GoPro Anamorphic Lens Mod reviewed - A cinematic upgrade for the HERO13 Black

When GoPro launched the Hero 13 Black, it released a range of lens accessories designed to extend the camera’s creative capabilities. One of the most anticipated among them was the Anamorphic Lens Mod. After a delayed arrival, it’s now finally available.

Cinemascope for GoPro

Anamorphic lens attachments are nothing new in the action camera world. Several third-party options have existed for years, catering to creators who want a more cinematic aesthetic. However, GoPro’s official take on the anamorphic lens offers a level of integration and polish that the third-party alternatives lack.

Notably, this mod makes full use of the HERO13 Black’s automatic lens recognition system. Once attached, the camera instantly recognises the lens and adjusts settings accordingly, eliminating the need for manual configuration and streamlining the shooting process significantly.

The appeal of an anamorphic lens lies in its ability to deliver a distinctive, widescreen aesthetic. With the Anamorphic Lens Mod, recorded footage benefits from a wider 21:9 aspect ratio, horizontal lens flares, and a more cinematic visual style, and footage shot with the Anamorphic Lens Mod requires no additional processing in post.

The Anamorphic Lens Mod is one of the most compact anamorphic solutions available

Build quality and practicality

Physically, the Anamorphic Lens Mod reflects GoPro’s usual attention to durability. It features the same hydrophobic coating found on the other HB Lens Mod products, although just as with the other lenses, it also adds a little bit of bulk to the setup. However, the seamless integration with the camera means you can focus on the creative side rather than fiddling with menus or needing to be concerned with post processing.

The curved nature of the lens does mean that you need to be careful about keeping it free from dust and dirt, which will show up quite readily when shooting into light.

Lens flares are often seen as one of the selling points of anamorphic lenses. However, I can’t say I’m fully sold on them. With HyperSmooth turned on, the flaring can ‘wiggle’ around the image in a distracting way. If you need the stabilisation, this will be unavoidable. Personally, if I’m after the cinematic aesthetic, I’ve found that keeping the shots static or turning HyperSmooth off and attaching the camera to a gimbal is the way to go.

Distinctly not looking like action camera footage

Now, although the de-squeezing is all done in-camera, Is it possible to do the de-squeeze manually? The answer is… Sort of. You can put the camera into Standard Lens mode, which will give you an unsqueezed image that uses the full height of the sensor. The trouble is that you absolutely cannot use HyperSmooth due to the weird jello like distortions that result from the curved nature of the lens. Further, you will see vignetting at the corners.

So, if you turn HyperSmooth off, you can do the de-squeeze in post, although I wouldn’t recommend it. Additionally, it’s not just a case of putting the footage into your NLE and choosing an anamorphic pixel aspect ratio. The official line from GoPro is that putting the camera into Standard Lens mode still won’t give you a true ‘squeezed’ image, so it’s better to just let the camera handle things.

Generally, the lens produces a sharp image with minimal distortion, although it does become softer at the edges. The fact that it produces less height in the final image also means that it possibly isn't best suited to POV style shots, either.

Different digital lens modes are available from Linear to Ultra-Wide. The mode that is of the most interest, though, is the Ultra-Linear mode. Ultra-Linear mode gives you the widest possible image, but without any fisheye distortion, and I found it was my go-to mode every time.

Linear mode

Ultra-Wide mode

Ultra-Linear mode

Final thoughts

This isn’t a must-have for every GoPro user. If your needs are limited to basic action footage, travel clips, or casual vlogging, the standard lens will likely suffice. But for content creators who want their videos to stand out, or anyone experimenting with narrative or cinematic style shooting the Anamorphic Lens Mod is an interesting and possibly even compelling addition to the HB Lens lineup.

It’s especially well-suited to creators who prefer to keep their gear lightweight and portable but still want the storytelling power of a more stylised image.

If you already own a HERO13 and you want to experiment with anamorphic shooting, this is one of the least expensive and most compact ways to do it, other than with a smartphone. If you’re looking to add a cinematic touch to your content without the complexity of post-production effects or third-party hacks, this lens mod is worth considering.

The GoPro Anamorphic Lens Mod is available for $129, or $103 for GoPro subscribers. Watch our video review below!