GoPro's new Hero 5 action cameras make it easier to create epic videos

SQUAW VALLEY, CA — GoPro, maker of the world's most popular action cameras, is cranking things up to 11.

The California-based technology company on Monday announced two new action cameras — the Hero 5 Black and Hero 5 Session — that are designed to make it even easier for extreme sports athletes and enthusiasts to capture, edit and share footage. The cameras will be available on Oct. 2.

SEE ALSO: GoPro finally shows off its foldable Karma drone, and it's super sleek

GoPro also unveiled a new cloud-based subscription service called GoPro Plus, which works seamlessly with the new Hero 5 and Hero 5 Session cameras. 

Image: GoPro

Image: GoPro

With GoPro Plus, Hero 5 and Hero 5 Session users can automatically upload their photos and videos to the cloud when the devices are plugged into power and connected to Wi-Fi.  

The cloud service is a long time coming. During the introduction of the Hero 4 Session last year, GoPro CEO Nick Woodman stressed the importance of software tools that would let GoPro users easily create content with all of the footage they captured.

The idea behind GoPro Plus was to remove the friction between the different steps of shooting, editing and sharing. Woodman said users shouldn't have to spend time downloading their pictures and video for editing — the process should just work in the background. GoPro Plus appears to be the solution he was looking for.

The service also has other perks, including access to a library of music for editing, 20 percent off accessories from GoPro.com, exclusive access to GoPro apparel and premium technical support.

Image: GoPro

The service will cost $4.99 per month in the U.S. after a free trial. It'll be available in other countries in 2017.

But, of course, GoPro is a hardware company, and it's where it is today because its action cameras are the gold standard. The two new Hero 5 action cameras look to continue that excellence with new designs and features.

Hero 5 Black 

The Hero 5 Black is the new top-of-the-line GoPro. It features an integrated waterproof design (up to 33 feet) and simplified controls via a 2-inch touchscreen on the back.

The device captures video at up to 4K resolution at 30 frames per second and takes 12-megapixel photos — with electronic video stabilization for less shaky footage. There's a new built-in GPS (finally) and stereo audio recording with wind-noise reduction.

Additionally, there are voice commands for hands-free operation, with support for seven languages.  You can say a command like “GoPro turn on” to power on the camera, “GoPro start video” to start recording or “that was sick” to add a highlight tag (a tagged clip, usually of notable moment within your footage) to a video.

And in case you were wondering: Yes, the Hero 5 Black works with all existing GoPro mounts and accessories.

Hero 5 Session

Image: RAYMOND WONG/MASHABLE

Consumers didn't exactly embrace the Hero 4 Session and as a result, GoPro was forced to issue several price drops after its launch.

On the surface, the Hero 5 Session looks exactly like the Hero 4. The camera's insides, however, are all new. In fact, the Hero 5 Session is exactly what the Hero 4 Session should have been.

Like the Hero 5 Black, the Hero 5 Sessions can record up to 4K at 30 frames per second. Still photos are lower at 10 megapixels, but still respectable.

It also includes most of the Hero 5 Black's impressive feature set, including the electronic video stabilization, waterproofing down to 33 feet and voice controls, and works with existing GoPro mounts and accessories.

Connecting to Karma

Another similarity both new Hero 5 cameras share is the ability to be mounted onto GoPro's just-announced Karma drone for aerial shots.