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GoPro

HERO13 Black

Flagship GoPro with 1/1.9-inch sensor, 5.3K60 video, 4K120, HyperSmooth 6.0, HB-Series lens auto-detect, and 10m waterproofing.

$399

Released Sep 2024

vs

Ricoh

GR IV

Latest GR with 25.74MP APS-C sensor, 28mm equivalent lens, 5-axis SR, 53GB internal memory, and pocket street-camera handling.

$1,499

Released Jan 2026

GR IV is 1.3 years newer.

Wins

6categories

HERO13 Black

Travel

Wins

2categories

GR IV

PortraitVlogging

2 categories tied

TL;DR — Key differences

HERO13 Black wins 3 categories·GR IV wins 2 categories
  • BGR IV has higher AF points / zones (49 vs 0)
  • BGR IV has higher ISO max (native) (204,800 vs 6,400)
  • AHERO13 Black has higher Burst (electronic) (20 fps vs 4 fps)
  • AHERO13 Black has higher Battery life (CIPA) (640 shots vs 250 shots)
  • AHERO13 Black has higher Burst (mechanical) (8 fps vs 4 fps)

Key specs at a glance

HERO13 BlackGR IV
Resolution27.6 MP25.74 MP
Sensor1/1.9 inchAPS-C
ISO max6,400204,800
Burst20 fps4 fps
4K120 fps60 fps
IBISNoYes
Weight159 g262 g
Battery640 shots250 shots

Size and weight, to scale

HERO13 Black

72 × 51 × 34 mm

159 g (0.35 lb / 5.61 oz)

GR IV

109 × 61 × 33 mm

262 g (0.58 lb / 9.24 oz)

HERO13 Black is 38mm narrower and 10mm shorter than GR IV but it is also 1mm thicker.

HERO13 Black is 103 g lighter than GR IV.

Depth (front-to-back): 34mm HERO13 Black · 33mm GR IV

Sensor size, to scale

GR IV

23.3 × 15.5 mm · APS-C

361 mm² area

Use-case scoring

Which one for what?

Algorithmic scores from verified specs · 10 = best in class

Use caseHERO13 BlackGR IV
Portrait
2.0Limited
6.5Good✓ wins
Sports & Action
5.0Fair✓ wins
0.5Limited
Video & Hybrid
3.0Limited
3.5Limited✓ wins
Landscape
3.0Limited✓ wins
2.5Limited
Travel
8.0Excellent✓ wins
5.5Fair
Wildlife
5.5Fair✓ wins
1.0Limited
Vlogging
4.0Fair
6.5Good✓ wins

Why pick one over the other

Reasons to choose

HERO13 Black

  • Codecs

    Adds H.265 (HEVC)

  • Dimensions (W×H×D mm)

    Adds 71.8, 50.8, 33.6

  • Burst (electronic)

    20 fps vs 4 fps — higher is better

  • Battery life (CIPA)

    640 shots vs 250 shots — higher is better

  • Burst (mechanical)

    8 fps vs 4 fps — higher is better

  • Pre-Capture / Pre-Release

    Only HERO13 Black supports it

  • 4K max frame rate

    120 fps vs 60 fps — higher is better

  • Weather sealing

    Only HERO13 Black supports it

Reasons to choose

GR IV

  • AF points / zones

    49 vs 0 — higher is better

  • Subject recognition

    Adds Face, Eye

  • Codecs

    Adds MPEG-4 AVC/H.264, MOV

  • Dimensions (W×H×D mm)

    Adds 109.4, 61.1, 32.7

  • ISO max (native)

    204,800 vs 6,400 — higher is better

  • Card types

    Adds microSDHC, microSDXC UHS-I

  • Eye AF

    Only GR IV supports it

  • In-body stabilization

    Only GR IV supports it

Both cameras share

  • ISO min (native)Both 100
  • Card slotsBoth 1
  • TouchscreenBoth support touchscreen
  • Wi-FiBoth support wi-fi
  • BluetoothBoth support bluetooth

Pros & cons at a glance

Editorially curated highlights and trade-offs.

HERO13 Black

Pros

  • 5.3K60 and 4K120 video
  • 1/1.9-inch sensor
  • HyperSmooth 6.0 + Burst Slo-Mo
  • 10m waterproof

Cons

  • Small sensor vs Action 5 Pro
  • Fixed lens
  • Enduro battery not backward compatible

GR IV

Pros

  • 25.74MP APS-C sensor
  • 5-axis sensor-shift SR
  • 53GB internal memory
  • Pocketable 28mm GR lens

Cons

  • Fixed lens
  • No built-in EVF
  • Full HD video only

Full specifications

= category winner

HERO13 Black
GR IV
Resolution
27.6 MP+7%
25.74 MP
Sensor type
1/1.9-inch CMOS
APS-C CMOS
Sensor size
1/1.9 inch
23.3 x 15.5 mm
AA filter
No
HERO13 Black
GR IV
AF system
Fixed focus
Hybrid AF (image-plane phase detection + contrast detection)
AF points / zones
0
49
Eye AF
No
Yes
Animal / bird AF
No
No
Subject recognition
Face, Eye
HERO13 Black
GR IV
Burst (mechanical)
8 fps2× more
4 fps
Burst (electronic)
20 fps5× more
4 fps
Pre-Capture / Pre-Release
Yes
No
RAW buffer depth
120 frames
HERO13 Black
GR IV
Max resolution
5.3K
Full HD
4K max frame rate
120 fps2× more
60 fps
Max video bit rate
200 Mbps
Internal RAW video
No
No
Log profile
10-bit HLG HDR / GP-Log
Standard profiles
Codecs
H.265 (HEVC)
MPEG-4 AVC/H.264, MOV
HERO13 Black
GR IV
Weight
159 g−103 g less
262 g
Dimensions (W×H×D mm)
71.8 × 50.8 × 33.6 mm
109.4 × 61.1 × 32.7 mm
Weather sealing
Yes
No

Frequently asked

Quick answers generated from verified specs.

Which is better for portraits, HERO13 Black or GR IV?

GR IV scores 6.5/10 versus 2.0/10 for HERO13 Black — 25.74MP — solid resolution.

What's the resolution difference between the HERO13 Black and GR IV?

HERO13 Black is 27.6 MP and GR IV is 25.74 MP, so the HERO13 Black captures more detail for cropping and large prints.

Do the HERO13 Black and GR IV have in-body image stabilization?

HERO13 Black does not have IBIS, while gR IV has in-body image stabilization.

Which shoots faster bursts — the HERO13 Black or the GR IV?

HERO13 Black reaches 20 fps electronic. GR IV reaches 4 fps electronic.

What's the weight difference between the HERO13 Black and GR IV?

HERO13 Black weighs 159 g and GR IV weighs 262 g, so the HERO13 Black is 103 g lighter.

Do the HERO13 Black and GR IV record 4K video?

HERO13 Black: 4K up to 120p. GR IV: 4K up to 60p.

Are the HERO13 Black and GR IV weather sealed?

HERO13 Black: Yes. GR IV: No.

Which has better battery life?

Rated battery life is 640 shots (CIPA) for the HERO13 Black and 250 shots for the GR IV, giving the HERO13 Black the edge.

How much does each cost?

HERO13 Black launched at $399 and GR IV at $1,499. The HERO13 Black is $1,100 less.

Specs sourced from manufacturer data. Use-case scores algorithmically derived. Last reviewed May 2026.