Photographers have asked for a waterproof compact camera with a large sensor for years. I think we may finally be getting one – in an unexpected form

The one point-and-shoot category that has weathered the storm of smartphone photography (pun intended) better than most is the waterproof compact camera. I’ve been writing about cameras for more than ten years, and one of the cameras that I’ve seen requested repeatedly is a waterproof compact with a larger sensor.

But with the launch of GoPro’s Mission series with one-inch sensors, I have to wonder, are photographers finally getting that wish, just in an unexpected form?

Don’t get me wrong, the GoPro Mission 1 and Mission 1 Pro are not point-and-shoot cameras, or at least, not in their native form. The two new fixed-lens cameras look quite similar to GoPro’s flagship Hero cameras.

However, the launch comes with a point-and-shoot grip that converts those cameras into something that feels more like a classic compact camera, including a grip and a larger lever at the top that presses the camera’s shutter button.

GoPro isn’t the first to do this – Insta360 also has a grip option for the Ace 2, while third-party brands like SmallRig also offer add-on grips for action cameras. But, the grip combined with the one-inch sensor has me wondering just how well the Mission 1 could work as a waterproof compact camera.

While GoPro is calling the Mission series cinema cameras, the list of features hints at cameras that seem more than capable of taking still photos. The Mission 1 cameras use a one-inch Quad Bayer sensor. The Quad Bayer design means the camera can take 50MP photos, or combine four pixels together for a 12MP photo mode for less noise in low light.

And, like the Heroes before it, the Mission 1 and Mission 1 Pro are still waterproof – down to 66 feet / 20m without extra housing.

The one feature that doesn’t quite feel like a classic point-and-shoot is the lens. The Mission 1 and Mission 1 Pro use a lens that’s roughly equivalent to a 15mm lens on a full-frame camera. Like most action cameras, the lens uses fixed focus, which is fantastic for fast action, but limits shots like macro.

Using the Mission 1 (or the Mission 1 Pro) as a compact camera, then, it won’t have the zoom or the macro mode of popular waterproof compact cameras like the OM System Tough TG-7. But, the trade-off for that fixed lens is the larger sensor with a higher 50MP maximum resolution.

What’s perhaps most enticing is that the Mission 1 actually slides in at a competitive cost compared to popular waterproof compacts like the TG-7, which retails for $649 / £499 / AU$699 / CA$649.

In comparison, the most affordable Mission 1 camera – which doesn’t have 8K open gate but should have identical photo capabilities – will retail for $599 / £529 / CA$819 AU$949. That’s less than the TG-7 in the US, but slightly more in other regions.

Of course, adding the grip will typically add to the cost – though GoPro is including the point-and-shoot grip as a free add-on with pre-orders at the moment.

The GoPro Mission 1 series has only just been announced – it’s a bit too early to tell if the GoPro Mission 1 will, in fact, work as a modular sort of replacement for a waterproof compact camera. GoPro hasn’t even shared full specs yet.

But, based on what we know so far ahead of the camera’s official shipping date, I think it could be a distinct possibility that the GoPro Mission 1 could potentially be that larger sensor waterproof compact camera that photographers have been asking for – just in an unexpected form factor.

Pre-orders for the Mission Series are open directly from GoPro's online store.

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