GoPro Mission 1 Pro Review: The Best Action Camera You Can Buy

GoPro shook up the action camera world earlier this year, announcing the Mission 1 series of cameras, offering 8K video and the biggest image sensor you can get in an action camera. The Mission 1 series is now here, and after spending several months shooting with it on bikes, paddleboards, sailboats, zip lines, and more, I can say with confidence that this is the best action camera you can buy.

The Mission 1 Pro offers sharp, clear 8K footage with class-leading color-accurate video, excellent dynamic range, and great low-light performance (a place where other GoPro's have struggled). And they're every bit as waterproof, durable, and capable as you'd expect from a GoPro. The downside is that the $699 price also makes this the most expensive action camera you can buy, meaning it's not necessarily the GoPro for everyone.

A Pro-Level GoPro

Anyone who has ever tuned in for a GoPro earnings call (could be just me) knows that GoPro has long wanted to make a camera aimed at cinema professionals. That's what the Mission 1 series is—it's the Hero camera but with video quality that can be mixed with cinema-level cameras. There are three Mission 1 cameras, the entry level Mission 1, the slightly better Mission 1 Pro, and the Mission 1 Pro ILS, which uses interchangeable lenses based on the Micro Four Thirds mount. The ILS is the model that pro filmmakers will probably be most drawn to, while the other two cameras, while still chock-full of features for pros, will appeal to the original GoPro audience—those of us looking for a tough camera that can withstand just about any adventure.

The ILS model hasn't been released, but both the Mission 1 and Mission 1 Pro are available today. I've been testing the latter for several months. The differences between the Pro and non-Pro models are minimal, mostly in terms of frame rates that are available to each. Generally speaking the Pro can shoot higher frame rates and is better for slow-motion footage.