GoPro - HERO5 Session (CHDHS-502)

I think **Gopro Hero 8 is the best action camera** in 2024 (since 2019) but mine died and I can't replace it. I tried : \- Gopro 10 : very very very bad Gopro. Only good in full sunlight (same for 9 I guess). \- Gopro 12 : very bad underwater (my main use), but very detailed in full sunlight and Ok otherwise. Vegetation is strange with it... Distortion are bad, especially when you turn the camera. Stabilization and timewarp aren't reliable in low light. Gopro 8 is still my favorite, but in full sunlight, Gopro 12 can be interresting. And 8:7 is really useful. A good camera to watch your videos in VR with a lot of details. Not really interresting otherwise. \- Osmo Action 4 : a lot better than Gopro 12 underwater (less particles, more details on corals, better colors). Better in low light to catch the true colors and light, but not as detailed, even in low light to watch videos in VR. You have to set ISO manually all the time. \- Insta360 Ace Pro seems to be Ok. I don't really know (I only tried it indoors). It may be better than Osmo Action 4, but focal lenght is too short, so everything close to you is blurry... \>>>>>>> Gopro Hero 8 is the best to film your vacation at sea. It always give good colors and image. You never really have to configure it (except to film a color changing fish or cephalopods, but it doesn't happen very often...) It capture some important details even in low light, without making noise. It's good (not perfect but better than others) with vegetation (even tropical) in daylight. Timewarp works all the time (auto mode isn't perfect underwater but it doesn't really matter because you don't need it underwater). It's small and light. Hero 5 session isn't as good, but it's the lightest and smallest too (60gr), very useful. \----- Concerning VR camera, I only tried Samsung Gear 360. I'll try Insta X4 soon but it's not the same thing. I'll use it for VR, but it can't replace a standard action cam, because it would be blurry

I think the way to look at it, is that GoPro was so far ahead for so long, there was no real competition for them for over a decade. Even DJI had GoPro mounts built in when the Phantom 1 came along. Historically, GoPro perfected their 1080P then moved to 2.7k on the Hero 3 Black. They had the best 4k on the Hero 4 Black. Then they made the whole camera waterproof and added the built in touchscreen on the Hero 5 Black, then they went 4k 60 with moderate stabilization on the Hero 6 black, built a tiny camera on the Session 4 and 5. With the Hero 7 black, they finally got stabilization in camera that started to compete with 3 axis gimbals. On the 8 they had the mount built in so you didn't have to have a frame and changed to a larger form factor with the Hero 9 black and got resolution to 5.3k. They perfected features like Timewarp and Hyperlapse where all the work was done in camera instead of post. They made GoPro labs available for most of their cameras and gave amazing levels of customization that no other cameras have even to this day. Then they really started to stagnate and features were more incremental and evolutionary rather than revolutionary. Sure they had the 8:7 sensor and got video resolution up to 24.7 megapixels, but they still use a tiny sensor and low light performance is still very bad. They also had to deal with the rise of DJI and Insta360 who started to release competing products. Dji matched 10 bit the same year as GoPro, The Action 5 and Ace Pro 2 use much larger sensors and do much better in low light. GoPro was late to the party with magnetic mounting systems and Insta360 even put 8k into their Ace Pro versions. Insta360 has the Ace Pro Line, their Go series mini camera and even had the modular R series which could be an action cam or a 360 camera. In the time since GoPro released the Max, Insta360 has released 5 consumer grade 360 cameras that get better each year and now do 8k. We have no idea when the Max 2 will be released. GoPro stock is hovering around 50 cents a share and the market cap of the entire company is only 75 million dollars. It used to be almost 11 billion dollars, so it is 145 times smaller than it was shortly after the company went public. They have had to lay off staff and that has a huge impact on R&D. They are clearly falling behind competitors with no real path forward. Depending on which site you listen to, they rate the probability of bankruptcy at 33 to 62% in the next 24 months. That is not the sign of a healthy company. They botched the launch of their Karma drone and ceded that potential marketplace to DJI in the process. The reality is that the DJI and Insta360 cameras do a lot of things better and much easier. Low light is a real thing for a lot of people and the Action 5 and Ace Pro do a very good job in the space and GoPro isn't on the same playing field. I love the new GoPro lens system, but I am an advanced user and have been using ND filters, Anamorphic lenses, and macro lenses for years with the GoPro. The new anamorphic lens is great because it does the desqueeze of your footage automatically in camera. What is annoying is that they announced the lens in September of 2024 and I was finally able to get it 7 months later. GoPro is a great camera, but for many people who never touch labs, don't care about 10 bit or color grading, never do reframing 8:7, like to shoot in lower light conditions, or won't spend the $129 on an anamorphic lens, the GoPro is not really the camera for them. Insta360 are releasing much better cameras each year and GoPro is falling further behind. I really want GoPro to come back strong, but I fear they don't have the finances to compete unless they have an absolutely amazing technical breakthrough in the action camera space.

