Hero 12 Blackvs Leica SL3
GoPro
Hero 12 Black (2023)
Starting from £300 new
Best for Adventure, sports & travel video
View Hero 12 Black
VS
Leica
Leica SL3 (2024)
Starting from £6499 new
Best for Professional & luxury hybrid shooters
View Leica SL3
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.
Professional & Luxury Hybrid Shooters — Leica SL3 (2024): Leica's most capable mirrorless — 60MP, 30fps burst, 8K ProRes, and 7.5-stop IBIS with L-mount's growing lens ecosystem.
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 SL3 (2024)
- Leica photographers who want autofocus full-frame in the L-mount system
- SL2 owners upgrading to 60MP and improved autofocus performance
- Professionals who want Leica build quality with L-mount lens versatility
- Photographers who want to share lenses across Leica, Sigma, and Lumix bodies
Quick take: The leica sl3 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 SL3 (2024) |
|---|---|---|
| Price | £300 | £6,499 |
| 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, Apple ProRes |
| Autofocus | Fixed focus (wide) | Phase-detect AF with subject/face/eye detection |
| Stabilisation | HyperSmooth 6.0 (in-camera EIS) | 7.5-stop IBIS |
| Burst Rate | 27MP RAW burst | 30fps electronic |
| Battery Life | ~70 min at 5.3K/30p (Enduro battery) | 410 shots (CIPA) |
| Weight | 154g | 875g body only |
| Dimensions | 71.8 × 50.8 × 33.6mm | 146.0 × 104.0 × 42.0mm |
| Weather Sealed | Yes | Yes |
| Viewfinder | 2.27" rear touchscreen + 1.4" front display | 0.78" OLED EVF, 5.76M dots |
| Screen | 2.27" rear touchscreen; 1.4" front colour display | 3.2" fixed touchscreen |
| Mount | GoPro mounting ecosystem (fingers, adhesive, magnetic) | Leica L-mount |
| Memory Cards | microSD up to 1TB (V30 minimum) | Dual 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 SL3 |
|---|---|---|
| Adventure & Sports | — | |
| Vlogging & Video | ||
| Travel | ||
| Underwater | — | |
| Cycling & Hiking | — | |
| Everyday | — | |
| Portrait | — | |
| Landscape | — | |
| Sports & Action | — | |
| Wedding & Events | — |
More comparisons with Hero 12 Black
Camera family history