The first six hours with this camera were frustrating and I'm a techy. Before you do anything disable WIFI Calling on phone and reboot then download the app and let it update the camera. Life is good after that.
Firstly the HyperSmooth setting is genuinely impressive. Even going down rough, rocky trails on a mountain the footage is shockingly smooth. I used the chest mount which worked very well. I did have a video sample on this review but it looked awful once uploaded. I guess it was whatever processing Amazon does to videos you upload as I uploaded the video to Youtube and Vimeo with no problems.
The stabilization in the TimeWarp (hyper lapse video) mode is not quite as good as in the HyperSmooth mode but works well. When I used TimeWarp while mountain biking it was watchable but a little rough. When I used it while on a road bike with was very smooth.
The SuperPhoto HDR setting in photo mode also works shockingly well. I’ve been pleasantly surprised with the images it produces in the linear FOV with SuperPhoto turned on.
I haven’t had any of the connection and setup issues that others have noted. I have a Google Pixel 2 and was able to download the GoPro app, turn on the Camera, install updates, and have it up and running with no problems at all. I know it varies by iOS vs Android and what phone you are using, but if you have a Pixel 2, you shouldn’t have any issues. Hopefully. I didn’t anyway. Cross your fingers.
My only negative thing to say so far is the battery life is not great. You may as well go ahead and buy at least one more battery and the multi-battery charger. Turning off wireless connections while filming definitely helped with battery life but on the other hand it is also really nice to use your phone to control it with using it.
All in all I really like it. I haven’t had a GoPro since they didn’t have touch screens. This is the first one with enough features to entice me back into the GoPro world. This one is easy to use. It produces good footage. It’s waterproof and rugged. I can use it as an action camera and as a small point and shoot travel camera. That is basically what I’ve been hoping a GoPro could be at some point and I feel like this one actually delivers on that.
I have never owned a GoPro before this HERO7 Silver, so I cannot comment on how it compares to previous models. I am reviewing this camera as a GoPro novice: how the setup went, what the camera can do, how the Silver differs from Black and White models. The first thing that struck me about the GoPro is its size: 2 3/8 x 1 3/4 x 1 inch. I read the specifications, but it's startling to see a multi-featured video camera that fits easily in the palm of my hand. GoPro offers a downloadable product manual, but I found the best source of guidance to be YouTube videos about getting started with your GoPro. The first things you need to do are: charge the camera and install a micro SD card from GoPro's list of recommended cards. You do both of these things via the panel on the left side of the camera. Using a 32GB micro SD card, you get 2 hours 8 minutes of video at regular resolution, 1 hour 5 min at 4K resolution. Thirty minutes of video at standard resolution used 25% of the battery charge.
Setup did not go smoothly for me. The GoPro will not operate without having its firmware updated, so you can't get past the screen where it prompts you to install and pair to the app. You can update the firmware through the mobile app, the Qwik desktop app, or you can download the update to a computer manually. I chose to use the Qwik app for Mac. I plugged my camera into my computer via USB. It took about 30 minutes to download and install the firmware update. Then it said the camera could not be updated. I tried again without success. I wondered if the problem might be the camera battery, so I charged it. Apparently the update had been installed before. When I went though the setup on the camera again, it stopped on the page to install the app, but I was able to hit the back button and go to a page that allowed me to skip that step. So I was in. Be sure that the camera is fully charged before you attempt to install an update.
The GoPro is fairly simple to operate. Swipe down from the top to access Preferences. Swipe up from the bottom to access the videos and photos that you have recorded. Swipe side to side to switch between video, still photo, and time lapse photo (one frame every 0.5 seconds) modes. Or you can hit the power button on the right side of the camera to do this, which usually happens accidentally when I am trying to turn the camera off (hold the button down to turn off). The GoPro Silver offers two resolutions and aspect ratios for video: 4K video, which has a 16:9 aspect ratio (3840 x 2160 pixels) at 30 frames per second (fps) and 1440p video, which has a 4:3 aspect ratio (1920x 1440 pixels) at 60 fps. The default is 1440p; you can change to 4K with one tap on the screen. In the specifications, this camera also lists 1080p video as an option, but the camera actually records in 1440p 4:3 video that can then be cropped in the app to 1080p 16:9 video.
I don't do action sports. I am using this camera to videotape architecture, specifically the relationships between buildings, which don't show up well with a still camera. I need to move around and between the buildings. Some tips that will be obvious to an experienced user but not to a novice: If you take the camera out of its frame and hold it with your hand, do so with your right hand. When holding the camera with my left hand, my finger was often in the picture. To avoid this problem, you could leave the camera in its frame and hold it by its mounting buckle. That is a little uncomfortable. GoPro wants to you buy something to hold the camera: a Shorty, which is a telescoping poll and mini-tripod, or, if you will be using the camera around water, the Handler, which floats. Another tip: The default setting causes the screen to go dark in one minute to conserve power. This isn't helpful if you are handholding and trying to videotape what you see. This can be changed in Preferences.
