GoPro

Type: Action camera manufacturer
Founded: 2002 (by Nicholas Woodman; originally based in Half Moon Bay, California; later relocated to San Mateo)
Key products: HERO series action cameras, 3D HERO System, Karma drone, Omni/Odyssey VR arrays, GoPro CineForm codec, GoPro App
Stock: NASDAQ: GPRO (IPO 2014)

Overview

GoPro is an American consumer electronics company that revolutionized underwater video by making high-quality action cameras accessible and affordable. While not a traditional underwater photography company, GoPro’s waterproof HERO cameras became the most widely used underwater video devices in the world by the early 2010s, fundamentally changing who could shoot underwater footage.

The company’s impact on the Wetpixel community was significant but complex. Serious underwater photographers initially dismissed the tiny fixed-lens cameras, but by 2012-2013, GoPro’s video quality, ecosystem of accessories (flat ports, filters, housings from third parties), and sheer ubiquity made them impossible to ignore. GoPro drove the democratization of underwater video in the same way the Canon Digital Rebel had democratized underwater stills photography in 2003. As reviewer Steve Douglas noted, the GoPro “immediately filled a niche for a great many people who would probably have not gotten into video or whose budgets simply didn’t allow for it” (^[1]).

GoPro’s inventor Nicholas Woodman described the GoPro as a “proactive” device — something requiring thought and setup prior to an event, as opposed to “reactive” devices like smartphones. This philosophy shaped the camera’s mounting-centric design and its massive accessory ecosystem (^[2]).

The Underwater Focus Problem

A central challenge for GoPro cameras underwater was that the standard housing’s tiny built-in dome port was too small to allow the camera’s lens to focus sharply in water. As Eric Cheng documented in his 2012 housing round-up, “it’s become common knowledge in the SCUBA diving community that a flat-port lens is necessary for sharp videos and still pictures. I’ve met many topside cameramen who have gone underwater with standard GoPro housings, only to discover that all of their footage is blurry” (^[3]).

This created a thriving aftermarket ecosystem. Eye of Mine produced the first flat-port housing ($79), followed by Backscatter with their Custom GoPro Underwater Housing ($119 with glass lens and removable filter mount), and eventually GoPro’s own Dive Housing ($49.99) with a large rectangular glass flat lens rated to 197ft/60m. However, GoPro’s first-party dive housing initially lacked filter compatibility, leaving third-party manufacturers to fill that gap (^[4]).

The focus issue also limited underwater use of the GoPro’s wide field of view. While GoPro cameras offered 151 degrees FOV in air, refraction reduced this to approximately 94 degrees in water. Companies like Inon later developed semi-fisheye conversion lenses to restore most of this lost FOV underwater (^[5]).

Third-Party Housing Ecosystem

GoPro’s popularity spawned a substantial third-party housing industry, with manufacturers ranging from budget accessories to professional-grade aluminum housings rated to extreme depths:

Early Housings (2011-2012)

• Eye of Mine — First flat-port housing for GoPro, available with and without filter, including a 3D version ($149) that was the only flat-port 3D solution without vignetting at full wide (^[6])
• Backscatter — Custom GoPro Underwater Housing ($119) with glass lens and removable filter mount; also a 3D underwater housing ($199). Later developed the Flip filter system for color correction, including the Flip-Up Color Correction Filter for GoPro Dive Housings and Flip 3.1 for HERO3 (^[7])
• UK-Germany — Machined aluminum housing with 100m depth rating (€420/$598), first dedicated aluminum GoPro housing for underwater use. Community reaction was that the price was too high for an action camera housing (^[8])
• Snake River Prototyping (BlurFix) — CNC-machined aluminum adapter placing a flat 55mm filter in front of the GoPro housing’s dome lens, solving the underwater focus issue for $75 (self-install) or $130 (pre-mounted). Also produced the Dome color correction filter (^[9], ^[10])
• Hero Armor — Milled aluminum and stainless steel housing with quartz crystal optics, launched via Kickstarter (^[11])

