GoPro Hero5 Session (Renewed)

I original bought a GoPro Hero3 years ago, I loved the idea of what a GoPro was suppose to all you to do. I wanted to be able to create and share video of my family and my outdoor adventures with the Hero3, but no matter what I did, it looked like the worst shaky cam video. Now if it were mounted to a tripod and didn't move, the video was amazing, however having the camera stationary was not ideal so my Hero3 basically sat unused for years. So fast forward to June 2018, I see this refurbished GoPro Hero5 Session, super small, has a linear mode, can do 4K & 2.7K and it has Image Stabilization. Order it from Amazon on Tuesday Night, gets here Thursday, love prime! This GoPro Hero5 Session might as well have been brand new. Looks mint, works, great and honestly the packaging as A+! The battery doesn't not really come charged so I did have to charge it which took about 90 minutes, but I put in a 128gb microSD card, and tested it out all weekend on my Wrangler and in a pool with my brother. Hands down this is what I had hoped the GoPro Hero3 was going to be years ago. The menu is easy and intuitive, and the video the camera takes is STUNNING! Pros: The Image Stabilization is stunningly good. It's not perfect, but if you have owned a GoPro without Image Stabilization, it's a night and day difference! I can not say enough for how stable the camera footage is! The color in all the video I have shot is beautiful and the way this camera transition from underwater to above water is breath-taking! The battery only lasts about 80ish minutes but for a 1 inch cube that surprises me! It's very light, and fits easily into your pocket. Again this GoPro Hero5 Session is what I had originally hoped my GoPro Hero3 would have been! Cons: I feel like I have to say something here so I will say I do wish the 2.7K Linear had more than 30fps, but honestly it's really not a huge deal, I just think some of the things I shot would look better in 60fps. Also made lack of external battery options. I know there is one, and it's on back order from Amazon. Another tip about the Image Stabilization, the GoPro can only do so much, if your mount is not firmly secured it will help with the shakiness of your video but it will still be there! I'll update this review in a month, I have two weeks of vacation and I'll see how this GoPro Hero5 Sessions holds up!

Camera 100% works as intended. Honestly could have been brand new out of the box. Everything was included that comes with a new GoPro purchase. Only neg would be the battery. Having never owned a session series I can not confirm if the battery is weaker or stronger then if purchased as new. But I also expected this, as I needed the smaller form for specific shots and needed at min 1080 @ 60. And when using the camera I typically have it running off a power bank or direct plug so it’s not a huge issue. *keep in mind with these small models the batteries are NOT replaceable. *and yes it will work with direct power from power bank, or usb adaptor while recording. I will also say the battery drains quick when not in use. *never leave the WiFi connection setting on. It will tank super fast. But even with the WiFi off, when sitting the battery discharged quickly. Now saying that, if I leave it on the charger, and take it off and use it right away.. est at best 45min - 1 hour depending on what settings you are using. Video quality. Same quality as the GoPro hero 5 black in day and night. Audio. Doesn’t seem as good as the 5 black, but if you use the microphone adaptor audio is crystal clear. Does it support microphones? Yes but you have to use the big ugly GoPro microphone adaptor for mics to work. Largest microsd card it supports. Unsure, but I use 128gb cards in everything with no problems and that’s like 4-6 hours of 1080 @ 60 FPS. Also keep in mind GoPro is not making any of these small form cameras anymore. And only the session 5 supports *without hassle, the GoPro microphone adaptor. Pros and cons. Honest. If you don’t need the small form factor, really might want to consider a 5 black or even 6 as they have come down a lot in price. If anything for the battery life, and ability to change batteries if needed, and rear touch screen for settings etc. The session cameras really are in many ways more of an additional GoPro kind of camera then a primary. They are great, and serve a purpose for the small form. But, it always felt like a secondary. If you are planning to use this camera a lot, plan to carry or modify the rig you are using it on to support a power bank to insure recording time of hours vs maybe an hour.

