[ UPDATE 17/09/2020 13:04 ] Malaysian availability and pricing has now been revealed. Full details here.
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GoPro has announced a new flagship action camera: the GoPro Hero 9 Black. Building upon the success of the iconic Hero range, the Hero 9 Black features some pretty significant upgrades over its predecessor—including a new front-facing colour display for previewing shots.
Additionally, GoPro has equipped the Hero 9 Black with a new image sensor which now shoots 5K resolution. However, this will be limited to 30 fps, compared to the 60 fps that you get in 4K resolution. Photos can now be captured at a resolution of 20MP, which is an improvement over the Hero 8 Black’s 12MP photos.
As mentioned, there are now two displays on GoPro’s latest action camera. In addition to a 2.27″ rear touch display, there is now a 1.4″ front-facing colour display that will display live shot previews, as well as status modes and other relevant information. This would probably appeal to vloggers more than most, who have resorted to using add-on mods to achieve a similar outcome with the older Hero 8 Black.
GoPro also talks a lot about the new HyperSmooth 3.0—particularly, the in-camera horizon levelling feature. Basically, when used with the Max Lens Mod (sold separately), you get a “horizon lock”, even when the camera is being rotated at a full 360 degrees. This should also work without the mod, although the resulting image will then be cropped.
There’s also a removable battery that provides 30 percent longer life on a single charge, along with a removable front lens cover (that wasn’t available on the Hero 8 Black). Just like its predecessor, the Hero 9 Black will be compatible with a variety of mods to give users more flexibility, including the new Max Lens Mod which offers Max HyperSmooth video stabilisation and Max SuperView features.
Price and availability
The GoPro Hero 9 Black is now available globally via GoPro.com and selected retailers. Official retail pricing has been set at USD 449.99 (~RM1,866), although you can pick it up at a discounted rate if you purchase a one-year subscription to GoPro.
GoPro Hero 9 Black – USD 449.99 (~RM1,886)
GoPro Hero 9 Black + GoPro 1-year subscription – USD 449.98 (~RM1,864)
*32GB SD card included
*Pricing for subscription bundle is listed differently on GoPro U.S. and Malaysia landing pages.
At the moment, the Hero 9 Black appears to still be “out of stock” on the GoPro Malaysian site, although you can stay up to date on any latest developments on GoPro’s Malaysian Facebook page—and of course, SoyaCincau.com.
So, what do you think? Would you get this over the older Hero 8 Black? Let us know in the comments section below.
Editor’s note: This article has been amended to include different region pricing details from GoPro.
