gopro-hero3-hero3pWhen the GoPro Hero3+ was released a week ago, the question on everyone's mind was what improvements and updates were made to the newest member of the GoPro family. There are quite a few side-by-side comparisons of the Black Editions of the Hero3 and the Hero3+ that test the video and audio quality at different settings of both models, including low-light and SuperView. To see just how much (or little) the performance of the Hero3+ has improved, check out these videos after the jump:

The Hero3+ has made some pretty significant improvements and additions with image quality and audio. The image quality is definitely better. Especially in the low-light tests, you can see that the color is less muddy in the Hero3+, with darker blacks and a sharper image overall thanks to a sharper, faster lens. Though you can reduce the curvature in post, the image takes on a more wide-angle look rather than a fisheye look with the SuperView setting, which is a welcomed change for some. You can see more, while reducing image distortion.

Possibly one of the more apparent improvements is the longer battery life of the Hero3+, which lets you record for over 2 hours -- about a half hour longer than with the Hero3. The audio has improved as well. With the casing on, the sound is obviously a little degraded, but with it off, the sound is much richer than the Hero3.

Users are reporting issues of freezing, glitching, and random shutdowns, though it's uncertain how widespread those problems are. In Rhino's Wi-Fi test, the range at which they were able to receive transmission was significantly less than the 600 feet GoPro advertises, but a lot of factors play into Wi-Fi performance, like your receiver's Wi-Fi capabilities, the number of devices with their Wi-Fi turned on, even the height of the GoPro.

From Rhino Camera Gear:

From Wide Open Camera:

From CheesyCam:

What do you think of the side-side-side tests? Are the changes and improvements significant enough for you, or will you be waiting for the GoPro 4? Let us know in the comments.

Links:

camerasGoProactioncameragoprohero3hero3actioncameras
Cinematography & Cameras