I read several reviews of various GoPro products. Though the 5 session is discontinued, it gets stellar reviews and is still considered an excellent camera. The learning curve is such that, if you have never used a GoPro, you need to spend ten minutes understanding how to program the camera. Once understood, it is ridiculously easy to use. I have dropped the camera and it’s fine. The video are phenomenal and you can extract still photos from your video. I have read complaints that you can over charge the camera. Keep a close eye on the camera, do not leave it charging for more time than necessary, which is not long. I enjoyed the software that can be downloaded to a smartphone, which you can use to view and edit video, and extract photos. An excellent action sport video camera, but do not leave this camera plugged into a hot USB unattended. The session includes a helmet mount with one flat and one slightly curved base for a rounded helmet. I side mounted the GoPro on a climbing helmet because too mounting would have compromised the protection of the helmet. The side mounting worked. It sustained a lot of abuse and never fell off. It was also easier to start the camera using a gloved hand on a side mount.

Pretty satisfied with my purchase. The camera and accessories came in a plain brown box, inside of a larger amazon box. I've already got a Hero 5 Session that I paid full price for, the hard case for this one is slightly lighter in color but I assume that's because mine has worn overtime and picked up oils from my hands. The first thing I did was run the camera through its settings and make sure it runs properly, no issues and it connects to my Samsung Galaxy S8 through the GoPro app flawlessly. I found the previous ratings a little misleading considering half of them were folks complaining about the camera itself rather than the condition that it came in. From the perspective of someone who has a non-refurbished camera to compare it to, this is basically like buy a brand new camera. No scratches on the lens or housing. If I had to mention a gripe it would be that the refurbished version doesnt come with the camera baggy that my new one did. For the price this was an absolute win for me.

This camera is Awesome!!! I wish it had a little Bigger Battery, I get about 30 minutes per charge. This camera works Great on my Helmet(I prefer to use my GoPro 9Black due to a little bigger battery). I use this camera more for FPV footage when mounted on my RC Cars. Picture Quality is Very Clear and Quite Stable.

I received my Hero5 session and it was great for the first month and then I had some issues with the files being corrupt and the camera not wanting to record. Within 6 months its almost impossible to get video from the camera as all of them are corrupted and the camera itself malfunctions and either starts beeping continuously or doesn't even turn on to record (battery being fully charged). What is most annoying is that the listing from when I bought this camera has changed and even gone from "Certified Refurbished" to "Renewed". I wish I had returned this when I could but of course amazon only gives you 90 days for these types of items. It is now a paper weight that I am stuck with. Do yourself a favor and stay away from this particular item even though the price it tempting. I've lost so much once in a life time footage from traveling that I wish I payed more for a camera that actually worked.

Image Quality: This is a great little camera. The quality is great. Ease of Use: As I have this attached to a motorcycle helmet - it’s hard to hear the audible beep when it starts or stops recording, or seen the flashing red light - so I purchased a remote to access it. You could use the phone app - but that was tuff while actively riding. When using it while walking - super easy. Battery Life - could be better / as you can’t swap out batteries and have to charge it each time - make sure to bring a portable charger. Wish I could swap the battery - but in such a small package - I understand.

I was a little nervous ordering a refurb unit, but these can no longer be purchased new, and for $118, I figured I would give it a shot. When it arrived, I was very pleased that it came in a "GoPro Brown Box", and not some generic packaging. It appears to be an Official GoPro Brown box, with custom GoPro branded inserts, and makes be believe it was refurbished by GoPro themselves, which I believe is a good thing. It came with everything I needed, mounts, instructions, USB C charging cable. The camera itself was in great condition with no scratches or blemishes, it looks close to new. I have only had time to charge it and take a few test videos, but everything works as it should. The only thing that makes me nervous is the condition of the built in battery. I don't know how much life the battery has left in it, or how it was cared for previously, and unfortunately for the Session 5, the batteries are built in, and very difficult to remove without tearing apart the camera. Something to be aware of. Again for the price, it is hard to beat, and worth the gamble, assuming their 90 day warranty is valid