GoPro Hero 13 Black review: a refined flagship with enviable accessories

GoPro fans who were hoping for 8K video or a new and bigger sensor in the Hero 13 Black are going to be disappointed right now. That's because GoPro's latest flagship, which comes 12 months after the Hero 12 Black and was launched alongside the new GoPro Hero, is largely the same as its predecessor.

There's still the 8:7 aspect ratio sensor with 5.3K video and 27MP photos, industry-leading HyperSmooth stabilization, and waterproofing up to 33ft / 10m – you'll even get all of that in the older-again Hero 11 Black.

And since those previous-generation models launched, the action camera competition has raised its game: DJI's Osmo Action 4 has better low-light performance than GoPro's (and rumors say it'll be replaced by the Osmo Action 5 Pro really soon), while Insta360 dropped the Ace Pro, an 8K video beast. 

The picture doesn't look good for an iterative update then, but I'm here to say don't write the GoPro Hero 13 Black off. GoPro has been a long-time player in the action camera space, its Hero 12 Black has been at the top of our best action cameras buying guide, and there are some tweaks in the Hero 13 Black that actually go a long way to making it an even more compelling choice, especially for serious filmmakers.

No other brand can offer such a wide range of accessories, and GoPro has introduced a whole lot more of them alongside the Hero 13 Black, namely the HB-series of lenses and ND filters. 

GoPro has announced the Ultra-Wide, Macro and Anamorphic Lens Mods, as well as a 4-pack of ND filters. These mods rotate into place over the Hero 13 Black's built-in lens, which has a newly designed mount that can auto-detect which mod is attached and adjust the camera settings accordingly. 

With one simple new feature, the camera becomes an infinitely more creative tool, and compelling for a wider range of users. 

GoPro has also taken a leaf out of the competition's book by finally utilizing quick and reliable magnetic mounting, which is added to its existing 'fingers' and 1/4-20-inch mounting options. 

Better battery life and heat dissipation are two other areas that have been addressed: the redesigned 10% higher-capacity 1,900mAh battery is capable of shooting 5.3K video for up to 1.5 hours and Full HD 1080p videos for around 2.5 hours.

Although the maximum video resolution remains at 5.3K, there's now Hybrid Log Gamma (HLG) HDR video to minimize lost detail in highlights and shadows, plus better slow-mo recording, now up to 13x in a 720p 400fps Burst Slo-Mo mode. Content can be uploaded 40% quicker thanks to the introduction of Wi-Fi 6 tech. 

GPS is also back, following its disappointing omission from the Hero 12 Black. Through the Quik app, Performance Stickers can be added to embed info such as speed, altitude and G-force into video clips, as well as the location info.

Those are the highlight improvements. Like I said, there's not a whole lot that's new, but progress isn't always about big moves in headline specs like video resolution; it's as much about real-world performance, and here the Hero 13 Black feels like the most compelling action camera package out there for serious creators. 

GoPro Hero 13 Black: release date and price

• List price is $399 / £399.99 / AU$649.95 or $599 / £599.99 / AU$979.95 for the Creator Edition
• Available from September 10 2024
• New HB-series of lenses and filters, starting from $69.99 / £69.99 / AU$119.95

The GoPro Hero 13 Black starts at $399 / £399.99 / AU$649.95, while the Creator Edition, which includes the Media Mod, Light Mod and Volta grip costs $599 / £599.99 / AU$979.95. The camera will be available to buy from September 10.

Alongside the camera, GoPro unveiled a the new HB-Series of lenses and filters, including the Macro Lens Mod ($129.99 / £129.99 / AU$249.95), Ultra Wide Lens Mod ($99.99 / £99.99 / AU$169.95) and a new ND Filter 4-pack ($69.99 / £69.99 / AU$119.95), all of which will also be available from September 10. 

If you're intersted in those new accessories, the cost sure does add up – for the HB-Series you're paying the same again as for the camera. 

Another noteworthy accessory is the Contacto, which replaces the battery door to enable charging on the go via a magnetic mount, without compromising waterproofing, and costs $79.99 / £79.99 / AU$139.95. GoPro also announced the Anamorphic Lens Mod ($129.99 / £129.99 / AU$219.95), although this lens won't be available until 2025. 

There are too many accessories available for the Hero 13 Black to easily list here, so do check out GoPro's website for more info. 

