Man with GoPro camera
Manchester City vs Crystal Palace - Barclays Premier League - Etihad Stadium - Manchester City fan with a GoPro. Reuters/Phil Noble

The new GoPro Hero5 Black is here and it’s a huge improvement over its predecessor, which means that the best action camera in the world just got better.

One of the reasons why GoPro devices are so popular is because they are simple to use. The small but powerful Hero5 Black camera only has two operating buttons, so novice users don’t have to worry about getting muddled with mechanical technicalities. The new GoPro camera now also accepts voice commands to allow the user to snap photos and record videos without difficulty. This feature is most handy when the camera is out of range, like when using a selfie stick. Its miniature and compact size makes it easy to bring along anywhere.

The Hero5 Black has an Australian price tag of $569.95, cheaper than its predecessor, the Hero4 Black, which retailed for about $660 back in 2014. It packs the same power that people are used to with GoPro action cameras.

It has 4K video recording capabilities at 30 frames per second in single, burst and time lapse modes. The 12-megapixel camera also produces vibrant photos that are rich in detail, with minimal distortion. The image stabilisation and advanced wind noise reduction features are also useful for those shaky moments on-the-go.

The GoPro Hero5 Black has a 2-inch touchscreen display which lets the user preview images, play recorded videos and change preferences. It’s also the first GoPro camera with built-in GPS that automatically captures user location and tags content. The battery notably lasts for about two hours and 15 minutes after a single full charge. The Hero4 Black lasted roughly 30 minutes longer.

But what separates the Hero5 Black from previous models is its durable waterproof design. The camera can be submerged underwater as deep as 33 feet without an external housing, perfect for those shots in the pool or at the beach. Waterproof covers usually distort the audio of recorded video clips.

The GoPro Hero5 is an ultimate upgrade to what’s already a reputable brand. It’s no wonder that it has become the standard go-to action camera worldwide, and it plans to stay that way.