The Small and Mighty GoPro LIT Hero Is a Versatile, Affordable Action Camera

GoPro cameras are known for being small and durable, allowing someone to easily attach the camera to themselves or their equipment to capture action-oriented activities from an eye-popping and immersive first- or third-person perspective. These cameras are also ideal for vacation photography and videography, because they can be used in locations and climates where you could not use a traditional camera, or the cameras built into your smartphone.

If you’re looking for a lower-cost, easier-to-use, and smaller GoPro camera than the company’s flagship GoPro Hero 13 Black or GoPro Max 2 (which can capture 360-degree photo or video content), the GoPro LIT Hero offers a great option. This tiny powerhouse can capture beautiful 12MP resolution still images, or video at up to 4K (60 fps) resolution. Since this camera has been scaled down a bit compared to the GoPro Hero 13 Black, it offers fewer built-in shooting modes and features, but for the average user, it’s more than adequate – even for creating social media content.

GoPro LIT Hero Action Camera

$269.99 $214.99 from Amazon $270.00 from Best Buy 270. from GoPro Website

When the GoPro LIT Hero was released in late September 2025, the folks at GoPro provided me with a review unit of the camera. Since I’ve had the chance to review and test numerous GoPro camera models in the past, I was anxious to see what this more compact model was capable of.

After taking it on a several-mile hike through Borderland State Mark in Massachusetts, I quickly discovered the GoPro LIT Hero is versatile, easier to operate than other GoPro cameras, and it can be used in a wide range of situations – on land and underwater. The built-in LED light source and flash on the front of the camera comes in handy when shooting in low-light situations, since this version of the GoPro lacks a Night shooting mode. When it’s used as a video camera, the image stabilization capabilities allow for ultra-smooth content to be created. Plus, the two built-in microphones do a nice job recording sound. 

My biggest complaint about this camera is that the internal rechargeable battery is not swappable, like it is with other GoPro cameras. As a result, when the internal battery dies, you need to recharge it (or connect the camera to an external power source) to keep using it. But, if you’re looking for an affordable action or vacation camera that’s easy to transport, offers a wide range of optional mounts and accessories, and that can adapt to many types of shooting situations, the GoPro LIT Hero may be perfect for you. Keep reading to learn more.

Key Features of the GoPro LIT Hero Action Camera

Using a version of the redesigned and more intrusive user interface that GoPro released in conjunction with the GoPro Hero 13 Black, the GoPro Lit Hero allows users to pick a shooting mode and begin capturing content in mere seconds. Thanks to the size and design of the camera, it can easily be attached to someone’s body, hat, or the equipment they’re using to capture content from a first-person perspective. Or, the camera can be securely connected to an expandable mounting pole, selfie stick, handle, or tripod to be used more like a traditional camera that captures photos or video.

The GoPro LIT Hero is a single lens camera with integrated HyperSmooth video stabilization, so even if the camera is moving as it’s recording, the video playback appears smooth. Video can be shot at 1080p resolution (at 25, 30, 50, or 60 fps) with a 16:9 aspect ratio, or you can shoot at 4K resolution using a 4:3 aspect ratio at 25 or 30 fps. The highest resolution option is 4K at 25, 30, 50, or 60 fps with a 16:9 aspect ratio. All content is captured at a Wide field of view, but can be adjusted using the GoPro Quik mobile app. Plus, video can be shot at normal speed, or at 2x slo-mo when shooting at 4K resolution (50 or 60 fps).

When shooting still images, I appreciate that there’s just one, point-and-click Photo shooting mode. All images are captured using a Wide field of view, but this can easily be changed to a Linear or SuperView field of view via the Quik mobile app. With a few extra taps within the app, a photo’s aspect ratio can also be adjusted to 4:3, 16:9, 8:7, 1:1, 7:8, 3:4, or 9:16, depending on how you plan to display the images. I found that the majority of images I took looked fantastic when they were switched to SuperView (with a 16:9 aspect ratio). 

The GoPro Quik mobile app — which works with an Apple iPhone, iPad, or any Android mobile device — gives users a lot of creative control after they’ve captured their content using the GoPro LIT Hero camera. The app offers a handful of one-touch special effect filters, plus an adjustable Auto, Exposure, Contrast, Vibrance, Temperature, Shadows, and Highlights option for quickly editing photos. Images can also be cropped, straightened, or flipped via the app as part of the editing process.

