It’s an odd-looking accessory; essentially, the new GoPro Media Module is a cage that clips around the camera and extends its functionality.
Full details of the GoPro Hero8 Black have been released, check out the details in our new post GoPro Hero8 Black: price, specs, release date confirmed. You can buy the GoPro Hero8 Black at retailers such as Adorama, B&H Photo Video, Park Cameras and Wex Photo Video.
Those of you who are eagle eye’d will have noticed that the base of the new GoPro looks slightly different to previous releases. Is that a clip, connector or just a dual 1/4-inch thread, we’ll find out soon and let you know.
The Media Mod for the GoPro Hero 8 takes on the same basic form as the original cage that ships with the camera, just on one side it’s a little wider, I suppose it’s where the electronics are stashed, and there’s a microphone integrated into the top corner.
That mic is directional and if you still want to plug-in an external mic then there’s a 3.5mm mic port as well.
There’s also an HDMI-out port so you can attach the GoPro directly to your TV, this is obviously a mirror of the HDMI port on the GoPro that becomes covered by the Mod once in place.
Then there are the two hotshoes for you to slip in the LED lamp and screen.
Fitting the Media Mod looks easy enough, pull off the side door of the Hero8 Black and then clip the Media Mod around with the connector joining the two.
The module is lightweight ensuring that the compact go anywhere camera remains so. As the only integrated piece of electronics on the module is the microphone, it pretty likely that the device is powered by the camera rather than having its own.
Microphones are not in any way power-hungry, so this is no surprise.
Used as the Media Mod without additions there’s just the microphone, and this has pickups on the front, back and side to record the audio.
Details on the options you’ll find in GoPro’s settings for the microphone have yet to be revealed but expect the usual. I hope that we’ll also see input volume adjustment and the ability to switch the mic sensitivity. If there’s also the ability to switch the microphone from Omni to unidirectional, that would be an amazing feature.
Aside from the mic, which seems to be the main event, there are those two hotshoes. These are designed to hold the two other media modules released alongside the GoPro Hero 8 Black.
GoPro Light Mod
The Light Mod, which is a compact ten LED waterproof, up to 33ft (10m), light that can be slotted into the top or side hotshoe. It’s surprisingly powerful with a rated luminance of 200 lumens.
That brightness has four brightness options and dependent on the one selected offer up to 6 hours of illimination.
It’s also self-power and has an integrated battery that can be charged through USB Type-C.
At present, it doesn’t look as though this can be controlled through the GoPro App or the camera itself but is still an excellent addition.
The Light Mod will go on sale for £49.99
GoPro Display Mod
The next item is the Display Mod; we saw one of these a few years ago that would clip into the back of the GoPro Hero 3 Black.
That was a little clunky and a world appart from this new offering.
Again it has a hotshoe mount so it can quickly be slipped into the hotshoe and is self-powered with a USB Type-C connector for charging and an HDMI port.
Connection to the camera comes through a direct connection through the hotshoe itself. All very impressive.
The Display Mod will go on sale for £79.99
At present then Media Mod, Light Mod and Display Mod are the only three accessories. We’ve been scratching our heads here at Jabber HQ trying to think of other additions but have drawn a blank at the moment.