The GoPro Mission 1 may be top of the range, but my Prime Day pick is the heavily discounted Hero 13 Black

The Hero 13 Black is still a great action camera, and these price drops make it unbeatable value.

The GoPro Mission 1 may be top of the range, but my Prime Day pick is the heavily discounted Hero 13 Black

GoPro made a splash recently with its announcement of a new trio of cameras — the Mission 1 series. With 50MP 1-inch sensors, the powerful GP3 processor, and in one case even a Micro Four Thirds lens mount, these are the most sophisticated and advanced action cameras I've ever seen — and I don't think you should buy one.

Not right now, anyway, because right now, the Amazon Prime Day deals on the GoPro Hero 13 Black are absolutely out of this world.

While the Mission 1 cameras are looking like a bit of a revolutionary reset for GoPro, the Hero 13 Black was very much not that. It was, and is, pretty much exactly what you'd expect a GoPro to be — a little cuboid, small enough to wear on a helmet or chest mount, capable of capturing crisp, stabilized 5.3K video and punchy, detailed photos. One thing it did introduce, however, was the idea of Lens Mods — clip-on accessories that significantly alter the perspective of the image.

It's a great action camera, one that still sits at the top of our list of the best GoPros while we're finishing up our tests of the Mission 1 series. And right now, as we enter the final hours of Prime Day, you can get hold of the GoPro Hero 13 Black, together with a raft of accessories, for as little as $399 in the US, and an incredible £269 in the UK.

Prime Day deals are, of course, only for Amazon Prime members — and since the Prime Day deals only run from June 23 to June 26, these offers might not be there this time tomorrow.

Today's best GoPro Hero 13 Black deals (US)

This price includes not just the Hero 13 Black, but also a handle, two Enduro batteries, two curved adhesive mounts, a 64GB micro SD card and a carrying case. You can get the camera standalone for $349, but honestly I think $50 for all those accessories is really good.View Deal

Today's best GoPro Hero 13 Black deals (UK)

The UK deal on the GoPro Hero 13 Black is simply incredible — right now you can get it in the same multi-accessory bundle for just £269. That's almost half-price! And once again, for even further savings, you can opt to get just the camera £229.View Deal

GoPro Hero 13 Black with Ultra Wide Lens Mod being attached

The clip-on Lens Mods allow for the creation of imagery beyond the standard 'action camera' look.. (Image credit: Future | Tim Coleman)

One of the most versatile action cameras

The Hero 13 Black uses the same sensor as the Hero 12 Black. A 27MP multi-aspect 8:7 sensor, it captures imagery in a near-square format that makes it easy to crop footage into different aspect ratios. Given that many content creators post their footage to both YouTube (16:9 cinematic aspect ratio) and TikTok (9:16 vertical aspect ratio), this is an invaluable timesaver, making it easy to spread the same content across multiple platforms.

It captures video at a maximum resolution of 5.3K 60fps, and you'll likely have no problems with overheating — in our full GoPro Hero 13 Black review, Tim was recording 5.3K on the go-kart track for more than an hour, and the camera kept up.

Some were disappointed that the Hero 13 Black didn't add 8K, as this felt like it would be the next logical step — and indeed, as mentioned, the Mission 1 cameras can shoot in 8K. But honestly, I think for the vast majority of content creators, especially amateurs and hobbyists, you just don't need it. Very few monitors or televisions will even display 8K, so its main use is allowing you to crop losslessly into footage, effectively giving you a digital zoom. Handy? Sure. Essential? Hardly.

And with the Hero 13 Black, you have a unique, exciting tool in your arsenal — the HB-Series lens mods. These are designed specifically for the Hero 13 Black and will only work with this camera. Clip them on, and you can shoot with an anamorphic perspective for cinema-style shots, or go ultra-wide to radically extend your field of view, get super close-up with a dedicated macro, or control bright sunlight with an ND filter. They're an extra cost, but they're inexpensive, you can individually buy the ones you think you'll use, and if you jump on this Prime Day deal, you'll already have saved a packet on the camera itself.

GoPro Hero 13 Black with Macro Lens Mod

This is the Macro Lens Mod, enabling super close-ups. (Image credit: Future | Tim Coleman)

You can further customise the Hero 13 Black with extras like the Media Mod, which adds a directional mic for better audio, or the Light Mode, giving you a burst of LED illumination. Fundamentally, this is an action camera that's very easy to set up exactly how you want it, in a way that suits your style of adventurous shooting.

This deal is as cheap as I've ever seen the GoPro Hero 13 Black, and if you've ever thought about jumping on board and trying it out, the next eight or so hours are the time to do it. It's worth noting also that GoPro has a pretty robust trade-in program – so if, down the line, you want to trade up for a Mission 1 camera, you'll have the option.

But right now, while Prime Day deals are still live and our review of the Mission 1 cameras is still in process, I'm saying skip it. The Hero 13 Black is outrageously good value.

More of today's best GoPro deals

More Prime Day deals in the US

More Prime Day deals in the UK

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