Hero 12 Blackvs Lumix G9 II
GoPro
Hero 12 Black (2023)
Starting from £300 new
Best for Adventure, sports & travel video
View Hero 12 Black
VS
Lumix
Lumix G9 II (2023)
Starting from £1499 new
Best for Wildlife, sports & hybrid MFT shooters
View Lumix G9 II
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.
Wildlife, Sports & Hybrid Mft Shooters — Lumix G9 II (2023): Phase-detect AF transforms the G9 II into a genuine MFT all-rounder — the best Lumix MFT camera for both stills and video.
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
Lumix G9 II (2023)
- Stills photographers who want the best MFT camera for sport and wildlife
- G9 owners upgrading to phase-detect AF and improved video specs
- Hybrid MFT shooters who want strong stills and 5.7K video in one body
- Photographers who want the most capable Lumix MFT camera ever made
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) | Lumix G9 II (2023) |
|---|---|---|
| Price | £300 | £1,499 |
| Sensor | 1/1.9-inch CMOS | 25.2MP Micro Four Thirds Live MOS |
| Resolution | 27.0MP | 25.2MP |
| Video | 5.3K/60p, 4K/120p, 2.7K/240p slow-mo | 5.8K/30p, 4K/120p, C4K/60p, V-Log |
| Autofocus | Fixed focus (wide) | Phase-detect AF with subject/face/eye detection |
| Stabilisation | HyperSmooth 6.0 (in-camera EIS) | 8-stop IBIS (with OIS lenses) |
| Burst Rate | 27MP RAW burst | 25fps with AF / 75fps electronic (fixed focus) |
| Battery Life | ~70 min at 5.3K/30p (Enduro battery) | 680 shots (CIPA) |
| Weight | 154g | 658g body only |
| Dimensions | 71.8 × 50.8 × 33.6mm | 134.3 × 100.3 × 90.5mm |
| Weather Sealed | Yes | Yes |
| Viewfinder | 2.27" rear touchscreen + 1.4" front display | 0.76" OLED EVF, 3.68M dots |
| Screen | 2.27" rear touchscreen; 1.4" front colour display | 3.0" fully articulating touchscreen |
| Mount | GoPro mounting ecosystem (fingers, adhesive, magnetic) | Micro Four Thirds |
| Memory Cards | microSD up to 1TB (V30 minimum) | Dual SD UHS-II |
| Connectivity | USB-C, Bluetooth, Wi-Fi, GPS | USB-C 3.1, HDMI full-size, Wi-Fi, Bluetooth |
Suitability by genre
| Genre | Hero 12 Black | Lumix G9 II |
|---|---|---|
| Adventure & Sports | — | |
| Vlogging & Video | ||
| Travel | ||
| Underwater | — | |
| Cycling & Hiking | — | |
| Everyday | — | |
| Wildlife | — | |
| Sports & Action | — | |
| Landscape | — | |
| Portrait | — |
More comparisons with Hero 12 Black
Camera family history