Hero 12 Blackvs M10
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?
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.
Street & Documentary — M10 (2017): The M10 returned Leica to its roots — thinner, cleaner, and video-free by design. The 24MP sensor is the perfect resolution for a manual-focus rangefinder. The simplified control layout respects the M tradition without digital clutter. A camera for photographers who want to slow down and engage with every frame. One of the most satisfying cameras to use — assuming you have M-mount glass to pair with it.
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
M10 (2017)
- Serious photographers who want to slow down
- Street and documentary photographers
- Leica M-mount lens owners
Quick take: The hero 12 black has the highest resolution at 27mp; 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) | M10 (2017) |
|---|---|---|
| Price | £300 | £4,000 |
| Sensor | 1/1.9-inch CMOS | 24MP Full-Frame CMOS |
| Resolution | 27.0MP | 24.0MP |
| Video | 5.3K/60p, 4K/120p, 2.7K/240p slow-mo | — |
| Autofocus | Fixed focus (wide) | Manual focus (rangefinder coupled) |
| Stabilisation | HyperSmooth 6.0 (in-camera EIS) | None |
| Burst Rate | 27MP RAW burst | 5fps |
| Battery Life | ~70 min at 5.3K/30p (Enduro battery) | ~220 shots (CIPA) |
| Weight | 154g | 660g (with battery) |
| Dimensions | 71.8 × 50.8 × 33.6mm | 139 × 80 × 38.5mm |
| Weather Sealed | Yes | No |
| Viewfinder | 2.27" rear touchscreen + 1.4" front display | Optical rangefinder, 0.73× magnification |
| Screen | 2.27" rear touchscreen; 1.4" front colour display | 3.0" fixed LCD, 1.04M dots |
| Mount | GoPro mounting ecosystem (fingers, adhesive, magnetic) | Leica M-mount |
| Memory Cards | microSD up to 1TB (V30 minimum) | Single SD UHS-I slot |
| Connectivity | USB-C, Bluetooth, Wi-Fi, GPS | USB 2.0, Wi-Fi |
Suitability by genre
| Genre | Hero 12 Black | M10 |
|---|---|---|
| Adventure & Sports | — | |
| Vlogging & Video | ||
| Travel | ||
| Underwater | — | |
| Cycling & Hiking | — | |
| Everyday | — | |
| Street | — | |
| Portrait | — | |
| Landscape | — | |
| Astrophotography | — | |
| Sports & Action | — | |
| Wildlife | — |
GearScore™ suitability scores are based on aggregated purchaser reviews weighted by photography genre. See how scores are calculated →
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Camera family history