I have my GoPro 5 Session… no needs nothing more than stabilizer… with low light works like every newer models, When they launch a gopro that really works at night I will update!! : ) nobody have 8k TVs or can look vids in 8k in social networks…

Session 5 my beloved

Hero 5 Session is my favourite action camera of all time - lightweight, (some) image stabilisation, sturdy as hell and decent 2.7K image. Also, it's basically invisible to others when you're using it to film yourself, due to the size and shape, so it doesn't attract attention. It's such a shame that there was never a new generation after that H5S, or that anyone else made one in that form factor. I remember there was a rumour, something to do with a legal injunction as someone else had a patent for a similar device, which now blocks everyone, including GoPro, from using that shape. If there was a new generation of Session I wouldn't hesitate to snap it up. I've had three before but the battery always dies out and replacing it is a massive pain that involves tearing the camera apart and then soldering a new battery into it. I don't trust myself to do that competently.

They're just slow in terms of progression on the market. Don't get me wrong I love em I've had a session 5 for 4 years and it's done me wonders for whitewater kayaking, it's light small, alright quality and does what an action cam should do. I recently bought the hero 13 from costco (2 days ago) for £300 2 batteries and other bits of stuff, and am thrilled with it. But then again, the argument could be made what really changed from the 13, it has a new magnetic door thingy, and slightly better battery life, with the enduro batteries. Compared that to the improvements dji or insta make, that's where the hate comes from imo. The reality is, everyone has a brand they like they're all really good, and it depends on what you need/ want, for me a gopro is best, but for someone who is hiking and wants cool footage an insta360 x4 or 5 may be a better option. It does just boil down to each and every person's option tbh. And the hate isn't on the camera but the lack of improvement between generations imo, especially considering what each new gopro is like £150 more on release.

Kung second hand, don't go lower than a Hero 7 Black for GoPro. Huwag yung Silver versions, stick to Black. Exception sa rule neto ay yung Hero 5 Session dahil sa form factor. Osmo Action 1 is good contender din. Not as wide as the GoPro pero goods yung stabilization. Brand new, stick to GoPro, DJI, and Intsa360. Serviceable naman yung quality ng mga SJCam at Akaso pero hahanapin mo pa din yung linaw at wide fov.

I lost my hero 5 session in a lake 3 years ago. I wasn't upset about the $1k quad I was upset about losing a session. Speaks for itself.

What's the budget? The new dji osmo nano looks like a really good lightweight action cam, a proper successor to the old gopro session 5. Might be hard to get one if you are in the US though with the ban coming soon. Gopro is always a solid option and available at many price points. The premier cinewhoop action cam is a naked gopro but that is expensive and can be complicated. Super budget option is runcam thumb but don't expect amazing footage.

Probably unhelpful info, but my Gopro Session 5 has been rock solid for the past 5 years of regular use. Only ever had one hiccup where it needed a hard reset after refusing to turn on. Somehow the internal battery is still holding up too. If you want the best low light performance in this form factor, though, you’re better off looking at the DJI Action 4/5.

Ah ok. It was friend's and though rated 1080p it was more like upscaled 480p! I guess if you get the 4k version then 1080 is better!  I use a now really old gopro hero 5 session. In 2.7k it's really good but over heats after 45mns(?) In 1080p it lasts 1h15 or so. One can turn it off and during change overs and breaks.  Used that thing hundreds of times on the water. Amazing it's still going but GoPro isn't what it used to be!

I got GoPro session 5 hooked to power bank and cycliq pro on back it work okay but I think people recommended better cameras in comments

so the smallest gopro was the session or session 5 but in terms of mounting im not sure it would have worked like that. the picture looks like an insta360 go 3 camera and that has a magnetic mount for caps and t shirts. there are other small cameras such as the runcam thumb series but it depends on your budget and use case and if you need it to be waterproof.

