Action Camera GoPro Hero 4 Black Edition: reviews, instruction in English, review

Many people, keen on active recreation, sports and tourism, have repeatedly heard about multimedia solutions under the trademark GoPro. The action camera is so overgrown with legends and myths that sellers themselves often do not know where the truth is, and where lies are. In the focus of this article, a representative of advanced technologies - a camera for extreme sports and active entertainment GoPro Hero 4. Technical characteristics, reviews and reviews of professionals will allow the reader to learn all about the best action camera in the world. It only remains to decide whether to give preference to a device that is intended for real professionals.

Market positioning

The world market is not so rich in unique products that do not have a specialized niche that determines the purpose of the product. GoPro Hero 4 Black Edition is considered a universal device that is designed to record video in any environment. There are no restrictions: shooting under water, in frost and heat, in quicksand or in outer space. In any case, the device will perform the task assigned to it.

But such a vast functional has the opposite side of the coin - a high cost. The retail price of the action camera fluctuates between 30-35 thousand rubles, which causes dissatisfaction of many potential buyers. However, as practice shows, there is no other way out, it's the only gadget in the world that can shoot video in extreme conditions, so it's better to accept the cost.

Full set

Whatever kind of sport the potential buyer is engaged in, before buying GoPro Hero 4 Black, he does not need to worry, because the manufacturer has provided all the needs of users and provided its product with a worthy bundle. For shooting under water and in conditions of high humidity, the owner will find a waterproof case that can cope with the pressure at a depth of 40 meters. In the box there is also a cover-skeleton for the case, however, its installation breaks the tightness of the structure and, judging by the opinions of professionals, reduces the practicality of the action camera.

The buyers will also like the system of gadget mounts. In the process of testing, it was not possible to find an item that GoPro Hero 4 can not be attached to. The instruction in Russian, which is present in the kit, will appeal to all residents of the CIS countries, since it will be necessary to understand all the users before operation.

When it comes to absolute quality

A rich package, attractive box and multifunctionality have always been the hallmark of Chinese companies positioning their inexpensive products on the world's Internet auctions. Therefore, it is not surprising that many enthusiasts in their reviews begin to compare the expensive gadget with consumer goods, because in the global market it is not accepted to provide multimedia devices with a worthy bundle. However, the opinion about the product changes with its detailed study.

Action Camera GoPro Hero 4 has no flaws. If we are talking about the body - it is made of very high-quality plastic. No gaps and uneven joints can not be detected. Interface cables do not hang when connected, and the mount has a very convenient and rigid fixation. All components are adjusted to each other ideally, and it is impossible to find fault with them.

Strange box

The first thing that the owner of the gadget draws its attention to is the size of the device and the ease of use. Miniature GoPro Hero 4 is very compact and weighs only 80 grams. However, confuse many users of the huge size of the button and a strange lens that does not hide in the case after the power is turned off. The explanation is quite simple - large buttons are convenient to press if the camera is placed in a protective case. And stillness of the lens allowed to reduce the size of the device.

Equally strange, the action camera looks assembled with all the fasteners in the protective case. But as they say, only meet on clothes. Millions of people in the world prefer the functionality of this device, and not external beauty. Therefore, professionals recommend newcomers to put up with the strange kind of camera and get to know the management and operation more closely.

Autonomy of work primarily

The huge lithium-ion battery not only claims half of the overall weight of the GoPro Hero 4 Black Edition camera, but also takes up almost all the space inside the gadget. The manufacturer provided the device with a very powerful battery with a capacity of 1160 mAh. It consumes an action camera a bit - 4.4 watts per hour, but the battery life depends on the quality of the survey and the operation of wireless interfaces. For example, if you turn off the LCD screen and the WiFi module, you can capture 3 hours of video continuously at 720p at a frame rate of 120 FPS. Upgrading to 4K even with reduced frame rates (up to 30 FPS) will reduce the resource of the GoPro Hero 4 battery by three times.

As for the battery pack, then with the installation and removal of the battery is complete order. A standard unit with a reliable latch is used, as in conventional digital cameras. The battery compartment is located at the bottom, and its accidental opening is completely ruled out.

Interfaces and connectors

In the media there is a lot of negativity from users regarding the implementation of the interface panel manufacturer. First, the removable stub, under which the HDMI and USB ports are hidden, as well as the memory card slot, causes confusion. The cover closing the compartment is not attached to the device, and there is no protective mechanism in its attachment. With frequent use of connectors, the plug wears out and is able to open automatically during operation and, consequently, get lost.

