Hero 12 Blackvs Lumix S1R
GoPro
Hero 12 Black (2023)
Starting from £300 new
Best for Adventure, sports & travel video
View Hero 12 Black
Lumix
Lumix S1R (2019)
Starting from £2499 new
Best for High-resolution landscape, commercial & studio photography
View Lumix S1R
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.
High-Resolution Landscape, Commercial & Studio Photography — Lumix S1R (2019): A 47MP full-frame resolution powerhouse with one of the finest EVFs ever made — the S1R rewards careful, deliberate photography.
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 S1R (2019)
- Landscape photographers who want maximum resolution in a weather-sealed, IBIS-equipped full-frame body
- Commercial and product photographers who need 47MP detail with the option of 187MP composite shots
- Studio portrait photographers who want the finest EVF available alongside a high-resolution sensor
- Leica SL2 users who want a more affordable L-mount high-resolution alternative
Quick take: The lumix s1r has the highest resolution at 47mp; the hero 12 black is the most affordable. Scroll down for the full spec breakdown.
Full specifications
| Specification | Hero 12 Black (2023) | Lumix S1R (2019) |
|---|---|---|
| Price | £300 | £2,499 |
| Sensor | 1/1.9-inch CMOS | 47.3MP full-frame CMOS |
| Resolution | 27.0MP | 47.3MP |
| Video | 5.3K/60p, 4K/120p, 2.7K/240p slow-mo | 4K/60p (crop), 4K/30p (full-frame), V-Log (upgrade) |
| Autofocus | Fixed focus (wide) | DFD contrast-detect AF — reliable for static subjects |
| Stabilisation | HyperSmooth 6.0 (in-camera EIS) | 5-axis IBIS — 6 stops |
| Burst Rate | 27MP RAW burst | 9fps continuous with AF/AE |
| Battery Life | ~70 min at 5.3K/30p (Enduro battery) | ~360 shots (CIPA) |
| Weight | 154g | 898g body only |
| Dimensions | 71.8 × 50.8 × 33.6mm | 148.9 × 110.0 × 96.7mm |
| Weather Sealed | Yes | Yes |
| Viewfinder | 2.27" rear touchscreen + 1.4" front display | OLED EVF, 5.76M dots, 0.78× — one of the finest EVFs available |
| Screen | 2.27" rear touchscreen; 1.4" front colour display | 3.2" touchscreen, tilting |
| Mount | GoPro mounting ecosystem (fingers, adhesive, magnetic) | L-mount (Leica/Panasonic/Sigma) |
| Memory Cards | microSD up to 1TB (V30 minimum) | Dual SD UHS-II slots |
| Connectivity | USB-C, Bluetooth, Wi-Fi, GPS | USB-C, Bluetooth, Wi-Fi, 3.5mm mic & headphone jacks |
Suitability by genre
| Genre | Hero 12 Black | Lumix S1R |
|---|---|---|
| Adventure & Sports | — | |
| Vlogging & Video | ||
| Travel | ||
| Underwater | — | |
| Cycling & Hiking | — | |
| Everyday | — | |
| Landscape | — | |
| Portrait | — | |
| Street | — | |
| Sports | — |
More comparisons with Hero 12 Black
Camera family history