Dead GoPro - what a...
 

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Dead GoPro - what are my rights?

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I've had a GoPro (8 Black) for a bit over two years. It's always been a bit sketchy (locking up, needing the battery removing to unfreeze) and now it's died completely and won't turn on at all. 

I sent GoPro a message and got a copy/paste auto response saying if it's in warranty (it's not) I can get a replacement, if not I can pay $49 for a Plus sub and get a new one for $99 + tax (their $, let's assume the offer is the same in pounds).

I'm not especially happy with this. If I buy another camera it won't be a GoPro 'cos I don't really have a great deal of trust in them. 

So what are my consumer rights here? Is two years of easy use (mostly filming my little girl riding, handheld) a reasonable amount of time to get from an action camera? 

I suspect I'm just gonna have to suck it up, but interested to hear opinions...


 
Posted : 31/05/2025 4:58 am
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TBH if it had been playing up for two years I'd have done something about it before the warranty expired. 

You can try arguing that a new actioncam should last more than two years but, given they've already made an offer, I doubt you'll get very far. 


 
Posted : 31/05/2025 6:43 am
leffeboy and Pauly reacted
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Oh dear, mine locks up relatively frequently also ☹️ 


 
Posted : 31/05/2025 7:01 am
 PJay
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Might be worth having a read here just in case it's recoverable.

https://community.gopro.com/s/article/GoPro-Camera-Will-Not-Power-On?language=en_US


 
Posted : 31/05/2025 7:20 am
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My GoPro 8 had the lock up/remove battery happening increasingly more. As a result I lost some footage that I really wanted (son racing). Although, other than that I liked the GP8 I finally ditched it for a DJI Osmo Action 4....   miles better in every respect.


 
Posted : 31/05/2025 7:34 am
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I had a GP 3. 
it did exactly the same thing, freezing, losing footage, needing the battery removed to make it work again. 
fortunately i have a lot less patience than any of you guys, so i binned the ****er and went back to using my phone. 
No way would I have another. 


 
Posted : 31/05/2025 9:07 am
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I've also seen plenty of people having problems with GoPro's losing footage so bought a DJI action 4. In 6 months of use it's been problem free. 


 
Posted : 31/05/2025 9:13 am
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To be honest I'm finding it less and less useful anyway, trying to grab footage on the go either requires fumbling for the button (I have it mounted under the stem) or using unreliable voice control, countless times I've come back with footage of the boring bits and none of the interesting bits because I've gotten out of synch with starting and stopping.

Was considering the £80 remote for the handlebars but if the damn thing is just going to freeze up on me then it's probably not worth investing further in. 


 
Posted : 31/05/2025 9:14 am
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Before binning it I'd try the steps that PJay has linked to. And the offer they've made you isn't bad at all.

I'm still using a gopro 7 black that still works brilliantly. The dji cameras are a good alternative though if you decide to get one.

What type of sd card are you using? I know some cheaper slower ones can cause a freezing problem. Also try changing the battery if you have a spare.


 
Posted : 31/05/2025 10:16 am
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I haven't had any problems* with my GoPro Hero 9. I have become quite excited recently discovering I don't need to record with stabilization enabled because it records the gyro data alongside the video footage. Drop one of the video files into GyroFlow (free software) and you can control how much stabilization, lens correction, pitch/yaw, FOV, etc. Can't say I ever use the GoPro software itself - probably why I didn't know about this. *My main annoyance is the official Quik app doesn't work properly with the GoPro Hero 9 - the ability to show you what the camera is seeing is broken. I've always used decent SD cards with it that come recommended for 4K video capture. Also I went for one of the cheaper remotes from Amazon (~£30) which I keep in my pocket its a bit clunky for the bars. One beep for record, two for stop recording.


 
Posted : 31/05/2025 10:46 am
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There's a GoPro remote IQ app for some Garmin watches but, annoyingly, not the Edge bike computers. 


 
Posted : 31/05/2025 1:14 pm
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Yeah I should have sorted it sooner, but y'know. Life. I did actually contact them early-ish in having it and they suggested a new SD card which seemed to help for a bit... Until it didn't. 

Anyway I've been through the steps on the page a couple of times to no avail. I think I'll try a cheeky email and if I don't have any luck (which I don't really expect) I'll try the Osmo Action, which seems to be on offer at the moment. 

I don't actually use it much for 'proper' MTB, my riding is too dull for that. It's more for chasing round after MiniMonkey on her bike, it's much easier to hoik out of a pocket and set going than my phone (and the stabilisation is better).


 
Posted : 31/05/2025 6:35 pm
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The 8 Black was released just under 6 years ago - if you've had it only 2 years did you get it 2nd hand or very cheap new on a clearance deal?

