GoPro HERO9 Black - Waterproof Action Camera with Front LCD and Touch Rear Screens, 5K Ultra HD Video, 20MP Photos, 1080p Live Streaming, Webcam, Stabilization

First.

Purchased this product to use as a webcam. Only problem is the Windows software is beta and on a FaceBook group that you have to wait to get approval to get the software. If GoPro says is webcam ready then they should offer the software on their website. Still waiting for approval on FaceBook to get the software. NOT ACCEPTABLE!

By far the most impressive GoPro I have ever owned. The 20MP camera functionality makes this great to bring to my kids sporting events and the 14.7MP frame grabs have been fun to pull out of the videos. I love the front screen and plan on buying a housing for any rugged activities. I have been playing around with the “Hindsight” feature (captures something like 30 seconds before you hit the button) at my kids baseball game which is really cool because I don’t need to record the whole game to find a good action shot or miss a spectacular play. By far one of the sweetest options. I am really looking forward to testing this out in the cold being it has a bigger battery that my HERO8. It is a little heavier than my HERO8, but I think the trade off is worth it for sure with the 20MP pictures and all the updates and battery life. Looking forward to getting some great video and pictures before winter.

Have had massive issues with the Hero9, ended up returning it. 1. Multiple 10+ stuck pixels, worse indoors 2. Severe overheating issues and can't record for more than 20-30 minutes at 4K or 5K before it shuts off and waits to cool down. In large part due to its 3-year old CPU: GP1, the same one as in the Hero6. 3. Incompatible with old accessories. No longer supports the Smart Remote, confirmed by GoPro as they are releasing a 'new' Smart Remote for $$$. A tiny increase in lens size change means old ND filters for the Hero5-7 no longer work with the Hero9. 4. Poor connectivity with the Quik App for iOS, sometimes can't connect at all. 5. Touchscreen frequently doesn't register taps, and isn't smooth at all. 6. Difficulty getting GPS to activate, and the recorded telemetry is not compatible with GoPro's Quik software on Windows. The Quik on Windows doesn't support H.265 files at all, which is needed for the Hero9's higher resolution. 7. Max 4GB files means longer or higher resolution videos are split into multiple files. It is not possible to merge the video files and retain a continuous telemetry overlay with any Quik software. Plus, the Hero9 is missing many features readily available on other competitors. 1. Both the Quik App and Windows software requires full downloading of huge video files before enabling previews or edits. This is available on the OneR. 2. Poor low light performance, even worse than the Hero8. The increased pixel count on the same sensor size shrank the pixel size, which means less light captured. In contrast, the OneR has a 1" sensor. 3. Its 2020, and GoPro's still using a square lens. The Osmo Action's round replaceable lens makes installing 3rd party CPL filters a breeze. 4. Missing a ton of AI features that's available on the OneR like Deep tracking/webcam tracking (subject tracking), AquaVision (underwater filter), and PureShot (low-light HDR) Returned the Hero9 and fell back on an older Hero2018, while contemplating springing for the OneR or waiting for the OneR 2.

Summary: Excellent improvements to a great camera! One of the most polished GoPro releases to date! Pros: 1.) Front facing screen is awesome and offers several options! You can turn it off completely! Turn it to a classic type mode that shows your mode settings only! Have it in widescreen or fullscreen! The screen works well and makes it much easier to take selfies or film yourself! 2.) Software: The built in software is much more polished than previous GoPros! I've yet to have the camera freeze! It offers several features not on most of the older versions of GoPros, and it's much easier to navigate! 3.) Improved Battery Life: The larger batter does offer much improved Battery Life 4.) Built in mounting prongs, just like the 8. I love these, no need for a case or holder 5.) 5K looks awesome! 6.) Takes MUCH better still photos! 7.) Hypersmooth keeps getting better and better! 8.) I know the camera itself is a little larger but it feels great in hand and actually easier to hold! 9.) Webcam mode is awesome (on windows, you must sign up for the beta for this). Webcam mode works with Zoom and other popular meeting software 10.) The built in slow motion feature rocks! A nice quick way to get slow motion footage in a world where people want to share it instantly! 11.) For me, it's holding a much better connection with the GoPro app itself 12.) It's possible this was available in the 8 but it wasn't in my 7, I love the ability to save custom settings in shooting modes! Fine settings you like? Save them as a present! 13.) Voice control seems improved 14.) Camera seems speedier and snappier than previous models 15.) Includes a carry case and the reasoning behind this is less wasted packaging! I love both the reason and free case! Cons: 1.) Old batteries don't fit, but new batteries are a great improvement! 2.) Mods aren't yet widely available (at the time of this review) Overall: I'm still playing with this new toy, but so far, best GoPro to date!

Yeesh. I expected this thing to just connect right up to my phone and work right out of the box like the previous camera. Nope. Connection issues- need to manually update the firmware. Firmware has made for awful image quality and audio issues. Screen lags like crazy. Screen turns black or freezes til you pull the battery out. Whats the deal? Did I get a faulty unit?

I just absolutely love this product! Let the blogging begin!!!