Hero 12 Blackvs GH5
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.
Video, Filmmaking & Hybrid Shooting — GH5 (2017): The GH5 redefined what a consumer video camera could do — 4K/60p and 10-bit 4:2:2 internal recording made it the independent filmmaker's tool of choice for years.
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
GH5 (2017)
- Independent filmmakers who need 10-bit 4:2:2 internal recording without a dedicated cinema camera
- YouTube creators who want 4K/60p, a fully articulating screen, and unlimited recording
- Photographers who shoot primarily stills but need serious video capability as a second
- GH4 owners who want 4K/60p and 10-bit — a significant step up
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) | GH5 (2017) |
|---|---|---|
| Price | £300 | £699 |
| Sensor | 1/1.9-inch CMOS | 20.3MP Micro Four Thirds Live MOS |
| Resolution | 27.0MP | 20.3MP |
| Video | 5.3K/60p, 4K/120p, 2.7K/240p slow-mo | 4K/60p, C4K/30p, 1080p/180p; 10-bit 4:2:2 internal; unlimited recording |
| Autofocus | Fixed focus (wide) | Contrast-detect DFD AF, face/eye detection |
| Stabilisation | HyperSmooth 6.0 (in-camera EIS) | IBIS — up to 5 stops; Dual IS 2 with compatible lenses (6.5 stops) |
| Burst Rate | 27MP RAW burst | 12fps (AFS), 9fps (AFC) |
| Battery Life | ~70 min at 5.3K/30p (Enduro battery) | ~410 shots (CIPA) |
| Weight | 154g | 725g (with battery and card) |
| Dimensions | 71.8 × 50.8 × 33.6mm | 138.5 × 98.1 × 87.4mm |
| Weather Sealed | Yes | Yes |
| Viewfinder | 2.27" rear touchscreen + 1.4" front display | EVF, 3.68M dots, 0.76× magnification |
| Screen | 2.27" rear touchscreen; 1.4" front colour display | 3.2" fully articulating touchscreen, 1.62M dots |
| Mount | GoPro mounting ecosystem (fingers, adhesive, magnetic) | Micro Four Thirds |
| Memory Cards | microSD up to 1TB (V30 minimum) | Dual SD UHS-II slots |
| Connectivity | USB-C, Bluetooth, Wi-Fi, GPS | USB-C, Wi-Fi, Bluetooth, 3.5mm mic, headphone jack, HDMI |
Suitability by genre
| Genre | Hero 12 Black | GH5 |
|---|---|---|
| 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 →
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Camera family history