Former owner of the Hero 5. I will speak purely as an amateur without any particular knowledge. For me and what I want to do, it is more than flawless. Let me explain:
1. On trips, I have enjoyed it as the hypersmooth works so well that you get beautiful shots without much difficulty. So you save space and effort compared to using a stabilizer.
2. In underwater shots (up to 5 meters below, I don't have the breath to go deeper, so I don't know), everything I have captured is clear.
3. For work, where I want to shoot some small videos for presentations, it is perfect as there are also spots with particular lighting and space.
4. I don't usually use it for sports, but I tried it with a bicycle and the result was impressive because the bumps of the route are not visible at all.
5. I rarely take photos, but with the videos I have seen and tweak my settings, they seem excellent. Obviously, they cannot be compared to a good smartphone camera.
6. Timelapse and slow motion, with a little practice, you can get very nice shots.
Observations:
- As for overheating, it hasn't happened to me yet because I either shoot short videos or the conditions are favorable (I haven't shot videos at 35 degrees, let's say).
- The sound is very good. It obviously cannot be compared to an external microphone, but compared to the 5 I had, it is night and day. When it goes into the sea, it gets a bit distorted, but once it dries, it returns.
- The battery is definitely upgraded compared to older models, but it is never enough. The GoPro Volta, from what I have seen, is ideal for long use.
- In low light conditions, with appropriate settings (whatever I have found on the internet), it is decent to satisfactory.
- The app on the phone may have limited editing capabilities. But I imagine for €10 a year, it's fine. It also has larger packages for computers, but I haven't reached that point. As for controlling the camera via the phone, it works great, and you can download files relatively quickly, it has a preview, and you can make all the settings with the camera at a distance.
Also, it is very useful that it can save settings depending on the situation (running, landscapes, horizontal projection, etc.) without needing to do it every time. You just select it and start.
Good or bad, to "unlock" its capabilities, additional accessories are needed. I have purchased the following:
- Extra batteries with a charger. You never run out.
- Beach set. Transparent case and stick that floats. There is no fear of losing it or hitting it.
- Vlogging setup with a case that has a slot for the mic adapter and lens.
- Lenses for clearer shots.
- Microphone (I use it very rarely).
- Charger for 4 outputs to charge everything simultaneously at night without waiting.
- Small tripods, mounts, adhesive mounts, silicone case for the camera with lens protection, magnetic clip for placement in tricky spots.
- Side cover with an opening for the type C port.
One of my next purchases is the Max Lens 2.0, which they say unlocks the capabilities of hypersmooth. But for now, with what I have, it covers me because I can use it in almost all situations I will need it. I imagine all these cameras in this category have similar capabilities, some a little more, some a little less. I preferred this one and I haven't regretted it for a moment.
P.S. It has excellent peripherals from other companies because the genuine ones are quite expensive (Ulanzi, Telestin, etc.). You need to have the appetite to search until you find what suits you. But always without haste because you will end up with dozens of components that you will never need.