Hero 12 Blackvs Lumix S5 II
GoPro
Hero 12 Black (2023)
Starting from £300 new
Best for Adventure, sports & travel video
View Hero 12 Black
VS
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.
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 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 |
Suitability by genre
| Genre | Hero 12 Black | Lumix S5 II |
|---|---|---|
| Adventure & Sports | — | |
| Vlogging & Video | ||
| Travel | ||
| Underwater | — | |
| Cycling & Hiking | — | |
| Everyday | — | |
| Wedding & Events | — | |
| Portrait | — | |
| Landscape | — | |
| Sports & Action | — |
More comparisons with Hero 12 Black
Camera family history