X100Svs 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?
Street & Travel — X100S (2013): The X100S was the moment the X100 series became legendary. Dramatically faster phase-detect AF, X-Trans II image quality, Fujifilm's film simulations, and the iconic hybrid viewfinder in a pocketable fixed-lens body — the blueprint every subsequent X100 has built on. A brilliant used-market buy for street and travel photographers who want the Fujifilm experience at an accessible price.
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
X100S (2013)
- Street photographers who want the Fujifilm X100 experience on a budget
- Travel photographers who love a fixed focal length
- Film photography enthusiasts who want digital film simulations
- Used-market buyers stepping into the X100 series
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 x100s is the most affordable; only the hero 12 black is weather sealed. Scroll down for the full spec breakdown.
Full specifications
| Specification | X100S (2013) | Hero 12 Black (2023) |
|---|---|---|
| Price | £250 | £300 |
| Sensor | 16.3MP APS-C X-Trans CMOS II | 1/1.9-inch CMOS |
| Resolution | 16.3MP | 27.0MP |
| Video | 1080p/60p | 5.3K/60p, 4K/120p, 2.7K/240p slow-mo |
| Autofocus | Hybrid AF with sensor-embedded phase-detect + contrast-detect | Fixed focus (wide) |
| Stabilisation | — | HyperSmooth 6.0 (in-camera EIS) |
| Burst Rate | 6fps | 27MP RAW burst |
| Battery Life | ~330 shots (CIPA) | ~70 min at 5.3K/30p (Enduro battery) |
| Weight | 445g (with battery and card) | 154g |
| Dimensions | 126.5 × 74.4 × 52.4mm | 71.8 × 50.8 × 33.6mm |
| Weather Sealed | No | Yes |
| Viewfinder | Hybrid optical/electronic viewfinder | 2.27" rear touchscreen + 1.4" front display |
| Screen | 2.8" fixed LCD, 460k dots | 2.27" rear touchscreen; 1.4" front colour display |
| Mount | Fixed Fujinon 23mm f/2 (35mm equivalent) | GoPro mounting ecosystem (fingers, adhesive, magnetic) |
| Memory Cards | Single SD UHS-I slot | microSD up to 1TB (V30 minimum) |
| Connectivity | USB, Wi-Fi (via optional adapter) | USB-C, Bluetooth, Wi-Fi, GPS |
Suitability by genre
| Genre | X100S | Hero 12 Black |
|---|---|---|
| Street | — | |
| Travel | ||
| Casual | — | |
| Portrait | — | |
| Landscape | — | |
| 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 X100S
Camera family history