GoPro Hero 3 Plus Black Edition Review
So, we’ve had the GoPro Hero 3 Plus Black Edition since release date (1st October 2013) and they are selling well. But what’s it like, compared to the previous version, the Hero 3 Black Edition. We’ll try and highlight some of the improvements below.
The first thing you’ll notice is it’s smaller. Not the camera itself, that’s exactly the same size, but the waterproof housing the Hero 3 Plus Black Edition sits in. 20% smaller according to GoPro’s official figures. The next thing you’ll probably notice is the lens on the housing, now only 37mm x 35mm, so that’s small too with fixing screws on the inside, rather than the outside, so it looks a cleaner design compared to the previous Hero 3 Black Edition.
Staying with the housing for a moment, some other changes here include the top clasp, which is much easier to release than the Hero 3 due to not having a secondary locking mechansim. The clasp can now be operated one-handed which in our eyes is a vast improvement. It still feels very secure. The last thing we noticed on the housing were the buttons have changed too, these are now much larger and much easier to press with more feel. Ideal too if you happen to be wearing gloves, while skiing or snowboarding.
Now to the camera. On the outside, there is little difference, the power on button is a single colour rather than silver with a printed power logo, the mics have changed position and now sit one on top of the Hero 3 Plus Black Edition and one to the side, this is said to improve sound quality and we think it does, ever so slightly.
Technically the Hero 3 Plus Black Edition is superior, images are sharper thanks to a better lens. 33% sharper and a 2x reduction in image artifacts, according to GoPro.
We also have something called SuperView, which allows more action to be captured in an extra wide angled view, but sideways and top to bottom.
The Hero 3 Plus Black Edition also has an Auto Low Light mode, which is selected will automatically reduce the frame rate for low light situations on the fly, so you could be mountain biking in a well lit downhill section and then through some shaded wooded area and the Hero 3 Plus would compensate for the low light automatically.
One of the most critised aspects of the previois Hero 3 Black Edition was the poor battery life. Having the top of the range model with all the fancy shooting modes and high quality images really took it out of the battery. The new Hero 3 Plus has a bigger battery so battery life has increased by 30%, again, according to official GoPro figures.
Wifi aquisition and lag has also improved dramatically. Whereas previous lag on the Hero 3 was around 4 seconds, the Hero 3 Plus Black Edition lags by just under 1 second, so using the GoPro App is much more rewarding as it feels like you are almost getting a real-time stream.
Pricing on the Hero 3 Plus Black Edition is £359.99 and is available from our website here >>> http://www.hobbymounts.co.uk/shop/GoPro-Hero-3-Plus-Black-Edition-Camera-CHDHX-302
