GoPro launches Mission 1 series: A move into compact cinema cameras

GoPro has announced a new camera series that significantly moves the manufacturer beyond the classic action cam segment towards compact cinema cameras. At the same time, the models are intended to continue offering the brand's characteristic robustness and mobility.

At the top of the new series is the Mission 1 Pro. The camera supports video recording up to 8K60, 4K240, and 1080p960 in 16:9 format, as well as open gate modes up to 8K30 and 4K120 in 4:3 format, and also enables RAW photos with 50 megapixels. The flagship will also be offered in several bundles containing different accessory packages (Grip Edition, Creator Edition, and Ultimate Creator Edition) for various use scenarios.

With the Mission 1 Pro ILS, GoPro offers a technically largely equivalent variant with a mirrorless housing and a Micro Four Thirds mount for interchangeable lenses instead of a fixed lens. The mount allows the use of various MFT lenses as well as other lenses via adapters, thus offering more optical flexibility than the variants with fixed lenses.

The entry-level model in the new series is the Mission 1, which is reduced in terms of video functions: instead of 8K60, 4K240, and 1080p960, it offers 8K30, 4K120, and 1080p240 in 16:9 format, as well as 4K120 open gate and 1440p240 in 4:3 format.

New platform with 1-inch sensor and GP3 processor

Common to all three models is the new technical platform of the series. This includes a 50-megapixel 1-inch sensor with, according to GoPro, up to 14 stops of dynamic range, as well as the new GP3 processor in a 5-nanometer design with an integrated Neural Processing Unit for image processing.

10-bit color, HLG-HDR, GP-Log2, timecode synchronization, and data rates of up to 240 Mbit/s are also supported. Further features include four microphones, 32-bit float audio, Bluetooth 5.3 for wireless audio connections, and 13 recording modes with automatic scene recognition. Mission 1 and Mission 1 Pro are also waterproof up to 20 meters without a housing, while GoPro specifies a runtime of more than five hours at 1080p30 or more than three hours at 4K30 for the series.

The new MISSION 1 series also includes an extensive accessory system, including a wireless microphone system, a revised Media Mod with additional audio and video connections, a multifunctional grip, ND filters, a protective housing up to 60 meters deep, as well as additional batteries, charging accessories, lighting, and mounts.

Reorientation under economic pressure

With the Mission 1 series, GoPro is attempting to broaden its appeal and penetrate a higher-value camera segment with potentially higher margins. The company itself describes the series as a foray into the premium segment of the digital imaging market and explicitly addresses filmmakers and creators in its announcement.

Strategically, this step comes at a tense time. Just a few days ago, GoPro announced that it would cut nearly a quarter of its workforce, after the company had already shrunk significantly in 2024.

According to GoPro, the Mission 1 Pro and its Grip Edition, as well as the Mission 1, will be available for pre-order starting May 21st and will go on sale on May 28th. The Mission 1 Pro ILS and the Creator Editions of the Mission 1 Pro will follow in the third quarter of 2026. The accessories for the camera series will also be gradually available starting in May 2026. GoPro plans to announce the prices of the camera series by the end of the week.

(olb)