Grading

Even better deal

GoPro - HERO5 Black 4K Action Camera + $60 Gift Card + SanDisk Extreme PLUS 64GB Memory Card at $399

http://www.bestbuy.com/site/gopro-hero5-black-4k-action-camera/5579154.p

Firmware version 01.57

• Improvement in SD card stability

https://gopro.com/update/hero5

https://gopro.com/update/hero5_session

This video seems to describe the main audio issue with the Hero5: If you take the side door off the audio suffers remarkably...

There are other audio issues as we shall see, but the complaints in general is if you use the Hero5 with the Karma Grip (where the side door must be taken off).

First of all, the Hero5 has a microphone just besides the side door opening. This is bound to pick up extra motor noise from the gimbal motor. But the main issue is the muffled audio as soon as the side door is off.

Assuming there is no sensor which detects the missing door and thus the audio processing changes, my best guess is that when the side door is gone the sound also travels to the side microphone (or to the rear of it) through the connector openings and thus the combined input confuses the audio processing (maybe perhaps to use max wind cut etc). Something is definitely happening. This should be fixable with a firmware update... I.e.only use the top microphone.

Also, there are other audio issues withe the Hero5 not found before.

First of all beeing waterproof without the housing means that every mic (and the speaker) is waterproof by design or covered by some membrane to protect it from the water. This might cause the easy to pick up camera body audio which seems to happen a lot. And also cut some hight frequency detail in the sound making it more muffled.

Furthermore the frame which comes with the Hero5 effectively blocks most of the microphone openings by design. People seem to gt better audio when they drill holes in the Hero5 frame to expose the microphones directly to the sound in the air.

Hero5 Session still available for $199

https://www.adorama.com/gpchdhs501.html

GoPro HERO5 Black for $249

https://www.bhphotovideo.com/c/product/1274419-REG/gopro_chdhx_501_hero5_black.html