• Price score: 4/5

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GoPro Hero 13 Black: design and handling

• Same size as the Hero 12 Black
• 10% larger capacity battery
• New Lens Mod mount detects the attachments
• Quick magnetic mounting finally introduced

Used a GoPro Hero Black camera before? The Hero 13 Black will be familiar, being as it is identical in size to previous models, with external dimensions of 71.8 x 50.8 x 33.6mm, albeit with a larger-capacity battery squeezed in and a negligible weight gain, tipping the scales at 5.6oz / 159g.

Battery capacity is upped by 10% to 1,900mAh – with run times up to 1.5 hours of 5.3K video or up to 2.5 hours of 1080p video. GoPro lists the real-world improvement over the Hero 12 Black as averaging 13.5% with airflow and 26.7% without airflow – that's a decent bump in performance.

The battery isn’t backwards compatible with the Hero 12 Black and earlier models, as it’s a different size and design. Nor are older batteries forwards compatible, so if you’re upgrading you’ll need to factor in the cost of any additional batteries.

I rigged the Hero 13 Black for go-karting in 30-degree heat, recording 5.3K video for a total of around one hour, with both the front and rear screens and GPS active, and the battery went from around 80% power to being almost fully out of juice, which isn't bad going. For a camera of this kind, battery performance is decent.

The Hero 13 Black’s Lens Mod mount is new. Not in the way that you attach a Lens Mod – the Hero 12 Black already pairs with the Max Lens Mod – but because it has a point of contact with the new HB-series of lenses and filters, which means it can detect the attached lens – a feature that mirrorless and DSLR camera users are familiar with.

Handily, thanks to the communication between camera and lens, your settings are automatically updated to accommodate the lens in play. It’s a small detail, but it makes switching between lenses that bit easier, and propels the Hero 13 Black into new realms of creativity.

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For example, the Macro Lens Mod is a revelation, reducing the close-focusing distance to 4.3 inches / 11cm – that’s 4x closer than the Hero 13 Black's built-in lens. Traditionally, action cameras can’t focus particularly closely, which all but counts them out for vlogging – when I’ve tried in the past, I feel like I have to hold the camera further away than I would like for my face to be in focus, nor could I capture little details that help to tell the story. That totally changes with the Macro Lens Mod. If GoPro wanted to improve the shooting experience for a huge slice of potential users, this lens should be the ticket. 

The Macro Lens Mod is the perfect example when I say meaningful improvements aren't always about headline specs like increased video resolution. The Hero 13 Black with macro lens attached becomes a decent vlogging tool in a way other action cameras are not. 

The Anamorphic Lens Mod was not available for use during my hands-on testing (though I did get my hands on it), nor was GoPro's new ‘Contacto’ accessory. The latter replaces the battery / memory card door, and has a magnetic charging mount for on-the-go charging. The supplied USB-C cable works with any compatible charger. You don’t sacrifice waterproofing either – this remains rated to 33ft / 10m – and theory you could film underwater while charging the camera via the Contacto, obviously provided that the power source is either waterproof or not submerged the water – for which you might need a long cable.

If you regularly change what your Hero 13 Black is mounted to, the new magnetic mounting will be a godsend. The likes of DJI and Insta360 already utilize magnetic mounting, and GoPro has thankfully followed suit – it really needed to – and introduced some ball-head mounts for easy repositioning of the camera.

GoPro continues to embrace its legacy 'fingers' mounting method – the lowest-profile option – plus 1/4-20-inch mounting, easing the transition for those already familiar with the GoPro system.

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A final note on design: the Hero 13 Black is a rugged camera. Beyond its impressive waterproofing credentials, it can withstand big tumbles. During a particularly rough bit of Go-Karting action at around 35km/h, the camera's mount came loose and the gear fell to the racetrack. The Hero 13 Black was retrieved later on and had only suffered scuffs on its exterior. 

Still, if I owned the Hero 13 Black, I'd look into the premium subscription which offers some cover for damaged camera replacement. Also provided in the subscription is unlimited cloud storage, Quik app premium edits, plus discounts on accessories. The plan is free with Hero 13 Black purchase for the first year, and then $49.99 /£49.99 / AU$69.99 per year thereafter. 

• Design score: 5/5

GoPro Hero 13 Black: features and performance

• Limited capture time for new Burst Slo-mo video modes
• New HLG HDR video color profile 

As with the Hero 12 Black, regular 5.3K video recording remains at up to 60fps, but you can up that rate to 120fps – that’s 4x slow motion – using the new Burst Slo-Mo video option. 