Professional Housings (2013-2023)

• Hugyfot — Aluminum housing for HERO3 (€499, from March 2013) with external battery pack extending use to 6 hours, external monitor via HDMI, and external microphone capability. Later produced the Vision Xs for HERO 8 with integrated HD IPS monitor with peaking/focus assist, histogram, and zebras, rated to 150m (^[12], ^[13])
• ReCSea/Seatool — Aluminum housing for HERO3/3+ with 200m (650ft) depth rating and secure-latch locking mechanism. Later offered housings for HERO5-7 with depth ratings from 300m to 3000m (^[14], ^[15])
• DeepPro — GPH3 housing ($1,295) with dome port that restored full in-air FOV underwater, reduced minimum focus to 6 inches, and had HDMI bulkhead for external monitor/recorder, rated to 100m (^[16])
• Subal — GO 5 aluminum housing for HERO 5 with 300m (985ft) depth rating and adapter for Subal dome ports (€599) (^[17])
• Isotta — Red aluminum housings for HERO7, HERO8, rated to 200m with double O-ring seals and flat glass lens (^[18], ^[19])
• Easydive/Carbonarm — 250m rated aluminum housing for HERO 8 with double O-ring seals, prepared for external battery, vacuum system, and remote control (€318.85). Also developed the Comby system combining GoPro with Android smartphone for external monitoring and Wi-Fi control (^[20], ^[21])
• Anglerfish — Custom 1000m (3300ft) housing for HERO 9, constructed from 7075 T6 aircraft aluminum, designed for deep-sea remote deployment with M14 bulkheads for HDMI, power, and control cables. 3000m version available on request. Later released the GP9-F750 housing with Sony NP-750 battery providing 6-7 hours of recording time (^[22], ^[23])
• AOI — UH-GP “Signature Series” housing announced in 2023, developed in collaboration with underwater videographer Kay Burn Lim, featuring integrated screen, battery, and lens port, compatible with GoPro 9/10/11/12 (forum thread, ^[24])

Accessory Ecosystem

Mounting Systems

• ULCS (Ultralight Control Systems) — Ball mount cage and AD-GO adapter (2010), providing professional mounting options for attaching GoPro to DSLR housings. Later released a polecam system ($30) and pan fitting (^[25], ^[26])
• Ikelite — Steady Tray ($45), Pistol Grip ($15), handles, SLR housing mount kit, quick-release kit, and lighting accessories for GoPro (2014) (^[27])
• KNECT — KSD6 6-inch dome port for GoPro 3+/4 ($299.99), increasing FOV by over 30% and improving minimum focus by nearly 50%, enabling split-level (over/under) photography previously requiring thousands of dollars of equipment (^[28])

Lens and Filter Systems

• Inon — Comprehensive GoPro accessory system including the SD Cage Mount, UFL-G140 SD Semi-fisheye Conversion Lens (restoring underwater FOV to near in-air levels), UCL-G165 SD Wide Close-up Lens (reducing minimum focus to 1.6 inches on HERO3+/4), color filter sets for HERO3-5 (pink/orange/red for green water, shallow, and deep respectively), SD Front Masks for HERO5-9, M67 filter adapter, and selfie-stick adaptors (^[29], ^[30], ^[31], ^[32], ^[33], ^[34])
• Light & Motion — Nightsea Flip3 fluorescence filter for HERO3 ($99), enabling fluorescence photography/video when used with Sola Nightsea blue LED light. Also launched the Sidekick companion light (600 lumens) for GoPro via Kickstarter in 2015 (^[35], ^[36])

Software

• CrumplePop — HDR for GoPro and Fisheye Fixer plug-ins for Final Cut Pro, designed to improve GoPro footage quality in post-production by enhancing detail, contrast, and correcting lens distortion (^[37])
• Leak Insure GoStrips — Desiccant sachets specifically sized for GoPro housings to reduce fogging and protect against minor leaks (^[38])

