GoPro HD HERO 960 Review

by Kevin_Fonger · Published February 2, 2011 , 2:58 pm · Updated October 21, 2022 , 7:05 am

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After a couple years of watching people use the GoPro camera’s for activities such as skiing and surfing, I had to break down to see if this camera was worth all the hype. The first time I used it, I seemed to have a little technical difficulty and I was fairly discouraged to use the camera. After a second and third time of using the Hero 960, it had me asking why I didn’t understand it in the first place!

My first experience with the Hero 960 was shooting pictures every 5 seconds while skiing at Vail. It lasted about 3-4 hours and I had a total of a little over 800 pictures. Now most of these pictures weren’t all that great because a lot of the pictures start to look the same. I was however able to get about 20 good shots that were worth keeping. This is nice because typically to get some good shots, I would have to take out my camera and take 20 separate shots. If taking 20 separate shots at different intervals, it would take about 30 minutes. This involves taking your camera out, taking the picture and putting your camera back in your pocket. Now I would much rather spend those 30 minutes finding powder stashes.

The GoPro HD HERO 960 comes with plenty of accessories that allow you to mount the camera on your helmet, surfboard, and other surfaces. There is a curved mount that works great for a rounded helmet and a flat mount that works well for flat surfaces. These mounts use a super sticky 3M adhesive, so you don’t have to worry about loosing the camera. I tested this out while skiing trees and I had no problem with the camera falling off while hitting branches. This camera could however fall off after excessive tree skiing in my mind. The other mount you can use with this camera is a chest mount. I like having an alternative to the helmet cam, so this is a bonus in my book.

The video resolution is the GoPro HD HERO 960 shoots up to 960P which is plenty good for me. My main use for the camera is to get my shots while skiing and check out the films and pictures with friends after the day has ended. If you are looking for a higher resolution, you can upgrade to a GoPro cam that is 1080P.

As I try to be objective as possible in our reviews and find both positives and negatives, I can’t seem to find any cons with the GoPro HD HERO 960. Pair that with a reasonable price tag of $179.99, I highly suggested giving this camera a try!

For more info on the HD HERO 960 and other GoPro products, visit www.gopro.com.

What’s Included:

1 HD HERO 960 camera
1 Rechargeable 1100 mAh Lithium-Ion Battery
1 Waterproof Quick-Release Housing (180′ / 60m)
1 Curved, 3M™ Adhesive Mount
1 Flat, 3M™ Adhesive Mount
1 Helmet Front Mount
1 Headlamp-Style Head Strap
1 Quick-Release Buckle
1 USB Cable
1 Component Video Cable (HDTV)
1 Composite Video Cable + Audio Out Cable
Warranty: One Year

Tech Specs:

Camera Optics

Lens Type: Fixed Focus (2ft/.6m – ∞), glass
Aperture: f/2.8 (high performance in low-light situations)
Angle of View: 170º ultra wide angle in WVGA, 720p, or 960p mode

Video

HD Video Resolution Modes: (subject to change, pending final firmware release)
- 960p = 1280×960 pixels (4:3), 30 fps, 12 Mbit/s data rate
- 720p = 1280×720 pixels (16:9), 30 fps, 8 Mbit/s data rate
- WVGA = 848×480 pixels (16:9), 60 fps, 8 Mbit/s data rate
Sensor Type: 1/2.5″ HD CMOS, 2.2µm-sized pixels
Light Sensitivity: Super low-light sensitivity (>1.4 V/lux-sec)
Video Format: H.264 compression, saved as Windows- & Mac-compatible MPEG4 (.mp4) file
Exposure Control: Auto with user selectable center weighted average and spot metering settings
White Balance: Auto

Audio

Microphone: Built-in, mono with AGC (automatic gain control)
Audio Format: 48 kHz, AAC audio compression

Photo

Resolution: 5 megapixel
Capture Modes: Single shot, photo every 2, 5, 10, 30 or 60 secs.; 3 photo burst; self-timer

Storage

Memory: SD card (SDHC), up to 32GB capacity (not included)
Average recording times (using 32GB SD card):
- 960p (30 fps): 5h 26m
- 720p (30 fps): 8h 09m
- WVGA (60 fps): 8h 09m

Camera Connectors & Cables

PC Connection: USB 2.0 (data connection and battery charging)
HDTV Out: HD NTSC & PAL (component cable incl.)
Audio Out: Combo 2.5mm jack with stereo audio and composite video out
PC Compatibility: Windows® Vista or Windows® 7; Mac OS® X 10.4.11 and later

Power & Battery

Battery Type: Rechargeable 1100 mAh lithium-ion
Battery Life: Approx. 2.5 hrs
Charging: via USB to computer or optional power adapter
Charge Time: 80% capacity after 1 hour with optional power adapter; or 2 hours with a computer’s USB port