With true 4K resolution and super slo-mo capabilities, the new GoPro Hero 4 is a very powerful little camera. Sure, you can strap it to your helmet and forget about it, but you’ll get a lot of POV footage only parents will watch. To do this action cam justice, you need to get creative and vary your shots and lighting. These five accessories will help:
Knog Qudos Action Cam Light
Traditionally, GoPro’s Achilles heel has been low-light shooting. So Australian company Knog, which has made some of our favorite bike lights, released a high-powered 400-lumen video light that uses three LEDs to brighten your shots. The ($120) weighs just 150 grams (the equivalent of about three chicken eggs) and is waterproof down to 131 feet.
GoPro 3-Way
The pole mount is evolving and this is the top iteration at the moment. The ($70) is camera grip, extension arm, and tripod all in one. The arm extends to 20 inches to capture selfies without the mount ruining the shot and collapses down to 7.5 inches when you’re on the go.
Brunton All Day
The ($50) almost quadruples the power output of your GoPro Hero 3+. Because you’ll have to replace the back of the original casing, doubling the size of the camera and reducing its waterproofing abilities, this isn’t the best accessory for boaters. But if you plan to spend long days in the mountains and don’t want to replace batteries with cold hands, the All Day is for you.
GoPro Fetch Dog Harness
For a unique perspective, bring your dog into the shot. The ($60) accommodates dogs as small as a Jack Russell to as big as a Golden Retriever. Strap it on to your pup’s back or chest, attach the camera, and hit record: you’ll get some memorable shots. Just remember to keep the harness tight, otherwise the video will look like your dog went through an earthquake.
Polar Pro GoPro Microphone Kit-Promic
If you need to capture crisp audio, check out ($50). It’ll add a big boost to audio quality while maintaining the GoPro’s low profile. We found it excelled when capturing interviews and concerts.