Product Timeline

2010: Early Underwater Use

• 2010-09: Eric Cheng posts GoPro HERO underwater shark footage from the Wetpixel Bahamas goliath grouper, sharks and dolphins expedition, shot with a modified Eye of Mine housing — among the earliest documented underwater GoPro use on Wetpixel (^[39])
• 2010-10: Eric Cheng’s “Shark Bite GoPro” film released as a DiveFilm HD podcast on iTunes, reaching #1 Sports & Recreation Video Podcast (^[40])
• 2010-12: ULCS releases GoPro HD Ball mount cage and AD-GO adapter, first debuted at DEMA 2010 — the third-party underwater accessory ecosystem begins (^[41])

2011: Expansion and 3D

• 2011-01: 3D expansion kit for GoPro HERO cameras announced at CES, combining two HD HERO cameras into a synchronized 1080p 3D system (^[42])
• 2011-02: BacPac LCD screen launches ($79.99) — first detachable LCD monitor for GoPro, enabling shot composition and playback; the first in a planned line of expansion modules (^[43])
• 2011-03: Steve Douglas publishes Wetpixel review of GoPro HERO HD LCD BacPac, noting it solved the camera’s composition problem but drew more power from the battery (^[44])
• 2011-04: GoPro acquires CineForm, a professional video compression and workflow company renowned for its CineForm 444 Codec used in Hollywood productions including the Oscar-winning Slumdog Millionaire. CineForm became a division of GoPro, with the codec renamed “GoPro CineForm” (^[45])
• 2011-04: 3D HERO System ships ($99.99) — the world’s smallest 1080p 3D camera, waterproof to 180ft (60m). Eric Cheng publishes the first user review on Noodletron, noting the underwater limitation: “the standard GoPro housing is waterproof to 180 feet, but it won’t focus underwater” (^[46], ^[47])
• 2011-07: UK-Germany releases first dedicated aluminum underwater housing for GoPro HERO with 100m depth rating (€420/$598) (^[48])
• 2011-08: Snake River Prototyping releases BlurFix adapter, solving the underwater focus issue by placing a flat 55mm filter in front of the housing’s dome lens (^[49])
• 2011-08: GoPro HERO used in UK-Germany housing to film Alon Rivkind’s Israeli free diving record attempt at 100 meters (^[50])
• 2011-10: 48-camera GoPro array used for Rip Curl surf advertisement, shooting 720p at 60fps synchronized, demonstrating creative potential beyond individual cameras (^[51])
• 2011-10: HD HERO2 announced — 11MP sensor, 2x processing power, redesigned wide-angle lens, 1080p30, 720p60, 10fps burst mode ($299.99) (^[52])
• 2011-12: GoPro HERO2 underwater tests from Tahiti published by Fabrice Charleux, with Wetpixel publisher Eric Cheng making a cameo. Conclusion: “GoPro HD Hero 2 definitely rocks!” with BlurFix recommended as “the best housing modification” (^[53])

2012: Professional Ambitions

• 2012-04: GoPro partners with Technicolor to incorporate CineStyle color profile into Protune firmware for HERO2, announced at NAB 2012. Added 24fps, 35Mbps data rate, neutral color profile, and log curve encoding — enabling professional post-production workflows (^[54])
• 2012-05: Eric Cheng publishes comprehensive GoPro underwater housing round-up comparing Eye of Mine, Backscatter, and GoPro’s own Dive Housing (^[55])
• 2012-05: Backscatter announces Flip-Up Color Correction Filter for GoPro Dive Housing — addressing the first-party housing’s lack of filter compatibility (^[56])
• 2012-05: GoPro marketing features free diving at Tiger Beach with Italian model Roberta Mancino and pro surfer Mark Healy; footage by Andy and Emma Casagrande using HERO2 cameras (^[57])
• 2012-09: Steve Douglas publishes Wetpixel review of GoPro HERO2, comparing it favorably against competitor POV cams, noting superior low-light performance and new menu system (^[58])
• 2012-10: Protune firmware update finally ships for HERO2, adding 35Mbps data rate for less compressed footage. Wetpixel Senior Moderator Paul Wags suggests the higher data rate enhances blue water shots (^[59])
• 2012-10: HERO3 unveiled — 30% smaller, 25% lighter, Black edition captures 4K at 15fps, 1080p60, 720p120. Three tiers: Black ($399), Silver ($299), White ($199). Standard housing now includes “Dive Lens” (^[60])
• 2012-11: First underwater 360-degree video created using multiple GoPro HERO2 cameras in a custom housing (forum thread, ^[61])

