GOPRO | Hero13 Black Ultra Wide Edition

Image credit: GoPro

Wider, tougher, and somehow even more GoPro than before

I’ve been using GoPros since the HERO5, and one thing that hasn’t changed is this: they just work. They don’t ask much from you. They don’t complain. They don’t mind getting beat up, dunked in cold water, or bounced around in a bag next to your keys. And when you hit the shutter, they deliver that unmistakable GoPro look – that sharp, immersive, colorful and slightly heroic POV that makes everything feel like it’s part of something bigger.

The new HERO13 Black Ultra Wide Edition keeps that same lineage going, but turns up the perspective dial. It ships with the Ultra Wide Lens Mod pre-installed, giving you a jaw-dropping 177° field of view straight out of the box. It’s 36% wider and 48% taller than the standard lens, which means your footage feels less like you’re filming something from the scene and more like you’re filming inside it. If you’re looking for a real sense of speed when you’re, say, zipping down a mountain on a bike or filming low on a wheel-arch mount, then it’s gonna feel real zippy as that ground flies by at the edges of the frame.

This setup is tuned for the kind of shooting where you only have one-chance and thoughtful camera orientation perhaps isn't an option. Where it has to work right now, and you don’t get a do-over. And with a new 1:1 aspect ratio baked into the camera, you can capture your shot and use it however you want – crop it vertical for social or wide for YouTube. No extra takes. No extra fiddling.

GoPro’s HyperSmooth stabilization is still the gold standard here, now with Horizon Lock that keeps your video level even if the camera spins 360 degrees. You could literally roll down a hill and still get watchable footage. I wouldn’t recommend it – but you could. And that’s very on brand for GoPro.

The Ultra Wide lens is also scratch-resistant and hydrophobic, meaning it repels water and shrugs off damage like it’s built to get punished – because it is. That’s always been part of GoPro’s strength. You’re not babying this thing like an SLR. You’re shoving it in a zip pocket before (or during) a storm. Dropping it into the sand. Mounting it on handlebars and trusting it to hang on. As always, what you do in your own time – and with your own gear – is entirely on you. But GoPro clearly built this thing knowing what you're probably going to put it through.

If you want more control, GoPro’s Quik app lets you dive deeper into your footage, but honestly? The strength of this setup is that you don’t have to. You can just hit record and go.

It’s available now for $479.99 (although on Amazon it’s currently ~$379 so don’t wait around) and yes, that includes both the Ultra Wide Mod and the standard lens, so you’re not locked into one look. It’s a smart bundle, and probably the most versatile GoPro package I’ve seen yet.

In a world full of fragile gear and fussy setups, this one is a relief. It’s everything GoPro’s always done right – just… more of it. And wider.

Available on Amazon (and at the time of writing there’s a hearty discount, so don’t wait around!)