Canon EOS 90Dvs Hero 12 Black
Canon
Canon EOS 90D (2019)
Starting from £849 new
Best for Sports, wildlife & DSLR enthusiasts
View Canon EOS 90D
VS
GoPro
Hero 12 Black (2023)
Starting from £300 new
Best for Adventure, sports & travel video
View Hero 12 Black
GearScore™ Verdict — Which should you buy?
Sports, Wildlife & Dslr Enthusiasts — Canon EOS 90D (2019): The best APS-C DSLR Canon ever made — 32MP, 10fps, weather sealing, and an optical viewfinder experience no mirrorless can replicate.
Adventure, Sports & Travel Video — Hero 12 Black (2023): GoPro's best all-round action camera — better battery, 10-bit colour, and HyperSmooth 6.0 make it a genuine step forward.
Who should buy what
Canon EOS 90D (2019)
- DSLR photographers who aren't ready to switch to mirrorless
- Sports and wildlife shooters who want optical viewfinder tracking
- Canon APS-C DSLR users upgrading to 32.5MP and faster burst
- Photographers who prefer the battery life and handling of a traditional DSLR
Hero 12 Black (2023)
- Action and sports photographers who want the best stabilisation available
- Travellers who need a rugged waterproof camera for any conditions
- Cyclists, surfers, and skiers wanting helmet or handlebar footage
- Hero 11 owners considering an upgrade — notably better battery life
Quick take: The canon eos 90d has the highest resolution at 32mp; the hero 12 black is the most affordable. Scroll down for the full spec breakdown.
Full specifications
| Specification | Canon EOS 90D (2019) | Hero 12 Black (2023) |
|---|---|---|
| Price | £849 | £300 |
| Sensor | 32.5MP APS-C CMOS (Dual Pixel AF) | 1/1.9-inch CMOS |
| Resolution | 32.5MP | 27.0MP |
| Video | 4K/30p (1.6× crop), FHD/120p | 5.3K/60p, 4K/120p, 2.7K/240p slow-mo |
| Autofocus | Dual Pixel CMOS AF (live view), 45-point phase-detect (OVF) | Fixed focus (wide) |
| Stabilisation | None (no IBIS) | HyperSmooth 6.0 (in-camera EIS) |
| Burst Rate | 10fps mechanical | 27MP RAW burst |
| Battery Life | ~1300 shots (CIPA with OVF) | ~70 min at 5.3K/30p (Enduro battery) |
| Weight | 701g body only | 154g |
| Dimensions | 140.7 × 104.8 × 76.8mm | 71.8 × 50.8 × 33.6mm |
| Weather Sealed | Yes | Yes |
| Viewfinder | Optical pentaprism, 100% coverage, 0.95× magnification | 2.27" rear touchscreen + 1.4" front display |
| Screen | 3.0" vari-angle touchscreen | 2.27" rear touchscreen; 1.4" front colour display |
| Mount | Canon EF / EF-S | GoPro mounting ecosystem (fingers, adhesive, magnetic) |
| Memory Cards | Dual SD UHS-II slots | microSD up to 1TB (V30 minimum) |
| Connectivity | USB 2.0, Bluetooth, Wi-Fi | USB-C, Bluetooth, Wi-Fi, GPS |
Suitability by genre
| Genre | Canon EOS 90D | Hero 12 Black |
|---|---|---|
| Sports & Action | — | |
| Wildlife | — | |
| Portrait | — | |
| Landscape | — | |
| Travel | ||
| Vlogging & Video | ||
| Adventure & Sports | — | |
| Underwater | — | |
| Cycling & Hiking | — | |
| Everyday | — |
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