Hero 12 Blackvs Leica Q3
GoPro
Hero 12 Black (2023)
Starting from £300 new
Best for Adventure, sports & travel video
View Hero 12 Black
VS
Leica
Leica Q3 (2023)
Starting from £5999 new
Best for Travel, street & premium compact shooters
View Leica Q3
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.
Travel, Street & Premium Compact Shooters — Leica Q3 (2023): 60MP, Summilux 28mm, IBIS, and weather sealing — the Q3 is the ultimate fixed-lens camera for those who can justify the cost.
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
Leica Q3 (2023)
- Photographers who want a fixed-lens full-frame camera with no compromises
- Q2 owners upgrading to articulating screen and improved autofocus
- Travel photographers who want one premium compact that does everything
- Street and documentary photographers who want Leica quality without changing lenses
Quick take: The leica q3 has the highest resolution at 60mp; the hero 12 black is the most affordable. Scroll down for the full spec breakdown.
Full specifications
| Specification | Hero 12 Black (2023) | Leica Q3 (2023) |
|---|---|---|
| Price | £300 | £5,999 |
| Sensor | 1/1.9-inch CMOS | 60MP full-frame BSI CMOS |
| Resolution | 27.0MP | 60.0MP |
| Video | 5.3K/60p, 4K/120p, 2.7K/240p slow-mo | 8K/30p, 4K/60p, C4K/60p |
| Autofocus | Fixed focus (wide) | Phase-detect AF with subject/face/eye detection |
| Stabilisation | HyperSmooth 6.0 (in-camera EIS) | 5.5-stop IBIS |
| Burst Rate | 27MP RAW burst | 15fps |
| Battery Life | ~70 min at 5.3K/30p (Enduro battery) | 380 shots (CIPA) |
| Weight | 154g | 743g |
| Dimensions | 71.8 × 50.8 × 33.6mm | 130.0 × 80.3 × 91.0mm |
| Weather Sealed | Yes | Yes |
| Viewfinder | 2.27" rear touchscreen + 1.4" front display | 0.787" OLED EVF, 5.76M dots |
| Screen | 2.27" rear touchscreen; 1.4" front colour display | 3.0" fixed touchscreen |
| Mount | GoPro mounting ecosystem (fingers, adhesive, magnetic) | Fixed Summilux 28mm f/1.7 ASPH |
| Memory Cards | microSD up to 1TB (V30 minimum) | Single SD UHS-II |
| Connectivity | USB-C, Bluetooth, Wi-Fi, GPS | USB-C 3.1, Wi-Fi, Bluetooth |
Suitability by genre
| Genre | Hero 12 Black | Leica Q3 |
|---|---|---|
| Adventure & Sports | — | |
| Vlogging & Video | ||
| Travel | ||
| Underwater | — | |
| Cycling & Hiking | — | |
| Everyday | — | |
| Street | — | |
| Landscape | — | |
| Portrait | — | |
| Sports & Action | — |
More comparisons with Hero 12 Black
Camera family history