you have an HDR television and you want to enjoy your GoPro videos in the best quality then you will likely want to go for a HERO 6 based on that alone.
We also see that the GoPro HERO 6 vs HERO 5 comparison shows a difference in the stabilization category. Both cameras offer stabilization but the HERO6 takes it to the next level. On the HERO 5, you get stabilization for video up to 2.7K resolution with a 10% crop factor. The HERO6 offers stabilization on 4K video with only a 5% crop factor. This means that you lose less of your video area and you can shoot stabilized video at a much higher resolution.
Speaking of resolutions… Let’s get into the biggest difference between these two cameras. I didn’t include this in the comparison chart above because a chart doesn’t really allow me to explain the differences well enough. Both cameras are able to shoot 4K video but the HERO 6 offers much better frames per second at all resolutions when compared with the HERO 5. This is especially important if you want to turn your amazing action video into a slow motion montage. When shooting in 4K you can get 60fps on the HERO 6 compared to 30fps on the HERO5. Again, keep in mind that stabilization is available at that resolution as well for the HERO 6 but not available on the HERO 5. Bump the resolution down to 2.7K and you can shoot in 120fps on the HERO6 compared to 60fps on the HERO 5. You see where this is going, right? If you’re looking for more fps then you want the GoPro HERO 6. Oh, and remember the improved WiFi I mentioned earlier? You’re going to want that faster transfer speed if you’re shooting lots of 4K video at 60fps.
Of course, price is always a consideration. This is one of the best parts of the GoPRO HERO 6 vs HERO 5 comparison, in my opinion. For just $100 more you get a much better camera. If you’re on a budget, the HERO 5 is still a great buy. However, if you can swing the extra $100 then the choice is a no brainer. Pick up the GoPro HERO 6 and take advantage of the improved video shooting capability as well as other features. Even if you won’t make use of the HDR compatibility or 4K video now, you are future proofing yourself for when you will make use of those features.
There you have it. The GoPro HERO 6 vs HERO 5 showdown. What do you think? Is the HERO6 worth the extra $100 based on the specs or are you thinking that saving $100 is the better buy? Let us know!
