GoPro invented the action camera, but since the first Hero camera came on the scene, competitors have been chasing and sometimes surpassing it. The company is looking to change that with a brand-new line of high-end action cameras dubbed Mission 1.

The new line of cameras consists of the Mission 1, Mission 1 Pro, and Mission 1 Pro ILS. All three feature a larger sensor with 8K video, improved low-light performance, up to 32X slow-motion footage, and 50-megapixel still images. The Pro ILS uses interchangeable lenses based on the Micro Four Thirds mount.

Low-Light Mission

The Mission series uses a new 1-inch sensor, by far the largest sensor in an action camera to date. The new sensor, combined with the GP3 processor GoPro announced earlier this year, should give the Mission 1 cameras better low-light performance, an area where GoPro has struggled compared to competitors like DJI and Insta360.

GoPro is claiming the new sensor offers a dynamic range of up to 14 stops, which rivals full-frame mirrorless cameras. This will be further helped by the available 10-bit GP-Log2 shooting mode, which maximizes dynamic range and allows for custom coloring in postproduction.

The new sensor and processor together can shoot an impressive range of video, with resolutions up to 8K at 60 fps for the Mission 1 Pro/Pro ILS models, slow-motion 4K video at up to 240 fps, and 1080p HD video at up to a staggering 960 frames per second (this ultraslow mode can only be shot in 10 second bursts). The base model Mission 1 is capable of 8K 30-fps video with slow-motion modes at 4K 120 fps and 1080p 480 fps.

The Mission 1 and Mission 1 Pro use an updated lens design with a 159-degree field of view, making it the widest standard lens on an action camera. By comparison, the Hero 13 Black lens offers 156-degree view, expandable to 177 degrees with the Ultra Wide Lens mod.

The Mission 1 Pro ILS will likely be primarily of interest to professional filmmakers, but the Micro Four Thirds lens mount opens up shooting possibilities not previously possible with an action camera. While such a setup, with a large lens, cage, external monitor, and other add-ons might make the Mission 1 Pro ILS into something other than a traditional action camera, it's going to be much smaller and lighter than most cinema cameras while remaining capable of 8K footage on a reasonably large sensor.

The Mission 1 series gets a new Enduro 2 battery, which GoPro claims is capable of 3-plus hours when shooting 4K 30-fps video, and nearly an hour shooting 8K, which will be an impressive step up for battery life in GoPro if true. In a nice touch, the Enduro 2 battery will work with the Hero 13 Black as well. (The reverse is also possible, as the older Hero 13 Black Enduro battery will work with the Mission 1 cameras.)

All the Mission 1 series cameras have GoPro's usual Hypersmooth stabilization and shooting modes, but there are a few new modes, including subject-tracking mode, a dive mode for better underwater footage, and a low-light mode to tune the camera’s new low-light capabilities. Other shooting modes include Sport POV, Vlog, Open Gate (for getting both vertical and horizontal footage from the same shot), and more.

As someone who shoots a lot of still images with their action camera, I was excited to see that the sensor is capable of 50-megapixel RAW still images, with fully manual control over ISO, shutter speed, white balance, and exposure compensation. You can also pull 44-megapixel JPEG images from the 8K video using the Quik app (or editing software of your choice).

Also interesting are some of the new accessories and add-ons. There are lens hoods, ND filters, a battery grip, a new Media Mod kit with a built-in mic, along with a 3.5-mm mic port, a headphone port, a micro HDMI port, and a line-in port for timecode sync. GoPro is also making a point-and-shoot grip, reminiscent of Insta360's grip for the Ace Pro 2.

The final new item is a wireless microphone set that looks a bit like DJI’s wireless mic. What GoPro has not announced is how much these cameras will cost. That detail will come next month when the Mission 1 and Mission 1 Pro are available for preorder, starting on May 21. The Mission 1 Pro ILS, along with some of the bundles, will not arrive until later this year (GoPro says Q3).

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