GoPro Mission 1 Levels Up Action Cameras But One Mystery Remains

GoPro has announced a major change to its action camera range. Its new GoPro Mission 1 series offers higher-end internals and capture modes than its existing Black models.

The Mission 1 line marks a significant step-up for the GoPro action camera family, which in recent years has suffered from aggressive competition from rivals Insta360 and DJI.

Two GoPro Mission 1 models are available in May, the Mission 1 and Mission 1 Pro.

Both have a 1-inch sensor of 50-megapiaxel resolution, significantly larger than the 27.6-inch 1/1.9-inch sensor of the GoPro Hero 13 Black , released in 2024.

It's backed by a new GoPro GP3 processor, the first major upgrade to the company's processor line since 2021 when the GP2 was announced alongside the Hero 10 Black.

This, alongside the very high-resolution sensor, allows for super-high resolution capture. The GoPro Mission 1 action cameras can booth shoot at up to 8K resolution, at 60fps in the Mission 1 Pro and 30fps in the standard Mission 1.

There's a similar disparity in the shooting ceiling at 4K resolution too. The Mission 1 Pro can handle 4K at 240fps, the Mission 1 at 120fps. These are open gate modes, meaning the full 4:3 aspect sensor area is used, rather than cropping in for a more conventional 16:9 image shape.

Slo-mo capture is snappier on the Pro too, topping pout at 960fps compared to 240fps in the standard model.

Despite the high resolution of the sensor, GoPro claims this series represents a big upgrade in low-light performance too, with up to 14 stops of dynamic range. This is when using the Quad Bayer mode, which makes four neighbor pixels act like a single, much larger, one.

GoPro says the series is intended for "filmmakers, creators and aspiring enthusiasts," which is much the same as the existing GoPro audience, even if the Mission family does represent a significant shift for the action camera line-up.

Other improvements include 20m water resistance without a case, up from 10m, a larger OLED rear screen and up to 5-hour battery life using the new Enduro 2 battery (1080p/30 capture).

GoPro Mission 1 Pro ILS

These two initial models will be available from May 21, while a Mission 1 Pro ILS edition is due in "Q3 2026." This has a lens mount that takes Micro Four-Thirds lenses, rather than the 15mm equivalent F/2.8 lens built into the Mission 1 and Mission 1 Pro.

One crucial part of the GoPro Mission 1 puzzle is yet to be announced: pricing. This is reportedly thanks to the volatile price of RAM, although with just a month and change until their release, those final details can't be too far off.

This article was originally published on Forbes.com