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GoPro HERO6 Black vs HERO5 Black: Photo Modes

The HERO6 has a new processor and promises improved image quality over its predecessor, the HERO5 Black. Here are some side-by-side comparisons.

GoPro HERO6 Black vs HERO5 Black

By David Coleman | @havecamerawilltraveldc
Last updated about 3 months ago // Categories: Comparison Reviews, Photos
Tags: GoPro HERO5 Black, GoPro HERO6 Black

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The GoPro HERO6 Black has a new processor developed in-house and promises improved image quality over its predecessor, the HERO5 Black. Since I use GoPros quite a lot for still photos in addition to their video capabilities, I thought it worth making some side-by-side comparisons of the results from their photo modes.

For the most part, the photo capabilities of the HERO6 Black and HERO5 Black are very similar. They both have 12MP sensors that produce images that are 4000 x 3000 pixels with an aspect ratio of 4:3. Both have the same lens that, by default, produces that distinctive super-wide fisheye look. With both, you can choose to shoot in GoPro’s own RAW file format, GPR, or in JPG (RAW isn’t available in all modes).

This comparison focuses specifically on their photo modes. I also have a more general overview comparing the HERO6 Black with the HERO5 Black.

To test whether there was any improvement in the new camera, I mounted a HERO6 Black next to a HERO5 Black in a dual frame and used a Smart Remote to shoot photos on both simultaneously. Here are the results.

Regular Photos

The results from the regular still photos mode are quite similar between the models. The HERO6 Black tends to produce less contrasty (i.e. less punchy) images that pay dividends in better detail from shadows to mids to highlights. The improvements aren’t revolutionary, but they are there.

GoPro HERO6 Black

GoPro HERO5 Black

GoPro HERO6 Black

GoPro HERO5 Black

GoPro HERO6 Black -

GoPro HERO5 Black

GoPro HERO6 Black -

GoPro HERO5 Black

GoPro HERO6 Black - GoPro HERO6 Black Photo - Non HDR

GoPro HERO5 Black

Image Size

The size of the photos is the same between the two models. They both create 12MP photos that measure 4000 pixels by 3000 pixels.

In many of GoPro’s previous models, you had the option of creating smaller images of, say 7 MP. The main reason for doing that is to save on space on the memory card, which mostly comes into play with things like burst mode and timelapse.

The HERO6 Black has done away with that option. The images are now 12MP, with no option to choose a smaller size.

Zoom

The HERO6 Black has a new Zoom function in the photo mode. But it’s less useful than it sounds. It’s not an optical zoom. That is, the zooming isn’t something that’s done by the lens. Instead, it’s a digital zoom that’s functionally equivalent to cropping. The images still come out at 4000 x 3000 pixels, but there’s no more detail than you’d get by standard cropping.

Here’s an example:

GoPro HERO6 Black - GoPro HERO6 Black Zoom

GoPro HERO6 Black - GoPro HERO6 Black Zoom

And here’s another:


GoPro HERO6 Black Photo Mode Zoom

GoPro HERO6 Black Photo Mode Zoom

Frankly, I’m not convinced this is a useful feature. It amounts to a new way to do what was the Narrow FOV on the HERO5 Black, a setting that has been removed in the new model. The zoom makes more sense in the video mode where it’s less trivial to do cropping and trimming.

Fields of View

GoPros are known for their super-wide fisheye look. But the HERO5 models added a new Linear FOV that reduces the lens distortion–those curved horizons and slanted angles. It’s a view that’s especially useful when shooting aerial shots from drones.

The HERO6 Black still has the Linear FOV, but they’ve done away with the Medium and Narrow FOV options. So you can choose the default Wide FOV or the Linear FOV. If you find you miss the Narrow FOV, take a look at the new zoom option (see above), which accomplishes much the same thing.

Protune

The Protune options are mostly identical. You can still do things like set an exposure compensation (plus or minus up to 2 stops), select a color mode, limit the automatic ISO range, and choose how aggressively to apply sharpening.

A minor difference is that you can now choose up to ISO 3200 rather than being limited to ISO 1600.

GoPro HERO6 Black vs HERO5 Black: Photo Modes

HDR vs. WDR

The HERO5 Black introduced a new photo mode to recover detail from shadows and highlights, called WDR for wide dynamic range. The HERO6 Black takes that a step further by replacing WDR with a more traditionally named HDR, or high dynamic range.