I've got a mitre saw that had a niggle with whilst in warranty and now isn't and I kick myself. But there has to be a limit somewhere or the upfront RRP would be daft, but it sucks when you are the wrong side of it.

 

Would be interesting to know what you'd get on their offer....I struggle to believe they have a stock of 6 year old go pro 8s, 5 generations out of date waiting to be shipped out - you might get a pleasant surprise with something newer.

 

Then......hand on heart.....all the footage you shot on it....how much gets watched more than once and how much just takes up space on a drive/loud somewhere unloved? After selling my early gopro last year I've recently considered buying a new one, but only for B roll for stuff edited together with stuff from a drone and a DJI pocket 3 - I reckon 5% FPV from an action cam is about the tolerable limit in a 2 min edit (the max I'd dream of making without being wantonly self indulgent- normally shorter) - so 6 seconds. FPV is just so naff in anything other than very short snippets.

 

It dying might have just done you a favour and liberated you from feeling you need to use it!

 

edit - cross posts

I don't actually use it much for 'proper' MTB, my riding is too dull for that. It's more for chasing round after MiniMonkey on her bike, it's much easier to hoik out of a pocket and set going than my phone (and the stabilisation is better).

Then you sir, don't need an action cam - what you need is a DJI Osmo pocket 3 - a game changer of a little camera for what you are wanting to do.


 
Posted : 31/05/2025 7:47 pm
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And to add... the DJI Osmo pocket 2 is much cheaper than the 3, with significant reductions in capacity over the newer pocket 3....but for what you are doing with it would no doubt be absolutely fine. More than fine.


 
Posted : 31/05/2025 8:27 pm
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Aye I picked it up cheap end of line (I guess), think it cost me £150 from GoPro themselves. I've asked them what the replacement will be, that could possibly sway me. 

 

To be honest, just for biking I wouldn't bother. But MiniMonkey enjoys being filmed, then every now and then we sit and edit together. That makes it worth having, for me. 

The Pocket looks interesting. The mechanical gimbal would definitely be good when I'm running or even skating after her. Couldn't justify the price of the 3, but the 2 may be an option. 


 
Posted : 31/05/2025 9:05 pm
convert reacted
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Posted by: sirromj

Hero 9 - the ability to show you what the camera is seeing is broken

It works with mine.


 
Posted : 01/06/2025 7:31 am
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Update, for anyone who's invested. 

I've been offered a 12 Black as a replacement via the GoPro Plus sub. So, I need to subscribe (£50), then I can get the 12 for £120 plus tax (I assume that'll be VAT at 20%, so it'll be about £200 all in with the sub). 

But Osmo Action 4s seem to crop up for around the same price. Decisions decisions...


 
Posted : 02/06/2025 8:33 pm
olddog reacted
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If it helps I've had a hero 12 for a year or so and it's night and day better than my old hero 7. Better menus, better stabilization and much more reliable (her 7 had the freeze/battery removal issues. I'd buy another straight away


 
Posted : 02/06/2025 8:43 pm
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Bought an 11Mini that turned itself off in the plane on the way to height and would not turn on or charge. I moaned at GoPro as it was less than a year old and they sent me a new one that has, touch wood, worked fine. That said, my 4 Black reserve camera still works despite a lot of abuse for many years.

The only thing I don't like about the 11Mini is the lack of removable battery. I can live it with that, but sometimes it is annoying. 

FWIW, the footage taken with the 11 is sooooo much better than on my 4. Much better colour, much better contrast. I love the stabilisation as well, makes films so much more watchable than before I had it.


 
Posted : 03/06/2025 7:30 am
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I'm 50/50 tbh, I think the magnetic mount on the Osmo might sway it though. 


 
Posted : 03/06/2025 9:24 am
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In case anyone was wondering (probably not, I imagine) I went for the Osmo Action 4, and I'm impressed so far. 

It works, which is a big improvement. The stabilisation is great (love the horizon levelling, which obvs would get on newer GoPros too). The magnetic mount is brilliant, I've already got a few extra ones. 

Mostly filmed MiniMonkey so far, though I might get to take it on a 'proper' ride some time (I've got a wideangle lens to try out for that, too). 

I did look at the Pocket as @convert suggested, but when I thought about my actual use (and the fact that MiniMonkey is getting faster by the day) something that I can helmet mount for when we ride together is pretty essential. And that's mostly what we've done so far. 


 
Posted : 30/06/2025 12:59 pm
convert reacted
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Thanks for the update, good to know.


 
Posted : 30/06/2025 1:20 pm

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