The HERO8 Black’s single side door blocks the USB-C port when closed, which is a problem for external power or a mic adapter. The fix is a replacement door with a cut-out — the G8-7 reviewed here — at the cost of waterproofing. How it fits, the alternatives, and the caveats are below. The HERO9 Black and later fixed this with a pass-through door; see the accessories guide.
There’s quite a lot to like about the GoPro HERO8 Black, but I’m not a fan of the new design they’ve introduced for the compartment door.
I can see virtue in theory in consolidating what was two separate doors in previous Black models to a single door. It means fewer moving parts to break and one less area for potential leaks. And, of course, embedding a fold-out mount clip on the bottom is an important consideration — there’s no room on the bottom for a compartment there anymore.
But in practice, I don’t like the new door design. It comes off far too easily, with the real risk of losing it. That’s mainly an annoyance, but a more important issue is that it makes using the USB-C port much less practical. If you want to run the camera via external power or use an external microphone, it means exposing the battery, which in turn means that it can fall out very easily. GoPro’s own answer for the HERO8 Black turned out to be the HERO8 Media Mod (AJFMD-001) or the Pro 3.5mm Mic Adapter, both sold separately and both documented in the HERO8 Black manual. Not everyone wants to buy one of those.
GoPro kept a similar door on the HERO9 Black and later, but with a hinge that doesn’t fly off quite so easily. For those models GoPro sells an official USB Pass-Through Door (one part covers the HERO9 through HERO13 Black). There is no GoPro version for the HERO8 Black.
Thankfully, as so often happens with GoPros, aftermarket manufacturers are coming to the rescue. In this case, a Chinese brand I haven’t heard of before, Ulanzi, has put out a replacement side door that lets you run external power to the camera while keeping the battery and memory card in place. Its model number is G8-7, and it’s designed specifically for the GoPro HERO8 Black (they have a separate model for the Max).
The G8-7 replacement door in use
It’s straightforward enough to use. You don’t have to use the HERO8 Black for long to see how easily the existing door clips off. The new door just clips in the same way. It’s made of aluminum and feels solid.
I have found that it doesn’t fit quite as perfectly as the original door. The clip itself is a slightly simpler design that doesn’t include a small spring clip that the GoPro original door has. And when closed, the door is not quite as flush with the body of the camera as it could be. But neither of those issues really impacts the core functionality, and for its intended purpose, the door works well.
To be clear, this replacement door is not in any way waterproof. The USB-C port is fully exposed, and there are no seals protecting the battery and memory card slots. So it’s very much a dry-conditions only accessory.
Alternatives
For now, I don’t know of any other alternatives for the HERO8 Black. But it’s a pretty simple solution to a common problem, so I’d expect other aftermarket manufacturers to come out with their own versions before long.
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The GoPro MAX has the same kind of issue, and Ulanzi made a separate door for that camera.
If you’re looking for a direct replacement of the original waterproof door (ie. without access to the USB-C port), you can find them here.
Things worth knowing
It’s worth mentioning, again, that this door is not waterproof in any way.
Find them at
I bought mine at Amazon.