2013: Accessory Explosion

• 2013-01: CrumplePop releases HDR for GoPro and Fisheye Fixer plug-ins for Final Cut Pro (^[62])
• 2013-01: Hugyfot announces aluminum housing for HERO3 with 6-hour battery pack, external monitor, and external microphone (€499) (^[63])
• 2013-03: Light & Motion announces Nightsea Flip3 fluorescence filter for HERO3 ($99) (^[64])
• 2013-10: HERO3+ released — 20% smaller, 30% better battery life, sharper lens, SuperView mode, Auto Low Light. Black $399.99, Silver $299.99 (^[65])
• 2013-10: ReCSea announces 200m-rated aluminum housing for HERO3/3+ (^[66])

2014: HERO4 and Professional Recognition

• 2014-01: Ikelite launches full line of GoPro accessories including Steady Tray, Pistol Grip, and lighting mounts (^[67])
• 2014-03: DeepPro releases $1,295 dome-ported housing for HERO3/3+ with professional video features (^[68])
• 2014-05: Hugyfot announces external monitor for GoPro HERO3/3+ with 3x the screen area of the LCD BacPac and underwater brightness/contrast controls (^[69])
• 2014-09: Inon releases GoPro lens system including the UFL-G140 SD Semi-fisheye and UCL-G165 SD Wide Close-up Lens with SD Cage Mount, first shown at ADEX 2014 (^[70])
• 2014-09: HERO4 released — Black features 4K30, 2.7K50, 1080p120 with custom GP1 processor and Protune manual controls (Color, Sharpness, ISO Limit, Exposure). Silver includes built-in touchscreen. HERO budget model at $129. Prices: Black $499, Silver $399 (^[71])
• 2014-10: Elementary school teacher Amanda Brewer captures the most viral GoPro photo to date — a Great White Shark emerging from the water in Mossel Bay, South Africa. Selected as GoPro’s Photo of the Day and used to promote shark preservation (^[72])
• 2014-11: The BentProp Project collaborates with GoPro, using GoPro-equipped drones and underwater cameras to locate and identify downed WWII aircraft in Palau waters, working with Scripps Institution of Oceanography (^[73])
• 2014-12: GoPro: Professional Guide to Filmmaking published by Bradford Schmidt and Brandon Thompson (senior GoPro media employees), reviewed by Wetpixel. The book emphasized that GoPros are a “system camera” whose output depends as much on mounting as on technical settings (^[74])

2015: Form Factor Innovation

• 2015-01: HERO4 firmware update adds 720p240fps and 2.7K60fps to Black edition, plus timelapse video and 30/6 burst photo modes (^[75])
• 2015-01: Light & Motion launches Sidekick companion light for GoPro via Kickstarter — 600 lumens, waterproof to 200ft, designed as ultimate GoPro accessory (^[76])
• 2015-01: Adam Hanlon publishes Wetpixel field review of Inon’s GoPro accessory system, detailing how the conversion lenses solved GoPro’s limited close focusing (minimum 12 inches on HERO2/3, 8 inches on HERO3+/4) and narrow underwater FOV (^[77])
• 2015-06: HERO+ LCD announced with touchscreen and in-camera video trimming ($299.99) (^[78])
• 2015-07: HERO4 Session released — 50% smaller, 40% lighter, waterproof to 33ft (10m) without housing, one-button control, dual microphone system ($399.99) (^[79])
• 2015-07: GoPro announces plans for a mobile video editing app, acknowledging that the “many hours of sea sickness inducing underwater video” being published indicated users were not editing their footage effectively (^[80])
• 2015-09: HERO+ released without LCD at lower $199.99 price point, rounding out a six-camera lineup from $129.99 to $499.99 (^[81])
• 2015-10: KNECT releases KSD6 6-inch dome port for GoPro ($299.99), enabling split-level (over/under) photography previously requiring thousands of dollars of equipment (^[82])

