Hero 12 Blackvs Lumix S5 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 S5 II Lumix Lumix S5 II (2023) Starting from £1999 new Best for Hybrid video & photography View Lumix S5 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.

Hybrid Video & Photography — Lumix S5 II (2023): Phase-detect AF changed everything for Lumix — the S5 II delivers exceptional hybrid performance with 6K video and genuine full-frame value.

↓ 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 S5 II (2023)

  • Hybrid photographers who want phase-detect AF for the first time on a Lumix S body
  • Video creators who want 6K and reliable subject tracking in a full-frame body
  • S5 owners upgrading to the most significant Lumix full-frame update in years
  • L-mount photographers who want the best value full-frame Lumix available

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 II (2023)
Price £300 £1,999
Sensor 1/1.9-inch CMOS 24.2MP full-frame BSI CMOS
Resolution 27.0MP 24.2MP
Video 5.3K/60p, 4K/120p, 2.7K/240p slow-mo 6K/30p, 4K/60p, C4K/60p, V-Log
Autofocus Fixed focus (wide) Phase-detect AF with subject/face/eye detection
Stabilisation HyperSmooth 6.0 (in-camera EIS) 5-axis IBIS (up to 6.5-stop with OIS lenses)
Burst Rate 27MP RAW burst 30fps electronic / 7fps mechanical
Battery Life ~70 min at 5.3K/30p (Enduro battery) 740 shots (CIPA)
Weight 154g 740g body only
Dimensions 71.8 × 50.8 × 33.6mm 134.3 × 102.3 × 90.1mm
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) Leica L-mount
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 S5 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
Wedding & Events
9.0
Portrait
9.0
Landscape
9.0
Sports & Action
4.0
⚡ Compare specs side by side Hero 12 Black prices → Lumix S5 II prices →

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