Pre-orders are now live for one of GoPro’s most interesting cameras yet, with the new GoPro Mission 1 Pro ILS available to reserve for $699.99 at both B&H Photo and Adorama in the US.
B&H currently lists the camera as a new release with an estimated shipping date of September 06, while Adorama is also accepting pre-orders at the same $699.99 price.
So, what exactly is the GoPro Mission 1 Pro ILS? While it might look like another compact GoPro at first glance, this is a very different proposition. The ILS stands for interchangeable lens system and, instead of relying on the permanently attached ultra-wide lens traditionally associated with GoPro cameras, this version features a native Micro Four Thirds lens mount.
That means you can fit a huge range of manual focus MFT lenses, opening the door to everything from wide-angle primes and zooms to telephoto, macro and even anamorphic glass.
At its heart is the same 50MP 1-inch sensor and GP3 processor found inside the Mission 1 Pro, giving the camera some seriously impressive video credentials for something this compact. It can shoot 8K video at up to 60fps, 4K at up to 240fps and even FullHD at an astonishing 960fps in its Burst Slo-Mo mode.
There is also 8K 30fps and 4K 120fps open gate video recording, using the taller 4:3 sensor area to give filmmakers considerably more freedom when reframing footage for horizontal, vertical or social media delivery.
GoPro has also packed in many of the features you would normally expect from a much larger camera for filmmaking. There is 10-bit color, GP-Log recording, HLG HDR, a bitrate of up to 240Mbps and 32-bit float audio through its four built-in microphones.
The camera also offers manual control over settings including ISO, shutter speed and white balance, along with 50MP 12-bit RAW stills for photographers who want to squeeze even more flexibility out of the sensor.
However, this is still very much a GoPro. HyperSmooth stabilization remains part of the package, and GoPro says the ILS version can provide in-camera stabilization when paired with compatible rectilinear prime lenses.
You also get the rugged, weatherproof construction that has become synonymous with the brand, meaning this could be used in places where taking a conventional cinema camera and lens combination would normally require a much more complicated rig.
That combination is what makes the Mission 1 Pro ILS so intriguing. GoPro has essentially taken the compact, mount-anywhere philosophy of an action camera and crossed it with the creative flexibility of an interchangeable-lens filmmaking system.
At $699.99, it is also considerably less expensive than many conventional cinema cameras capable of recording high-resolution, high-frame-rate footage. If that sounds like the filmmaking tool you have been waiting for, you can now pre-order the GoPro Mission 1 Pro ILS for $699.99 from B&H Photo or Adorama in the US.
