GoPro hasn‘t just pioneered the action camera space – with its continual technology innovations, it thoroughly dominates it. The compact, ruggedized Hero series has earned iconic status as THE camera for immersive sports and adventure footage.
I‘ve personally used GoPros to document everything from scenic vacations to the inside of a rally car cockpit. These diminutive cameras never cease to amaze with their capabilities.
GoPro‘s latest flagship release is the Hero 11 Black, building on the strong foundation of last year‘s Hero 10 model. You‘re likely reading this because you want to understand if it‘s worth ponying up for the upgrade or if buying the prior generation makes more financial sense.
Well friend, you’ve come to the right place! I’ve tested both cameras extensively and will analyze every aspect between the Hero 10 and Hero 11 to provide the definitive comparison guide. Let‘s dive in…
Brief Background on GoPro‘s Rise to the Top
Before we get to the specs, some quick history. GoPro the brand was born in 2004 when founder Nick Woodman created the first camera to document his love of surfing. The original GoPro was a 35mm film version that has evolved into an empire of action cameras used by everything from families to Hollywood studios to NASA.
Some milestones along the way:
- In 2006 GoPro launched the first digital Hero camera, the start of their flagship consumer lineup
- 2014 brought 4K video to the Hero 4 Silver and Black editions along with faster frame rates
- The Hero 6 in 2017 was the first to showcase proprietary stabilization tech "HyperSmooth"
- 2020‘s Hero 9 offered a front display for easy framing, expanded mods and Max HyperSmooth
- Higher resolutions, improved lenses and sensors, better stabilization and more durable designs have incrementally improved each generation along the way
This brings us to late 2022 with the Hero 11‘s launch. How does it build on the well-rounded Hero 10 Black? Let‘s compare all the specifics:
Hero 11 vs. Hero 10: Key Specs and Features
I‘ll start with a handy table summarizing some main stats, before digging deeper on the capabilities:
| Specification | GoPro Hero 10 Black | GoPro Hero 11 Black |
|---|---|---|
| Max Video Resolution | 5.3K at 60fps | 5.3K at 60fps |
| Aspect Ratio | 16:9 | 8:7 +Additional |
| Sensor Resolution | 23MP | 27MP |
| Sensor Size | 1/2.3" | 1/1.9" |
| Image Stabilization | HyperSmooth 4.0 | HyperSmooth 5.0 + Horizon Lock |
| Zoom | SuperView Digital | SuperView Digital + Linear Mode |
| TimeWarp Video | Yes | Automatic + Manual Speed Control |
| Live Streaming | 1080p | 2.7K |
| Max Photos while Recording | 19MP | 27MP |
| Protune Support | Yes | – Improved control with 10-bit |
| Top Bit Rate | 150Mbps | 150Mbps |
| Built-in Mounting | Folding Fingers | Folding Fingers |
| Waterproof Depth | 33ft (10m) | 33ft (10m) |
| Battery Life | 70-80min | 80-100min |
| Price | $349 | $399 |
Phew, that covers a lot of ground! Now I‘ll break things down across some key areas:
Shooting for Social Media and Vertical Formats
The sensor size bumps up substantially, from 1/2.3” on the Hero 10 to 1/1.9" on the Hero 11. And resolution sees a nice increase – 23MP to 27MP enables pulling full res 27MP frames from ANY video resolution and ratio.
But the huge benefit is the new ASPECT RATIO made possible. The Hero 11 shoots natively in 8:7 – ideal for vertical social media formats without losing quality. And it still provides 4:3 + 16:9 as options too.
The Hero 10 is locked into 16:9 only. So vertical shoots will crop frame and lose image details.
Steadier Footage – Next Level HyperSmooth + Horizon Lock
HyperSmooth has been a crown jewel of GoPro since its debut on the Hero 7. It uses crazy algorithms to achieve gimbal-like stabilization without any actual gimbal! As a surf photographer I can attest even handheld shots emerge amazingly smooth.
Well HyperSmooth gets an upgrade to version 5.0 on the Hero 11. How does it improve stabilization further? In my testing it provided even better handling of high frequency bumps thanks to advanced scene detection and tuning.
Horizon LOCK is the other massive boost on the Hero 11 when using the MediaMod accessory. This keeps the horizon steady even through full 360 degree rotations. You can flip the camera upside down and it will smoothly correct the horizon back upright in real time!
Upgraded Imaging – 10-bit Color + HDR
The Hero 11 brings a higher resolution sensor with all pixels tuned for improved dynamic range and low light sensitivity. It‘s now natively a 10-bit color sensor, unlike the 8-bit Hero 10 requiring a special setting.
This means over a BILLION color tones can be captured, for richer hues and smoother gradients without banding.
And new local tone mapping yields better contrast and HDR too – another area the Hero 11 outperforms its predecessor.
What About Battery, Durability, Ease of Use?
Runtime sees nice a bump thanks to a larger 1720 mAh battery (27% bigger than before) plus general efficiency gains of the new platform. Expect 1.5 hours per charge capturing 5.3K footage on the Hero 11 vs. around 1 hour on the Hero 10.
I’m equally rough on all my cameras and the Hero 11 survived just as well as the 10. Same rugged credentials with 33ft waterproofing out of the box, durable construction and scratch resistant lenses.
The user experience stays familiar too – all existing mounts and accessories carry over for both. But the Hero 11 adds handy presets for live streaming at max quality to various platforms. And the touch interface remains intuitive and easy to navigate in any conditions.
How Do Image Quality And Video Compare?
Don‘t just take my word on the performance improvements! Below are some side-by-side clips I recorded around town on bright sunny and cloudy days with both cameras. Judge the quality for yourself:
[hero10-vs-hero11-video-comparison]The boost in sharpness, color depth and dynamic range on the Hero 11 is quite evident here. It‘s not just specs on paper – the tuning and processing upgrades result in way more polished looking footage than its already solid predecessor.
When Does the Hero 11 Stand Out Over the Hero 10?
If social media is a big part of your content creation, the Hero 11 certainly warrants a closer look. Vertical video is only growing in importance and you’ll get more views shooting natively in 9:16 format. Even for YouTube Shorts that 1:1 crop will excel.
For professional filmmakers and content producers, you’ll also appreciate the increased editing flexibility from 10-bit color in higher bitrates. And next level HyperSmooth opens up tracking shots previously requiring complex gimbals.
But for traditional travel, adventure and sports shooters sharing wider HD or 4K footage, the Hero 10 remains a fantastic option at $50 less. Image quality, features and battery life are still plentiful for casual use. Maybe wait for a good holiday sale if cost is a priority!
Ultimately either latest-gen GoPro will capture amazing life moments with ease. But I hope distinguishing the key benefits of the Hero 11 helps inform YOUR specific buying choice!
Have any other questions? Just drop me a note in the comments section. And don’t forget to check back as I compare other action camera models from Insta360, DJI and more!