GoPro HERO4 Session Review | 96 Data compared

The GoPro Hero4 Session is a compact, cube-shaped action camera that stands out for its small form factor and native waterproofing up to 10 metres without an external housing. It features an incredibly efficient power-saving standby mode that automatically shuts the camera down between recording snippets, pushing the continuous recording battery life slightly past its two-hour specification. On the video front, it supports capture up to 1440p at 30fps and 1080p at 60fps, yielding great results in bright, colorful, and sunny conditions. The camera utilizes a brilliant system of "frame cases" that allows it to be snapped in at any 90-degree rotation, mounted upside down, or set up in a low-profile configuration. It also features reliable auto-rotation to keep the orientation correct prior to filming and relies on a continuous photo mode that captures images at regular intervals (like 1 photo per second). However, the camera has notable limitations, particularly when compared to its larger siblings like the Hero4 Silver or Black. Its image quality is inferior, lacking higher resolutions like 2.7K or 4K, and it struggles significantly in low-light...

The GoPro Hero4 Session review by DPReview highlights a compact, ruggedized cube design that is 50% smaller and 40% lighter than traditional Hero4 models. Key pros include a waterproof build without requiring external housing, a user-friendly one-button control scheme, solid battery life, and excellent audio quality featuring an automated dual-microphone system. The camera delivers decent video with a flat color profile and high dynamic range, making it suitable for mounting in challenging, tight locations. However, the review outlines significant cons, noting that users must rely heavily on a companion smartphone app over Bluetooth and Wi-Fi to adjust most video and time-lapse settings. Further limitations include a sealed, non-removable battery, the lack of a rear-view screen, and inferior overall video and photo quality compared to similarly priced, higher-end GoPro models like the Hero4 Silver.

The GoPro Hero4 Session introduces a major redesign for the action camera brand, shrinking the device into a 1.5-inch, 2.6-ounce cube built for casual shooters. Priced at $399.99, it trades the high-end capabilities of its sibling, the Hero4 Silver, for pure simplicity and ease of use. Its standout features include a native waterproof body down to 33 feet without a bulky external case, and a versatile cubic shape that makes 180-degree mounting angle adjustments painless. Operation is streamlined via a one-button setup and an always-ready "QuickCapture" mode that starts recording from standby in under five seconds. Additionally, its dual-microphone design dramatically improves audio quality and reduces wind noise, even when shooting in wet conditions.

The GoPro Hero 4 Session review highlights a major design shift for the brand, introducing its smallest, lightest cube-shaped camera that is 50% smaller and 40% lighter than its flagship counterparts. A standout feature is its native water resistance up to 33 feet without needing a separate, bulky plastic housing, which significantly improves audio quality as the dual-microphone system remains unmuffled and uses intelligent software to dynamically filter out wind noise. Adrenaline junkies will appreciate its versatile, low-profile mounting options and an intuitive one-button control scheme that instantly boots the device and begins recording video—reaching up to 1440p at 30fps or full HD 1080p at 60fps—or snaps 8-megapixel time-lapse photos with a longer press. Additionally, it features rock-solid phone connectivity via low-energy Bluetooth, allowing it to stretch its standby battery life to an impressive six days. Despite its sleek form factor, the review notes several compromises, primarily its high launch price of $399, which equals the superior-specced Hero 4 Silver but lacks premium features like 4K recording. The minimalist cube design results in very few physical controls, forcing users to...

The GoPro Hero4 Session introduces a highly compact, cube-shaped design that is 50% smaller and 40% lighter than previous HERO4 models, offering excellent versatility for low-profile and multi-angle mounting without requiring external waterproof housing up to 10 metres. It features a simplified, one-button interface that automatically initiates recording or time-lapse captures straight from a powered-down state, alongside an auto-orientation system that keeps footage upright. Video quality remains a major highlight, supporting up to 1440p at 30fps and 1080p at 60fps in the H.264 codec, complete with ProTune settings for advanced control over sharpness and sensitivity. However, the reviewer notes that the device is very expensive compared to its direct market competitors. The ultra-minimalist physical design presents a clear drawback: users must rely almost entirely on the paired iOS or Android smartphone app to adjust core shooting configurations, frame rates, and camera modes. Additionally, the camera suffers from sluggish response times when paired with certain MicroSD cards, and the small settings button on the back of the chassis becomes notoriously difficult to access once the unit is locked inside its skeleton...

The GoPro HERO4 Session is a highly durable, lightweight, square action camera that excels in physical design but suffers from notable performance flaws. On the positive side, its robust, compact body fits easily into tight spaces and withstands drops, making it incredibly resilient. Users will find its lens highly scratch-resistant, the buttons tactile and durable, and the micro-SD card simple to insert or remove. It also features a tight USB connection capable of supporting the camera's weight and provides reliable water resistance. However, the internal battery has a short lifespan, requiring users to carry a power bank on longer bike rides. Filming quality presents several challenges, particularly its slow adjustment to lighting transitions between shade and sun, which creates a jarring flashing effect. To prevent over-saturated footage, the reviewer strongly recommends using a flat color profile with an exposure value of -1 for both day and night filming. The lens also suffers from distortion and cannot be swapped out easily. For audio, the microphone captures severe wind noise, making a DIY wool mic cover essential for usable sound. Lastly, the...

