GoPro often releases free software updates between camera models. The one that just came out for the Mission 1 and Mission 1 Pro is worth noting because it directly affects the Dive mode, and it comes with two accessories that you should understand before wanting to acquire them.
Here's what changes, and what doesn't change for you if you dive with this camera.
What improvements does the H26.01_02.00.00 firmware bring in dive mode?
The technical changelog, published at the end of July, is specific about three points: reworked contrast and tonal balance in Dive mode, improved color accuracy, and more cinematic motion blur on recorded footage. GoPro confirmed all of this on July 29th via an official press release, and Digital Camera World reported the information on the same day.
Specifically, for those who film in automatic Dive mode (the setting that most divers use, and rightly so), it results in footage that requires less correction in post-production. Blues remain blue instead of turning greenish-gray at 15 meters, the skin tones of faces under the mask are better preserved, and the motion blur on shots taken while swimming or near a drop-off is smoother.
It's the kind of improvement you don't notice in a single photo, but you immediately feel when editing an entire session. Fewer clips to discard, less time spent correcting white balance in DaVinci Resolve.
Media Mod and Volta 2: Two accessories, but not for immersion.
At the same time as the firmware update, GoPro is launching the Media Mod for the Mission 1 series (€130) and the Volta 2 (€120), a battery grip with a 5800 mAh capacity that promises 9 hours of battery life in 4K30.
It's important to be clear about this right away, because the name "Media Mod" can be misleading for those who dive: it is not a waterproof accessory. Like the Media Mods from previous Hero generations, this one exposes a multi-pattern microphone and three 3.5mm ports (external microphone, line input for timecode synchronization, headphone output) plus a micro-HDMI output for an external monitor. These ports are not waterproof. The Media Mod is designed for topside production: vlogging on the boat, interviews on deck, shooting on the surface with an external monitor connected.
The Volta 2 poses the same question in a different way. An external battery pack adds bulk and changes the camera's grip, which complicates (or even prevents) its insertion into most existing housings, whether official or third-party. It is useful for long shooting sessions on the surface or during light snorkeling without a housing, but much less relevant for traditional diving with a housing.
What I take away from this: This accessory update targets the general content creator who uses the Mission 1 both above and below water, not specifically divers. There's nothing wrong with that, but it's worth knowing before you reach for your credit card thinking you're going to improve your diving setup.
If you already own a Mission 1 or a Mission 1 Pro, the update is free via the Quik app and takes only a few minutes. There's no reason to miss out: the Dive mode improves without losing anything in the process, and this is the kind of improvement that benefits all future releases without changing any of your existing settings.
For accessories, the situation is different. If your use is exclusively underwater, neither the Media Mod nor the Volta 2 truly meet the needs of diving today. However, if you also film on the surface, on the boat, or during briefings, they become very useful.
The most important aspect for serious underwater photography and videography with this camera is the third-party waterproof housing, which is still pending from Seafrogs, AOI, and Ikelite. The official GoPro housing works up to 60 meters, but it doesn't have an interchangeable port for macro or wide-angle dome photography.
