GFX 50Svs Hero 12 Black
Fujifilm
GFX 50S (2017)
Starting from £1499 new
Best for Studio, portrait & landscape photography
View GFX 50S
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 & Landscape Photography — GFX 50S (2017): The camera that launched Fujifilm's medium-format revolution — 51MP at a price that made serious large-format imaging possible for the first time.
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 (2017)
- Photographers who want to enter the GFX system at the lowest possible price
- Studio and portrait photographers who want medium-format tonal quality on a budget
- Landscape photographers who work from a tripod and don't need IBIS
- GFX system historians who want the camera that started it all
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 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 (2017) | Hero 12 Black (2023) |
|---|---|---|
| Price | £1,499 | £300 |
| Sensor | 51.4MP Medium Format BSI CMOS (43.8 × 32.9mm) | 1/1.9-inch CMOS |
| Resolution | 51.4MP | 27.0MP |
| Video | 1080p/30p | 5.3K/60p, 4K/120p, 2.7K/240p slow-mo |
| Autofocus | Contrast-detect AF, face detection | Fixed focus (wide) |
| Stabilisation | None | HyperSmooth 6.0 (in-camera EIS) |
| Burst Rate | 3fps | 27MP RAW burst |
| Battery Life | ~400 shots (CIPA) | ~70 min at 5.3K/30p (Enduro battery) |
| Weight | 825g (with battery and card) | 154g |
| Dimensions | 147.5 × 94.2 × 91.4mm | 71.8 × 50.8 × 33.6mm |
| Weather Sealed | Yes | Yes |
| Viewfinder | Detachable EVF, 3.69M dots, 0.85× magnification | 2.27" rear touchscreen + 1.4" front display |
| Screen | 3.2" tilting touchscreen + rear sub-LCD | 2.27" rear touchscreen; 1.4" front colour display |
| Mount | Fujifilm GFX (G-mount) | GoPro mounting ecosystem (fingers, adhesive, magnetic) |
| Memory Cards | Dual SD UHS-II slots | microSD up to 1TB (V30 minimum) |
| Connectivity | USB-C, Wi-Fi, Bluetooth | USB-C, Bluetooth, Wi-Fi, GPS |
Suitability by genre
| Genre | GFX 50S | Hero 12 Black |
|---|---|---|
| Portrait | — | |
| Landscape | — | |
| Architecture | — | |
| Travel | ||
| 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 →
More comparisons with GFX 50S
Camera family history