--- description: GoPro just announced the "Hero," a scaled-back, entry-level model perfect for first-timer who don't need the top-of-the-line features. title: The GoPro Hero Is the Cheap Tiny Camera You've Been Waiting For image: https://static.time.com/v3/assets/bltea6093859af6183b/blte41567c50e3f6cf9/6986a61d35ba6f6607c041af/chdha-301_main2.jpg?branch=production&width=1440&quality=75&auto=webp&crop=16:9 ---  * [Business](/section/business/) ## Business Update your preferences in [Account Settings](/account/preferences/) Close * [Tech](/tag/time-section-tech/) ## Tech Update your preferences in [Account Settings](/account/preferences/) Close # GoPro Just Announced the Cheap Tiny Camera You've Been Waiting For  by [Alex Fitzpatrick](/author/alex-fitzpatrick/)  ## Alex Fitzpatrick Update your preferences in [Account Settings](/account/preferences/) Close Sep 30, 2014 3:04 PM CUT  GoPro Hero GoPro HeroGoPro  by [Alex Fitzpatrick](/author/alex-fitzpatrick/)  ## Alex Fitzpatrick Update your preferences in [Account Settings](/account/preferences/) Close Sep 30, 2014 3:04 PM CUT Many casual photographers have been wanting to dip their toes into the GoPro water for some time, but have found the company’s tiny but high-quality cameras too expensive to make the leap at upwards of $200, with the top models costing as much as $500. But now they can go ahead and jump in; GoPro just announced the “Hero,” a scaled-back, entry-level model that’s perfect for first-time GoPro-ers who don’t need the top-of-the-line features found in GoPro’s flagship cameras. And the cost? Only $129. Here’s what the [Hero features](http://shop.gopro.com/cameras/hero/CHDHA-301.html "undefined"): * 1080p video at 30fps * 720p video at 60fps * 5MP stills at up to five frames a second * QuickCapture and Burst Photo modes * Wide-angle lens for getting more in your shots * Integrated waterproof housing that keeps your Hero dry to an advertised 131 feet Those features don’t hold up to GoPro’s absolute newest models, which pack ultra high-def 4K video modes. But if you don’t need crazy-high-def video capabilities, the Hero looks pretty great. Interestingly, GoPro’s entry-level Hero comes at a pretty terrible time for Polaroid — yes, Polaroid — which just dropped a $99 entry-level GoPro competitor called the [Polaroid Cube](http://www.businessweek.com/articles/2014-09-23/polaroid-cube-going-after-gopro-with-a-99-action-camera "undefined"). While the Cube is a bit cheaper, GoPro’s been building these tiny cameras for a long time, and they come with the benefit of access to GoPro’s immense ecosystem. With the Hero, GoPro is set to nip Polaroid’s cubed competition in the bud before it ever takes root. ```json [{"@context":"https://schema.org","@type":"NewsArticle","@id":"https://time.com/3449486/gopro-hero/","mainEntityOfPage":{"@type":"WebPage","@id":"https://time.com/3449486/gopro-hero/"},"headline":"GoPro Just Announced the Cheap Tiny Camera You've Been Waiting For","datePublished":"2014-09-30T15:04:21.000Z","dateModified":"2026-04-13T08:03:16.670Z","description":"The GoPro Hero is just $129","url":"https://time.com/3449486/gopro-hero/","keywords":["Tech","Gadgets"],"thumbnailUrl":"https://static.time.com/v3/assets/bltea6093859af6183b/blte41567c50e3f6cf9/6986a61d35ba6f6607c041af/chdha-301_main2.jpg?branch=production&width=1200&quality=75&auto=webp&crop=1200:675&height=675","author":[{"@type":"Person","name":"Alex Fitzpatrick","jobTitle":null,"url":"https://time.com/author/alex-fitzpatrick/"}],"articleSection":"Business","image":[{"@type":"ImageObject","url":"https://static.time.com/v3/assets/bltea6093859af6183b/blte41567c50e3f6cf9/6986a61d35ba6f6607c041af/chdha-301_main2.jpg?branch=production&width=1200&quality=75&auto=webp&crop=1200:675&height=675","width":1200,"height":675,"headline":"CHDHA-301_main2","caption":"GoPro Hero","creditText":"GoPro","representativeOfPage":true}],"publisher":{"@type":"Organization","name":"Time","url":"https://time.com/","logo":{"@type":"ImageObject","url":"https://time.com/images/logo.png","width":528,"height":156},"foundingDate":"March 3, 1923","sameAs":["https://www.facebook.com/time","https://www.instagram.com/time/?hl=en","https://twitter.com/time","https://www.pinterest.com/timemagazine"]}},{"@context":"https://schema.org","@type":"BreadcrumbList","itemListElement":[{"@type":"ListItem","position":1,"item":{"@id":"/section/business/","name":"Business"}},{"@type":"ListItem","position":2,"item":{"@id":"/tag/time-section-tech/","name":"Tech"}},{"@type":"ListItem","position":3,"item":{"@id":"https://time.com/3449486/gopro-hero/","name":"GoPro Just Announced the Cheap Tiny Camera You've Been Waiting For"}}]},{"@context":"https://schema.org","@type":"VideoObject","name":"TIME's Best GoPro Videos","description":"What do jump ropes and great white sharks have in common? GoPro. This camera can be, and has, been stuck on everything imaginable. Here are some of the best GoPRo videos on the Internet.","thumbnailUrl":"https://cdn.jwplayer.com/v2/media/X201DJki/poster.jpg?width=720","uploadDate":"2014-05-20T17:35:49.000Z","contentUrl":"https://cdn.jwplayer.com/manifests/X201DJki.m3u8","embedUrl":"https://time.com/3449486/gopro-hero/","duration":"PT1M7S","potentialAction":{"@type":"SeekToAction","target":"https://time.com/3449486/gopro-hero/?jw_start={seek_to_second_number}","startOffset-input":"required name=seek_to_second_number"}}] ```