PowerShot V1vs 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?
Vlogging & Travel — PowerShot V1 (2025): The PowerShot V1 is Canon's best compact camera — a 1-inch stacked sensor, Dual Pixel CMOS AF, 4K/60p, built-in ND, and an articulating screen in a pocketable body. It is the compact camera Canon's content-creator audience has been waiting for, and a genuine step forward over the G7X series.
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
PowerShot V1 (2025)
- Content creators who want Canon's best compact for vlogging and social media
- Travel photographers who want 4K and a zoom lens in one pocketable body
- Vloggers upgrading from G7X series who want better AF and video specs
- Photographers who want a capable compact backup body
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 | PowerShot V1 (2025) | Hero 12 Black (2023) |
|---|---|---|
| Price | £900 | £300 |
| Sensor | 22.3MP 1-inch Stacked CMOS | 1/1.9-inch CMOS |
| Resolution | 22.3MP | 27.0MP |
| Video | 4K/60p, 1080p/120p | 5.3K/60p, 4K/120p, 2.7K/240p slow-mo |
| Autofocus | Dual Pixel CMOS AF with face and subject detection | Fixed focus (wide) |
| Stabilisation | Optical IS (lens) + electronic stabilisation | HyperSmooth 6.0 (in-camera EIS) |
| Burst Rate | 20fps (electronic) | 27MP RAW burst |
| Battery Life | ~270 shots (CIPA) | ~70 min at 5.3K/30p (Enduro battery) |
| Weight | 340g (with battery and card) | 154g |
| Dimensions | 112.0 × 65.0 × 50.0mm | 71.8 × 50.8 × 33.6mm |
| Weather Sealed | No | Yes |
| Viewfinder | None | 2.27" rear touchscreen + 1.4" front display |
| Screen | 3.0" fully articulating touchscreen, 1.62M dots | 2.27" rear touchscreen; 1.4" front colour display |
| Mount | Fixed Canon zoom lens (equivalent wide-to-tele) | GoPro mounting ecosystem (fingers, adhesive, magnetic) |
| Memory Cards | Single SD UHS-II slot | microSD up to 1TB (V30 minimum) |
| Connectivity | USB-C, Wi-Fi, Bluetooth | USB-C, Bluetooth, Wi-Fi, GPS |
Suitability by genre
| Genre | PowerShot V1 | Hero 12 Black |
|---|---|---|
| Vlogging & Video | ||
| Travel | ||
| Casual | — | |
| Street | — | |
| Portrait | — | |
| Landscape | — | |
| Adventure & Sports | — | |
| Underwater | — | |
| Cycling & Hiking | — | |
| Everyday | — |
GearScore™ suitability scores are based on aggregated purchaser reviews weighted by photography genre. See how scores are calculated →
More comparisons with PowerShot V1
Camera family history