GoPro HERO3 Launches at Midnight With Impressive Specs

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It's official, the GoPro HERO3 is now out for sale and she looks powerful. CEO Nick Woodman announced the new HERO3 as the smallest, lightest, most powerful way to document your life. If that is not enough it is also Wi-Fi enabled and can capture 4k video (4,000 pixels) at 12 frames per second and 1080p HD video at 60 frames per second. (Picking jaw off the floor!) Read on to hear more about this radical new camera. 

At 12:01 AM PST time, the new GoPro HERO3 was released for sale. The Hero3 is 30 percent smaller and 25 percent lighter than its predecessor. It also has a 2x faster image processor, 4x higher resolution, 2x faster frame rates, 3x faster photo capture, 2x better low-light performance, sharper lens, waterproof to 60M, improved sound and if that all wasn't enough they also included built in Wi-Fi which combined with the new phone app will allow you to live-stream your images or video. Using the free GoPro App which is currently out for IOS and soon to be for Android you will also be able to use your smartphone or tablet as a live video remote control - yep seriously!

The new HERO3 will come in three flavors; Black Edition is $399, the Silver is $299 and the White is $199. The lower end models will result in a sacrifice in quality but still include the Wi-Fi. Smart move to offer the three pricing strategies to help keep their competition at the pricing low end like the new ContourRoam2 on their toes. With that here are some more specifics on the Black Edition which is the one most will be excited to get their hands on.  The top of the line Black Edition (pictured below) is capable of capturing video at up to 4K res -- if you're willing to drop the framerate down to 12fps. You can also choose to shot 1080p at 60fps, 1440p at 48fps, or even 720p at 120fps for those times when you want to slow it down super slow and still capture in HD. Those desiring a cinematic look will appreciate the ultra-high resolution 2.7kp-24 and 4kp-12 (Protune only) video modes. The Black edition also includes a remote that can control up to 50 cameras at once with a 600ft range and the remote is waterproof to 10 feet deep.

The HERO3's reduced-distortion, 6-element aspherical lens combines with user-selectable Ultra-wide, Medium and Narrow field-of-views to deliver more perspective-capture options than ever before. Add the totally updated flat-lens waterproof housing that delivers stunning image sharpness both above and below water and you've got one of the most powerful and durable image capture solutions on the planet.

The HERO3: Black Edition's photo performance is 3X improved, now boasting 12MP burst capture at a staggering 30 frames per second with 2X better low light performance compared to previous models. Still Photo and Time-lapse Photo modes remain the same but are now joined by a new Continuous Photo mode that captures continuous 12MP stills at a steady 3, 5, or 10 photo-per-second rate, up to 30 photos at a time.

Here's what comes included in the Black Edition box.

  • HERO3: Black Edition Camera
  • 197’/ 60m Waterproof Housing*
  • Wi-Fi Remote + Key Ring
  • Remote Charging Cable
  • Rechargeable Li-ion Battery
  • QR Buckle
  • J-Hook Buckle
  • 3-Way Pivot
  • 1 Curved Adhesive Mount
  • 1 Flat Adhesive Mount
  • Assorted Mounts and Hardware
  • USB Charging Cable

Demand for the camera is so high that the website for GoPro has been unable to handle the amount of traffic at their midnight release with users experiencing website issues. If you can get in, here is the link to find out even more about this new amazing little camera. GoPro HERO 3 Website

We are looking forward to putting the HERO3 through a few tests of our own and look forward to sharing a review with you all. 

Correction has been made in the article. When filming at 4k the frames per second will be 12 not 15.

Trevor Dayley's picture

Trevor Dayley (www.trevordayley.com) was named as one of the Top 100 Wedding Photographers in the US in 2014 by Brandsmash. His award-winning wedding photos have been published in numerous places including Grace Ormonde. He and his wife have been married for 15 years and together they have six kids.

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