GoPro Hero 7 vs Canon Powershot SX740 HS

[AndyCr15]

I'm thinking of going 4K and just wondered what people's thoughts on the comparison of these two? I had been thinking the Canon would be my best option, a well priced, decent 4K camera, but today I've realised the GoPro Hero 7 Black is coming out this week at a similar price.

The GoPro would be more versatile in that I can use that on my bike and other things like that, but I would assume the Canon would be a better overall camera.

Do either take an external mic?

Am I silly to consider the GoPro as an alternative?

 

[The_Abyss]

I can't speak for the Canon but I've looked at the GoPro as a possible upgrade for my GoPro Hero 6 Black (and concluded that it isn't worth me making the change).

I think you've summed it up perfectly already. The GoPro makes compromises in order for it to be more versatile, so your decision is down to better quality vs wider more varied use. The sound on the GoPro (and the Canon) will be crap once you begin to move and get wind noise. They made big leap forward with the 6, but in reality all this did was give you an extra little bit of speed before buffeting ruins everything. And, thanks to GoPro's new form factor, plugging in an external mic now interrupts the waterproofing of it without buying additional cases or chancing your luck with moulding silicon all around the port. Plus you need an adaptor from GoPro.

Despite my personal frustrations, I do love my GoPros. They're just very compromised for what I use them for (motorcycling).

 

[jamie2497]

I don't have a GoPro but I do have a Yi 4k+ which is pretty much the same as the GoPro 6.

I think it comes down to what you want out of the camera, the Canon will have an optical zoom for video so you can be much further away, it will also take much better still images. However the GoPro does 4k 60fps whereas the Canon only does 30fps which will make your video a lot smoother and is more rugged so can be used for sports etc.

 

[AndyCr15]

Thanks, that's a really good point actually. The stills quality is a strength of the Canon and not something I need. If the GoPro has the edge with video, maybe that's the route I should do. Mind you, I'm trying to create 'studio conditions' in some ways, it just seems odd to then use a GoPro?

plugging in an external mic now interrupts the waterproofing of it without buying additional cases or chancing your luck with moulding silicon all around the port. Plus you need an adaptor from GoPro.

Again, that's fine for me, I wont often be using it as an action cam, as long as it can take an external mic, that could be very handy. I don't know that the Canon can do that?

How long does a GoPro battery last these days? My old one (I think a 4 Black) couldn't be trusted to last much more than 20 minutes from my recollection.

 

[The_Abyss]

The easy on / off nature of the device has definitely improved things. You should get at least an hour's recording time out of it, and this will increase the lower the resolution and frame rate you choose. I usually find that's enough for a day's riding on my motorbike, as I'm long beyond the temptation to record every mile of every ride.

If you want more, you'll need to provide direct power to the unit and that's where you arrive at the conflict of the shared port for sound and power.