The GoPro Hero4 Session marks a significant design shift as a compact, cube-shaped action camera that is 40% lighter than previous rectangular models like the Hero4 Silver and Black. Its standout features include a rugged, waterproof build capable of submerging up to 10 meters (33 feet) without a separate housing, an innovative dual-microphone system that effectively dampens wind noise, and a highly responsive "QuikCapture" system that powers on and records in under five seconds. Furthermore, its unique symmetrical form factor, paired with versatile mounting frames, allows users to easily orient and secure the camera in tight, low-profile spaces. However, the downsized design introduces notable performance compromises, particularly regarding image quality and convenience. While it delivers vibrant 1080p footage at 60fps in bright settings, the fine details are less sharp compared to the Hero4 Silver, and indoor or low-light shots suffer from noticeable color noise and softer resolution. Additionally, the Session lacks a Micro-HDMI output, relies on an un-swappable built-in battery, and forces users to connect to an external smartphone app or separate remote just to change basic recording settings. Ultimately,...

The GoPro HERO4 Session introduces a compact, symmetrical, cuboidal form factor that drastically changes how the camera can be mounted. Its standout strength is this unique design, which allows for effortless 90-degree rotations within its housing, turning side-mounting onto helmets or car doors into an easy task. Additionally, it is waterproof down to 10 meters out of the box without requiring a separate bulky case, giving users quick access to the charging port and microSD slot. A dual-microphone setup on the front and back helps minimize light breezes for improved general audio quality over older models. However, this structural redesign compromises image quality, usability, and flexibility. The video output lacks a flat color profile, resulting in overly contrasty, soft, and muddy fine details, alongside a hazy look caused by highlight bleed. It is missing a dedicated screen, an external mic input, and an HDMI output, forcing users to rely heavily on a smartphone or external remote for basic setting changes. Physical control is further hindered by flush record and tiny menu buttons that cannot be felt or pressed while wearing...

The GoPro Hero 4 Session is a highly compact, lightweight, and case-free action camera that excels at capturing unique angles due to its sleek design and durable, rubber-like waterproof coating. Tested during a week of snowboarding in the Austrian Alps and mountain biking in the Netherlands, the camera stood out for its low-profile mounting frames and an auto-orientation feature that automatically rotates video footage. It delivers crisp 1080p video quality at 60fps with balanced colours, alongside clear audio driven by a dual-microphone system that actively suppresses wind noise. Additionally, its single, top-mounted button offers a highly intuitive user experience by automatically powering down the camera once recording stops, effectively saving battery life. However, the review highlights notable drawbacks, primarily concerning camera operation and software performance. Due to its miniaturised size and the absence of a proper LCD screen, users cannot easily navigate menus on the device and must rely on a smartphone app to change any settings. Furthermore, the camera froze on multiple occasions during testing. Because the unit features an internal, non-removable battery, the reviewer could not simply pull...

However, the review does touch upon a few minor cons and limitations inherent to the design. Because of its tiny layout, the camera relies on a very small top display, meaning users must toggle settings using a small button on the back rather than a full display screen. The reviewer notes that while the camera shoots high-quality ultrawide footage up to 1440p resolution, professional filmmakers might find a con in the lack of 4K filming, which is reserved for the larger, more expensive Hero 4 Black and Silver models. Finally, the design creates small gaps between the glass lens and plastic housing, which can trap mud and force users to manually scrape it out with a safety pin if left to dry. Despite these niche drawbacks, the review concludes that the Hero 4 Session is a stellar, user-friendly purchase for both novices and veteran action camera users alike.

The GoPro HERO4 Session is a highly durable, 71-gram cube-shaped action camera praised by Hendrik Morkel for its extreme ease of use and minimalist design. Its standout features include a straightforward user interface and a single-button control system that starts recording video with a single click, or captures timelapses when held down for three seconds. Designed for rugged environments, the camera is waterproof up to 10 meters without a bulky external housing, and it survives accidental drops against rock walls or submersion in saltwater. Additionally, its impressive battery management delivers up to two weeks of intermittent trail use on a single charge—spanning roughly 60 short video clips and 5 timelapses. When paired with the official smartphone app via Wi-Fi or Bluetooth, users can seamlessly adjust settings, preview framing, and quickly export crisp 1080p video files to social media. Despite these clear strengths, the reviewer highlights a few explicit constraints when using the device for professional work. While the 1080p video quality is beautifully saturated and perfect for online blogs or social platforms, the limited sensor capability makes the standalone photos...

The GoPro Hero4 Session is a compact, cube-shaped action camera that is 50% smaller and 40% lighter than the traditional Hero4 Black, making it highly aerodynamic and comfortable for head-mounting. A major standout feature is its native waterproofing up to 10 metres without needing an external housing, which vastly improves audio quality by allowing the dual-microphone system to dynamically switch and reduce wind noise. It features simple one-touch controls to record 1080p video at 60fps or 1440p at 30fps, and a post-launch firmware update enables users to change settings directly on the camera rather than relying solely on the smartphone companion app. Following an official price drop to £160 (and lower on deal updates), it serves as an affordable, user-friendly entry point or secondary point-of-view camera. The camera provides several notable benefits, but it also carries distinct hardware limitations. The primary pros include its lightweight, pocketable design, a lower price tag, native waterproofing, and an included versatile ball-joint mount for flexible adjustments. However, the cons highlight a lack of 4K video recording, no built-in image stabilisation, and disappointing, noisy video...