Is the 1-inch sensor worth it over a standard GoPro Hero?

The 1-inch sensor captures much more light and detail than the small sensors in GoPro's Hero cameras, which shows most in low light and in 8K footage. If you mostly shoot bright daylight clips, a Hero is smaller and simpler.

Do I need special memory cards for 8K?

Yes. 8K at 60fps and 4K at 240fps write very high bitrates, so use a fast, high-capacity card rated for that workload. Slower cards can stop recording or drop frames.

Does it need a waterproof housing?

No. The body is waterproof to 20 m on its own, so you can take it into the water without a case. Check that the battery and port doors are fully sealed before each dive.

How long does the battery really last?

GoPro rates it at up to 5 hours, but that figure assumes lighter settings. Expect much shorter runtimes at 8K or high-frame-rate 4K, so carry spare batteries for long shoots.

The camera comes with its battery and the standard GoPro mounting hardware. A memory card and any extra mounts are not included, so plan to buy those separately.

How does it compare with the DJI Osmo Action and Insta360 cameras?

The Mission 1 Pro leans on its large sensor and 8K recording for image quality. Rival action cameras often offer more modular accessories and different stabilization approaches, so choose based on whether you value sensor size or flexibility.