GFX 50S IIvs Hero 12 Black
Fujifilm
GFX 50S II (2021)
Starting from £2999 new
Best for Studio & portrait specialists
View GFX 50S II
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?
Studio & Portrait Specialists — GFX 50S II (2021): Medium format quality at the most accessible price ever — 51MP detail and tonal richness no APS-C or full-frame body 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
GFX 50S II (2021)
- Photographers stepping into medium format for the first time
- Landscape and commercial shooters who want 51MP at an accessible medium-format price
- Studio photographers upgrading from full-frame who want a resolution jump
- GFX system buyers who want IBIS and medium-format quality without GFX 100S II pricing
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 gfx 50s ii has the highest resolution at 51mp; the hero 12 black is the most affordable. Scroll down for the full spec breakdown.
Full specifications
| Specification | GFX 50S II (2021) | Hero 12 Black (2023) |
|---|---|---|
| Price | £2,999 | £300 |
| Sensor | 51.4MP Medium Format GFX 44×33mm BSI CMOS | 1/1.9-inch CMOS |
| Resolution | 51.4MP | 27.0MP |
| Video | 4K/30p (cropped) | 5.3K/60p, 4K/120p, 2.7K/240p slow-mo |
| Autofocus | Phase-detect, 425 points | Fixed focus (wide) |
| Stabilisation | 5-axis IBIS, 6.5 stops | HyperSmooth 6.0 (in-camera EIS) |
| Burst Rate | 3fps | 27MP RAW burst |
| Battery Life | ~440 shots (CIPA) | ~70 min at 5.3K/30p (Enduro battery) |
| Weight | 900g body only | 154g |
| Dimensions | 150.0 × 104.2 × 87.2mm | 71.8 × 50.8 × 33.6mm |
| Weather Sealed | Yes | Yes |
| Viewfinder | EVF, 3.69M dots, 0.77× magnification | 2.27" rear touchscreen + 1.4" front display |
| Screen | 3.2" tilting touchscreen | 2.27" rear touchscreen; 1.4" front colour display |
| Mount | Fujifilm G-mount (medium format) | GoPro mounting ecosystem (fingers, adhesive, magnetic) |
| Memory Cards | Dual SD UHS-II slots | microSD up to 1TB (V30 minimum) |
| Connectivity | USB-C, Bluetooth, Wi-Fi | USB-C, Bluetooth, Wi-Fi, GPS |
Suitability by genre
| Genre | GFX 50S II | Hero 12 Black |
|---|---|---|
| Studio Portraits | — | |
| Commercial | — | |
| Landscape | — | |
| Portrait | — | |
| Travel | ||
| Sports & Action | — | |
| Adventure & Sports | — | |
| Vlogging & Video | — | |
| Underwater | — | |
| Cycling & Hiking | — | |
| Everyday | — |
More comparisons with GFX 50S II
Camera family history