GoPro Hero11 Black Review: Larger Sensor, Stronger Stabilization

Review of the GoPro Hero 11 Black: This tiny camera is even more powerful thanks to a larger sensor and excellent stabilization

• The stronger camera stabilization and a larger sensor are features of the new GoPro Hero 11 Black.

• Additionally, it includes a wider lens view, a “easy” option, and three time-lapse modes.

• The design hasn’t changed, but a battery with a longer lifespan is now included.

One of my favorite cameras is the GoPro Hero 10 Black from the year 2021. Because it’s small and durable and, most significantly, because it produces excellent 4K videos, I use it frequently, especially when I travel. GoPro has the greatest smartphone companion app of any camera manufacturer, and it’s easy to use with a wide variety of settings and modes. Since it is so fantastic, it is difficult to see how the new Hero 11 Black could surpass it, yet it does.

The Hero 11 looks identical to its sister from the outside, which makes you question why GoPro bothered. But what really matters is what’s underneath. It includes a bigger sensor that not only captures images up to 5.3K resolution at 60 frames per second, but also enables shooting in an 8:7 aspect ratio for greater cropping versatility.

The image stabilization is excellent; there are no longer any jerky videos like those produced by early action cameras. Although the Hero 11 is not a fundamentally different camera from the Hero 10 nor is it a must-have upgrade, there are many things to enjoy about it.

Hero 11 Black by GoPro

The biggest sensor a GoPro has yet to have is in the Hero 11 Black. It can shoot in a new 8:7 aspect ratio at up to 5.3K and 60 frames per second. Additionally, it offers the best image stabilization a GoPro camera has ever had.

Hero 11 Black Creator Edition from GoPro

The Media Mod, which let you to attach peripherals like a mic and external display, is included with the Hero 11 Black. The Volta, a handgrip and tripod that serves as both a remote control and a portable battery, is also included.

There’s no physical design change, and that’s OK

Hero 11 maintains the same shape and size of Hero 10 and Hero 9, which is acceptable because it functions. It doesn’t require an external housing because it is small, light, and durable enough to withstand drops or short underwater shots. But from prior experience, if there is no protective covering, the exterior will readily scratch and ding.

When shooting mostly self-portraits (live streaming, TikTok, etc.), the color front screen is helpful, but most of the time the rear touch-enabled display is responsive. To start recording, simply turn it on and press the shutter button; all settings and modes are completed here. Any GoPro accessory you already own will work with the clever built-in “folding fingers” mount.

Although I like the all-in-one design, I miss having an external microphone or display connected. You would need to purchase the optional Media Mod attachment or the Hero 11 as part of the Creator Edition to use the HDMI connector, which is located inside the battery chamber.

I’d also like a cover for the camera’s battery so I can connect it to an external battery. The Volta tripod/battery accessory appears to be the only one that includes the GoPro battery door with a pass-through to the HDMI connector. Since it won’t effect the majority of people, I view this as a minor problem.

A larger sensor gives you more creative freedom when shooting

Inside are the significant upgrades. The Hero 10’s 23-megapixel, 1/2.3-inch sensor is swapped out for a 27-megapixel, 1/1.9-inch sensor. Even while employing the TimeWarp speed effect, videos can be captured at 60 frames per second in resolutions up to 5.3K. Videos that support 10-bit color look smooth and rich when combined with them. The Hero 11’s auto mode balances the settings quite well in daylight, but it struggles in bright sunshine. You can take good-looking still pictures with the movie because the resolution is high enough.

The updated sensor also supports 8:7 aspect ratio photography. The advantage is that you retain more of what is in the screen when cropping into horizontal 16:9 (cinema) or vertical 9:16 (Instagram or TikTok). The sensor includes the 16:9 HyperView, which is perfect for self-portrait photos where you want your full body in the frame, if you prefer that super-wide lens effect. The movie up top demonstrates the size of an 8:7 video.

Stabilization is so smooth that you’d think it was on a gimbal

In-camera picture stabilization is improved by the Hero 11. With each new model since the Hero 6 Black, GoPro has improved its HyperSmooth technology. The smoothest I’ve observed so far is HyperSmooth 5.0.

The example clip above was recorded on a swift speedboat that sped up and down New York Harbor, however the video appears smooth and even thanks to the Horizon Lock function. If you want a shaky picture, you would have to shake the camera a lot. Gone are the revolting videos captured with early GoPros.

New time-lapse for night shots

Expect nighttime images to not appear as beautiful despite the increased size. Videos will appear loud and gloomy if you don’t have sufficient lighting and a tripod. For small sensors, this is a given, yet smartphones appear to be winning in this area.

The Hero 11 can, however, produce some respectable time-lapse videos at night. Three new settings that automatically modify the settings for light painting, vehicle light trails, and shooting star trails were added by GoPro. They can be interesting, but you would need a tripod and a dark setting, and you might need to experiment with the settings or move the camera if there’s a light source nearby.