2016: VR and Drones

• 2016-03: Inon announces SD Front Mask STD lens mount for GoPro housings, compatible with HERO4, HERO3+, HERO, HERO+, and HERO+ LCD (^[83])
• 2016-03: Inon releases color filter set (pink/orange/red) for GoPro HERO3/3+/4 (^[84])
• 2016-04: GoPro debuts Omni (6-camera) and Odyssey (16-camera) VR spherical arrays at NAB 2016, offering end-to-end spherical capture, stitching, and publishing solutions (^[85])
• 2016-09: HERO5 Black and Session announced — waterproof to 33ft (10m) without housing, electronic image stabilization, voice control, GoPro Plus cloud subscription. Black $399.99. Community noted disappointment that 4K remained limited to 30fps (^[86], ^[87])
• 2016-09: Karma drone announced ($799) in a wearable backpack with controller, stabilizer, and grip (^[88])
• 2016-11: GoPro recalls all 2,500 Karma drones after discovering some units lose power mid-flight. Stock had already fallen dramatically from $80 to $10 per share since October (^[89])

2017: Recovery and HERO6

• 2017-01: Subal announces GO 5 aluminum housing for HERO 5 with 300m depth rating (€599) (^[90])
• 2017-04: GoPro launches “TradeUp” program offering $100 off HERO5 Black or $50 off Session for trading in any older GoPro in any condition. U.S. only (^[91])
• 2017-07: Inon ships SD Front Mask for HERO5, enabling use of their conversion lens system with the dive housing (^[92])
• 2017-09: HERO6 Black announced — custom GP1 processor, 4K60, 1080p240, advanced stabilization, improved dynamic range and low light. Also launched Fusion VR cam. Priced at $499.99 (^[93])

2018: HyperSmooth Revolution

• 2018-03: Entry-level HERO (2018) announced at $199 with 1440p, 1080p60, 10MP stills, image stabilization, and 2-inch touchscreen. Waterproof to 30ft (10m) (^[94])
• 2018-09: HERO7 Black announced with HyperSmooth stabilization (described as “the best in-camera video stabilization ever”), TimeWarp video, and live streaming capability. Three tiers: Black $399, Silver $299, White $199 (^[95])
• 2018-10: Isotta ships 200m-rated aluminum housing for HERO7 (€450) (^[96])

2019: HERO8 and Modularity

• 2019-03: Easydive ships Comby system combining GoPro in Carbonarm housing with Android smartphone for external monitoring and Wi-Fi control (^[97])
• 2019-07: ReCSea/Seatool offers housings for HERO5-7 with depth ratings from 300m to 3000m (^[98])
• 2019-10: HERO8 Black announced with HyperSmooth 2.0, TimeWarp 2.0, four digital lenses, folding mounting fingers (frameless design), and modular Mods system (Media Mod, Display Mod, Light Mod). Also MAX 360 camera. HERO8 Black $399, MAX $499 (^[99])
• 2019-11: Forum reviewer Ken Kurtis publishes detailed HERO7 assessment noting superior image quality over HERO4 but frustration that touchscreen controls are inaccessible inside dive housing — “as soon as you put the camera into the housing, you lose all of that fabulous flexibility” (^[100])
• 2019-12: Easydive/Carbonarm ships 250m-rated housing for HERO 8 (€318.85) (^[101])

