This upgrade for the GoPro Hero 12 lens increases the field of view up to 177 degrees and allows for horizon stabilization even during 360-degree rotation. This essentially gives the GoPro Hero 12 a significant advantage in terms of horizontal range and stabilization over the DJI Osmo Action 4.

Package contents:
In the packaging box (which is disproportionately large compared to the size of the final product), you will find the lens inside a case made of elastic material, a cleaning cloth, and a leaflet with instructions. The top part of the case, which reads with embossed letters Max Lens Mod 2.0, also serves as a protective cap for when you have the lens "attached" to the camera, while the bottom part can hold the simple protective lens or the GoPro ND filter.

Build quality/installation:
It looks quite sturdy, and the plastic part has the same "velvety" coating as GoPro for shock absorption in case of a fall. The lens glass is scratch-resistant and has a hydrophobic coating, but it protrudes significantly from the chassis, meaning there is a risk of breaking the €110 it costs in case of an accident. Also, GoPro claims that the Max Lens Mod 2.0 is waterproof but does not recommend using it underwater. The installation is quite simple, as you simply detach the factory protective lens, pull the bottom part of the Max Lens Mod protective case (the narrow piece), align the Mod's notches with the camera's metal "ears," and twist to the right until the Mod's chassis aligns with the camera's chassis. To store the factory lens, you place it in the narrow part of the case so that the outer part of the lens is exposed, and the inner ring touches the case's ring. Then, open the menu and select Max Lens 2.0 > On.

Image quality/stabilization:
The colors and details remain the same as with the regular lens, but with the installation and activation of the Max Lens Mod 2.0, the 3 available modes change to:
Max Timelapse:
You can shoot Max TimeWarp in 16:9 or 4:3 in Wide and Max SuperView, as well as Max Star Trails, Max Light Painting, and Max Vehicle Lights in 16:9 or 4:3 in Wide.

Max Video:
The lens allows video shooting at 1080p at 24/25/50/100fps and 4K at 24/25/50 in 16:9, 9:16, or 4:3 with Wide, Max SuperView, and Max Hyperview. In videos, the difference I observed between Max SuperView and Max HyperView is on the Y-axis (vertical axis), where Max HyperView increases the vertical field of view (allows you to capture more of the sky and ground). Regarding the X-axis (horizontal axis), I did not notice a difference in the field of view between Max SuperView and Max HyperView, apart from the fact that Max SuperView seems to distort the video less.

Max Photo:
It offers the option to take photos in Wide and Max SuperView. The distortion in Max SuperView is greater, but the result is a full panoramic view.

In all modes, there is the option of Horizon Lock, which allows you to lock the horizon even if you rotate the GoPro 360 degrees.

Negatives:
For now, it is ONLY compatible with the GoPro Hero 12. In some settings, the image is quite distorted.
As I mentioned above, the fact that the lens protrudes quite a bit from the chassis means that in case of an accident, it is likely to be damaged.
There doesn't seem to be any protective transparent dome (like the GoPro Max) available for even greater protection of the Max Lens Mod.
It is not compatible with ND filters for GoPro Hero 9, 10, 11, 12.
With its installation, the camera becomes quite heavy and bulky.
____
Who is it for:
For those who engage in extreme sports, motorcycle riders, and those who want to capture epic landscapes in their videos or photos.
Who is it NOT for:
For those who do not want an excessively bulky action camera, for those who are excessively careless with their gadgets, for those who think it is not worth spending 110 euros on a lens that they probably won't use that often, and for those who have an older GoPro model! :P
____
Personally, I bought the Max Lens Mod 2.0 mainly for the videos of routes in epic landscapes that I usually create.
I will try to upload photos and videos here, but you can also visit my channel, where I intend to definitely upload the 2-3 videos that I have already taken with this gadget:
https://www.youtube.com/@TravellerChris