HERO4 Session (PRNewsFoto/GoPro)
HERO4 Session (PRNewsFoto/GoPro)

GoPro announced its smallest camera ever today. The Hero4 Session is cube-shaped camera that’s waterproof right out of the box, forgoing the bulky cases needed for previous models.

gopro2The Session is GoPro’s first major hardware redesign since the company debuted its iconic action camera in 2007. By reducing weight and simplifying recording to a one-button action, GoPro hopes to compete with smartphones to easily capture high-quality footage. But at nearly $400, the Session might be a tough sell.

The only controls on the new camera are an on/off button that automatically starts or stop the recording, plus a smaller button to light up the settings and battery display. That means you need to turn to a smartphone or the optional remote to switch modes or change settings.

The Session has three main shooting modes: 1440p at 30 frames per second, 1080p at 60 frames per second and 720p at 100 frames per second. That means you’ll get great HD footage for the standard 60 frames per second, but the slow motion mode (720p at 100 frames per second) won’t produce great footage and it won’t be that slow. Most slow motion is shot at a minimum of 120 frames per second.

However, most users will be happy with the standard speed. For shooting video of your rafting trip or your dog going crazy at the lake, the GoPro’s simple control scheme is great. You no longer have to wait for the camera to start up, then hit another button to start recording; it’s just a single button to do everything all at once.

This control scheme also extends battery life, which is limited to just two hours on the tiny Session. With no user-replaceable option, GoPro had to make sure that the camera wasn’t idly wasting power.

gopronewSound capture is also improved on the Session. The camera intelligently switches to a rear microphone when it detects heavy wind noise from the front mic. Plus, the waterproof microphone quickly drains when pulled out of the water, so sound isn’t muffled just because it took a little dip.

GoPro now offers five action cameras across the price spectrum. The 4K-shooting Hero4 Black is $500, but the standard Hero is just $130. This new option sits at the higher end of the price range, matching the cost of the touch-screen enabled Hero4 Silver, but signals where GoPro is heading. With an easy-to-use camera that doesn’t need anything out of the box, GoPro can start to encroach on the smartphone, but it will have to bring down the price to get everyday consumers to switch.

The Hero4 Session will be available July 12 for $399.99. It comes with two mounts and two buckles to attach the camera to the mounts, along with both the standard frame and a new low-profile frame, both of which fit existing GoPro mounts. Customers can sign up to be notified at launch, but there are no pre-orders.

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