The HDR mode is quite a bit more aggressive than WDR and recovers more detail in shadows and highlights. But while the results don’t get as garish as some HDR photography notoriously can, it’s still not going to be to everyone’s taste, especially the extra saturation it can introduce. Then again, the odd color shifts of the WDR mode have never been to my taste either.

When using HDR (and WDR, for that matter), you’re limited to producing JPG files; RAW doesn’t work in these modes and will be automatically disabled when you turn on HDR. That’s because it’s creating a composite image in camera.

Here are some examples comparing HDR photos shot with a HERO6 Black side-by-side with ones taken in WDR mode with a HERO5 Black.

GoPro HERO6 Black HDR

GoPro HERO6 Black WDR

GoPro HERO6 Black HDR

GoPro HERO5 Black HDR

GoPro HERO6 Black HDR

GoPro HERO5 Black WDR

GoPro HERO6 Black - GoPro HERO6 Black Photo - HDR

GoPro HERO5 Black Photo - WDR

ISO 3200

The HERO6 Black extends the ISO range up to 3200 (from 1600 in the HERO5 Black). The image quality is still a bit mediocre at high ISOs. A big part of the problem is that these cameras use a very small sensor. High-ISO shooting is probably also not the core target use for GoPro users, so the development team are likely focusing their efforts elsewhere.

Here are some examples at ISO 1600 and ISO 3200.


GoPro HERO6 Black ISO 1600

GoPro HERO6 Black vs HERO5 Black: Photo Modes

Burst Mode

The burst modes between the models are mostly identical. There’s one exception, however: the HERO6 Black adds a new Burst Mode: Auto mode. The instruction manual doesn’t explain very well what this does. It’s a 30 images in 1 second mode that falls back to fewer images if it needs a slower shutter speed to properly expose the images. I’ve written up a fuller explanation and posted some examples separately.

Is the Photo Image Quality of the HERO6 Black Better than the HERO5 Black?

Yes, although the differences aren’t huge.

Overall, the image quality of photos with the HERO6 Black have improvements in several respects over the HERO5 Black. The improvements are subtle, and if you look at the photos apart, it’s hard to spot much difference. But when you put them side by side, it’s easier to see that while the improvements are relatively subtle, they do amount to significant improvements nonetheless.

More GoPro Tips & Tricks:

  • GoPro HERO6 Black Video Modes
    GoPro HERO6 Black Video Modes
  • GoPro HERO6 Black -
    Photo Modes on the GoPro HERO6 Black
  • GoPro HERO5 Batteries and Chargers
    Batteries and Chargers for the HERO7 Black, HERO6 Black, HERO5 Black, and HERO (2018)
  • GoPro HERO6 Black vs HERO5 Black
    GoPro HERO6 Black vs HERO5 Black
  • Which GoPro HERO4 Accessories Will Work with the GoPro HERO6 Black and HERO5 Black?
    Which GoPro HERO4 Accessories Will Work with the GoPro HERO6 Black and HERO5 Black?
  • Svalbard with a GoPro HERO5 Black
    JPG vs RAW on the GoPro HERO9, HERO8, HERO7, HERO6, & HERO5 Black
By David Coleman
Instagram: @havecamerawilltraveldc

Last updated on January 22, 2021

Categories: Comparison Reviews, Photos
Tags: GoPro HERO5 Black, GoPro HERO6 Black

I may earn a commission for purchases using links on this page. Learn more.

GoPro News & Deals

New Smart Remote GoPro will be announcing the new Smart Remote for the HERO9 Black on December 17, 2020. The HERO9 Black isn’t compatible with the previous version of the Smart Remote.

HERO8 Black firmware v2.0 now available. Enables webcam mode; enables Display Mod compatibility; expands HyperSmooth 2.0 High and Boost availability to more video settings; general bug fixes. Update through the mobile app or manually.

GoPro Launches New Live Streaming Service for GoPro PLUS. GoPro has launched their own live-streaming platform for PLUS subscribers. It’s a pretty bare-bones offering for now, with livestreams shared with a dedicated URL. This is alongside their efforts to make the HERO8 Black useful as a webcam when connected to a computer (via USB plug-in-play, not requiring the Media Mod accessory with HDMI out). New firmware adds that functionality for Mac users, and the Windows version is in Beta.

