GoPro has announced a firmware update for the current flagship model of its long-running action camera series – the GoPro Hero10 Black.
Owners of the GoPro Hero10 are now able to update their camera with three new functions that expand its shooting versatility, particularly in terms of video.
First, the Hero10 gets compatibility with the Max Lens Mod. This was a mod originally released alongside the GoPro Hero9, which was the first Hero camera to offer all these flexible, modular options.
The Max Lens Mod allows your Hero9, and now the Hero10, to shoot with an ultra-wide perspective thanks to its ultra-wide 155° field of view. Free from distortion, it gives an exaggerated perspective without compromising the quality of your shots. The other half of the picture, however, is that it also provides super-smooth stabilization, with horizon lock that keeps videos set to the horizontal or vertical axis, even if the camera is mounted off-center.
GoPro described this Max HyperSmooth stabilization as “unbreakable”, even up to resolutions of 2.7K 60p. With the Hero10 Black, it can shoot at this resolution in 16:9 and 4:3 aspect ratios.
The second major upgrade from this update is the addition of the 5.3K SuperView Digital Lens. GoPro describes this as the “most immersive in-camera digital lens”, which is a bit meaningless, but essentially what it does is use the full width of the 4:3 sensor to output a 16:9 video, rather than shooting in 4:3 and cropping. This has been around on GoPro cameras for a while, but this is the first time it appears in 5.3K, and it can be used at this resolution at 30p or 60p frame rates.
The last addition is a simple one – the update lets the Hero10 shoot at 24p. A lot of users won’t be too bothered about this, but some will no doubt hugely welcome it. While higher frame rates are popular for good reason, as they’re what makes modern footage so delightfully smooth, 24 frames per second remains popular as it’s the “cinematic” look. It’s the frame rate that film used to be shot and projected at, so people associate it with movies, more so than the ultra-realistic look of 60p.
The update is ready to download for the Hero10 now, though you’ll need the GoPro Quik app to get it.
Read more
30 best GoPro accessories
Best GoPro cameras
GoPro Hero 10 vs 9 Black
GoPro Hero 9 vs 8 Black
GoPro Hero 8 vs Max
GoPro Hero 7 vs 8
GoPro Hero 7 Black vs Silver vs White
Best budget action cameras
