GoPro's Lightest Camera HERO10 Black Bones Made For Specific Market Segment
GoPro has announced a new lightweight, barebones version of its HERO10 Black action camera, and it's appropriately named the HERO10 Black Bones. Though this model's lighter weight and smaller size come with some compromises — namely, it only includes essential features, according to the company — that won't be a problem for the market it targets: first-person-view (FPV) drone racing.
Whereas the regular HERO10 Black camera weighs around 5.4 ounces, the slimmer Black Bones edition is considerably lighter at just under 2 ounces. This should make it much easier for drone operators to attach the camera to their UAVs without compromising their performance. As expected, the Black Bones camera retains the key features relevant to FPV racing, the most important of which is GoPro's HyperSmooth 4.0, which is a software-based stabilization feature that helps produce smooth videos despite, in this usage scenario, the vibrations naturally produced by drone rotors and motors.
What the HERO10 Black Bones offers drone racers
As far as specs are concerned, the HERO10 Black Bones appears like a solid FPV camera on paper, offering consumers the ability to record up to 5K resolution videos at 30 fps with a 4:3 aspect ratio, as well as 4K videos at a faster 60 fps. The device also supports 120 fps slow-motion recording, though the resolution naturally drops a bit at that frame rate to 2.7K. The model packs GoPro's GP2 processor and likewise includes what the company calls a highly ventilated enclosure design, which should help prevent overheating issues that may otherwise occur when, for example, recording in slow motion.
The company notes that Black Bones also includes a license for its desktop software that, among other things, provides access to the company's ReelSteady stabilization correction feature, which should help iron out any vibrations or other unwanted jittering. Other relevant details include multiple ways to control the action camera, a single-screw mounting system for drones, a lens cover that can be swapped out with a new one when damaged by a drone crash, compatibility with certain drone batteries, and an adapter that allows users to connect the Black Bones with other GoPro devices.
Consumers in the US can now purchase the HERO10 Black Bones FPV drone racing camera for $399.99, which is a bit cheaper than the regular model's $549.98 price. With that said, buyers who plan to purchase the companion GoPro subscription, as well, can currently get the HERO10 Black bundled with a year's subscription for $349.98, undercutting its slimmer sibling. The downside, of course, is that the regular model is thicker and heavier, and therefore may not be ideal for all FPV drone racers.