You can build a working GoPro Hero 6 with spare parts and it might be cheaper than buying the whole camera. If you want a naked GoPro this is way more convenient as you won’t have to spend time taking the camera apart.
Main Board + Lens Module = Working GoPro
- GoPro 6 Main Board: https://bit.ly/2YkmYHz
- GoPro 6 Lens/Sensor Module: https://oscarliang.com/product-as94
These two components are all you need to make a working GoPro!
AliExpress seems to be only place you can get GoPro spare parts from. The source I linked above is legit as I bought two main boards before from there, both working as expected. Shipping to the UK took about 2 weeks.
The lens module had been out of stock for a long time, finally came back in stock recently. I just placed an order for the lens module so I will verify when it arrives. But I don’t know how long the stock will last this time :)
Update (26 July 2020): Just received the lens module and I can confirm it works as expected. Shipping took about 10 days.
You might want to put it in a case, like the BetaFPV GoPro Lite case, or use it with the Umma85 or Umma95 kit on the BetaFPV Whoops.
What Else You Might Need?
If you want to power the Naked GoPro via USB-C you will also need a USB-C module, but if you power it via other means you won’t need it: https://bit.ly/2V4Xwng
You should definitely have the touch screen and buttons for the Hero 6 (the other components below are not necessary).
They are used to verify if the main board and lens module are working correctly, and you need the screen to get the WiFi password. To change camera settings, you can either use the touch screen, or just use the phone APP over WiFi.
You can get a spare touch screen and buttons from tearing down a GoPro, or you can get these as spare parts. The touch screen and buttons can be reused for your other Naked GoPro’s:
- Buttons: https://bit.ly/3eimDdW
- Touch Screen LCD Display Only: https://bit.ly/2BnFGF9
Here is a pin-out of the connectors on the GoPro Hero 6 main board:
If you’ve never owned a decased GoPro before, maybe you should tear one down first, then you’d have the screen and buttons. And you will also learn how the components are assembled.
Hi
So if you buy the parts instead of a camera, does the board comes with firmawere installed?? no programming needed?
Thanks for your tutorias
Regards from Spain
Dani
So, maybe a stupid question but I couldn’t find the answer. When you order one of those boards does it comes with a firmware on it, no programming needed?just plug and play?
Thanks for your tutorials Oscar!
Cheers from Spain
Were customs duties involved, or are they smart enough to declare lower values at aliexpress?
I didn’t have to pay custom :)
Yeah. The world would be such an awesome place if no one shared knowledge. Djeez…
Weird quesion, but do you think i can build a hero 5 black, and then using enough vibration dampening have similar results? if not do you think i could use a hero 5 lens on the 6, just cause its almost 40$ cheaper.
So what if prices went up, it’s natural when demands are higher.
I did not know about this option before i read this article.
Thank you for so many valuable advices Oscar.
Keep up the good work!
Lol the comments are priceless xd
Thank you for sharing Óscar
This hobby has only come this far because we all share info.
I have a broken gopro hero 7 black with dead mainboard.
Can I use a hero 6 mainboard and keep screen and use with hero 6?
I’ve never tried this myself, I’ve heard the Gyro sensors are in different modules between 6 and 7 and that might cause issues when using Reelsteady. Not 100% sure really.
damn it, he showed how to do it, increased demand, and now you have to pay a few bucks more. next time, there should be no article about this at all, so that noone knows about it! solved!
Congrats!!!! You made all price of this parts increase a lot in aliexpress!!!