Hero 12 Blackvs Hasselblad X1D II 50C
GoPro
Hero 12 Black (2023)
Starting from £300 new
Best for Adventure, sports & travel video
View Hero 12 Black
Hasselblad
Hasselblad X1D II 50C (2019)
Starting from £3999 new
Best for Fine art, portrait & entry-level medium format
View Hasselblad X1D II 50C
GearScore™ Verdict — Which should you buy?
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.
Fine Art, Portrait & Entry-Level Medium Format — Hasselblad X1D II 50C (2019): The most accessible Hasselblad XCD body — 50MP medium-format quality for those who cannot stretch to the X2D 100C.
Who should buy what
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
Hasselblad X1D II 50C (2019)
- Photographers entering medium format for the first time without full Hasselblad pricing
- Portrait and landscape photographers who want 50MP medium-format files
- X2D 100C buyers on a budget who can live with 50MP over 100MP
- Professionals who want Hasselblad colour and build at a more accessible price
Quick take: The hasselblad x1d ii 50c has the highest resolution at 50mp; 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 | Hero 12 Black (2023) | Hasselblad X1D II 50C (2019) |
|---|---|---|
| Price | £300 | £3,999 |
| Sensor | 1/1.9-inch CMOS | 50MP medium-format CMOS (43.8 × 32.9mm) |
| Resolution | 27.0MP | 50.0MP |
| Video | 5.3K/60p, 4K/120p, 2.7K/240p slow-mo | None |
| Autofocus | Fixed focus (wide) | Contrast-detect AF |
| Stabilisation | HyperSmooth 6.0 (in-camera EIS) | None |
| Burst Rate | 27MP RAW burst | 2.7fps |
| Battery Life | ~70 min at 5.3K/30p (Enduro battery) | 370 shots (CIPA) |
| Weight | 154g | 766g body only |
| Dimensions | 71.8 × 50.8 × 33.6mm | 148.0 × 97.0 × 73.8mm |
| Weather Sealed | Yes | No |
| Viewfinder | 2.27" rear touchscreen + 1.4" front display | 0.87" OLED EVF, 3.69M dots |
| Screen | 2.27" rear touchscreen; 1.4" front colour display | 3.6" touchscreen |
| Mount | GoPro mounting ecosystem (fingers, adhesive, magnetic) | Hasselblad XCD |
| Memory Cards | microSD up to 1TB (V30 minimum) | Dual SD UHS-II |
| Connectivity | USB-C, Bluetooth, Wi-Fi, GPS | USB-C, Wi-Fi, Bluetooth |
Suitability by genre
| Genre | Hero 12 Black | Hasselblad X1D II 50C |
|---|---|---|
| Adventure & Sports | — | |
| Vlogging & Video | — | |
| Travel | ||
| Underwater | — | |
| Cycling & Hiking | — | |
| Everyday | — | |
| Landscape | — | |
| Portrait | — | |
| Architecture | — | |
| Street | — | |
| Sports & Action | — |
More comparisons with Hero 12 Black
Camera family history