New GoPro Zeus Mini Video Light. GoPro has released released a new video LED light designed to complement their GoPro cameras. It’s tiny, waterproof, and has a built-in magnetic swiveling clip. It’s waterproof down to 33 feet (10 meters), has four levels of brightness, and includes a diffuser to cool the color temperature to 5000K. GoPro claims that the built-in battery lasts up to 6 hours (presumably at the lowest brightness setting, although they don’t specify). It’s available now and priced at $69.99.

DJI Osmo Action firmware update adds live streaming. DJI has released a firmware update for the Osmo Action (v. 01.08.00.10) that adds live streaming support, so you can upload directly to platforms like Facebook and YouTube (it goes through the DJI Mimo mobile app). They’ve also improved the in-camera video stabilization. You can find the new firmware here.

New Underwater Housing for GoPro HERO8 Black from Isotta. Isotta, an Italian brand specializing in underwater housings, has announced a new high-quality underwater housing for the HERO8 Black. It’s an aluminum housing depth-rated to 650 feet (200 meters), has a one-handed open/close switch, double o-rings, and can be used with filters. There’s also a dual-handled tray to go along with it. And like all their housings, it’s in their distinctive red. Priced at $450, it’s only for those who need a highly specialized piece of underwater kit. It’s available for preorder from underwater specialists Backscatter.

Light Mod Now Shipping The Light Mod, one of the three new GoPro accessories, is now shipping. It’s a standalone light that is waterproof, rechargeable and compatible with all GoPro mounts. It was originally announced along with the HERO8 Black, but it hasn’t been available until now. It’s priced at $49.99, and you can find them at GoPro.com.

GoPro MAX Now Shipping. The new 360° camera, the MAX, is now shipping.

GoPro HERO8 Black and Max Unveiled. The new GoPro cameras and accessories have been unveiled. I have a rundown of the highlights of the HERO8 Black here.

DJI Osmo Action vs GoPro HERO7 Black. I’ve posted my detailed hands-on comparison of the Osmo Action and the HERO7 Black. There’s a lot similar between the models, but once you start digging down into the details there are differences that can help in choosing between them. And each has strengths the other doesn’t have. You can find my review here.

GoPro HyperSmooth vs DJI RockSteady. The new DJI Osmo Action also has built-in electronic stabilization to smooth out video. They’re calling it RockSteady (GoPro has HyperSmooth). I’ve been out testing them side-by-side. You can see the results here.

GoPro Deals page. I’ve put together a dedicated page on GoPro deals. So if you’re looking for cheap GoPro deals, check it out.

DJI Osmo action 4K Camera. Best known for their camera drones, DJI has released a new 4K action cam that’s taking direct aim at the GoPro HERO7 Black. It shoots up to 4K60 video and 12MP stills, includes electronic stabilization, has high-dynamic range video at 4K30, voice commands, a touchscreen on the back and another smaller live view screen on the front, and is waterproof down to 36 feet (11 meters). It’s priced at $349, and they’re now available at B&H Photo.

Comments

  1. Brandon L. says

    April 29, 2018 at 10:20 am

    My thoughts:

    I was shooting video yesterday with the 2.7K on 60 FPS with the GoPro Hero 6 and when I was editing with Shotcut (free version) I just selected the “Capture Frame” command in the menu when I found something I liked. The images came out looking pretty nice, they’re not something you’d present in an art show, but if you just want to share some photos over social media- they have all the quality you could desire.

    If you are trying to capture high res ‘super shots’, you’d probably do well to have a dedicated camera. The GoPro is a tool in a photographers bag, not a end-all/be-all photography wonder camera. It excels at capturing action, since it is an “Action Camera.” Anyways, I enjoyed the article. Thanks for the write-up!

    Reply
  2. dmitryr says

    February 9, 2018 at 2:42 pm

    The major deal-breaker for me and many other divers, bikers, pilots, drivers is that Hero6 dropped the Video+Photo mode from Hero6 (presumably because the feature is patented by Ambarella)
    GoPro support arrogantly suggested that “You don’t need it because 4K video still capture is better”.
    First, 4K video capture will produce 8MB pics vs 12MB, which is a big difference in quality.
    Second, in most cases 4K capture is not needed or desired – 1080p is perfectly fine for most long duration actions where battery life, overheating and file size are much more important, especially if the camera can not be easily manipulated (underwater, planes, cars, bikes, etc)
    Third – who wants to spend hours in post-processing on a computer, generating video capture stills, as opposed to quickly viewing readily available still photos and immediately posting them?
    This is a first time since Hero3 I did not upgrade and do not plan to upgrade to the next model.

