The GoPro has gone from an action camera to a cinema camera with the release of the new Mission 1 Pro while still retaining its rugged design and ability to be used virtually anywhere.
The Mission 1 Pro is part of a new line up of GoPro cameras that will be a serious option for filmmakers and content creators who wants to capture up to 8K quality like no other regular cameras could.
Tech Guide has taken a look at the Mission 1 Pro and, while we don’t claim to be filmmakers, we can appreciate the quality in our hands for capturing our content.
The camera is slightly larger than the regular GoPro Hero Black and has a 1-inch low-light sensor.
That larger sensor captures more light and offers other professional-level low-light performance with up to 14 stops of dynamic range at the sensor.
It is powered by the power-efficient GP3 processor. It not only enhances image quality but also provides longer battery life and improved thermal performance so it is reliable even in extreme use cases.
On the design side it’s clearly obvious the camera is slightly larger than a regular GoPro it’s still small compared to other cinema-grade cameras.
To us this will be attractive to filmmakers who, with the Mission 1Pro, can position a cinema-grade camera in places they couldn’t previously to capture the ultimate shot.
It has a sturdy construction and is designed to go anywhere – we expected nothing less from GoPro.
For our review we were also supplied with a point and shoot grip, which gave the camera a more ergonomic look and feel.
The grip provided a snug fit for the camera and made it more comfortable to hold.
And the best thing was the capture button was now right below our finger as we held the thickest part of the grip.
We preferred to keep the audio notification for when we started filming because it didn’t take much press to get things rolling.
We did find it pretty sensitive and we were recording video when we didn’t want to several times.
Without the grip the camera is still easy to use with raised buttons and an easy-to-view screens on the front and back.
It’s easy to find where the buttons are just by feel.
We took the GoPro Mission 1 Pro for a day around London and used the Quik app to an auto edit and add music.
It can shoot 8K at up to 60 fps, 8K at 30 fps Open Gate, 4K at up to 240 fps and 50MP RAW images.
The Mission 1 Pro has HLG HDR, GP Log2, and HyperSmooth with Auto Boost.
These abilities are what make the camera attractive for filmmakers.
Open gate is a video recording mode that uses the entire height and width of the camera sensor rather than cropping down to a standard wide screen aspect ratio like 16:9.
It allows users to shoot once and crop the master file later into horizontal, vertical, or square aspect ratios without losing resolution.
It also provides the additional canvas when using anamorphic lenses to achieve a more cinematic look.
Post-production, this also makes it easier to adjust framing and stabilise shaky clips.
The GoPro Mission 1Pro also now can record audio including vocals.
You’ll have to take our word for it when we say the 8K video shot with the camera looks incredible.
The other strength of the camera is shooting in low light. You’ll be surprised how much detail the Mission 1Pro can capture with little noise affecting the clarity.
On the battery side users can expect up to five hours shooting at full HD and around three and a half hours when shooting in 4K and 8K.
GoPro has had a lot of competition of late with companies like DJI and Insta 360 moving in on their territory.
The GoPro Mission 1 Pro is available now and is priced at $1,099. The Mission 1 Pro Grip Edition which includes the camera and the grip is $1,229.95.
VERDICT
The GoPro Mission 1Pro is a breakout device in this category and takes the quality to a whole new level and brings it to the attention of high-end users who may not have considered the brand to begin with.
- RATING
The GoPro Mission 1Pro is a breakout device in this category and takes the quality to a whole new level and brings it to the attention of high-end users who may not have considered the brand to begin with.