As you’ll see shortly, after spending about one minute per photo using the Quik app’s editing tools, I was able to take an average-looking photo, taken using the GoPro LIT Hero, and make it look amazing by taking advantage of the app’s editing and image enhancement tools — all of which are simple to use and can be adjusted with a slider.

Shooting video is an equally straightforward process. I was able to turn on the camera, switch to Video mode, and press the Record button to start recording, and then the same button to stop the recording process. There’s also a 2x Slo-Mo video recording feature (a TimeLapse video mode will be added in a future camera operating system update). As soon as the content is transferred from the camera’s memory card into the Quik app, image stabilization is automatically applied. It’s then possible to play back the video content and edit it. 

The editing tools include the ability to clip footage, choose between a Linear, Wide, or SuperWide field of view, adjust the aspect ratio, apply a one-touch effect filter, adjust the playback speed, change the audio volume embedded within the video, and superimpose virtual stickers. Plus, you get a handful of editing tools, identical to what’s offered when editing still images.

Perhaps the most impressive thing about the Quik app (when used in conjunction with the paid GoPro Subscription service) is that it will take the photo and video content and automatically edit it into a professional-looking video clip (complete with music and visual transition effects). You can even select the video length and add custom titles. This advanced, AI-driven tool analyzes your content to produce impressive videos that can then be customized and shared. You can also apply themes, choose the background music, and change the video’s aspect ratio to meet your playback needs.

Of course, if you want to invest the time, you can use the Quik app to edit your own video content from scratch using the tools at your disposal. For the GoPro LIT Hero, editing tools like the Data Overlay and Advanced Metadata features are not accessible, but by manually editing your own videos, you get creative control before publishing or sharing your content (which can also be done via the app). Depending on how you plan to showcase your video content, another drawback of the GoPro LIT is that it records mono (not stereo) audio using the camera’s two built-in microphones.

One thing I really like about the Quik mobile app is that you can use it to remotely control the GoPro LIT Hero camera, and use your mobile device’s screen as your viewfinder. The camera also accepts eight voice commands, but all camera features and functions are accessible from either the camera’s touchscreen display or the Quik app. 

Once content has been shot, you can use the app to wirelessly transfer it from the camera’s microSD memory card to the GoPro Subscription cloud service or your mobile device. To accomplish this, however, the camera needs to be plugged into an external power source via its USB Type-C cable.

Who Will the GoPro LIT Hero Action Camera Appeal To?

The great thing about the GoPro LIT Hero is its simplicity. This makes it a great gift for teens looking to capture dirt bike, skiing, or skateboarding footage, for example, without having to spend a lot on fancy gear. It’s also a perfect option for adults who want to capture good quality content of their action-oriented activities, without having to learn how to use a complex camera. Thanks to its small size and point-and-shoot simplicity, I’d recommend it as a vacation camera, too — after all, it can withstand extreme temperatures and is waterproof.

Purchasing the GoPro LIT Hero does mean giving up a few key features, like the ability to shoot video at up to 5.3K (30 fps) resolution, as you could if you were using the GoPro Hero 13 Black, or 8K (30 fps) resolution, as you would be able to do when shooting 360-degree video using the GoPro Max 2. The GoPro LIT Hero maxes out at 4K (60 fps) resolution, or 12MP resolution still images. This is more than adequate for most people who will be sharing their content on social media, for example.

This less expensive camera also lacks several useful videography features and shooting modes, like horizon lock and horizon leveling, as well as a Star Trails, Light Painting, Vehicle Light Trails, TimeWarp Video, and Night Lapse Video. There’s no front-facing viewfinder display, and the camera lacks HDR Video compatibility, a zoom lens, and live streaming capabilities. Another feature that’s lacking that the other GoPro cameras offer is integrated GPS (used to collect precise location and movement information as video or photos are being captured).

What you do get with the GoPro LIT Hero is a point-and-shoot digital camera for still images, combined with a video camera that allows content to be captured in a 16:9 or 4:3 aspect ratio at the resolution you choose.

Discover the Camera’s Videography and Picture-Taking Modes

Based on what you plan to photograph or record, and where you plan to use the camera, choosing the right GoPro camera accessories is helpful. There are a handful of specialized mounting buckles and brackets, adjustable mounting poles, grips, handles, and portable tripods available. 

