{"id":371,"date":"2026-06-12T04:16:59","date_gmt":"2026-06-12T04:16:59","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/longhaulmovingpros.com\/?p=371"},"modified":"2026-06-12T04:16:59","modified_gmt":"2026-06-12T04:16:59","slug":"gopro-mission-1-pro-review-the-best-gopro-just-not-the-best-camera","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/longhaulmovingpros.com\/?p=371","title":{"rendered":"GoPro Mission 1 Pro Review: The Best GoPro, Just Not the Best Camera"},"content":{"rendered":"
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When you tell me your GoPro costs $700 ($600 for GoPro subscribers), you need to give me more than just another action camera. Unfortunately, for the brand that started the idea of mountable, rugged fixed-lens cameras, the Mission 1 Pro is still<\/em> just another GoPro.<\/p>

Read more How to Watch South Korea vs Czechia Free\u00a0? 2026 World Cup Live Stream<\/a><\/p>\n

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From the get-go, GoPro positioned the Mission 1 Pro as not just a larger alternative to a Hero 13 Black, but a \u201ccompact cinematic camera system,\u201d promising to be an alternative to some less-durable, professional-ready cameras, like a Blackmagic Pocket Cinema Camera. I have no doubt a high-end videographer may have use for the Mission 1 Pro, but if you\u2019re only flooding your Instagram feed with your latest snowboarding adventure, do you really need one that\u2019s \u201cpro\u201d-level? Probably not.<\/p>

4<\/span> <\/div> <\/div>

GoPro Mission 1 Pro<\/p>

The Mission 1 Pro takes the best footage of any action camera currently available. It’s just not a perfect camera otherwise.<\/p>

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Pros<\/p> <\/div>

  • Excellent action camera video quality <\/li>
  • A bevy of slow-mo modes <\/li>
  • Easy “open gate” shooting options <\/li>
  • Solid battery life <\/li> <\/ul> <\/div>
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    Cons<\/p> <\/div>

    • RAW photos limited to wide <\/li>
    • Slow photo processing <\/li>
    • Pricey for an action camera <\/li> <\/ul> <\/div> <\/div> <\/div> <\/div>

      That being said, is the Mission 1 Pro a good GoPro? Oh, hell yes it is. It\u2019s easily the best action camera experience I\u2019ve had\u2014which it should, considering it costs close to $300 more than a DJI Osmo Action 6 or a Hero 13 Black. You just won\u2019t use it for anything that you\u2019re not already using your old GoPro Hero for. One day, our action cameras may be good enough that I can leave my other shooters at home, but today is not that day.<\/p>\n

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      Mission 1 Pro basics<\/h2>

      GoPro is emphasizing the \u201cpro\u201d in the Mission 1 Pro\u2019s name. It\u2019s bigger, though not much heavier than a previous Hero Black 13 at 207g (0.45 pounds) compared to 157g (0.34 pounds). Does that make much of a difference when carrying it around? Not really. The weight is an acceptable compromise when it has features like a 2.59-inch rear OLED touchscreen, a 1.4-inch LCD front display, and improved shooting capabilities.<\/p>\n

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      Compared to the Hero 13 Black\u2019s 27-megapixel 1\/1.9-inch sensor, the Mission 1 Pro has a larger 50-megapixel 1-inch sensor that can capture 8K at 60 fps or 4K at a tremendous 240 fps. A similarly sized, $390 Insta360 Ace Pro 2 maxes out at 8K and 30 fps. Even better for videographers is the promise of an easy-to-access 4:3 aspect ratio \u201copen gate\u201d recording mode, which not only lets you squeeze more into the frame but also allows for greater cropping flexibility for horizontal, vertical, and square content.<\/p>

      The Mission 1 Pro has more options in its audio repertoire as well. There are three separate built-in mics with features that reduce the buffeting effect of wind. The sound is better than on a Hero 13 Black, but the real trick is its support for USB-C microphone setups, like a DJI Mic 3 or a Mic Mini. GoPro also has its own Wireless Mic Complete Kit coming soon that doesn\u2019t require any adapter to plug in.<\/p>\n

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      If you\u2019ve used any GoPro or similarly shaped camera in the past, you\u2019ll know exactly what to expect. There\u2019s more going on inside that makes the Mission 1 Pro more appealing.<\/p>

      All the video options you need<\/h2>

      Even if you\u2019re just using the automatic, out-of-box settings, the video you can get from a Mission 1 Pro is immediately impressive once you get to play it back on your computer. I\u2019d even go so far as to say the image quality matches the $700 price point. I found the HDR content seemed superior compared to the past DJI Osmo Action 5 Pro, and it has far better low-light capture than the Hero 13 Black. The improved low-light video performance is primarily thanks to its large 1-inch sensor, its f\/2.8 aperture, and GoPro\u2019s new GP3 chip.<\/p>

      The increased detail I noticed in video footage is also due to the new 240Mbps max bit rate you can get, even when shooting at 4K or 8K. And if you\u2019re above an amateur level, you can also edit videos with GoPro\u2019s new GP-Log 2 color range, which will let you color grade for more real-life tones. I found GoPro\u2019s color grading seemed more true-to-life and less cartoonish than D-LOG M LUT on a camera like the DJI Osmo 360.<\/p>\n

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