EOS RPvs 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?
Entry Full-Frame Stills Photography — EOS RP (2019): An affordable gateway into the RF system. The RP makes sense as a stepping stone camera — if you're committed to Canon RF glass, this is the cheapest full-frame body to buy those lenses for. Just manage expectations on video and battery life.
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 RP (2019)
- Canon users who want to start investing in RF glass affordably
- Stills photographers who shoot primarily in good light
- Anyone coming from a Canon DSLR wanting the RF system at low cost
- Travel photographers who prioritise compactness over video specs
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 RP (2019) | Hero 12 Black (2023) |
|---|---|---|
| Price | £799 | £300 |
| Sensor | 26.2MP Full-Frame CMOS | 1/1.9-inch CMOS |
| Resolution | 26.2MP | 27.0MP |
| Video | 4K/24p (with 1.7× crop), 1080p/60p | 5.3K/60p, 4K/120p, 2.7K/240p slow-mo |
| Autofocus | Dual Pixel CMOS AF, 4779 manually selectable positions | Fixed focus (wide) |
| Stabilisation | None (no IBIS) | HyperSmooth 6.0 (in-camera EIS) |
| Burst Rate | 5fps mechanical | 27MP RAW burst |
| Battery Life | ~250 shots (CIPA) — very limited | ~70 min at 5.3K/30p (Enduro battery) |
| Weight | 485g (body, battery, card) | 154g |
| Dimensions | 132.5 × 85.0 × 70.0mm | 71.8 × 50.8 × 33.6mm |
| Weather Sealed | No | Yes |
| Viewfinder | EVF, 2.36M dots, 0.70× magnification | 2.27" rear touchscreen + 1.4" front display |
| Screen | 3.0" vari-angle touchscreen, 1.04M dots | 2.27" rear touchscreen; 1.4" front colour display |
| Mount | Canon RF-mount | GoPro mounting ecosystem (fingers, adhesive, magnetic) |
| Memory Cards | Single SD UHS-II | microSD up to 1TB (V30 minimum) |
| Connectivity | USB-C, Wi-Fi, Bluetooth | USB-C, Bluetooth, Wi-Fi, GPS |
Suitability by genre
| Genre | EOS RP | Hero 12 Black |
|---|---|---|
| Portrait | — | |
| Travel | ||
| Street | — | |
| Video | — | |
| Wildlife | — | |
| Adventure & Sports | — | |
| Vlogging & Video | — | |
| Underwater | — | |
| Cycling & Hiking | — | |
| Everyday | — |
More comparisons with EOS RP
Camera family history