Some gadgets just don’t seem to withstand an annual release schedule. As tempting as shiny new toys are, not everything can be updated flashily and frequently enough to make it worth shelling out a few hundred bucks every year, especially when your old model probably still works just fine. GoPro, on the other hand, continues to release a new camera every year, even if the last few releases have offered only incremental improvements.
GoPro HERO 13 vs 12 vs 11: Is the Upgrade Worth It? (Non-Sponsored!)
This year, GoPro finally seems to have learned its lesson, with its biggest shakeup in years. The GoPro Hero 13 presents two compelling, all-new reasons to upgrade, though it still lacks a one-inch sensor or 360-degree capture.
By far the biggest addition to GoPro’s camera ecosystem in a while, the GoPro Hero 13 introduces a range of modular new “HB Series” lenses that transform the humble action cam into more of a portable filmmaking studio. These include your standard wide-angle lens, an ultra-wide lens for an expanded field of view, a macro lens for close-ups, and a range of ND filters that can selectively block out light. There’s also a cinematic anamorphic lens coming next year.
The good news is that with so many lenses available, there’s one for everyone, as GoPro is no longer forcing everyone to capture the same type of content. The catch is that these lenses all cost extra. The whole HB series (which is just a marketing term, by the way) is kind of an extension of the Max Lens Mod approach of old, and while that means your GoPro is now theoretically more capable than ever, it also means that all the most exciting upgrades aren’t coming out of the box.