GoPro's latest Hero4 Session action cam may be able to weather rough conditions, but when it comes to reparability the device is not the easiest to fix.
The GoPro Hero4 Session may impress with its 4K Ultra HD video capabilities, but if you're thinking of a DIY repair session - think again!
iFixit's teardown of the Hero4 Session revealed several setbacks along the way and as a result the waterproof action cam, scored a measly 1 out of 10.
The iFixit experts began by removing the T4 Torx screws in the front of the cam to reveal the lens cover, which came off reasonably easily. The team were surprised that the lens was not glued on as is the case with most waterproof devices. The glass lens cover gives one access to the o-ring, which one has to remove prior to delving deeper into the device.
"The glass lens cover is probably the most likely part to break on the Session, but it's also the easiest to replace," says iFixit.
However, there is a rubber covering which the team discovered is nearly impossible to remove and since prying at covers did not help, the guys at iFixit had to cut and peel open the same. This revealed the clear plastic cube which had to be opened with the flush cutters. However, even attempts to peel away the end cap and the metal plate did not help and the team had to resort back to clipping their way to the innards. They managed to get a portion of the plastic off.
Did they manage to get to the 1,000 mAh battery you wonder?
"The interior components are a tetris'd tangle of parts with no obvious way to extract the battery," stated the iFixit team.
The team discovered that the Session's battery was soldered to the motherboard, as well as glued to a bracket. The non-removable battery was likely to accommodate the waterproof aspect.
Probing the device also threw up the fact that the Session also houses the f/2.8 lens as the Hero4.
The Hero4 Session scored 1 out a maximum 10 in the reparability stakes as the device was difficult to disassemble (and even more difficult to put back together!).
