Photos Taken with a GoPro HERO7 Black

The GoPro HERO7 Black can be a fun camera to shoot photos with. Here’s a collection of photos I’ve taken with the GoPro HERO7 to give a sense of what it’s like for everyday shooting.

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GoPros are best known for video. But they also have some useful and interesting features and characteristics for taking still photos. They don’t work quite the same way that more traditional cameras work, but they offer opportunities for some fun and interesting shots.

Some features of the HERO7 Black really stand out when it comes to taking still photos: the ultra-wide-angle fisheye perspective; auto-everything exposure 1 and fixed-focus; fast burst mode shooting; and, most importantly, they’re small size and rugged build that lets you take them pretty much anywhere.

Depending on how you want to look at it, some of those features can be regarded as limitations or opportunities. The fixed ultra-wide-angle lens isn’t good for traditional portraits, for example, but it’s great for a close, immersive view or dramatic perspectives. 2 The limited manual control over exposure does definitely limit what you can do, but the automatic settings also mean that there’s a good chance that you’ll get usable photos even from run-and-gun shooting.

There are definitely some limitations you have to work with or around. Even with flagship models like the HERO7 Black, the low-light performance is mediocre compared to many other cameras on the market today. And you’ll probably find yourself constantly fighting against the poor battery life.

But despite those negatives, I find the HERO7 Black to be a fun stills camera to shoot with. They’re particularly well suited to action shots, obviously–after all, that’s why they were invented in the first place–but they can also be a fun option for general travel photography or capturing family photos with a difference. Here’s a collection of photos I’ve taken with the GoPro HERO7 to give a sense of what it’s like for everyday shooting.

The HERO7 Black has a 12MP sensor that produces images in a 4:3 aspect ratio measuring 4000 by 3000 pixels. While 12MP is on the smaller side compared to many other cameras, it’s plenty big enough for sharing photos online and even making enlargement prints. You can shoot RAW with it using GoPro’s proprietary .gpr format (actually, it shoots RAW+JPG). It does technically have a zoom, but it’s a digital zoom rather than an optical zoom, and I don’t find it particularly useful. I have a separate post that goes into more details on the photo features and specs of the HERO7 Black.

Sample Images Taken with a GoPro HERO7 Black

All of these were shot with a HERO7 Black. Most of them were shot in GoPro’s RAW format, .gpr, and processed in Lightroom. Many of them had some boosting of local contrast.

Others were shot in JPG, particularly any that used burst mode (which only works with JPG).

GoPro also has a SuperPhoto feature, that combines in-camera enhancements such as HDR. I have found it to help with better-looking photos in some situations, but I also find that I can get better results in post-processing in Lightroom, so I rarely use SuperPhoto. None of the photos on this page use SuperPhoto, but I have some other examples here.

