GoPro
Hero 12 Black 2023
Best for Adventure, sports & travel video
£300
list price · used from £150 at eBay
Decision tools · Compare
Hero 12 Black vs Hero 13 Black
Quick take: The Hero 12 Black is the most affordable.
16 specs side by side·6 genres scored·UK prices from Wex Photo Video and Clifton Cameras
How to read this page. Highlighted cells win that row on the spec alone. Genre scores are the engine's base scores (enthusiast, photo and video); Camera Match re-weights them for your level and priorities. Price buttons are affiliate links; the price you pay is the same.
GoPro
Hero 13 Black 2024
Best for Professional content creators & adventure filmmakers
£380
list price · used from £200 at eBay
Price buttons are affiliate links — GearFrame may earn a commission at no extra cost to you. It never affects a score. Learn more
Verdictwhich should you buy?
Hero 12 Black — Adventure, Sports & Travel Video: GoPro's best all-round action camera — better battery, 10-bit colour, and HyperSmooth 6.0 make it a genuine step forward.
Hero 13 Black — Professional Content Creators & Adventure Filmmakers: The most capable GoPro ever — interchangeable lenses and GP-Log open up professional possibilities that no previous action camera could touch.
Who should buy what
Hero 12 Black (2023)
is the right camera for you if…
- 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
Hero 13 Black (2024)
is the right camera for you if…
- Professional filmmakers who want cinematic action footage with lens choice
- Hero 12 owners who want GP-Log and interchangeable lenses
- Content creators who need the absolute best GoPro available
- Those who want anamorphic or macro lens mods for creative video work
Full specificationsthe better value in each row is highlighted
| Specification | Hero 12 BlackGoPro · 2023 | Hero 13 BlackGoPro · 2024 |
|---|---|---|
| Price | £300Best | £380 |
| Sensor | 1/1.9-inch CMOS | 1/1.9-inch CMOS |
| Resolution | 27.0MP | 27.0MP |
| Video | 5.3K/60p, 4K/120p, 2.7K/240p slow-mo | 5.3K/60p, 4K/120p, 2.7K/240p, 1080p/400p slow-mo |
| Autofocus | Fixed focus (wide) | Fixed focus (ultra-wide); varies with lens mod |
| Stabilisation | HyperSmooth 6.0 (in-camera EIS) | HyperSmooth 6.0 |
| Burst Rate | 27MP RAW burst | 27MP RAW burst |
| Battery Life | ~70 min at 5.3K/30p (Enduro battery) | ~80 min at 5.3K/30p (Enduro battery)Best |
| Weight | 154g | 154g |
| Dimensions | 71.8 × 50.8 × 33.6mm | 71.8 × 50.8 × 33.6mm |
| Weather Sealed | Yes | Yes |
| Viewfinder | 2.27" rear touchscreen + 1.4" front display | 2.27" rear touchscreen + 1.4" front display |
| Screen | 2.27" rear touchscreen; 1.4" front colour display | 2.27" rear touchscreen; 1.4" front colour display |
| Mount | GoPro mounting ecosystem (fingers, adhesive, magnetic) | GoPro mounting ecosystem + magnetic latch system |
| Memory Cards | microSD up to 1TB (V30 minimum) | microSD up to 1TB (V30 minimum) |
| Connectivity | USB-C, Bluetooth, Wi-Fi, GPS | USB-C, Bluetooth, Wi-Fi, GPS |
Wins the row — price, resolution, burst, battery, weight and sealing are compared; text specs aren't ranked.
How they score by genreengine base scores out of 10
Genre
Hero 12 Black
Hero 13 Black
Sports & Action
9.0/10
9.0/10
Vlogging & Video
9.0/10
9.0/10
Travel
9.0/10
9.0/10
Underwater
9.0/10
9.0/10
Casual
9.0/10
9.0/10
Portrait
—
9.0/10
Scores come from the same engine as Camera Match: verified specifications weighted by what each genre needs, with documented adjustments. The product page and this table show the enthusiast base score. See how scores are calculated →
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