In the same Burst Slo-Mo menu there’s also a 400fps option at a resolution of 720p, plus 360fps at 900p. All these burst modes are limited in capture time: the 5.3K 120fps option can run for five seconds, 360fps at 900p is 10 seconds, while the 400fps at 720p lasts for 15 seconds. 

It takes the Hero 13 Black approximately the same amount of time to process the files before you can start shooting again. As such, I wouldn’t rely on these new burst modes in all situations because of the processing time, during which you could be missing the moment in demanding shoots. Burst Slo-Mo is an example of a feature that's impressive on paper, and fun to use, but which has limited real-world usefulness.

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In the video preset menu you can choose between standard, HDR and Log color profiles. Depending on which option you select, and if you’ve got a Lens Mod in play, the maximum video resolution and frame rates available might change.

For example, with the Ultra-Wide Lens Mod attached you can’t shoot 5.3K video; you’re limited to 4K. For HDR video, you can’t shoot at 60fps because 30fps is the limit. It takes a while to figure out what you can and can’t do with the Hero 13 Black – those headline features aren’t available at all settings.

I’m not knocking GoPro for this – I can’t think of another action camera that shoots unlimited 5.3K 120fps video, nor one that has Lens Mods for different looks. I’m just managing your expectations.

Battery life and overheating are hot topics with GoPro cameras (no pun intended), and as mentioned there are improvements in both of these areas. You'll notice much improved battery performance for video runtime when there isn't airflow, for example when you're recording in a room or simply walking about. 

I was using the Hero 13 Black in Spain in 30C heat and, although it was getting warm, it never gave me any problems. It's clear that GoPro has been able to improve heat dissipation, and when compared to rival action cams, the Hero 13 Black admirably keeps a lid on overheating.

• Features and performance score: 4.5/5

GoPro Hero 13 Black: image and video quality

• Same 8:7 aspect ratio sensor as the Hero 12 Black handy for social
• Improved slow-mo video record modes
• New HDR with HLG profile packs plenty of detail in shadows and highlights

To get a feel for the Hero 13 Black's image quality, you can take a look at our Hero 12 Black review – after all they share the same image sensor, and the same maximum video and photo resolution. 

However, thanks to the new Lens Mods, it's possible to shoot videos with a different look. The Macro Lens Mod opens up the Hero 13 Black to different kinds of creators, especially vloggers, while ND filters allow you to slow the frame rate down for cinematic motion blur during fast movement. Again, these ND filters are auto-detected and the camera settings auto-adjusted which is especially helpful with the ND filters that reduce the amount of light entering through the lens. I look forward to using the anamorphic lens next year and for potential new Lens Mods being announced in the future. 

I've included a video compilation (above) made with the free version of GoPro's Quik app. It includes music and transitions, and automatically selected highlights from the video files uploaded to my phone. 

The Go-Karting clips are made at 5.3K in HDR, which now features the Hybrid Log Gamma (HLG) color profile. You can see there's plenty of detail kept in the bright highlights directly in and around the sun, without compromising detail of the racetrack which remains bright. I also used the Ultra-Wide Lens Mod for some of these clips, which is limited to 4K video. 

Creating timewarp sequences like the biking clips above is a cinch: it's one of the main options in the shooting mode menu and the clips are auto-created. That video compilation took me no time at all to create – that's the beauty of the aptly named Quik app, through which you can also overlay Performance Stickers now that GPS is back. 

• Image quality score: 4/5

GoPro Hero 13 Black: testing scorecard

Should I buy the GoPro Hero 13 Black?

Buy it if...

Don't buy it if...

GoPro Hero 13 Black: also consider

How I tested the GoPro Hero 13 Black

• A few weeks: Go-Karting, mountain bike riding, vlogging
• Paired with the Macro and Ultra-Wide Lens Mods, plus the ND filters
• Used with various mounts for sports

During a two day hands-on with the Hero 13 Black ahead of its release, I was able to shoot behind the scenes at the MotoGP (from which video clips can’t be shared), making timewarp sequences, plus it had a proper run out around a go karting track. I attached it to a crash helmet and to an arm for different perspectives, used the Ultra-Wide Lens Mod and tried out the various color profiles, including HDR. 

The slow motion burst modes were utilized, too, to slow down movement of water and bottles of bubbly on the post race podium. I also tested the close focusing capabilities with and without the Macro Lens Mod, and utilized the ND filters to create motion blur during fast action. 

Since that trip, I've been using the camera on bike rides and testing its vlogging capabilities with the new Macro lens Mod.

First reviewed September 2024