GoPro HERO 4

There are millions of action cameras now, it seems, all of them capable of capturing high-quality video at various frame rates and none of them much bigger than your business card. Of these, the GoPro HERO4 isn’t the most durable or aerodynamic. It doesn’t have the sculpted looks of a Contour camera or Sony Action Cam; it’s not waterproof without its casing, like Panasonic’s HX-A500. It looks pretty much like a chunky, miniaturized point-and-shoot. Yet the GoPro HERO 4 defies conventional wisdom about how action cameras should look and function — and still outperforms everything else on the market.

In 2012, GoPro dominated the action camera market with the GoPro HERO3, which essentially spearheaded the POV boom (search GoPro on YouTube and you’ll get over 15,000,000 results). But instead of sitting back and enjoying the exploding IPO, GoPro released the HERO4, which elevates action cameras to a new standard. Namely: the Black edition captures 4K footage at frame rates of 24, 25, and 30 per second — twice the frame rate of the HERO3+ — and 1080p at up to 120 frames per second. It also boasts great night shooting with Night Photo and Night Lapse modes. The Silver edition is essentially the HERO3+ but with a built-in touch display, removing the need to use GoPro’s app on your phone or to buy an extra display as a viewfinder.

Whether you’re snowboarding in deep powder in Niseko, getting barreled in Teahupoo, or just cruising through a Color Run, the HERO4 can document everything at ultra-high definition; you can even capture your worst wipeouts in slow motion — professionals certainly have, with never-before-seen footage, aptly called the “GoPro” look. Simply put: if you’re looking to get a new action camera, the HERO4 is your best option. Its 4K capabilities alone are worth the investment. But more than that, the GoPro is a camera that can elevate not just what and how you capture, but elevate when and where you do it.

$400+