Some of the specialty mounts are designed to securely attach the camera to a helmet, bike, vehicle, surfboard, skis, or other types of sports equipment. There are also mounts for attaching the camera to your chest, wrist, or head, or even to your dog’s back.  

With more than 35 mounts and accessories available, it’s easy to find the right additional gear that allows you to capture the visually compelling content you want, from the shooting angle and viewing perspective you choose. At the very least, I’d recommend the GoPro Shorty portable tripod and handle combo, which allows you to hold the camera while shooting, without accidently blocking the camera’s lens with your fingers (I found this to be a frequently made mistake due to the small size of the camera’s body). Meanwhile, if you plan to shoot in or around water, the Floaty housing allows the camera to float in water if it’s accidentally dropped.

Another accessory that I found very useful is the optional Magnetic Latch Mount. This makes it super easy to securely and quickly attach and detach the camera from most genuine GoPro mounts and accessories. But, if you’re looking to shoot action from a first-person perspective by attaching the camera to your own body, I suggest using the Chesty mount, as opposed to one of the head or helmet mounts. When you’re participating in a high-action activity, your chest moves around less than your head, so you’ll wind up with less shaky video content.

Since you can’t extend camera usage time by swapping out the GoPro LIT Hero’s battery with a fully charged one, it’s important to conserve battery life if you plan to use the camera throughout a full day. Depending on factors like the temperature and the resolution you’re shooting at, expect a single battery charge to last up to 100 minutes of filming video at 4K (60 fps) with light off, or up to 75 minutes with light on.

You can (and should) always keep an extra microSD memory card on-hand, so if one fills up, you always have a second or third one to provide the extra local storage capacity that’s needed before your content can be transferred to the cloud or your mobile device.

Here’s a Sampling of Photos Taken Using the GoPro LIT Hero During a Hike

To test the video and still picture-taking capabilities of the GoPro LIT Hero, I took the camera along with me on a two-hour hike with my dog within Borderland State Park in Massachusetts. The following is a sampling of the photos I took and then edited using the GoPro Quik app.

The Camera Works Nicely Within the GoPro Ecosystem

When you use the camera in conjunction with the GoPro Subscription service, you get unlimited cloud storage, access to a vast GoPro user community, generous discounts on popular GoPro accessories purchased from the GoPro website, and the ability to use AI to automatically create highlight videos from your raw footage. This feature works extremely well — and with zero effort — when it comes to creating short social media posts from raw video footage or multiple still images.

Another benefit of a GoPro Subscription is guaranteed camera replacement from GoPro while your subscription is active. This means that if your LIT Hero camera gets damaged for whatever reason, GoPro will fix it or replace it up to twice per year (a deductible applies). Also, when you’re ready to upgrade your GoPro camera to another model, you can get up to $100 off. I definitely recommend subscribing to the GoPro Subscription service for $49.99 per year if you plan to use your camera frequently and want to maximize its capabilities. 

My Final Thoughts: Is the GoPro LIT Hero Action Camera Worth It?

If your goal is to shoot pro-quality action video from a first- or third-person perspective, and have a vast collection of shooting modes and options at your disposal, you want the more expensive GoPro Hero 13 Black as your go-to action camera. Or, if you’d like to capture 180-degree or 360-degree photos or video content at up to 8K resolution, the GoPro Max 2 is your best option out of the GoPro camera lineup.

GoPro LIT Hero Action Camera

$269.99 $214.99 from Amazon $270.00 from Best Buy 270. from GoPro Website

The GoPro LIT Hero, however, is the perfect entry-level action camera, offering the core functionality most people need at an affordable price. It’s a well designed and versatile camera that can generate visually impressive results, regardless of how or where you’re using the camera. It’s designed to work in dry or wet conditions, when the temperature is between 14 and 95 degrees Fahrenheit. 

I found the GoPro LIT Hero’s performance and value to be well worth the investment. With a relatively short learning curve, you’ll be able to capture impressive photos and pro-quality 4K resolution video content with minimal practice. Meanwhile, if you’re interested in the GoPro Hero 13 Black ($430), GoPro MAX 2 ($500), or the Insta360 X5, which can also capture 360-degree content ($550), be sure to read my in-depth reviews of these popular action cameras here on In My Expert Opinion.