Issue link: http://digital.copcomm.com/i/915639
www.postmagazine.com 38 POST DECEMBER 2017 REVIEW The GoPro Hero6 is twice as powerful as its predecessor Hero5. improved Cable Cam mode. In the past, you set a beginning point and an end point and it would ping pong back and forth between those two points, with the only control being the ability to adjust the speed. Now, you can set up to 10 points for your path, and it makes a spline path between these. This means you can set up very dynamic shots, even if you aren't a seasoned drone operator. Just fly to your starting point, aim the drone the direction you want it to be facing, ad- just your camera tilt, and set your first point. Then fly to the next point, and repeat the process. You can make the drone begin the shot facing you, and then fly backwards away from you, then turn 180 degrees and continue to fly away, then circle back around to you, or whatever. It also now stops at the end of the flight path if you leave that setting turned on. The only caveat I have with regard to this is that you need to leave a little leeway since I have had it drift a little after multiple passes. In one instance, my shots that were flying about four to five feet above the ground when I first set the points, where skimming closer to two- feet by the third pass, so it's probably a good idea to give yourself a few ex- tra feet of buffer, just to be safe. This may have been based on the quality of the GPS signal I was getting. With these new improvements to the Karma, it is now a completely different machine in terms of usability. I have been getting comfortable flying the Karma for a while, but trying to get controlled shots was a little tricky. Where before, I was using the Cable Cam to do a dolly shot while filming a bike, and having to ride the speed slider to keep pace, now I can just set up the shot and use the Follow Me flight path in Mimic mode. This is a game changer in terms of setup time, functionality and ease of use. And advanced controls for Cable Cam open up a whole world of possibilities for extremely dynamic shots. CONCLUSION Although the Hero6 camera is virtually indistinguishable from the GoPro Hero5 on the outside, it is twice as powerful on the inside, with some really wel- come advances that make it a really great camera. The Karma Drone ($799) has finally come into its own with real, functional flight paths and coupled with a Hero6, may actually put it in competition with the Phantom 4 Pro at least from an image quality standpoint with 4K/60, increased dynamic range, and HEVC (H.265) codec. The Fusion ($699) is also extremely exciting, and I'm looking forward to playing with it in the future, as it redefines how I would approach certain kinds of shots, with that camera as an option.