Photo taken with a GoPro HERO7 Black
Taken with a GoPro HERO7 Black at ISO 100 and ¹⁄₂₇₀₀ sec at ƒ/2.8.
Photo taken with a GoPro HERO7 Black
Taken with a GoPro HERO7 Black at ISO 115 and ¹⁄₉₅₀ sec at ƒ/2.8. This was taken underwater using the burst mode.
Photo taken with a GoPro HERO7 Black
Taken with a GoPro HERO7 Black at ISO 100 and ¹⁄₂₃₀₀ sec at ƒ/2.8. Isle of Palms, SC.
Photo taken with a GoPro HERO7 Black
Taken with a GoPro HERO7 Black at ISO 2143 and ¹⁄₂₀ sec at ƒ/2.8. Washington, DC. The super wide-angle fisheye look isn’t a traditional look for architecture because it makes lines curve in rather dramatic ways, but with the right composition, you can get some interesting results. The low-light performance isn’t great for interiors, though.
Photo taken with a GoPro HERO7 Black
Taken with a GoPro HERO7 Black at ISO 100 and ¹⁄₁₂₅₀ sec at ƒ/2.8. Washington, DC.
Photo taken with a GoPro HERO7 Black
Taken with a GoPro HERO7 Black at ISO 2137 and ¹⁄₁₂₀ sec at ƒ/2.8. Germantown, MD.
Photo taken with a GoPro HERO7 Black
Taken with a GoPro HERO7 Black at ISO 100 and ¹⁄₁₂₅₀ sec at ƒ/2.8. New Caledonia.
Photo taken with a GoPro HERO7 Black
Taken with a GoPro HERO7 Black at ISO 1715 and ¹⁄₁₂₀ sec at ƒ/2.8. Washington, DC.
Photo taken with a GoPro HERO7 Black
Taken with a GoPro HERO7 Black at ISO 3161 and ¹⁄₁₂₀ sec at ƒ/2.8. Chantilly, VA.
Photo taken with a GoPro HERO7 Black
Taken with a GoPro HERO7 Black at ISO 100 and ¹⁄₂₅₀₀ sec at ƒ/2.8. New Caledonia.
Taken with a GoPro HERO7 Black at ISO 264 and ¹⁄₂₄₀ sec at ƒ/2.8.
GoPro HERO7 Black
GoPro HERO7 Black / New Caledonia
GoPro HERO7 Black Photo Example
Taken with a GoPro HERO7 Black at ISO 100 and ¹⁄₃₅₀ sec at ƒ/2.8.
GoPro HERO7 Black
Photo taken with a GoPro HERO7 Black / Baltimore, MD
GoPro HERO7 Black Sample Image
GoPro HERO7 Black / Washington, DC
Photo taken with a GoPro HERO7 Black
Taken with a GoPro HERO7 Black at ISO 100 and ¹⁄₁₄₀₀ sec at ƒ/2.8. Germantown, MD.
Photo taken with a GoPro HERO7 Black
Taken with a GoPro HERO7 Black at ISO 1039 and ¹⁄₁₂₀ sec at ƒ/2.8. Washington, DC.
Photo taken with a GoPro HERO7 Black
Taken with a GoPro HERO7 Black at ISO 100 and ¹⁄₂₂₀₀ sec at ƒ/2.8. Isle of Palms, SC.
Photo taken with a GoPro HERO7 Black
Taken with a GoPro HERO7 Black at ISO 1084 and ¹⁄₉₅₀ sec at ƒ/2.8. Washington, DC.
Photo taken with a GoPro HERO7 Black
Taken with a GoPro HERO7 Black at ISO 100 and ¹⁄₂₉₀₀ sec at ƒ/2.8. Washington, DC.
Photo taken with a GoPro HERO7 Black
Taken with a GoPro HERO7 Black at ISO 2793 and ¹⁄₁₂₀ sec at ƒ/2.8. Washington, DC.
Photo taken with a GoPro HERO7 Black
Taken with a GoPro HERO7 Black at ISO 1301 and ¹⁄₁₂₀ sec at ƒ/2.8. Washington, DC.
Photo taken with a GoPro HERO7 Black
Taken with a GoPro HERO7 Black at ISO 100 and ¹⁄₁₁₅₀ sec at ƒ/2.8. Wynnum, Australia.
Photo taken with a GoPro HERO7 Black
Taken with a GoPro HERO7 Black at ISO 100 and ¹⁄₁₈₀₀ sec at ƒ/2.8.
Photo taken with a GoPro HERO7 Black
Taken with a GoPro HERO7 Black at ISO 151 and ¹⁄₂₄₀ sec at ƒ/2.8. Washington, DC.
Photo taken with a GoPro HERO7 Black
Taken with a GoPro HERO7 Black at ISO 100 and ¹⁄₁₀₀₀ sec at ƒ/2.8. Washington, DC.
Photo taken with a GoPro HERO7 Black
Taken with a GoPro HERO7 Black at ISO 2092 and ¹⁄₂₀ sec at ƒ/2.8. Washington, DC.
GoPro HERO7 Black Sample Image
GoPro HERO7 Black / New Caledonia
GoPro HERO7 Black Sample Image
GoPro HERO7 Black / South Carolina
GoPro HERO7 Black Sample Image
GoPro HERO7 Black / Isle of Palms, SC
GoPro HERO7 Black Photo Example
Taken with a GoPro HERO7 Black at ISO 760 and ¹⁄₁₂₀ sec at ƒ/2.8.
GoPro HERO7 Black Photo Example
Taken with a GoPro HERO7 Black at ISO 100 and ¹⁄₂₀₀₀ sec at ƒ/2.8.
Photo taken with a GoPro HERO7 Black
Taken with a GoPro HERO7 Black at ISO 1722 and ¹⁄₁₂₀ sec at ƒ/2.8. Chantilly, VA. An advantage of the ultra-wide-angle view is that you can fit a lot in the frame.
Photo taken with a GoPro HERO7 Black
Taken with a GoPro HERO7 Black at ISO 145 and ¹⁄₈₀₀ sec at ƒ/2.8. Washington, DC. The sensor doesn’t have a very wide dynamic range, so it can struggle in scenes with a combination of highlights and shadows. The HDR mode is designed to compensate for that, although there are some limitations to using it. This particular shot is not using HDR–just a regular image shot in RAW, but I’ve reclaimed some of the highlights using Lightroom’s processing tools.
Photo taken with a GoPro HERO7 Black
Taken with a GoPro HERO7 Black at ISO 100 and ¹⁄₁₀₀₀ sec at ƒ/2.8. Washington, DC.
Photo taken with a GoPro HERO7 Black
Taken with a GoPro HERO7 Black at ISO 104 and ¹⁄₉₅₀ sec at ƒ/2.8. Baltimore, MD.
Photo taken with a GoPro HERO7 Black
Taken with a GoPro HERO7 Black at ISO 100 and ¹⁄₁₆₀₀ sec at ƒ/2.8. Potomac, MD.
GoPro HERO7 Black Sample Image
GoPro HERO7 Black / Washington, DC
GoPro HERO7 Black
GoPro HERO7 Black / New Caledonia
Photo taken with a GoPro HERO7 Black
Taken with a GoPro HERO7 Black at ISO 100 and ¹⁄₁₄₀₀ sec at ƒ/2.8. Washington, DC.

