Hero 12 Blackvs Lumix G9 II

GearFrame · Updated March 2026

GoPro Hero 12 Black GoPro Hero 12 Black (2023) Starting from £300 new Best for Adventure, sports & travel video View Hero 12 Black
VS
Lumix Lumix G9 II 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.

↓ Full specifications below

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
Genre Hero 12 BlackLumix G9 II
Adventure & Sports
9.0
Vlogging & Video
9.0
9.0
Travel
9.0
7.0
Underwater
9.0
Cycling & Hiking
9.0
Everyday
7.0
Wildlife
9.0
Sports & Action
9.0
Landscape
9.0
Portrait
7.0
⚡ Compare specs side by side Hero 12 Black prices → Lumix G9 II prices →

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