Hero 12 Blackvs G85
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.
Travel & Video — G85 (2016): The G85 is the definitive enthusiast MFT package — combining 4K/30p, Dual I.S. 2 stabilisation, and weather sealing in an affordable, well-built body. It lacks phase-detect AF (contrast-detect only) but covers travel, landscape, and casual video effectively. One of the best-value used-market MFT cameras available — a practical, capable companion for photographers who want reliability over cutting-edge specs.
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
G85 (2016)
- Travel photographers who want weather sealing on a budget
- Vloggers and hybrid shooters
- MFT system users stepping up from entry-level
Quick take: The hero 12 black has the highest resolution at 27mp; the hero 12 black is the most affordable. Scroll down for the full spec breakdown.
Full specifications
| Specification | Hero 12 Black (2023) | G85 (2016) |
|---|---|---|
| Price | £300 | £350 |
| Sensor | 1/1.9-inch CMOS | 16MP Micro Four Thirds CMOS (no low-pass filter) |
| Resolution | 27.0MP | 16.0MP |
| Video | 5.3K/60p, 4K/120p, 2.7K/240p slow-mo | 4K/30p, 1080p/60p |
| Autofocus | Fixed focus (wide) | Contrast-detect AF, DFD technology |
| Stabilisation | HyperSmooth 6.0 (in-camera EIS) | 5-axis Dual I.S. 2 (body + lens) |
| Burst Rate | 27MP RAW burst | 9fps |
| Battery Life | ~70 min at 5.3K/30p (Enduro battery) | ~330 shots (CIPA) |
| Weight | 154g | 426g (body only) |
| Dimensions | 71.8 × 50.8 × 33.6mm | 128.4 × 89.2 × 74.3mm |
| Weather Sealed | Yes | Yes |
| Viewfinder | 2.27" rear touchscreen + 1.4" front display | Electronic, 2.36M dots, 0.74× magnification |
| Screen | 2.27" rear touchscreen; 1.4" front colour display | 3.0" fully articulating touchscreen, 1.04M dots |
| Mount | GoPro mounting ecosystem (fingers, adhesive, magnetic) | Micro Four Thirds |
| 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, NFC |
Suitability by genre
| Genre | Hero 12 Black | G85 |
|---|---|---|
| Adventure & Sports | — | |
| Vlogging & Video | ||
| Travel | ||
| Underwater | — | |
| Cycling & Hiking | — | |
| Everyday | — | |
| Landscape | — | |
| Street | — | |
| Portrait | — | |
| Wildlife | — | |
| Sports & Action | — |
GearScore™ suitability scores are based on aggregated purchaser reviews weighted by photography genre. See how scores are calculated →
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