I opted for a GoPro session mounted on my chin with sugru. Press once and it starts no issues.

Really big fan of the 11 Mini. Considering grabbing another one, just wish the battery was replaceable. Run into the same issues with it as the Session cameras, which were also awesome.

The 10 and session because it was my first one

if you can find one . . the old gopro sessions are great and i still rock one to this day.

The one that doesn't have glitches. From hero 7 down. The best one that I like very much si session because it was a very small camera

I don't think insta 360 makes good cameras. I just like that form factor. My first GoPro was the session. It wasn't the best camera but my Hero 12 and Max don't fill what it could.

Basic summary is the X5 is out for obvious reasons (curved lenses don't work great underwater), the Action 5 tends to overdo the "blue" correction and isn't always accurate to the real colors, and sometimes loses sharpness in some scenarios. The AcePro's colors are better, but the highlights tend to be quite soft which removes some of the punch from the image. It also loses sharpness in some scenarios. The GoPro tends to have the most accurate colors and the best overall sharpness in these tests.

Hero 3 Silver has a special place in my heart. Hero 5 was the first to really WOW me.

I don’t have a preferred brand. I had the Hero 5, 7, and 11. I decided this time to try something different. I can totally acknowledge that the Hero 13 maybe better than its predecessors. I don’t think you can go wrong with either camera for the average user.

I would say Hero 4 and 5. I know dozens of them still in use without any troubles. Unlike newer ones that got replaced quite soon

I have an ancient GoPro 5 I used to use for it. It worked better than adequate. I'm sure most modern cameras with image stabilization would do the job for you. Maybe stay away from the super cheap ones. On placement, a helmet mount will make the kid look small and less in the moment. I recommend the chest strap because it's a bit lower down for one. Also, provided the straps are elastic, you can grab it and aim it anywhere you want, like sideways to get a side shot while skiing along with the kid. You could also stop and point it uphill to catch the kid coming down. One thing I don't recommend is placing it aiming backwards (like you mentioned above). If you can't see where it's pointing, you'll likely not have the kid in frame for any extended period of time. And any shots you would get would be more by chance.

If you get a used GoPro, Hero 5 has image stabilization, but not at 4K resolution and it was marginally effective. Hero 6 has image stabilization at 4K, but it didn't work very well on all axis. Hero 7 and later finally have functional "HyperSmooth" image stabilization on all resolutions and all axis.

but you can use the same battery btw the osmo360 and the action 5....

I use GoPro 7 and I think 5 for the rear. https://youtu.be/4Dvn4o82fQA

I owned a GoPro since the Hero5 until the latest and love it. I am not an extreme user but it works for me. A lot of videos I see are either biased of paid to promote the competitors. You will see a lot of criticism on low light performance, small sensor etc. Hope the next release with a new sensor shuts them down.

I've tried to defend GorPro for so long as they do have the best daylight footage and best log profile. I've owned the Hero 3, 5, 7, 10 and now the 12. The 3, 5, 7 and 10 I was happy with. But it's getting indefensible now, with no Hero 14 out this year I am every chance to jump to DJI if the action 6 is good enough. Still using the GP2 processor is a joke, it came out with the H10, it's so far out of date. Low light hasn't usually been a concern to me as much, hence never making the switch to the competition. But it does pop up on occassions in thick forest or tree coverage, basically anything other than direct sunlight, so I am starting to notice how poor it is. On top of that the screens, lack of fast charge, slow boot times for "quick capture" ... I bought the Osmo 360 and am glad, I think the overall experience is better than that with GoPro and the footage is better than anything Insta360 has ever made which is always oversaturated and over sharpened trash. Maybe I'll switch back for Max 3 in 5 years time, maybe it will have a new processor, larger sensor and better editing software by then.

