Hero 12 Blackvs GH4
GoPro
Hero 12 Black (2023)
Starting from £300 new
Best for Adventure, sports & travel video
View Hero 12 Black
Lumix
GH4 (2014)
Starting from £349 new
Best for Video, independent filmmaking & documentary
View GH4
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.
Video, Independent Filmmaking & Documentary — GH4 (2014): The world's first consumer 4K camera — the GH4 changed independent filmmaking and proved that broadcast-quality video didn't require a cinema camera budget.
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
GH4 (2014)
- Videographers and independent filmmakers who want the camera that started the consumer 4K era
- Content creators looking for a capable 4K body at the lowest entry price
- MFT system users who want the best video capability on a tight budget
- Photographers interested in camera history — the GH4 is a landmark piece
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) | GH4 (2014) |
|---|---|---|
| Price | £300 | £349 |
| Sensor | 1/1.9-inch CMOS | 16.05MP Micro Four Thirds Live MOS |
| Resolution | 27.0MP | 16.1MP |
| Video | 5.3K/60p, 4K/120p, 2.7K/240p slow-mo | 4K/30p, C4K/24p (first consumer camera with 4K), 1080p/96fps |
| Autofocus | Fixed focus (wide) | Contrast-detect DFD AF, face detection |
| Stabilisation | HyperSmooth 6.0 (in-camera EIS) | None (no body IBIS) |
| Burst Rate | 27MP RAW burst | 12fps (AFS), 7fps (AFC) |
| Battery Life | ~70 min at 5.3K/30p (Enduro battery) | ~500 shots (CIPA) |
| Weight | 154g | 560g (with battery and card) |
| Dimensions | 71.8 × 50.8 × 33.6mm | 133.2 × 93.4 × 83.0mm |
| Weather Sealed | Yes | Yes |
| Viewfinder | 2.27" rear touchscreen + 1.4" front display | EVF, OLED 2.36M dots, 0.67× magnification |
| 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) | Single SD UHS-I slot |
| Connectivity | USB-C, Bluetooth, Wi-Fi, GPS | USB, Wi-Fi, NFC, 3.5mm mic jack, headphone jack, HDMI |
Suitability by genre
| Genre | Hero 12 Black | GH4 |
|---|---|---|
| Adventure & Sports | — | |
| Vlogging & Video | ||
| Travel | ||
| Underwater | — | |
| Cycling & Hiking | — | |
| Everyday | — | |
| Portrait | — | |
| Wildlife | — | |
| Sports & Action | — | |
| Landscape | — |
GearScore™ suitability scores are based on aggregated purchaser reviews weighted by photography genre. See how scores are calculated →
More comparisons with Hero 12 Black
Camera family history