Exactly one year after launching their stunning Hero2 camera, GoPro attempts to amaze consumers once again with their Hero3 camera. Unlike the preceding Hero and Hero2 cameras, GoPro has released three different models of the Hero3 camera: the White Edition, Silver Edition, and the Black edition. Unfortunately, consumers who don’t carefully read the specifications of each model may find themselves disappointed at their camera’s performance.
First of all, none of the Hero3 models are capable of shooting 240FPS videos in 1080p. GoPro’s clever advertising has mislead consumers to believe that the Hero3 is capable of doing so. Don’t be fooled by each models identical appearance, the three models are actually miles apart from one another in image quality.
The Hero3 White edition is by far the cheapest of the three models, retailing for $199.99. Sounds like a steal, huh?
Wrong. I’ve personally found the Hero3 White edition to be virtually identical to the Hero2 camera in terms of video quality. Furthermore, slow-motion fans will be heart-broken to find that it fails to record 1080p at 60 frames per second. The White edition even falls behind the Hero2 when it comes to taking still pictures: The Hero2 is capable of taking 11MP photo at 10 frames per second, while the new White edition can only take 5MP photos at 3 frames per second. Simply put, the Hero3 falls behind the older Hero2 in terms of image quality. Consumers looking into purchasing a Hero3 White edition may want to consider purchasing a used Hero2 camera for a cheaper price. Nevertheless, the Hero3 White edition rises above other competing camera brands, and is an excellent choice for a consumer unwilling to pay $100.00 more for a Silver edition.
The Silver edition Hero3 is the mid-range camera of the three. It retails for $299.99, $100 more than the White edition. However, the Hero3 only significant difference between the two is the fact that the Hero3 Silver can take 11MP photos at 10 frames per second (making it equivalent to the Hero2 in this aspect), while the white edition can only record 5MP photos at 3 frames per second, as stated earlier. Then again, who purchases a GoPro with the intention of taking still photos, anyways? If you are one of these select few, and can’t opt up to the Black edition, the Hero3 Silver edition or the Hero2 are the best options for you.
Last but not least, the Black edition is most powerful Hero3 model. The black edition is miles ahead of the other two in terms of specs. It’s capable of 60FPS footage in 1080p, and 120FPS footage in 720p. It’s also able to record 240FPS videos, but not in full high definition. The most stunning feature of the Black edition is it’s ability to take 12MP photos at a whopping 30 frames per second. That is fast even by $5000 professional DSLR camera standards. Also, unlike the two cheaper models, the Hero3 includes the wifi remote- something that will cost you an extra $80 if purchased separately.
Above all, consumers who purchase any of the GoPro Hero3 models are making an excellent decision. Each camera will provide you with high quality footage that you will look back on years from now. However, I advise that people take a closer look at the specifications of each Hero3 model before making a decision.
