Hero 12 Blackvs Q
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, Travel & Fine Art Photography — Q (2015): The camera that redefined luxury compact photography — a full-frame sensor, the finest 28mm compact lens available, and a shooting feel that is uniquely Leica.
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
Q (2015)
- Street and documentary photographers who want a full-frame fixed-lens camera with iconic character
- Travel photographers who want the finest compact image quality available
- Leica enthusiasts who want an autofocus alternative to the M system
- Photographers who value build quality and shooting experience as much as spec sheets
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) | Q (2015) |
|---|---|---|
| Price | £300 | £1,999 |
| Sensor | 1/1.9-inch CMOS | 24.2MP Full-Frame CMOS |
| Resolution | 27.0MP | 24.2MP |
| Video | 5.3K/60p, 4K/120p, 2.7K/240p slow-mo | 1080p/60p |
| Autofocus | Fixed focus (wide) | Contrast-detect AF, 49 AF fields, face detection |
| Stabilisation | HyperSmooth 6.0 (in-camera EIS) | None |
| Burst Rate | 27MP RAW burst | 10fps |
| Battery Life | ~70 min at 5.3K/30p (Enduro battery) | ~270 shots (CIPA) |
| Weight | 154g | 640g (with battery and card) |
| Dimensions | 71.8 × 50.8 × 33.6mm | 130.0 × 80.0 × 93.5mm |
| Weather Sealed | Yes | No |
| Viewfinder | 2.27" rear touchscreen + 1.4" front display | EVF, 3.68M dots, 0.68× magnification |
| Screen | 2.27" rear touchscreen; 1.4" front colour display | 3.0" fixed touchscreen, 1.04M dots |
| Mount | GoPro mounting ecosystem (fingers, adhesive, magnetic) | Fixed Leica Summilux 28mm f/1.7 ASPH |
| Memory Cards | microSD up to 1TB (V30 minimum) | Single SD UHS-I slot |
| Connectivity | USB-C, Bluetooth, Wi-Fi, GPS | Wi-Fi |
Suitability by genre
| Genre | Hero 12 Black | Q |
|---|---|---|
| Adventure & Sports | — | |
| Vlogging & Video | ||
| Travel | ||
| Underwater | — | |
| Cycling & Hiking | — | |
| Everyday | — | |
| Street | — | |
| Portrait | — | |
| Landscape | — | |
| 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