We all just downed tools to check out the new teaser from everyone’s favourite action cam. GoPro’s marketing hype is almost as impressive as the camera itself.

“The GoPro 8 is the one”. Wait, the 8 is the one? The 8 is the eight, surely? The GoPro 1 came out years ago. Actually, was the 1 even called the 1? Wasn’t it just the Hero? Oh, it’s the ONE. I see.

Not only that, it’s “beyond next level”. Okay, hang on, let me get my pen out. The 8 is beyond next level? So it entirely skipped out the 9 and one-upped its successor before it had even been released? Doesn’t that make it… the 10?

Anyway, introducing the GoPro HERO 8. I think.

GoPro Hero 8

Their latest shooter is (obviously) the most powerful in the world, with some upgrades to their most popular features, and a stash of new ones chucked in too.

From a distance, it looks similar enough to its predecessor, but on closer inspection, the 8 reveals a couple of new tricks up its sleeves. Now coming with ‘Mod’ compatibility, you can mount a shotgun-mic, a flip screen, and an LED lighting panel directly onto the camera’s body to meet whatever media demands you require.

The new frameless design makes life even easier for quick mounting. Two mounting loops flip out from underneath the body, eliminating the need for the frame altogether. Nice, GoPro. Nice.

The HyperSmooth image stabilisation, which changed the game for action cams last time around, has been drastically enhanced with the 2.0 version, featured here in the 8. It now works in all video modes and resolutions with the added option to run it in ‘High’ or ‘Boost’ settings, depending on just how bumpy things get out there. We’re genuinely moving into gimbal-free territory here, folks.

“The HyperSmooth image stabilisation, which changed the game for action cams last time around, has been drastically enhanced with the 2.0 version”

The Digital Lens feature also allows you to swipe through four pre-set views (Narrow, Linear, Wide, and SuperView) to frame the picture exactly how you want in the click of the button. Meanwhile, the SuperPhoto and improved HDR settings have been revamped with better results to deliver clarity, contrast and the best possible image with the least amount of hassle.

What else do you need? A Night Lapse mode? Got it. Live burst modes which begin capturing images 1.5 seconds before you hit the shutter? Got it. TimeWarp 2.0 with improved stabilisation for your time-lapse clips? Got it.