EXCLUSIVE: GoPro has been dreaming of swappable lenses since the Hero4, and now a mirrorless GoPro is finally happening.The brand talks ILS prototypes and who the upcoming camera is really for
The GoPro Mission 1 ILS “isn’t for every creator.” GoPro dishes on ILS prototypes, differences and who the upcoming mirrorless camera is really for, in this exclusive interview
GoPro, the pioneer of action cameras, is set to launch a new mirrorless camera before the end of 2026. This camera, the GoPro Mission 1 ILS, will be the first of its kind in the company's lineup. Pablo Lema, GoPro's senior vice president of product management, revealed that the idea for a swappable lens GoPro has been in the works since the Hero4 model was released in 2014.
The prototype was built from a modified Hero13, and the company was impressed by the footage it produced. The Mission 1 ILS will be marketed towards filmmakers who want a compact, mountable system and run-and-gun videographers. Despite its high-end features, such as 8K open gate, 4K 240fps, and FullHD 960fps, the camera is not intended to replace established mirrorless brands.
Instead, GoPro aims to offer a unique blend of small size, high performance, and creative control. The camera will use a one-inch sensor with a manual-focus Micro Four Thirds mount, which will provide filmmakers with a wide range of lens options. GoPro's HyperSmooth image stabilization will be a key feature, providing filmmakers with smooth footage without the need for cranes or gimbals.
The company was surprised by the positive response to the ILS camera at NAB, with many filmmakers expressing their appreciation for the camera's fixed-focus feature and manual focus capabilities.
Written by urgent.news from Digital Camera World's reporting — not their text. Machine-written — it may contain errors, so check the original before relying on it.
