Hero 12 Blackvs Lumix S5
GoPro
Hero 12 Black (2023)
Starting from £300 new
Best for Adventure, sports & travel video
View Hero 12 Black
Lumix
Lumix S5 (2020)
Starting from £1699 new
Best for Professional video & hybrid shooting
View Lumix S5
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.
Professional Video & Hybrid Shooting — Lumix S5 (2020): The S5 is an outstanding video camera that also takes excellent stills. 10-bit 4K/60p, dual native ISO and 6.5-stop IBIS in a weather-sealed body is a compelling package. The contrast-detect AF is its main weakness vs Sony and Canon — but for controlled shooting it doesn't hold it back.
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 S5 (2020)
- Videographers who need 10-bit colour science in a full-frame body
- Photographers who shoot video as a second discipline
- Studio photographers who want full-frame IBIS at a lower price
- L-mount system users building a versatile kit
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 S5 (2020) |
|---|---|---|
| Price | £300 | £1,699 |
| Sensor | 1/1.9-inch CMOS | 24.2MP Full-Frame CMOS |
| Resolution | 27.0MP | 24.2MP |
| Video | 5.3K/60p, 4K/120p, 2.7K/240p slow-mo | 4K/60p 10-bit V-Log/HLG, 5.9K anamorphic, 1080p/180p slow-motion |
| Autofocus | Fixed focus (wide) | Contrast AF (DFD Technology), face/eye detection |
| Stabilisation | HyperSmooth 6.0 (in-camera EIS) | 6.5-stop IBIS (dual IBIS with Lumix S lenses) |
| Burst Rate | 27MP RAW burst | 7fps mechanical, 9fps electronic (AFS) |
| Battery Life | ~70 min at 5.3K/30p (Enduro battery) | ~470 shots (CIPA) |
| Weight | 154g | 714g (body, battery, card) |
| Dimensions | 71.8 × 50.8 × 33.6mm | 132.6 × 97.1 × 81.9mm |
| Weather Sealed | Yes | Yes |
| Viewfinder | 2.27" rear touchscreen + 1.4" front display | EVF, 2.36M dots, 0.78× magnification |
| Screen | 2.27" rear touchscreen; 1.4" front colour display | 3.0" vari-angle touchscreen, 1.84M dots |
| Mount | GoPro mounting ecosystem (fingers, adhesive, magnetic) | Leica L-mount |
| Memory Cards | microSD up to 1TB (V30 minimum) | Dual SD UHS-II |
| Connectivity | USB-C, Bluetooth, Wi-Fi, GPS | USB-C (USB 3.2 Gen 1), full-size HDMI, Wi-Fi, Bluetooth |
Suitability by genre
| Genre | Hero 12 Black | Lumix S5 |
|---|---|---|
| Adventure & Sports | — | |
| Vlogging & Video | — | |
| Travel | ||
| Underwater | — | |
| Cycling & Hiking | — | |
| Everyday | — | |
| Video | — | |
| Portrait | — | |
| Street | — | |
| Wildlife | — |
More comparisons with Hero 12 Black
Camera family history