Step into the past made the manufacturer and installation interface mini-USB. Now the owner of GoPro Hero 4 Black should always carry a proper cable with him (to reset the data to the computer outside the house). The same goes for the micro-HDMI port. Quite a strange approach to the buyers of the famous American manufacturer.

Ease of management

The GoPro Hero 4 instruction tells about the presence of a touch-sensitive liquid crystal screen in the action camera, and this raises doubts among many newcomers. However, after a detailed review, it is found that it is impossible to find fault with the quality of the display. Sensitivity of the sensor is good, it reacts in the same way in different weather conditions, regardless of temperature, and it pleases, because many owners have already faced problems with the inoperability of the touch screen on smartphones in severe frosts.

The matrix of the miniature screen GoPro Hero 4 demonstrates a decent color rendition. A little confuses the brightness of the display, it is understated. In their responses, many experts claim that the picture can be made and more succinct in the settings, but this change will greatly increase battery consumption. If we talk about the convenience of viewing the footage, then it simply does not exist. The smallest detail on the miniature display can not be seen. The touch screen is convenient only for controlling the action camera.

Advertising - the engine of progress

Deceived buyers can count themselves users who wish to shoot at a high resolution 4K (3840x2160). The manufacturer, launching the advertisement GoPro Hero 4, missed one point - at the maximum resolution the camera shoots at a rate of 15 frames per second. It's one thing if the camcorder produces a static survey, and a completely different situation with objects moving at high speed. The result is disappointing: a slideshow, from which you can select only high-quality photos.

Professionals in their reviews recommend to shoot video on the resolution of FullHD (1920x1080 dpi). In this case, the matrix will read the information at a rate of 60 frames per second, and this is enough to create high-quality video or film. It's not at all clear why the 480p mode is needed, which accelerates the matrix to 240 frames per second. Four identical frames in the video recording (60x4), in order to reduce the flicker of the screen - this is an obvious search.

All about the quality of shooting

In the media there is a negative from some potential buyers about the lack of autofocus on the GoPro Hero 4. The review and testing of the device, conducted by experts and enthusiasts in different parts of the world, proved that automatic focusing of the camcorder in extreme conditions is not needed. The lens is not capable of processing data even at a rate of 15 frames per second. The camera perfectly receives and processes data without autofocus.

To improve the quality of shooting in the device provides several useful functions. In low light conditions, you can turn on the Auto low light mode, but the owner of the gadget should be ready to ensure that the sensitivity of the matrix is lower, which will affect the image quality when watching video at high resolution (analogue ISO in cameras). The ProTune mode, which is capable of creating a motion effect, has proved itself well.

Camera for extreme conditions

When it comes to the quality of photos created with the help of the GoPro Hero 4 camera, user reviews are disappointing. As with any other device for video recording (we are talking about webcams and other video cameras), the photo capabilities of the gadget did not work out. Fine manual tuning allows changing the parameters of the device and making the 12-megapixel sensor make a high-quality picture, but for this it is necessary to securely fix the action camera, and the object of shooting should be a stationary object.

The manufacturer's serial shooting at 3 frames per second and the automatic matrix adjustment function for night mode do not cope with the tasks set. As a result of testing, none of the experts managed to get close to the quality of images obtained by conventional digital cameras, popularly known as "soap boxes".

Software and Management

Quite a strange decision maker - to equip your product with a wireless WiFi interface. The GoPro Hero 4 Black camera can act as an access point and connect to any mobile device via a wireless channel. And if the reader thinks that the manufacturer gave him a router, then he is wrong, and that would be an excellent solution for many users.

For convenience, one can attribute the possibility of connecting an action camera to a smartphone based on the Android OS. There is a special software that provides functionality for full control not only of the camera itself, but also the process of video shooting - a wireless control panel. Quite an interesting solution of the manufacturer in terms of access to the hardware of the device: all light indicators and sound devices are completely subject to control from the smartphone. Forgetful users will always find where the camera is hidden, you just need to make the speaker sound alerts from the phone.

Finally

The GoPro Hero 4 camera will definitely appeal to all lovers of outdoor activities, because in the market in fact nothing similar simply does not exist. As a device for shooting video, the device will completely satisfy even the demanding customer: many modes, resolutions and quality management will allow the owner to create a full-fledged film, and not to shoot an amateur video. Excellent manufacturer approached to the solution of convenience and safety - an action camera you can play football under water, 100% protection.

There are also negative aspects, but they concern more overstated requirements of buyers who have not yet learned to distinguish cameras from video cameras. Fans of taking photos in high quality GoPro Hero 4 definitely will not do. The owner will have to take care of the security of the stub on the interface panel, losing it is very easy, but it's impossible to acquire, because the manufacturer did not bother about it and did not provide the retail component with the right component.