LIT HERO (CHDHF-132)

Get him the Lit if he uses it like crazy and loves it then upgrade at birthday but just see how often he uses it and charging is simple. If he was 16 I’d say a bigger one but only 12 doesn’t need to be too complicated.

The ways I’ve been using Lit can’t be replaced with a smartphone - • Leaving it underwater for an hour with the LEDs illuminated to record the animals that live on the bed of my backyard pond • Mounting it underneath my motorcycle at night to illuminate the suspension / undercarriage on the freeway These are things I could also do with a flagship Hero model + Light Mod, but not with a smartphone, and Lit’s size is nice. Not sure it really justifies the product overall, but just sharing some examples. I’ll post some footage soon

I have a Hero Lit to complement my Hero 9 (should probably upgrade that one..). It doesn’t have all of the features, but is absolutely great for the price.

Honestly for your use case as a beginner with little knowledge I wouldn't spring for the latest and greatest. Get a base GoPro Hero, Hero Lit, or a used version of an older GoPro like a 10/11/12 Black. By the time you've learnt the ins and outs of action cams or cameras in general there will be a better GoPro out that you'll fully understand the benefits of. You'll be able to make a better financial justification for whatever camera that is, and you'll be glad not to have spent a lot of money on current top-of-the-line for your first camera without ever having exploited all its features. You'll also have more money to devote to mounts and accessories, which can be a significant part of your entry cost when you first get into action cameras. Be careful about ND filters pre-Hero 13 before you know how electronic stabilization and shutter speed interact, because you can actually make your footage look worse without a full understanding

Gopro hero 4k. The cheapest no nonsense go pto

From personal experience I can say the following. Any normal version of GoPro will do as a basic camera for selfie shooting. Cameras like GoPro Hero 4K or Hero 11 mini. Great for shooting from a helmet (on the helmet, under the visor or on the side). Regarding the microphone, it is better to use a special helmet-headset with an adapter for internal mounting, for motocross helmets.When you have a microphone in your helmet, you can be heard better and there is less wind noise.

The GoPro Hero 4k is relatively cheap compared to flagship action cams, GoPro's Quik app is pretty decent for smartphone connectivity, and it's also fairly durable. I know that Insta360 makes a smaller, cheaper camera as well, but I believe it's more costly.