As you can see from my vehicle light trails clip, there was actually way too much street lighting that painted the scene an ugly orange, but the light trails add a nice effect. Light painting was more successful as the environment was quite dark, but the painting process itself takes getting used to.

I wasn’t in an area where I could properly shoot star trails, but from previous experience with the Hero 10, you can capture the starry night sky provided there’s no light pollution and you plug an external battery into the camera.

Updated battery for longer shoots

GoPro introduced a new, optional battery for the Hero 9 and Hero 10 last year. Called Enduro, it can handle cold and warm temperatures without affecting performance, and it can add 38% more battery life than the standard battery, according to GoPro.

Endure now comes standard with the Hero 11, but if you have batteries from the Hero 9 or Hero 10, those will work, too. Despite the extra battery life, it’s still short if you plan to shoot often — carry spares or an external power bank.

An easy mode that is too easy

As GoPro cameras advanced, so has their user interface. There are now so many options for settings, modes, and views. Eventually, menu navigation becomes intuitive, but it can get overwhelming, especially if you need to make an adjustment on the fly.

The Hero 11 adds a new Easy mode that takes away all those settings. You can pick the field of view, but the camera handles everything else. Easy mode reminds me of using early Hero cameras like the Hero 3, but I found myself actually wanting some ability to adjust the settings. I don’t always need to do pro-level adjustments like ISO, but I do like to change up the resolution or frame rate. Easy mode is a good idea, but it’s too limiting.

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GoPro Hero 11 Black specifications

Is the GoPro Hero11 Black worth buying?

Unless you need to replace a broken device, I advise waiting another year if you possess a Hero 9 Black or Hero 10 Black. There isn’t anything ground-breaking that would necessitate an immediate upgrade, despite the larger sensor and better picture stabilization being remarkable.

Furthermore, the Hero 9 and Hero 10 are also still incredibly powerful. I’ve been using the Hero 10 and Hero 11 at the same time, and I haven’t seen any significant differences in performance, usability, or video quality.

In fact, the Hero 10 is still for sale as a lower price option, but you should spend $50 more for the Hero 11 if you’re actually considering the Hero 10.

For owners of older GoPro who are ready to step up, the Hero 11 Black is worthwhile. I also recommend adding a GoPro subscription if you aren’t already a member, as the free replacement, cloud storage, and accessories discount are worth it if you are a power user.

The big question is, why buy a camera at all when smartphones are just as capable? As an owner of an iPhone 13 Pro, I’d agree, despite having reviewed cameras for over a decade. While my iPhone is fine for casual shoots, I prefer using a GoPro when I have the intention to shoot videos, especially when traveling.

I also don’t have to worry about notifications interrupting me, and I don’t have to fret about dropping my $1,500 phone. The GoPro is a nice companion to my phone.

There’s a GoPro Hero 11 Black Mini coming

GoPro also announced a smaller and lighter version of the Hero 11 Black, called the Hero 11 Black Mini. On sale on October 25 for $400 or $300 with a GoPro subscription, the Mini has the same performance specs as the standard Hero 11 Black.

Because it’s designed for quick, one-button shooting, there are no screens for previewing a shot or making adjustments to the settings — those would have to be made in advance via the GoPro app, but there is a small status display on the top.

The battery is also built-in, which means you can’t swap it out for a new one if it goes dead. There are two sets of folding fingers, which gives you flexibility in how to mount the camera.

A spiritual successor to the beloved GoPro Hero Session, the Mini is for users — say, bikers and surfers — who want the best quality videos from a small camera, but without the fuss.

From the pre-production sample I saw, the Hero 11 Black Mini has the same build quality as the Hero 11 Black. While it’s smaller, it’s nowhere as compact as the Hero Session. Review samples were not available at the time of the announcement, so I won’t comment on overall use and performance until I can get our hands on one.

A movie automatically made in the cloud

• Video source

One of the features of the GoPro Hero11 Black Quick smartphone app is called Auto Highlight. After offloading footage from the camera and to a phone, the app automatically pulls clips and combines them into a short movie, with graphics and music.

GoPro is bringing this feature to its subscription service, which offers cloud storage for photos and videos that are automatically uploaded from a supported GoPro camera.

Once the content is in the cloud, Auto Highlight will create a video and send it back to you, where you can do any fine-tuning. This removes the need to download files, which can eat into a phone’s storage.

The feature was not available to use during testing, but I did receive a “suggested” video on the app at time of posting. From experience, Auto Highlight doesn’t always pick the scenes I would choose, and I often would need to make adjustments.

That remains true with the video I received, although it’s quite usable. I was not able to download it to my phone, which suggests kinks still need to be worked out. I will update this as I get more hands-on time with this feature.

Some useful accessories to get with the GoPro Hero 11 Black

GoPro Hero11 Black Review: Larger Sensor, Stronger Stabilization