2020-2022: 5K and Beyond

• 2020-03: Isotta announces 200m housing for HERO 8 Black with red and magenta filter accessories (€450) (^[102])
• 2020-05: Hugyfot announces Vision Xs housing for HERO 8 with integrated HD IPS monitor featuring peaking, focus assist, histogram, and zebras, rated to 150m (^[103])
• 2020-09: HERO9 ships — new sensor with 5K video, 20MP stills, HyperSmooth 3.0, front-facing display, 30% longer battery, Max Lens Mod accessory. $449.99 ($349.98 with subscription). GoPro Plus renamed simply “GoPro” reflecting subscription’s centrality (^[104])
• 2020-12: Inon announces Front Masks for HERO8 and HERO9, plus M67 filter adapter for variable red filter (^[105])
• 2021-02: Inon ships GoPro selfie-stick adaptor and SD Front Masks/M67 mounts for HERO8/9 (^[106])
• 2021-06: Anglerfish announces 1000m housing for HERO 9 (3000m available on request) for deep-sea remote deployment (^[107])
• 2021-09: HERO10 ships — new GP2 processor, 5.3K60, 4K120, 2.7K240, 23MP stills, HyperSmooth 4.0, cloud-connected auto-upload. $399.98 with subscription (^[108])
• 2022-09: HERO11 ships in three versions (Black, Creator Edition, Mini) — larger sensor, 10-bit color video, new HyperView ultra-wide FOV, HyperSmooth 5.0, 360-degree horizon lock. Automatic highlight videos sent to phone via GoPro Quik app. $399.98-$579.98 with subscription (^[109])
• 2022-10: Anglerfish announces GP9-F750 housing for GoPro 9/10/11 with Sony NP-750 battery for 6-7 hours recording and sapphire crystal AR-coated lens (^[110])

Community Discussion

GoPro was one of the most discussed topics on the Wetpixel forums, spanning dedicated threads on gear selection, accessories, underwater technique, and comparison with traditional camera systems:

• GoPro Hero 3 Black, Surprise, it’s decent (8 replies) — Community member ronscuba demonstrates HERO3 Black quality shooting at 2.7K resolution in Belize, concluding the $400 camera produced “decent video” despite not matching professional systems like the Sony FX7 with Gates housing (forum thread, ^[111])
• First Underwater 360 Video with GoPros (11 replies) — Brian demonstrates a pioneering custom multi-camera GoPro HERO2 housing for underwater 360-degree video in 2012 (forum thread, ^[112])
• GoPro HERO5 underwater (11 replies) — Community disappointment that HERO5 still topped out at 4K30fps, same as HERO4; “After 2 years they should have been able to do better with the image quality and video options” (forum thread, ^[113])
• GoPro HERO7 Thoughts (12 replies) — Detailed real-world assessment by Ken Kurtis comparing HERO7 to HERO4, praising image quality improvement but criticizing loss of controls inside dive housing (forum thread, ^[114])
• Stepping up from GoPro 11 (9 replies) — User seeking to upgrade beyond GoPro 11 for underwater video, illustrating GoPro’s role as an entry point into the hobby before stepping up to mirrorless systems (forum thread, ^[115])
• AOI UH-GP GoPro housing announced (16 replies) — Community excitement about AOI’s “Signature Series” housing with integrated monitor, battery, and lens port for GoPro 9-12 (forum thread, ^[116])

Industry Impact

GoPro’s democratization of underwater video paralleled and extended the digital photography revolution. As Wetpixel’s review of the GoPro Professional Guide to Filmmaking noted, “GoPro HERO cameras have changed the way that people capture moving pictures. The price point, simplicity and quality of footage that these devices can output has ‘democratized’ video capture and put filmmaking into the hands of people who simply would not have been interested or able to create films prior to their arrival. This has certainly been the case with underwater video, as GoPros almost seem to be a standard item of divers’ equipment” (^[117]).

By 2013, GoPro noted that “an average of three GoPro ‘tagged’ videos are uploaded to YouTube every minute” (^[118]). The cameras found use not only in recreational diving but in scientific research (BentProp Project WWII aircraft recovery in Palau, working with Scripps Institution of Oceanography) (^[119]), free diving record attempts (^[120]), deep-sea exploration (Anglerfish housings rated to 3000m) (^[121]), and professional broadcast production (Emmy Award for contributions to filmmaking) (^[122]).

References