GoPro Creator Edition Review: Is it Worth Buying in 2023?
GoPro is renowned for producing durable action cameras that have become synonymous with the product category. However, despite being a small and powerful camera, the GoPro has limitations, especially when it comes to battery life and audio quality. To address these limitations, GoPro has introduced the Creator Edition.
Anyone who has used a GoPro extensively knows that its battery life and audio quality can be problematic. While the camera's audio quality is impressive considering its waterproof nature, it falls short for serious content creation like talking head videos and vlogging. The battery life is also decent for such a small device, but it's still not enough for a full day adventure.
The GoPro Creator Edition is a package that includes a regular GoPro, a Volta battery grip, a wireless remote accessory, a Media Mod case, and an LED light cube. The Volta handle solves the battery issue and adds some wireless controls, while the Media Mod improves the audio with its onboard shotgun mic and audio input port. The addition of the light cube helps improve low light conditions.
So, do these add-ons work well, and is the GoPro Creator Edition worth buying in 2023? The answer is yes. They have greatly improved the camera's versatility, making it more usable for day-to-day filming and adventures where you might not want to bring a bigger camera. However, the image limitations of the GoPro, such as poor low light performance, a fixed focal length lens, and a sharpened image with everything in focus, remain.
The GoPro Volta connects to the camera via a USB-C cable that delivers power and uses Bluetooth to wirelessly connect to the camera. You can use it as a remote shutter while it's not attached to the camera, which is handy. However, there may be some pairing issues, and the battery life gives you only about three extra hours of filming.
Once the camera is inserted into the Media Mod case, it is no longer waterproof, but you gain access to the onboard shotgun microphone, HDMI, mini out port, USB-C port, and 3.5 mm audio jack. While the onboard GoPro microphone without the Media Mod case is impressive, the shotgun microphone integrated into the Media Mod case doesn't seem to make a significant difference in audio quality, in my opinion. Therefore, the 3.5 mm audio jack is essential for getting decent audio into the camera. I have been using the DJI mic system, which I have reviewed and linked below.
When all the components are put together, the tiny GoPro becomes bulkier, but it's still manageable for travel, with the only downside being the cables that stick out from it. It would be great if GoPro could have come up with a more streamlined way of connecting these cables as they currently protrude from the device in a way that could be easily snapped off.
In summary, the GoPro Creator Edition is an excellent solution if you're looking for a small, modular, and versatile camera that you can use in all situations, including action sports or applications where you might want to take it in the water. However, if image quality is more important to you than ruggedness and versatility, you should consider other options.
