My Experience with the GoPro Hero 7 Black: The Good, the Bad, and the Unusable

I’ve owned quite a few GoPro cameras over the years, and the Hero 7 Black is probably the most frustrating one I’ve ever used. Putting it through the wringer for about a year (using it daily for everything from bike rides to travel videos), I started running into some serious problems that eventually made this camera almost unusable.

The following is a detailed break down the pros and cons of the GoPro Hero 7 Black based on my personal experience.

Pros of the GoPro Hero 7 Black

1. Amazing Image Stabilization

This was the main reason I bought the Hero 7 Black in the first place. It was the first GoPro to offer proper image stabilization all the way up to 4K resolution, and it absolutely lived up to the hype. Videos looked incredibly smooth and professional, even when I was biking on rough trails or shooting from a moving car.

2. Durable and Rugged Build

I used this thing hard. I dropped it all the time, threw it in my pocket with keys and screws, and even dropped it on rocks more times than I can count. Despite all that, it kept working. The lens cover, in particular, stayed flawless with no scratches, which is impressive given how much abuse it took.

3. Compact and Inconspicuous Design

The Hero 7 Black kept the same size and shape as the GoPro Hero 5 Black, which I liked because of how easy it was to mount pretty much anywhere. Unlike my bright white Insta360 Go 3 (which stood out like a sore thumb), the dark gray finish of the Hero 7 blends in well when filming in public.

4. Good Video Quality in Bright Light

The Hero 7 Black produces excellent video quality when the lighting is good. Colors are vibrant, and details are sharp. It was perfect for daylight shooting, which covered most of my use cases.

5. Front LCD Screen for Basic Info

I appreciated having a front LCD screen, even if it was pretty basic. It shows simple block letters and some info about the recording, which is helpful for quick checks. It’s not a full preview screen, but it’s better than nothing.

6. Wi-Fi and Connectivity Work Well

The Wi-Fi connection and app integration were reliable for transferring footage and controlling the camera remotely. This made it easier to manage files and settings without fiddling with the camera itself.

Cons of the GoPro Hero 7 Black

1. Unreliable Software and Frequent Crashes

Unreliable software was the absolute worst part of owning the Hero 7 Black. It crashed constantly – not only on day one, but even after multiple firmware updates over the years. Thankfully my GoPro Hero 8 Black was far more stable.

2. Power Button Failure

The biggest design flaw I ran into was the power button. After heavy use, the button got stuck permanently pressed in, making it impossible to turn the camera on with a simple press. I had to use a screwdriver just to push the button and power it on.

3. Poor Low-Light Performance

Like many GoPros, the Hero 7 Black struggles in low-light environments. The video gets grainy and noisy, and it’s tough to get clean, usable footage without a lot of ambient light.

4. Mediocre Audio Quality

The built-in microphone on the Hero 7 Black is just okay (not terrible but definitely not great). I always had to use an external microphone to get decent sound quality. My old GoPo Hero 4 Black was so much better for capturing good / clean audio.

5. Short Battery Life at High Resolutions

Shooting at 4K 60fps (which was my go-to setting) drained the battery quickly. I could only get about 30 minutes of continuous recording before needing a recharge or battery swap.

6. Difficult to See the LCD Screen in Bright Light

The rear LCD screen is hard to see outdoors (especially on bright sunny days). This made framing shots and adjusting settings tricky.

7. Limited Front Screen Functionality

While having a front screen is a plus, it’s very basic and doesn’t show a live preview like my GoPro Hero 11 Black did. You can’t really see what you’re filming when facing the camera towards yourself, which limits its usefulness for vlogging.

8. Fading Outer Shell

As you can see in these pictures, the body of this thing faded horribly over the years. I have no idea why it looks so sun-faded despite the fact that I stored it in a dark drawer when not in use.