I personal all types of cameras for various circumstances, however during the last 12 months, I’ve been making an attempt to observe a “much less is extra” philosophy. That’s why I’ve stopped carrying a full-frame mirrorless digicam to work, opting as a substitute for my compact Panasonic Lumix GX850 micro 4 thirds digicam — although I nonetheless hold my cellphone and GoPro Hero Lit on me.
That is precisely why I’m so stoked for GoPro’s new Mission1 lineup. It represents a dramatic shift, catering to critical lovers who crave higher efficiency and utility than what’s provided by the present motion cam market.
After seeing the GoPro Mission1 Professional ILS specifically, I’m satisfied I might ditch my micro 4 thirds digicam altogether. The truth is, the Mission1 makes a compelling argument that the standard point-and-shoot is lastly out of date. Right here’s why.
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A 1-inch sensor is a giant deal than you suppose
(Picture credit score: Tom’s Information / John Velasco)
If you happen to have a look at the present marketplace for point-and-shoot cameras, many successfully use smartphone-sized sensors — and the Panasonic Lumix ZS99 is an ideal instance. It truly has a smaller sensor than what’s present in the perfect digicam cellphone round, the Galaxy S26 Extremely, which makes use of a 1/1.3-inch essential sensor.
That’s why the GoPro Mission 1 lineup’s transfer to a 50MP 1-inch sensor is such a big shift. By utilizing a bigger sensor, the digicam is ready to accumulate extra gentle, leading to sharper photographs and vastly improved low-light efficiency. Most flagship telephones now excel at taking pictures at midnight, however they nonetheless require lengthy publicity occasions. For the reason that Mission 1 fashions all function 1-inch sensors, they’ll collect the identical quantity of sunshine in a fraction of the time required by customary telephones or point-and-shoots.
Nonetheless, the GoPro Mission1 is clearly positioned as a video digicam first — which makes that 1-inch sensor much more useful. If you happen to’ve ever shot video with a point-and-shoot or a cellphone in dim lighting, you know the way noisy and muddy the footage can look. With the Mission 1, that ought to now not be the case.
Dimension does matter
(Picture credit score: Tom’s Information / John Velasco)
Micro 4 thirds methods are among the lightest mirrorless cameras round, however even my Panasonic Lumix GX850 seems to be cumbersome subsequent to the GoPro Mission 1. In a side-by-side comparability, it is unbelieveable to see the dimensions distinction between them. The wonder right here is that GoPro has taken the enduring design of its Hero 13 Black and made it ever so barely bigger to deal with every part essential to make the Mission 1 the final word all-purpose digicam.
Because of its rugged building and small footprint, it’s far simpler to place in tight areas the place conventional cameras merely gained’t match — like on my automotive’s dashboard. Crucially, it presents considerably higher safety than any point-and-shoot digicam, full with each mounting choice conceivable: the usual 1/4-20 tripod mount, traditional folding fingers, and my private favourite, the Magnetic Latch Mount.
Even with its diminutive measurement, GoPro claims the Mission 1 presents spectacular endurance due to the brand new Enduro 2 battery, which is rated for 3 hours of 4K 30fps recording.
A very pocketable cinema cam
(Picture credit score: Tom’s Information / John Velasco)
I by no means imagined {that a} GoPro-sized digicam might ship the identical degree of cinematic high quality as full-frame cameras like my Lumix S5. GoPro’s reply to that skepticism is the Mission 1 Professional ILS, which includes a Micro 4 Thirds mount that permits you to connect skilled cinema glass on to the physique. Whereas it shares the identical 50MP 1-inch sensor as the opposite two fashions, the video specs are in a league of their very own — we’re speaking 8K 60fps, 4K 120fps, and past.
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Whereas there’s roughly a 3x crop issue with this method that narrows the sphere of view, the truth that it’s an interchangeable lens system nonetheless means I’ve whole management over the compression and aesthetic of my photographs. I’m particularly enthusiastic about its 960 fps gradual movement mode at 1080p, which rivals devoted high-speed cameras costing tens of hundreds of {dollars}. Think about the cinematic potentialities when pairing a lens with a shallow depth of subject with that degree of body charge.
Time would not simply decelerate, it will virtually stand nonetheless.
Neglect point-and-shoots
(Picture credit score: Tom’s Information / John Velasco)
All of this has me extremely excited for the GoPro Mission 1 lineup. You’ll have to contemplate what issues most to your workflow as a result of there are three choices: the entry-level Mission 1, the flagship Mission 1 Professional, and the interchangeable Mission 1 Professional ILS.
GoPro hasn’t introduced official pricing but, however pre-orders start on Might 21, 2026. I’ve been contemplating an aftermarket compact micro 4 thirds digicam just like my Lumix GX850, or perhaps a bridge point-and-shoot, however the insane costs I’m seeing on the used market make it not possible to tug the set off.
That’s why GoPro can’t afford to overprice this lineup. If I needed to guess, a aggressive value level for the Normal Mission 1 can be round $500 — particularly for the reason that GoPro Hero13 Black at present retails for $429. As for the Mission 1 Professional and Mission 1 Professional ILS, I’m hoping the latter stays beneath $899 to maintain it a extra engaging choice than a standard mirrorless setup.
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