EOS M5vs Hero 12 Black
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?
Travel & Portrait — EOS M5 (2016): The EOS M5 was the first EF-M camera with a built-in EVF — and it made the system feel complete. Fast Dual Pixel AF, a 9fps burst, and a high-resolution articulating screen deliver a confident shooting experience. No IBIS and 1080p video only limit its appeal for hybrid work, but for stills photographers it remains one of the most well-rounded EF-M bodies available.
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
EOS M5 (2016)
- Enthusiast photographers who want an EVF in a compact EF-M body
- Photographers switching from DSLR who want familiar handling
- Portrait and travel photographers who value fast AF and good ergonomics
- Used-market buyers wanting a capable EF-M stills camera
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 hero 12 black has the highest resolution at 27mp; the hero 12 black is the most affordable; only the hero 12 black is weather sealed. Scroll down for the full spec breakdown.
Full specifications
| Specification | EOS M5 (2016) | Hero 12 Black (2023) |
|---|---|---|
| Price | £350 | £300 |
| Sensor | 24.2MP APS-C CMOS (Dual Pixel) | 1/1.9-inch CMOS |
| Resolution | 24.2MP | 27.0MP |
| Video | 1080p/60p | 5.3K/60p, 4K/120p, 2.7K/240p slow-mo |
| Autofocus | Dual Pixel CMOS AF with face detection | Fixed focus (wide) |
| Stabilisation | — | HyperSmooth 6.0 (in-camera EIS) |
| Burst Rate | 9fps | 27MP RAW burst |
| Battery Life | ~295 shots (CIPA) | ~70 min at 5.3K/30p (Enduro battery) |
| Weight | 427g (body only) | 154g |
| Dimensions | 116.2 × 88.1 × 60.6mm | 71.8 × 50.8 × 33.6mm |
| Weather Sealed | No | Yes |
| Viewfinder | Electronic, 2.36M dots, 0.39" type | 2.27" rear touchscreen + 1.4" front display |
| Screen | 3.2" fully articulating touchscreen, 1.62M dots | 2.27" rear touchscreen; 1.4" front colour display |
| Mount | Canon EF-M mount | GoPro mounting ecosystem (fingers, adhesive, magnetic) |
| Memory Cards | Single SD UHS-I slot | microSD up to 1TB (V30 minimum) |
| Connectivity | USB, Wi-Fi, NFC, Bluetooth | USB-C, Bluetooth, Wi-Fi, GPS |
Suitability by genre
| Genre | EOS M5 | Hero 12 Black |
|---|---|---|
| Travel | ||
| Portrait | — | |
| Street | — | |
| Casual | — | |
| Landscape | — | |
| Sports & Action | — | |
| Vlogging & Video | ||
| Adventure & Sports | — | |
| Underwater | — | |
| Cycling & Hiking | — | |
| Everyday | — |
GearScore™ suitability scores are based on aggregated purchaser reviews weighted by photography genre. See how scores are calculated →
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Camera family history