Drafting the Wake of the World’s Best Surfers, with the GoPro HERO9 Black

Three foot Snapper should be dull, but after hundreds of hours of footage, somehow it’s still totally arresting, especially when the footage is this damn crisp. 

Charged with showcasing just how good a job the GoPro HERO9 Black can do in expert hands, we gifted one to our go-to lensman Dan Scott and gave him free range to put the golf ball-sized (yeah we know they’re not round) camera through its paces. The above is what he gave us, ducks and all.

We’ve become so acclimatised to GoPros that it’s easy to take for granted what a gargantuan leap they’ve been in capturing footage of our favourite pastime. Whether it’s capturing footage deep within the tube, or documenting the intricacies of a day of fun at Snapper (casually featuring Jack Robinson, Lungi Slabb, Macy Callaghan et al), these little things have changed everything. And they keep on evolving.

The GoPro HERO9 Black shoots up to 5k video, which gives just enough definition to see singular water drops, has a live preview front screen so you can ensure you’re framing correctly, features in-camera stabilisation and horizon levelling (gotta keep those horizons straight) and their newest lens – the Max Lens Mod (sold separately) for those concerned with the tech – is the widest-angle yet, which obviously makes it perfect for capturing the multi-splendoured elements of surfing. In short, it’s a remarkable bit of kit. 

You’ve seen what Dan did with his, now it’s your turn.