Lights, camera, action! Which GoPro should you buy?

Lights, camera, action! Which GoPro should you buy?

In a world where every leap, splash, crash and climb is potential viral gold, it pays to record them all in total clarity. So while GoPro has a camera for every concussion, deciphering the difference between each one isn’t easy, which is why we’ve compared them all for you. Whether you’re filming something serious or just another Poundshop parkour compilation, there’s an action cam here to suit all shoots.

Best for… everyday shooters: GoPro Hero Session (£120)

GoPro’s Hero Session might be entry level but that doesn’t mean basic. This tough little cube only lasts about two hours but its one-button interface is great for quick-click recordings. There’s no screen, so more advanced operation requires a smartphone, connected via Wi-Fi or Bluetooth, to frame, shoot and share. It lacks 4K but 1440p at 30fps is plenty good enough for YouTube or smaller screens, while its 8MP stills will fare well against most smartphones – especially underwater.

Best for helmet cam fans: GoPro Hero5 Session (£199)

Not to be confused with the Hero Session, the Hero5 Session is smaller and smarter. With video stabilisation, 4K video capabilities and 10MP stills, it can automatically upload your footage to the cloud through the Quik app, providing you’re a GoPro Plus subscriber. And with Siri-style voice control tech, you can attach it to a helmet and not worry about having to reach for it every time you want to change mode, or stop and start recording.

Best for extreme enthusiasts: GoPro Hero5 Black (£300)

Bulkier than its brethren in order to make room for extra shooting tech, the Hero5 Black not only shoots in 4K, but also has a Wide Dynamic Range mode, GPS, two-axis stabilisation and can capture stills in 12MP RAW, meaning enhanced editing flexibility in post. Waterproof to 33ft without a case, the spacious 2in screen will be a boon for underwater explorers, while one-touch and voice control capabilities ought to be a welcome addition for glove-wearing mountain-goers.

Best for pro action snappers: GoPro Hero6 Black (£400)

The Hero6 Black might look identical to the Hero5 Black, but its GP1 processor means increased frame rates, better all-round image quality, and refined auto-exposure. Dynamic range is improved too, as is the image stabilisation, although battery life does suffer as a result – it’s only good for 45 minutes at 4K/60fps. If you don’t have suitably beefy hardware to cope with the HEVC codec used to record the 4K footage, though, you might be better off the with Hero5 Black.

Best for 360 fans: GoPro Fusion (£649)

With a lens on each side that the Fusion auto-stitches 360-degree video or stills from, the latest GoPro is a little chunkier than the rest of the range. Image quality is impressive, even if it does go a bit wonky at the point where the clips are joined, but the Overcapture software, which processes the videos and allows you to punch out flat 1080p clips, is prone to crashing, and the mobile version only works on a handful of phones.