GoPro has announced a pair of action cameras aimed at two completely different types of creators: the MAX2, a 360-degree camera that goes to 8K now, and the LIT HERO, a small shooter with built-in LED lighting for brightening up low-light scenes.
It’s a straightforward pitch — 360-degree immersive spherical video for pro editors and live sharing clips in any light level for everyday shooters, priced at $499.99 and $269.99 respectively.
8K 360 capture and repairable optics on MAX2
The MAX2 represents a significant leap over GoPro’s previous 360 model. Its juxtaposition-mounted lenses capture a full sphere in 8K, providing much sharper source material than the earlier 5.6K generation. That resolution counts in the edit: When you reframe 360 video into a conventional angle for YouTube or vertical shorts, an 8K spherical frame usually results in a crisper window looking like more detailed and less aliased 4K.
One of the most useful improvements is serviceability. The MAX2’s lenses are replaceable and coated with dust- and water-resistant finishes. If you scratch a lens barrel crashing your Z 6, you unscrew it and replace it (no whole-camera replacement). That’s a significant drop in cost of ownership for riders, skiers and filmmakers who cram gear into tight places where impacts are part of the job.
GoPro adds a six-microphone array for spatial sound, while the rugged build remains in place. It’s waterproof to 16ft (5m) without a housing and works off of a 1960mAh battery; GoPro hasn’t given an estimate on the operating time, but more juice usually means fewer swaps in the field. Like any 360 workflow, shooters can lock-off framing on the scene and point the “virtual camera” in post — useful for situations like helmet mounts, handlebars or car rigs where you don’t want to miss what’s happening behind you.
LIT HERO comes with in-built LED lights for low light shooting
And the LIT HERO is all about simplicity and light. Its front-facing LED next to the lens provides three brightness levels and a softening diffuser for more natural-looking light. Rather than a front status screen, you get usable photons — exactly what teensy sensors require after nightfall, whether you are filming a skate session bathed in street lamps or vlogging inside a dark restaurant.
Specs drop where most creators work: up to 4K at 60fps, 93g weight; shell waterproof to 16ft (5m). According to GoPro, the 1255mAh battery should be good for over 100 minutes of recording at the highest video setting with the light off, or more than 75 minutes with it on high. For walking and talking through the night or hitting a gym set without bothering with lights and mounts, that’s more than enough. The look can also trend deliberately stylized: The on-camera source creates a distinct, “retro” falloff that filmmakers try to replicate with many plug-ins.
Who each camera serves best and ideal use cases
Choose the MAX2 if you want maximum flexibility in post: reframing for widescreen YouTube or vertical TikTok (or Shorts), and everything in between, with no need to reshoot anything.
Action sports editors, automotive creators and travel filmmakers all benefit from the “capture first, compose later” workflow (and that six-mic spatial audio puts you in the middle of the scene).
Choose the LIT HERO when you want a no-nonsense, budget action cam that doesn’t crumble as soon as the sun goes down. The built-in light eliminates the need for external cubes or cages, which means setup time is cut down and rigs are more streamlined — ideal for creators on the go. According to GoPro’s launch materials, the company designed it specifically for “whatever, whenever” capture — i.e., acknowledging that plenty of clips are shot in mixed or low light where a little fill makes the footage usable.
Market context and ecosystem signals for creators
The MAX2’s 8K spec puts GoPro straight into the mix with the current set of 360 rivals, while the shift to replaceable lenses reflects an industry-wide trend toward repairability and modular maintenance. That’s a tangible quality-of-life upgrade for a category prone to lens scrapes. In the meantime, built-in light on the LIT HERO replaces another accessory buy; many creators currently mount separate LEDs and/or purchase lighting mods to account for small sensor cameras after dark.
The company also announced a new AI-tracking gimbal, indicating a push into rounding out its capture ecosystem. Whereas 360 cameras naturally stabilize footage and let you “aim” during post, a subject-tracking gimbal naturally complements non-360 workflows, implying GoPro is courting both the set-it-and-reframe crowd as well as shooters who seek traditional guided framing with less editing.
Bottom line on GoPro MAX2 and LIT HERO camera launches
GoPro is gambling that sharper 8K 360 and replaceable optics will push spherical video beyond the hardcore specialists with MAX2. With LIT HERO, it’s folding in a basic reality of the creator’s life: light is half the picture. The two cameras, taken together, cover both immersive storytelling and no-fuss low-light capture — at the kinds of prices intended to lure enthusiasts as well as everyday shooters.