The Silver model offers GoPro's standard image stabilization software. I wasn't bouncing around very much, but I was walking, going up and down stairs, and occasionally running. I found the stabilization to be pretty good. The video I shot is much smoother than that taken with the video mode on my Nikon DSLR, which is mighty shaky. One day I shot outdoors on a sunny, very contrasty, day with blown out highlights and deep shadows. That was inadvisable. The camera isn't horrible in those conditions, but it's not great either. It was grainy in low light when I zoomed in, but that is to be expected. There are two zooms available in 1440p mode (you cannot zoom in 4K). These are digital zooms, not optical zooms, so they are just crops. You are getting the equivalent, in 35mm film camera terms, of 15mm (no zoom), 23mm (mid-zoom), and 35mm (full zoom). I was a bit disappointed that I could not get a "normal" (50mm) zoom, and a digital zoom is less than ideal.
After I shot my videos, I wanted to view them. I used the Qwik desktop app. The GoPro splits all video in to 4GB "chapters" due to limitations of the memory card's file system. Inconvenient, as I was shooting long videos, but, at standard resolution (1440p), 4GB was 17:40 minutes. The videos went into a "GoPro" folder that was created in my Pictures folder, but you can manually change the destination folder in Qwik's settings. You can view the videos in Qwik, or, you can double-click them in their folder to play in the video software of your choice. Qwik also allows you to make clips, rotate, grab a photo from video, or Adjust Gauges, which requires that you had the GPS data enabled on your video. You can choose to add Speed Tracker (a line graph), GPS Path, Speedometer, and G-Force to display over your video image. Tip: If you rename your video files, Qwik will not recognize them. You will need to go to Settings and, under Media Folders, click "scan" in order to locate the files again.
I do not favor using the mobile app, as I don't have a lot of space on my phone. I installed it on my iPad, however. I had no luck getting it to pair with my camera using Bluetooth. I was able to pair it with wifi without any hitches, but be sure your mobile device and your camera are on the same band. The default on the camera is 5GHz. You can watch stored videos from your camera or from the Cloud on the app, but the neat feature is that you can watch what the camera is seeing in real time if you are in range.
The GoPro Silver also takes 10MP still photographs, and it automatically employs its wide dynamic range (WDR) feature that pulls more detail out of shadows. Still images are 3648 x 2736 pixels with an aspect ratio of 4:3. If you like, you can take photos continuously at rate of 4 per second by holding shutter button or 15 frames per second by choosing burst mode. There is also a self-timer, and you can activate voice control to tell the camera to take a picture without needing to have your finger on the shutter button. Voice control works reliably and can be activated with the touch of a button when you swipe down from the top of the screen. See the user manual for a list of commands.
If you are wondering why buy the Black model or why not buy the White, these are the major differences: The HERO7 Black offers optional RAW format for still photos. It has a removable battery. It uses Hypersmooth image stabilization, which is supposed to be better than standard. Watching YouTube videos comparing the two, I think Hypersmooth is better for certain types of movement and not others. SloMo slows movement down by 8x in Black rather than 2x in the Silver. Black is compatible with dive housing that allows it to be waterproof to 60 meters (197 feet) rather than the 10 meters (33 feet) on its own. Black offers far more choices in frame rate, field of view, and resolution. HERO7 White does not offer 4K video or WDR for still photos, and does not have GPS capabilities, so no GPS stickers, etc.
SOLID 4 Stars, if firmware update the jerk from filming a wide panoramic recording (left to right), then I would rate is a 4.5 Stars. I guess as an action cam design, it was not intended to record side ways. I owned a HERO5 with the Karma Grip and sold it the day they announced the HERO7. I never played with the HERO6, so I’ll be comparing the HERO5 and HERO7.
The menu works much much better, very smooth and very intuitive. As for the WiFi, I didn’t find any issues. If you have a HERO5 or HERO6 you already know how to connect through WiFi. Maybe the people complaining are new to the HERO 5/6/7 family.
Main usage will be family vacation, running(half marathon), hiking, snowboarding and snorkeling, so the built in stabilizer is more than enough to skip the need of a gimbal. Now you can downsize your travel gear And have more room/weight for other things.
The only drawback which is not a deal breaker, is you can’t playback 4K on your phone through the iPhone app because file size too large unless you download it to your phone (very slow and you can’t do anything else while downloading).
Photo included is straight from GoPro HERO7 without any editing.
Solid feel, extremely good color. Not really a need to color correct in post. Cost: Consider what the original GoPro cost and compare those features against the current (7) features. More features, less cost. Even my $2,000 DSLR can't produce (out of the camera) a quality image as good at this GoPro Hero 7 produces.
