If you are an adventure enthusiast or an avid biker, want to shoot your experience and post videos on social media platforms seamlessly, here comes "GoPro Hero 5 Black" that has 4K video and voice control capabilities.As Indian travellers look for handy cameras with high-end features, US-based GoPro has developed a video-editing mobile app called "QuikStories" that makes it easy for users to share special moments on platforms like Instagram and Facebook in a jiffy.Let's see what works for the Rs 31,000 device.The GoPro Hero 5 Black (2.4 x 1.7 x 1 inch and weighing 118 grams) is a rectangular camera similar to its predecessors but has a curved-edged design with semi-rubberised body which makes it easy to hold. To test the claim that the device is waterproof (up to 10 metres), we took it to a neighbourhood swimming pool with 12-feet depth and found that water had no impact on either the video or sound quality. It shot 4K videos at 30 fps and clicked sharp photos with the "Electronic Image Stabilisation" (EIS) feature.Hero 5 Black allows touchscreen to be used for commands. The physical shutter and mode buttons are still there but other tasks can be done with the 2-inch touchscreen like smartphones.Swipe to the right to see gallery and left to toggle additional settings such as video stabilisation.
You can use a smartphone to see in real-time what the camera is capturing. Need to switch on or off the camera? Say "GoPro turn on or off" and the voice control feature will do the job for you. The feature works in noisy environments as well. We got a backup of almost three hours while shooting videos. The dual microphones with noise-cancellation technology captured sound flawlessly.The internals of the device are well-guarded, tightly sealed and the camera can help you share videos without being taken to the edit table thanks to 'QuikStories' that makes Hero 5 Black a unique device.With 'QuikStories', the hassles of getting right-quality videos that can be shared online are over.Pair the camera with your smartphone and launch the GoPro app. Now let the app automatically copy recent GoPro raw footage to the smartphone and create a video of whatever length you want to share on social media.We shot a night scene with the camera on "gimbal" for GoPro -- a device that keeps GoPro stable and eliminates jerks, vibrations and noise in the video.When we connected the camera to the phone, we were told to update the software. After installing the update and the 'QuikStories' app, the app began copying the footage on the phone. We then selected the clip time and added text and music and the video was ready to share. 'QuikStories' generates polished videos that can be customised with music, filters and effects.Further, the video created on your smartphone integrates with popular social networks so there is no need to rework the format of the clip.
What doesn't work?
Hero GoPro 5 Black will render all accessories you had from its predecessors useless. You cannot use any attachments with this device.We also experienced noticeable lag between taking photos and videos. The touchscreen responsiveness was poor.Conclusion: It is safe to say that GoPro is undoubtedly a device for adrenaline junkies and travel bugs. With 'QuikStories', the ease of sharing your moments was never so easy.