GoPro has released an action cam that looks nothing like its conventional models. It’s called the GoPro Hero4 Session, and while it may not look like the first four generations of the widely used cameras, it’s every bit as rugged. It’s also waterproof, thus doing away with the sometimes cumbersome casing and making it a lot more versatile.
The little cube-shaped camera is half the size of a standard GoPro, meaning there’s only room for a small LCD screen, an on/off button and a tiny mode button. But the advantage is it’s almost half the usual weight. These days most users control their cameras via the GoPro smart phone app anyway. Resolution can be ramped up to 1920×1440 and it also has Full HD at 60fps, HD at 100fps as well as slow-motion recording. The camera fits inside a cube-shaped mount which helps with protection, and it’s compatible with all GoPro mounts.
One of the issues with previous GoPro cameras has been minimal battery life when the camera is used in Wi-Fi mode. This problem appears to have been solved with the Hero4 Session. We’re yet to be left cursing a lifeless little box box of wires partway through a shoot anyway, which is lucky, because the Session uses a sealed battery unit.
Picture quality may not be able to reach the 4K heights of the Hero Black, but it doesn’t need to unless you are shooting for the big screen. It’s also $300 cheaper than a GoPro Black – $749.95 versus $449.95 – and for the type of work we are doing it’s a whole lot more versatile.
GoPro The Jam
Looking though the range of GoPro accessories we spotted this great little mount called The Jam. Designed to allow the camera to be mounted onto musical equipment, it’s also brilliant for mounting a camera onto a motorcycle. Apart from a little vibration when the road surface becomes rough, The Jam is a brilliant addition to our collection of mounts. Multiple pivot and hinge points allow the camera to be moved in any direction and the clamp is designed for delicate musical instruments so does not damage motorcycles.