    Reply
  3. Austin Grabowski says

    January 18, 2018 at 12:12 pm

    David,

    Awesome reviews and info across the board.

    Question. I have slowly but surely moved to capturing mostly stills on my GoPro 3+ (long overdue for an upgrade). I was disappointed to see that the GoPro 6 black remains at only 12 MP (same as the 3+ Black).

    I have been searching for an action camera that will surpass 12 MP (sony, nikon, etc.). However, only a few have a higher mega pixel rate and one of those has the 360 degree camera I’m not looking for (expensive and will not use). I’ve also run into research issues where the megapixels are lower, but the processor is higher than the GoPro 6.

    I wanted to get your feedback on what action camera you may believe would be best for capturing stills (sony rxo, garmin virb, nikon keymission 360, sjcam m20). Or at this point, would a screen shot from 4k 60 fps high res be even better than photo mode?

    Still a GoPro fan at heart, but I need better resolution.

    Austin
    GoPro 3+ [typical setting: time lapse 1 second].
    Uses: skydive, mountain bike, water ski, snow ski.

    Reply
    • David says

      January 22, 2018 at 3:11 pm

      I’m with you on that. As much as I love using GoPros to capture stills, I really wish they’d put some resources into improving the stills quality (including, especially, the low-light performance). I don’t have a good answer yet because I’ve been a little disappointed by all the ones I’ve tried. The one I have high hopes for and am testing over the next few weeks (specifically for stills quality) is the Sony RX0, but I don’t have anything to report on that just yet.

      Reply
  4. David says

    November 23, 2017 at 12:49 am

    I recently upgraded from a hero 4 to 6 and the time it takes to process a single photo seems long to me. The time it takes between snapping the photo and the camera writing it to SD seems to be on par with the 4’s performance, if not even a little longer. Seems to be about a second overall and that’s with HDR turned off (takes even longer understandably so when on). Im curious to hear if your delay / process time for individual photos is similar?

    Reply
    • David says

      November 24, 2017 at 3:44 pm

      There are lots of things I like about using GoPros for still photos, but that sluggishness is one of my least favorite things. But it’s not just you–it is something that just takes far longer than it feels like it should, especially since the camera is obviously capable of doing it all much quicker, as you can see if you put it in timelapse photo mode with a 0.5s interval. The HERO5 Black is basically the same in this respect, and I’ve tried it with a range of the fastest microSD cards. Even with the fastest cards in, it’s still frustratingly slow, and it’s even slower when shooting RAW. I don’t have a magic fix or inside information as to why it’s like that–I can only speculate that it’s just not a high priority for the development team.

      Reply
  5. John Carter says

    November 17, 2017 at 5:51 am

    If shooting 90% Time Lapse would the Hero 5 be a better Purchase??
    I believe that the Hero 6 has most of it’s improvements in Video Mode??
    Is this current

    Reply
    • David says

      November 17, 2017 at 1:19 pm

      Right, there’s very little difference in their timelapse functionality. There are some relatively minor things–for timelapse photos, there’s a slight improvement in image quality, and with Protune on you can up the ISO to 3200 rather than 1600. But overall there’s really not much difference when using for timelapse. Both can shoot timelapse video, timelapse photos, and nightlapse. Both have the same interval options. Both can shoot timelapse photos in RAW mode so long as the interval is 5 seconds or above. There is one minor feature the HERO5 Black has that the HERO6 Black doesn’t–in timelapse photo mode you can choose the wide dynamic range for JPGs; the HERO6 Black does have a better HDR mode for still photos, but for now that’s not available for shooting timelapse. But that’s probably not a widely used feature anyway.

      Reply

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About Me

I’m a professional travel & location photographer based in Washington DC and traveling all over. Seven continents. Dozens of countries. Up mountains. Under water. And a bunch of places in between.

I’ve owned and used every GoPro since the HD HERO and particularly like finding new and different ways to use them to capture photos, video, and time-lapse.

You can find my main site at havecamerawilltravel.com.

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