GoPro Hero 5 Black vs GoPro Hero 5 Session: Similarities and Differences in Specs, Price and Special Features; Which is Better?

By Neal A. Lasta, CP Contributor Monday, September 26, 2016

GoPro finally unveiled 2 new models after months of rumors and previews; the GoPro Hero 5 Black and the GoPro Hero 5 Session. This article differentiates the two devices in terms of price, specs, special features and more.

Specs

The GoPro Hero 5 Black is poised to become the company's leading device. It features a complete revamp of the previous GoPro Hero models. The GoPro Hero 5 Session, on the other hand, is much closer to home, and is a direct improvement from the GoPro Hero 4 Session.

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GoPro Hero 5 Black and GoPro Hero 5 Session are now waterproof by up to 33 feet or 10 meters, even without using a polycarbonate housing. Previously, GoPro action cameras need some sort of external protection so that you could use it underwater. This waterproof device makes shooting videos on or near water so much easier.

Moreover, the GoPro Hero 5 Session has been dubbed as the most durable action camera the company has ever made, despite its small size and light weight.

If you want to go deeper with your GoPro Hero 5 Black though, dive housing is available.

GoPro Hero 5 Black no longer has the 3 physical buttons in previous models. Now, there is a 2-inch touchscreen and only one button for powering up the device or beginning the recording.

The GoPro Hero 5 Session, which aims to be the simplest action camera out there, only has one button and no touch screen.

Shooting options are similar to the previous model for both the GoPro Hero 5 Black and GoPro Hero 5 Session; 4K resolution for both phones but 12-MP photos for Black and 10-MP photos for Session.

Like the Hero 5 Black, Session has wide dynamic range mode and linear-view setting, but it doesn't have WDR mode and raw format capture which is available for the Black.

Special Features

The GoPro Hero 5 is designed to try to solve the wind noise problem which is a common complaint for previous models. That may not entirely go away, but the company incorporated 3 microphones on the action camera, and it will instantly decide which one to use to provide the best sound quality.

The microphones are also used to incorporate a voice command function, which, according to many analysts, works really well. Some pre-set voice commands allow GoPro Hero 5 Black and GoPro Hero 5 Session users to turn on the device, take snapshots, tag highlight portions of your videos, etc. So far, there are 10 commands available in 7 languages.

The accurate voice control feature allows for a hands-free experience that lets users to "be in the moment."

The GoPro Hero 5 Session has learned from its mistakes in the past version. The small cube-shaped camera had a great design but with too few features for its price. This year, the Hero 5 Session is filled with high-end features.

Both GoPro Hero 5 Black and GoPro Hero 5 Session have electronic image stabilization, which reduces, if not eliminates vibrations caught in video. The resulting video has a more professional look.

Price

The GoPro Hero 5 Black is worth $399 while the GoPro Hero 5 Session is cheaper, at $299. Both devices will be made available on the market by October 2, 2016. During the same event, the GoPro Karma Drone was also announced.