I used to be a GoPro fanboy, bought the Action 5 and don't think I can go back

I am still using GoPro Hero 5 balck 🥹

action 5 is so far best gopro. no crashing ever, no weird errors, and battery life is like 3 hours of recording, and i can film fine indoors without weird banding glitches

I've had a GoPro Hero 2, 3, 4, 5, 8, 9, and 10, as well as the Max. I've go over 2,000 skydives with GoPros on my helmet, including world records and jumps into the Blue Hole in Belize. I've taken them to every continent (including Antarctica) for running and scuba diving and overall travel. So I use GoPros a lot, and I use them in environments that are pretty tough on them. One thing that's been annoying is the heavy push to GoPro subscription. Their cloud storage is just awful. The money is better spent on something like Dropbox or Box. Their software has been pretty terrible too. Hardware wise, they've been hit or miss. Sometimes it's software, sometimes it's hardware. They can corrupt video files, do a weird "gets hot after charging and locks up so that you have to pull the batteries", they can stop mid recording. All of that with the proper recommended cards. Some have just been lemons, probably a bad solder or heatsink contact. Sometimes it's fixed in a firmware upgrade. They're notorious in the skydiving community. "Did you get it?" "No, it stopped recording 5 seconds in." "It froze up". That kind of thing. Not all the time, not even frequent, but enough that it's annoying. And each model seems to have their own little quirks. My Hero 7 and 10 has been solid for the most part. My 9.. not as much. My Max is a piece of shit. My next 360 camera will absolutely not be a Max, and probably won't be whatever they come out with next. My next action camera probably won't be a GoPro.

The Action 5 is said to be better in low light conditions than to the Hero 13. Dunno how it is for the Action 4 and this in comparison to e.g. the Hero 12. But there are a lot of videos about that on YT. I suggest to check them out.

If you’re going to be using it outside then action 4. No need to spend extra. Few years ago i had purchased a used go pro hero 5 from fb marketplace to use on my helmet when im riding my bike. It was perfect for what i needed. Action 4 is way better than the gopro hero5. Osmo pocket 3 is very fragile. So action 4 and some nd filters will do you justice

This is the correct answer. I've been using a Hero 5 just to record my rides in case something was to happen. Wanna upgrade soon but I know its not necessary at all.

i fly the walksnail Avatar pro myself. its Not good for anything cinematic. its good enough as digital systems and very good for night flying. but for making recordings its Bad. If you want good recordings take the o4 pro, o3, WS Moonlight 4k or a Action Cam Like the GoPro/dji Action 5

Hey all! I’m AOWD beach holiday diver (1-2 times a year, total of about 80 dives). Have been using an oooold GoPro 5 or 6 for years now and would like to upgrade - so, the question. I generally film the bigger stuff and not at photography level for macro. Dive case seems like a good plan, as you can add accessories AND the camera will automatically upgrade with the new phones. GoPro is just an easy choice and something familiar. What do you guys think?

Oh, that’s a great point - have so many videos of half a shark cause I pointed the GoPro slightly off!

Lots of issues. My Osmo 5 has much much better battery life+charging speed is amazing. I need 2 batteries compared to gopro 4-5. Startup is almost instant.

Unpopular opinion maybe, but gopro puts out great quality underwater footage. It depends what you're using it for and what you want to film though. I'd encourage you to go look up recent gopro 4k underwater footage and you'd be surprised how crisp and sharp the images are, even without additional lights or gear. If you're looking for close up macro shots it's not the best (although it can still take great stills or you can also simply extract a still from 4k footage). I can't count the number of times I've seen people commenting on amazing shots here and asking what camera was used, only to be surprised that it was actually just a still frame from a gopro video. Is it the best for making professional quality prints or video? Probably not. Does it put out great quality non-professional video for a vacation diver? Absolutely. If you're okay with the quality of iphone videos, you'll likely be okay with the quality of gopro videos. The most important thing if you're filming video is image stabilization, which gopro is best of class at for non-professionals. There's nothing worse than shaky cam footage underwater and it's really good at producing smooth footage even for beginners. If you want to up your gopro game, you can still do it on a budget by adding a good tray (don't buy a handle) and two lights. I use a backscatter tray with 2x Orcatorch D710Vs. It's very decent and hard to beat at the price range. Sky's the limit on price if you want to look at more premium options. The best part is that I can fit it all in a regular sized backpack, which is something you can't do with nearly any other underwater camera options. I'm, also not worried about it getting banged around as they're built like tanks. Lastly there's a huge market of used gopros too if you really want to buy something on a budget.

Many videos shown on YouTube are from the launch periods and are sponsored. Especially the DJI Action 5 was pushed pretty hard in my opinion. But they all make great videos. If you want low light performance I wouldn't go the gopro way. But in good light conditions I'd say the gopro still has the crown. For me the killer features though are 5.3k 8:7 and Gopro Labs which adds features no other action cam even comes close to. Those all help a lot for editing.

For me GoPro always had the best mic/audio balance. insta always sounded baseless and sucked at eliminating wind noise as well