Price & Availability of GoPro HERO7 Black

Check the current price and availability of the GoPro HERO7 Black at:

GoPro HERO7 Black Action Camera
  • HyperSmooth: Get gimbal‑like stabilization—without the gimbal. HERO7 Black corrects for camera shake...
  • TimeWarp: Capture super stabilized time lapse videos while you move about a scene. Increase the speed up...

GoPro HERO7 Cameras Compared

HERO7 BlackHERO7 SilverHERO7 White

VIDEO SPECS

Resolution / Max fps4K / 60
4K (4:3) / 30
2.7K / 120
2.7K (4:3) / 60
1440p / 120
1080p / 240
960p / 240
720p / 240
4K / 30
1440p / 60
1080p / 60
1440p / 60
1080p / 60
StabilizationHyperSmoothStandardStandard
Max Bitrate78 Mb/s60 Mb/s40 Mb/s
FOVsWide
Medium
Linear
SuperView
WideWide
File Format (Codec)MP4 (HEVC / H.265)
MP4 (H.264 / AVC)
MP4 (H.264 / AVC)MP4 (H.264 / AVC)
Protune--
Digital Zoom
Looping--
Audio TrackWAV + AACAACAAC
External Mic Compatibility--
HDMI Video Out--
Live Streaming--

PHOTO SPECS

Max Photo Size12MP10MP10MP
FOVsWide
Linear
WideWide
File FormatRAW (.gpr)
JPG
JPGJPG
Protune--
In-Camera Image EnhancementSuperPhotoWDR-
Top Burst Mode30 / 115 / 115 / 1
Continuous Photo
Night Photo--
Photo Timer

TIME-LAPSE SPECS

Timelapse Photo--
Timelapse Video
Nightlapse--
TimeWarp Video--

INTERFACE SPECS

Built-in Touchscreen
Front Screen--
Voice Control
WiFi / Bluetooth
USB Port TypeUSB-CUSB-CUSB-C

DESIGN & BUILD SPECS

Waterproof Body
Dimensions62.3 x 44.9 x 33 mm62.3 x 44.9 x 28.3 mm62.3 x 44.9 x 28.3 mm
Weight4.1 oz / 116 g3.3 oz / 94.4 g3.26 / 92.4 g

OTHER SPECS

Battery Type1220 mAh1220 mAh (non-removable)1220 mAh (non-removable)
QuikCapture
GPS-
Memory CardRecommendationsRecommendationsRecommendations
* Not every feature is available in every shooting mode. As examples, video stabilization is not available in every resolution/framerate combination and the option to save RAW images is not available in burst mode.
  1. Models like the HERO7 Black give you some control over exposure using features such as exposure compensation and some manual controls through Protune.[]
  2. The HERO7 Black does have digital zoom, but it’s not a feature that I regard as particularly useful. Here’s an explanation of why.[]

Images and product information from Amazon PA-API were last updated on 2023-09-26 at 14:21. Product prices and availability are accurate as of the date/time indicated and are subject to change. Any price and availability information displayed on Amazon Site at the time of purchase will apply to the purchase of this product.

New Model: GoPro HERO12 Black

Released in September 2023, the HERO12 Black is GoPro's newest model.

GoPro HERO12 Black
  • 5.3K60 / 4K120 / 2.7K240 Video
  • 27MP Photos
  • Waterproof to 33ft/10m
  • HyperSmooth 6.0 Stabilization
  • Shoot 5.3K60 & 4K120 video at up to 120Mbps bitrate
  • HDR video up to 5.3K30
  • Horizon Lock keeps level even during movement
  • Take 27MP photos (5568 x 4872 pixels)
  • 1/1.9" CMOS sensor
  • Waterproof to 33ft / 10m, so you can take it swimming, paddling, surfing, or snorkeling without a separate housing
  • Built-in mount point
  • HyperSmooth 6.0 In-camera Video Stabilization creates smooth video without a gimbal
  • Shoot up to 8x slow motion
YouTube video

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David Coleman / Photographer

David Coleman

I'm a freelance travel photographer based in Washington DC. Seven continents, up mountains, underwater, and a bunch of places in between. My images have appeared in numerous publications, and you can check out some of my travel photography here. I've been shooting with GoPros for years, starting with the HD HERO, and have owned and used every model since. More »

2 thoughts on “Photos Taken with a GoPro HERO7 Black”

  1. I have a Gopro Hero 7, newly purchased. I come from a DSLR only background and am having a lot of trouble learning how to use this type of camera.

    Reply
    • They do work a bit differently than other more traditional cameras. I’ve put together some tips here. It’s not specifically focused on the HERO7 Black, but it might be useful.

      Reply

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