Feature Product
- HyperSmooth Video Stabilization - Get gimbal-like stabilization-without the gimbal. HERO7 Black predicts your movements and corrects for camera shake to deliver insanely smooth footage
- Time Warp Video - Capture super stabilized time lapse videos while you move about a scene. Increase the speed up to 30x to turn longer activities into shareable moments
- Super Photo - Get the best photos automatically. With Super Photo, HERO7 Black intelligently applies HDR, local tone mapping or noise reduction to optimize your shots
- Rugged + Waterproof - Share experiences you can't capture with your phone. HERO7 Black is rugged, waterproof without a housing to 33ft (10m) and up for any adventure
- Voice Control - Stay in the moment. Control your HERO7 Black hands-free with voice commands like "GoPro, take a photo" and "GoPro, start recording
- Live Streaming - Share your story as you live it with video streaming to Facebook Live. You can save your streamed videos to your SD card in high resolution
- 4K60 Video + 12MP Photos - HERO7 Black shoots stunning 4K60 video and 12MP photos that are as awesome as the moments themselves
- 8x Sol-Mo Video - With ultra high frame rate 1080p240 video, you can slow things down by up to 8x to relive funny, interesting or epic moments in all their glory
- Intuitive Touch Screen - If you have a smartphone, using HERO7 Black will feel familiar. Three main capture modes with streamlined settings make navigating easy
- Note: Users should always make sure that their cameras are running the most updated firmware for optimal performance
Description
GoPro HERO7 - Meet HERO7, the perfect camera for adventures big and small. It’s built tough and totally waterproof—just grab it and go for it. Smooth 4K video and vibrant WDR photos make every moment look amazing. GPS lets you track how fast, high and far you went (1). With an intuitive touch screen, it’s simple to jump right in and get great shots. Plus, your photos and videos move right to the GoPro app for easy sharing (2). From beach days to vacays to good times with the family—capture your life in a fresh new way with HERO7.
4K60 Video - Get stunning 4K video that’s as amazing as the moment itself. You can also shoot time lapse videos to turn longer events into short, shareable moments.
Rugged + Waterproof - Share experiences you can’t capture with your phone. HERO7 is tough, tiny, totally waterproof—and up for any adventure.
Intuitive Touch Screen - With a touch screen and simple, streamlined capture modes, it’s easy to jump right in and get great shots. Just swipe and tap.
Voice Control - Stay in the moment. Control your HERO7 hands free with voice commands like “GoPro, take a photo” and “GoPro, start recording.”
12MP Photos With WDR - HERO7 Black takes beautiful, vibrant 10MP photos—even in challenging shots that mix bright light and shadows. And with Burst mode, you can get 15 photos in one second.
Video Stabilization - Adios shaky footage. HERO7 Black records smooth, steady video whether you’re skiing, snorkeling or chasing your dog around the yard.
Shoot Vertically - Capture photos and videos in portrait orientation—perfect for your Snapchat and Instagram Stories.
Photo Timer - Jump in there. A photo timer makes it easy to grab a GoPro selfie or group shot with your whole crew in the frame.
Well, first of all I have to say that this is my first GoPro I ever had and I really surprised in the good meaning of what it capable to do! On my opinion this is the best action camera ever made! I been doing researches and comparison with Sony 3000 4k action cam and I bought Sony cam at two reasons:
1. I own Sony as20 action cam for many years and it never ever gave me any troubles and picture quality always was outstanding!
2. They bought me on optical stabilization and juicy picture of Somy3000. But that camera came to me already defective right out of the box (didn’t record sound!) !
So I was supposed to send it back and decided to go with GoPro7. My choice was definitely right! The very first thing I noticed that the GoPro has huge advantage in having awesome touchscreen with easy to navigate menu and much better battery slot. But real miracle is hyper-smooth video stabilization! So, will definitely keep it instead of Sony cam!
Screen can be finicky at times, battery life is horrible but other than that a very worthy upgrade. Compared to previous generations the Go Pro to App connection is much quicker and less of a hassle.
I have owned a Go Pro 5 Session with Evo GP Pro Gimbal and by all means the Hero 7 Black is NOT better or equal in terms of stabilization compared to a Gimbal . With that said..the Hero 7 Black is the closest you will get in terms of smooth stabilization without a Gimbal and if you’re not a professional videographer etc this is a must have action camera! As an avid traveler I want smooth videos without dragging along more weight and components and The Hero 7 fits the bill perfectly! With a Gimbal it’s so smooth at times you get videos with unnatural movements, with the Hero 7 the Hypersmooth stabilization smooths out your video without looking unnatural.
Now all I have to take on my travels are my Hero 7 and Shorty stick.
Its awsome for adventures. Only gripe I have is that you cant actually shut it off if you leave wifi on. Its stays alive and battery dies quickly.
This is my first GoPro, after reading all the negative reviews of the Hero 7 Black I went with the silver. Mainly to save the extra $100. So far so good, I have it mounted on my center console on my boat. Video is super smooth and clear on the 1080p setting. I have not tried 4k as of now - I do not have a 4k compatible TV or computer. Pictures are OK. They will not be DSLR quality but then again this is made for action videos. I will update review after a few weeks of playing with it.
The only downfall right now is that GoPro nor any 3rd party companies make a waterproof housing for the silver/white just yet. I know its waterproof and it works well. Sometimes you just want some added protection. Not a deal breaker.
Had issues with the connection between my phiand camera but resolved it after an hour. The camera heat's up and may have to return it and get a replacement because of it. The battery doesn't last long. Overall an okay sports camera that is probably more hype. Never owened previous models.
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